Amongst all the modern, boosted and tech-heavy campaigners in the lanes at Street Machine Drag Challenge, there are still a good number of old-school, all-motor, carburetted warriors taking it up to them. Dan Case’s Super Stock-style LH Torana is one such car.

First published in the October 2026 issue of Street Machine

“I try to steer clear of the more common, sheep-like trends,” says Dan. “While a turbo LS is an easy way to make power, I find myself drawn more to push the limits of a naturally aspirated build. For me, the real goal is to see what I can achieve through fine-tuning the combo for mechanical efficiency rather than relying on forced induction.”

Having grown up around his parents’ G-Pak, it’s no surprise Dan chose an LH to create this Super Stock vision back in the early 2000s. “I just always liked Toranas and Holdens of this period; it has to be chrome-bumper for me,” he says.

The car has evolved in the years since, during which time it successfully took on three Drag Challenge marathons. Dan’s most recent crack at DC in 2023 resulted in a Tuff Mounts Outlaw Aspirated class win.

“I love the drag-and-drive idea, so much so that I started my own version up here in Queensland called Allstars Drag & Drive [SM, Sep ’26] with Daniel Düll, who crewed with me at DC,” says Dan. “It’s not just about proving your worth on the track but also backing it up on the road with a trailer, three blokes onboard, a big converter and short gears – we can’t just wind down the boost to do the road legs like everyone else.”

The LH uses a 422-cube Dart-blocked SBC, a joint effort by Dan, Russel Lamprecht of Lamprecht Race Engines (LRE) and Peter Murray from Horsepower Engineering (HPE). “Being a Super Stock deal, we still use the cast-iron heads, partly for the class rules but also because that’s another challenge I like – it’s how the boys did it back in the day,” says Dan.

Building up to the HPE-spec 23-degree heads is a Callies Magnum crank and Ultra XD conrods, custom CP pistons, and an MRX solid-roller camshaft. HPE ported the P2E single-plane manifold to suit the heads, which are fed by a TMC 1250cfm carby. At the track, Dan runs ETS racing fuel, and on the engine dyno at LRE, the combo shot north of 800hp and thumped out 625lb-ft of torque while spinning to 8000rpm. 

Power is sent through a Reid-case Powerglide and a 7500rpm Coan converter. With a 4.3:1 ratio in the nine-inch diff, she’s quite the animal.

On his way to the Tuff Mounts Outlaw Aspirated win in 2023, Dan ran a string of mid-nines to edge out DC regular Andrew Natoli’s blue VK Commodore. “I’m never stressed about where I place; I firstly just want to make it through and hopefully run fast,” he says. 

With an overall PB of 9.1@147mph, Dan’s goal for this year’s DC is to crack that elusive eight-second pass. “I’d love to do one, and of course finish the week – everyone forgets about how hard that can be to do,” he says. “I’ll have my wife with me this year, so to make it through will be the first priority.

“I know how fast Daniel Cassar and a few of the others will be, so my only chance will be if they don’t finish,” he laughs. “Even so, I’m just excited for the week. Now running the Allstars, it’s great to go to DC and just be an entrant, so I’m keen-as to get down there.”

You can see Dan’s Torana in action in the Tuff Mounts Outlaw Aspirated class at Drag Challenge 2026, presented by VPW Australia, 27-31 October. 

DANIEL CASE
1974 HOLDEN LH TORANA

THANKS
Dave Hillman for all the fab work; Russel Lamprecht at Lamprecht Race Engines; Daniel White; Peter Murray at HPE; D&C Industries; Andrew & Megan at Bliss Custom Machining; Tristan at Coan Engineering USA; Tony Morris Carburettors USA; Stew Walsh for wiring; Shane Moran; Bob and Chris Hill for the paint and panel; Daniel Düll; Jim at MRX; APD Adelaide; George at RaceMax; Paul T at KAP; Johnny at The Bolt King; Performance Wholesale; RCE; VPW Australia