Luc Taylor
Holden VF Commodore

“I purchased my 2016 VF II Commodore Redline brand new in January 2016 after returning home from Summernats, and have chipped away at it over the years.

It’s had a full wrap in Inozetek Super Gloss Sand (original colour is Some Like It Hot), and is powered by a turbo SBE LS3 built by Russo Performance with cam, studs, valve springs, pushrods, head bolts and all top-end work.

It has a 76mm BorgWarner turbo, Hughes Performance Turbo 400 gearbox (the car was factory manual), one-piece tailshaft, full custom interior, airbag suspension, 22-inch Walky wheels and a Haltech iC-7 dash.

The car makes 500kW on pump 98 fuel on 15psi, tuned by Russo Performance. It has been a dream of mine to make it into Street Machine; in my mind, the car is done when it makes it to paper.”

David Asciak
Holden LX Torana

“What started as my daily-driven car on my P-plates back in 2009 is now my pride and joy that I enjoy with my family any chance we can! I bought it stock from a man in Brunswick; it was originally white with burgundy interior and a 173/Trimatic driveline.

Once I got my P-plates, my old man and I stripped it and he painted it gold (based on a Nissan Pulsar colour) in the garage. As an apprentice motor mechanic at the time, I built a worked 202 for it to make the car a perfect P-plate cruiser, but once I got off the Ps, the fun really started. I ripped out the 202 and built a mild 308 for it with L34 heads, a 286 cam and a 650 Holley double-pumper.

Out back is a shortened nine-inch diff with Truetrac 3.5:1 gears. It currently has HQ stockies modified to be dished and wider in the rear. During the COVID lockdowns, I got sick of the gold colour, so I stripped the paint and sprayed it Barbados Green with SL/R Torana stripes.

All the bodywork was done in the home garage; it isn’t a show job, but it’s so much cleaner – I am rapt with it! The only thing it was taken to the shop for was the exhaust.

I have a lot of people to thank: my old man Michael Asciak; my sister-in-law Manelle and brother Aaron at Threadbear Automotive Upholstery; Darren and Daniel at Sussex St Garage; Mario Cilia; Con from PRE; my brothers Luke and David Troisi; Tony Tropea; Jesse from Prostreet Media; and last but not least, my two girls, Steph and Sienna.” Photos: Prostreet Media

Steve Budden
Ford XT Falcon

“My XT Falcon GT was built over a three-year period from a shell I purchased in Tasmania.

It is an original GT that was first bought in Hobart in 1968; it lived in sheds for many years and only the shell remained.

The car is powered by a mild 302 Windsor with quad Webers, with the power running back through a XB GT four-speed, close-ratio, single-rail gearbox and original Mustang 83⁄4-inch rear end.

It’s also fitted with custom brakes with two-piece rotors and drop spindles. The upholstery is custom leather with original GT door trims in red.

It’s a show-winner here in Noosa.”

Kurt Bentley
Chrysler VE Valiants

“I have two 1968 VE Valiant gassers. The white one has had a custom two-door conversion and is mini-tubbed, and is running a 318 with a tunnel ram and four-speed.

The wagon has a full custom chassis and runs a 383 big-block Mopar with a tunnel ram and twin four-barrels. It has an 8.8-inch Ford Explorer diff, and its best time so far is a 14.4 over the quarter-mile.

The car was a very rusty pig when we got it, and we only used the shell.”

Christopher Aquilina
Ford XH Falcon

“This is my 1998 Ford Falcon XH XR8 Series II Tickford. It’s one of the last XH XR8s to be built, and has the genuine Tickford bodykit from the factory. I’ve restored the car to its former glory with some upgrades.

It sits on a set of genuine EL GT wheels, has been lowered two inches at the front and three inches at the back, and I’ve upgraded the exhaust and extractors.”

Bill Brooks
Ford XR Falcon

“This is my dad Bill Brooks’s 1967 XR Falcon. It was found in Tasmania painted Polar White, and he brought it back to the mainland and put a mild 351 in it.

That engine lasted a few years until we went to a BK Race Engines-built 393 stroker making 600hp. It is backed by a C4 and nine-inch diff with 3.9:1 gears. We cruise it regularly and take it to shows.

I have many memories with this car such as Dad doing a skid or two in the driveway!” Words: Angelo Brooks

Hugh Hitchenor
Mazda MX-6

“This is my 1992 Mazda MX-6 with a rare Mazdaspeed bodykit, and I’m looking to make it the first and best-executed turbo Honda K-series-powered MX-6 in the world. I bought the car for a ‘bargain’ before the gearbox blew up on the second drive, and it spun a rod bearing a month after that.

I bought it knowing I wanted to put a turbo K24 in it – just not this soon! Being my first engine swap, I want to do it right and have the cleanest bay at my local meets. I want the car to be something the MX-6 community can aspire to.”

Robert Napoli
Holden HK ute

“My 750hp HK ute is finished in Ford Focus orange with gold metallic. It runs a 427-cube, iron-block LS Next stroker with a Callies crank and rods and custom Bullet pistons.

Up top are Higgins LS7 heads and manifold wearing an Accufab throttlebody and Holley EFI managed by a Terminator ECU.

Other bits include a custom Comp cam, Meziere electric water pump and Race Radiators cooling. The manualised TH400 has a TCE converter and runs to a GJ Drivelines Pro Series tailshaft and Truetrac nine-inch with 31-spline axles.

Wheels are Weld V-Series all ’round, with 275/50R15 Mickey Thompson rear tyres and 26×6.00R17 fronts.”

Jamie Grist
Holden WB ute

“Here is a pic of my 1982 WB ute. I have owned this car for the past 22 years and just finished a full rebuild on it. It runs a blue 202 with an XU-1 cam, roller rockers, a ported head, and a 470 four-barrel Quick Fuel carb.”