Mitchell Jorgy
Ford XP Falcon

“I bought this car four years ago at the same time as another project, so it kinda just sat there for a good while.

When it finally came time to work on it, we took the front fender off to discover a load of hidden rust throughout, which pushed back my interest in the build.

It wasn’t until I mentioned it to my mates at school and they seemed down to help save it that the build really started, and you can follow along with our progress on Instagram @ancientxp.”

Kyle Grima
Chrysler VH Charger

“I’m building my uncle’s ’72 vintage E55 Valiant Charger, which was featured in the December ’84-January ’85 issue of Street Machine, running a cranky 340. He passed away in 2002 when I was only four years old, but when I was around eight, I started getting into Valiants and bought my first one at age 10, a CL ute.

I started collecting and building Chargers to replicate my uncle’s, but I’d get halfway through a resto and be like, ‘This isn’t the car.’

In 2016, thanks to Facebook and forums, I tracked down the owner who had my uncle’s car. We got to talking and I told him the story, but sadly I couldn’t afford to buy it at the time.

Fast-forward to May 2020 and I got a message from the owner offering me first dibs on the car, and I instantly agreed. I went home and told Mum and Dad with happy tears streaming down my face, and that weekend my dad and I headed to Albury to pick up the car and bring her home to her family.

Three years on, a lot of blood, sweat and hard work from Dad, Mum and myself have gone into this car to get it back to her former glory, all in memory of my uncle.

My dad’s done all the bodywork and I’ve done the paint. We’re going to try and get it to Summernats next year, and I’ve promised Mum the first drive in honour of her brother.”

Adam Foreman
Holden HZ One Tonner

“I’m rebuilding my 1978 HZ One Tonner, which has been in the family since it was new. It was pretty basic back then, but now it has a Glenn Wells-built 540ci big-block Chevy.

For even more power, it’s also got a pair of twin 88mm turbos, and it’ll be controlled by a Haltech Nexus ECU.

The rest of the driveline includes a Turbo 400 transmission and a NextGen Race Cars rear end.

The build is going well so far, and I’m hoping to get out to some drag-and-drive events later this year.”

Matt Calleja
Holden HZ Premier

“This is my 1977 Holden HZ Premier V8, which my parents bought from Reg Hunt Holden in 1981 when I was three years old! It’s been well and truly used since then, with 620,000km on it, so it’s earned a proper resto, which is why I’ve gone full bare-metal on it.

So far it has been media-blasted and then sprayed in epoxy primer. I’ve also resprayed the underbody in satin black and begun fitting new front suspension from Resto Country.

Now I’m just waiting for it to be painted in the original Atlantis Blue colour, and then it’ll be getting a beige vinyl roof just like it did when it rolled off Holden’s factory floor.”

John Kendirjian
1967 Ford Mustang

“I bought my ’67 Mustang in 2018 when it was on the road and registered. My plan was to strip it down and rebuild it in time to have it ready for my best mate’s wedding.

We worked day and night to get the body to where it is at now, and I would tow it back and forth to my mate’s work on weekends to do the work.

Unfortunately, a family situation happened where I had to temporarily abandon that mission, and we also ended up losing our house during COVID, but that’s life.

I still have the Mustang, and although I knew I wouldn’t have it ready for my own wedding that took place in February this year, I still plan on finishing this beauty and enjoying every moment with it.”

Heath Blackett
Ford XA Falcon ute

“This is our XA Falcon ute that we are slowly working on as a father-son project. It was salvaged out of a property in the Pilliga forest in NSW, with the original plan being to put in an old 351 4V and some hand-me-downs out of our other XAs to go do burnouts in it.

As per usual, though, things got out of hand quite quickly after I did a job for a friend who is a panel beater.

The quarters and doors got stripped and pulled straight, the floor got cut out and replaced with an RHS chassis, and we got a lead on a complete alloy-headed blown 351 that was too cheap to pass up.

The ute is now going to end up a nice car, so we are going to steer clear of the burnout scene and race it instead.”

Joshua Potts
Ford TD Cortina

“Here is my latest project, a ’75 TD Cortina sedan to partner my ’74 TC wagon. You could say it’s a his-and-hers deal.

The sedan I’ve only had since late last year, and it has a 351 Windsor, C4 auto with a quickshifter, and a nine-inch diff.

It’s been tubbed and currently sitting on 245s, but I think I could probably fit 255s under it. We started a Cortina club in Queensland after realising there weren’t any up here, so I’m keen to get this done and go cruising with some fellow Cortina tragics!”

Got a sweet ride that’s currently in the build? Send photos of it along with some details to: In The Build, Street Machine, Unit 9/3-5 Gilda Court, Mulgrave, Vic 3170, or email [email protected]. Please note: Send us copies of your prints as we are unable to return photos.