MARK SIRACUSA & MATT COWAN

1974 LH HOLDEN TORANA

AUGUST 2016

THERE’S a growing trend for high-end burnout builds that simply look way too tits to skid; Mark and Matt’s Torana is no exception. From the HOK Planet Green duco to the 20×14 rear Intros, everything is immaco, resulting in gongs for Tuff Street Champion and Best Pro Tuff at Summernats two years running, plus tinware at MotorEx, Autofest and more.

And yet, despite the clearly amazing quality, Mark and Matt didn’t shirk the grotty skid pad, debuting the car at 2015’s Bathurst Autofest. Mark reminisces on the experience with nonchalance: “The carbonfibre rocker covers flexed too much and didn’t seal properly. It caused a small fire.”

Although Mark and Matt have been mates for 20 years, the Torana was not so long in gestation, the idea germinating back in 2014. Two wallets are better than one, so the boys were able to start with a good base – a roller already fitted with a ’cage and tubs.

Fiddly stuff was done in Matt’s shed, while heavy-duty fabrication was handled by Flat Out Services in Sydney. “There’s not a lot of major mods on the body; we just wanted the focus to be on the engine bay, interior and boot.”

A blown 511ci big-block is going to demand attention regardless! Built by Sam Fenech at Westend Performance, it features a Dart Big M block filled with goodies from Callies, JE and Brodix. Throw in a Blower Shop 14/71 up top and you’ve got a recipe for unadulterated awesome.

Nothing short of outrageous, the donk’s shown 1928hp on the dyno at 20psi. “We’ve detuned it a bit for burnouts,” Matt admits, “but it’s still running around 12 to 15 pounds and we spin it to 7600-8000rpm.”

Regrouping after their impromptu inferno at Bathurst, they laid down a few more casual skids at Summernats 29, resulting in a fifth placing for Mark and a second for Matt. Achievement unlocked!