When Reuben Davison decided to have a crack at drag racing, he was keen on the XE Falcon as a base, but admits the dollars didn’t drive that far. “The XEs were just too dear for my budget,” says Reuben, citing it as the reason for purchasing a cheaper XF Fairmont. The last of the Blackwood Fords doesn’t
always get the regard it deserves, with purists citing a lack of a V8 as a problem, but that’s not an issue when the six-shooter is a built and bastardised Barra.

“It was supposed to be a budget build; we originally put a Territory Turbo motor in it with a BTR four-speed auto,” Reuben continues, “but then I blew it up at the Hardass 1000. I actually had a uni joint fail, and although the Haltech Nexus S3 tried to shut everything down, it just wasn’t quick enough and
suddenly I was seeing 10,000rpm.”
With a split block, Reuben’s black juicy stuff slicked Heathcote Park raceway in spectacular fashion, with the late Harry Haig dragging the dead XF off the track with his truck. “Harry made me clean his flatbed, and also help clean the track down,” Reuben says with a laugh.


Keen not to repeat history, Reuben sent his XF Fairmont to Ryan at Riot Lab for a full workup, having him install a full roll cage, anti-roll bar, nitrous mounts, and parachute mounts, while Dave and Stu from DSR Performance put together a 1500hp engine package with a half-grout-filled block, CP-Carrillo pistons, bulletproof rods and a seriously ported head. DSR also handled the nitrous control and fuel system, then backed the Barra with a 1500hp-capable, transbraked ZF six-speed with manualised bump shift.

“I’m going to try to stay around the nines,” Reuben says. “It can do eights, I’m sure but it’s still on the run-in tune and let’s face it, I’m pretty inexperienced and new to all this.” Sensible words from a lad who got sick of watching drag and drive events on YouTube, and decided he wanted in. “I just wanted to build a car that can do that and keep doing that. It’s a solid car, and it’s all engineered for the street.” Sounds like achievement unlocked, while a weekend with no oil slicks will be mission accomplished.
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