Jamming a late-model engine into your classic car and inflating it with forced induction is arguably the smart way to go fast these days. However, there are still bold souls like Peter Raditsas out there rocking it old-school for their street toughie.

Peter ran the more-door HG Holden in the 235 Aspirated class at Drag Challenge 2024, where it ran a best of 10.7. “I bought the car painted, just as a cruiser,” he explains. “Because I help Donny Zurcas at Drag Challenge with his Capri, I figured I should build something tougher.”

Under the HG’s bonnet is a stout Chevy small-block. Swinging 406 cubes and 12.4:1 compression, it’s based off a Dart block, with a 1050cfm Pro Systems Dominator carb, Motown manifold, Dart Pro 1 215cc heads that have been worked over by James at Pro-Port, a custom-ground solid-roller Herbert cam, Yella Terra twin-shaft rockers, and PSI NASCAR valve springs. “We put it on the dyno with Tim at Dynohaus, and it made just shy of 500rwhp,” says Peter.

Backing that power is a Powerglide trans with Dominator 5000rpm converter, while a nine-inch lives out back stuffed with 4.11 gears, a Strange aluminium centre, and billet axles. Don’t look for any four-bar arms or fancy lateral links under the Kingswood, either, as Peter has kept it disarmingly simple.

“It’s still running leaf springs, and there are no CalTracs or traction bars,” he laughs. “I’ve reset the leaf pack and put a more solid spring in the pack to avoid bind, and it hooks up all right. I didn’t do any testing before Drag Challenge last year, so I think we’ll go a bit better this year. I knew it would do a mid-10, which it did on Day Four last year.”

Peter will be running in the ITF Hire 235 Aspirated class at DC ’25.

2025 Drag Challenge class:

ITF Hire 235 Aspirated