Greg Haysom
Holden VE Sportwagon

“My car is an MY2010 SS-V Sportwagon in Atomic Green. I’ve owned it from new; it was the family car until I decided the engine rattle needed a cam and AFM delete. So I spent a few dollars on some good parts. It has a Crow Cams 871286 cam, Melling oil pump, VCM OTR, extractors, high-flow cats, three-inch XForce exhaust and a 25 per cent underdrive kit.

I then grabbed a deal on some nice gloss-black Walkies, SSSL rear springs and SSL fronts. A few years ago I won an HDT bonnet scoop at the SS Owners Club NSW State Titles, so when the opportunity came along for me to get a closed door respray from Jacob Body & Paint, I grabbed a letterbox grille and had the scoop and grille painted and fitted, along with some Maloo side skirts.

There is still a heap to do; the interior needs attention, for example. Also on the list are KS Racing coil-overs with mini-airbags and KS Racing six-pot brakes to stop it when I take it on track days.

I love my SS-V! Its name, ‘Gremlin Grinder’, came from a Matchbox car I had when I was young – a green AMC Rambler Hornet.”

Aaron Fuller
Toyota HiLux

“This is the ’01 2WD Toyota HiLux I’ve had for 16 years now. It’s fitted with a 2JZ-GTE running a 72mm BorgWarner turbo, full 3 1⁄2-inch exhaust, big fuel system, 280-degree HKS cams and a Link Fury ECU.

Behind it is a fully built ’Glide and a billet full spool. It’s also got a full custom interior, and there’s a custom tray covering the 15×10.5 rims with 295 tyres (the fronts are 15x4s wearing 165/80 rubber).

I’m hoping to get it all working together this year for a nine-second quarter-mile. With a stack of parts being assembled, we are going for a 1000hp, street-driven mini-truck. Why not?”

Scotty Sutton
Ford XG Falcon ute

“This is my daily-driven workshop ute. It is a 1995 XG GLi with a stock EB EFI Windsor, 3000rpm converter, BTR four-speed and XH 3.45:1 Hydratrak diff. It has the obvious XD front, but also has XE S-Pack seats, XH dash and a few other Ford parts to help promote my XDFwreck and EAUwreck businesses.

I have just been back to Rockynats and loved cruising around with some of the best cars in Australia!”

Shane Wilkins
Holden HK Monaro

“I’ve had my 1968 HK for over 20 years. It’s been built in the shed with the best parts we could afford. It’s a 383 with a Scat crank and rods, forged SRP pistons, a solid-roller cam and Victor Jr heads. There’s Crane ignition, a Turbo 400 with a 4500rpm converter, and a nine-inch with 31-spline Strange axles and 4.3-ratio gearset, in a Gazzard Brothers rear end.

I have been collecting parts for a very long time and am very pleased with how it ended up. We race at Warwick and Carnell drags in Stanthorpe, with a best so far of 7.1@96mph on a fat tune.

It’s a real street machine built in the shed as a family. For me it’s a family thing; I want my boys to realise what they are capable of creating, the same way I was taught over the past 25 years. I might be getting older, but I’m still a big hoon at heart!”

Francois Pereira
Ford Escort

“I know you’re mostly a V8 mag, but here’s one of my toys: a 1979 Mk2 RS2000 Escort. The 2.2 has a balanced bottom end, forged pistons, a rally-spec cam, ported head, twin 45mm Webers and electronic ignition.

It’s paired to a Sierra Type 9 close-ratio five-speed ’box, and the car sits on a set of 13-inch Rebel rims. It’s an absolute red rocket!”

Thomas Bovalina
Ford XE Falcon

“This is my 1984 XE S-Pack. My dad helped me purchase this car in the midst of the COVID pandemic in late November 2020 when I was 16. We had spent over a year exploring Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace for a project car that I could call my own, and when an ad for a car in Sydney appeared boasting ‘Factory Brambles Red XE S-Pack’, my dad and I knew it was the one.

The car was transported by truck to Adelaide, where it currently resides. A verification letter revealed that the car is one of only 28 in these factory colour options. The options also and it’s one of two with the S-Pack.

It has an alloy-head 250 crossflow and came with a four-speed manual gearbox, but for comfort it was eventually converted to a three-speed auto. Pacemaker headers are the only engine change at the moment.

The Falcon now sits on a set of XE ESP snowflake wheels. The aim is to clean up the body and then swap out the 250 for a Barra turbo. I’m looking forward to making heaps of great memories with this thing!”

Ian McNiece
1974 Moke

“I own the world’s first fully engineered, road-registered V8 Australian Moke! It was built over the past four years. Underneath is a full custom chassis with airbag suspension front and rear.

Power is supplied by an LPG 5.0-litre Holden V8 with a Turbo 700 auto, coupled to an EL Falcon limited-slip diff.”

SEND photos of your car and a few details of what went into the build to Readers’ Rockets, Street Machine, Locked Bag 12, Oakleigh, Vic 3166 or email [email protected]. Please note: Send us copies of prints as we are unable to return your photos.