Articles by Carly DALE

Born into a racing family, Carly feels most at home among a throng of revvy V8s. Having spent many years as an active enthusiast, in 2007 she found her niche as a writer for Street Machine, allowing her to chat with amazing people about their cars â€“ and if they race them, all the better. An iron lion-motivated VL Calais is her road-going (and sometimes racing) steed, and sheâ€™s also home-building a Hemi-powered â€™34 Ford three-window coupe. Up-skilling is Carlyâ€™s jam: from lathe work, MIG and TIG welding and metal-shaping, to automotive painting, mechanics, graphic design and stringing together a decent yarn.Instagram @carlys_garage

Drag Challenge 2025 wrap-up

With 250 starters, 11 classes, a minimum 1500km road loop and four tracks, the 2025 Street Machine Drag Challenge 10th-anniversary event was one hell of a celebration

Leigh Roberts’s 1958 Plymouth Belvedere

Ballarat’s Leigh Roberts caught the drag racing bug and launched his ’58 Plymouth Belvedere down the strip for fun

19th Adelaide Auto Expo highlights

The 19th Adelaide Auto Expo showed why the event remains a staple of the thriving South Aussie car scene

Kylee Kappe’s 1972 HQ Monaro GTS

Despite being a Ford fanatic, Kylee Kappe’s love affair with her cherished Monaro goes back many years

Kate Dawson’s Toyota 4K-powered ’56 Morris Oxford

Bought as a rusty lockdown project, Kate Dawson’s Morrie became a family-built cruiser

Young gun Cooper Groom’s home-brewed ’23 T-bucket

Eighteen-year-old Cooper Groom made it to the Top 16 of your Hare & Forbes Machineryhouse Young SMOTY competition this year with his home-built hot rod

Tuff Mounts test bed: 4CE FED VK Calais

Jason Waye’s seven-year love-hate relationship with his '84 VK Calais proves good things come to those who hate

Sue Boyle’s 1960 FB Station Sedan

Holden pride shines in a Ford household with Sue Boyle’s beautifully restored FB Station Sedan

Drag Challenge 2025 – eight of the best

We take a look at some of our fave movers and shakers from Day One of Street Machine Drag Challenge 2025

Shenade Austin’s L98-powered VL Calais

Shenade Austin customised her VL Calais, including the strikingly bold pink paint, drawing inspiration from the wild cars she had seen at Summernats

Bec Robinson’s 410-cube 1971 VH Charger

Bec Robinson lives life in the fast lane, chasing bike records on salt flats. But her main pride and joy is her recently restored 1971 VH Charger

Michelle Jellicoe’s Torana LX SL/R 5000

Michelle Jellicoe says she wanted her Torrie to be a road-legal, Bathurst-style car running a 355ci stroker because she loves power!

Caitlin Diwell’s LS2-powered WL Statesman

After being a passenger during her husband Brody's burnouts, Caitlin Diwell wanted to get behind the wheel herself. She now has a WL Stato purpose-built burnout car

Street Machine TV

Video: Ian Wright’s twin-turbo HT Holden Kingswood

Last time Ian Wright’s HT Kingswood appeared in the mag, it was an under-the-radar sleeper. Now? Not so much

Blown Gen III Hemi-powered CH Chrysler By Chrysler

Scott Lawrence catapulted his 1972 CH Valiant into the current century with a blown, Gen 3 Hemi powerplant

Serena Channing’s hot-pink XD Fairmont Ghia

Ford fanatic Serena Channing’s 351 Clevo-powered XD is built for both street and race duties

Top 15 cars from the 2025 Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo

Here’s our pick of the sweet rides on show at this year’s Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo

Julia Crane’s ProCharged LS-powered VE SS

Heavy diesel mechanic and Commodore fanatic Julia Crane built her ProCharged VE SS into a 770hp weekend weapon

Peter Kelly’s restomod 1961 EK Holden

Peter Kelly's vision of a slick EK holden pro tourer shot straight from his brain into the Summernats Top 20

Jess Johnstone’s RB30ET-powered 1987 VL Berlina

Over two decades, Jess Johnstone has turned her once humble, stock VL Commodore into a turbocharged powerhouse