Paul Rockes
FX Holden

“On 28 September 1974, one month short of my 18th birthday, my mate Bugsy Campbell was the only occupant of my FX Holden when he tragically died in a car crash near Bendigo. It was my first car, and it was totally destroyed in the crash. In 2013, I purchased a rusted-out FX sedan shell for $20 and spent the next three years building it into a replica of my old car based on photos and my own memories.

Just like that old FX (pictured below), the new car runs a fibreglass bonnet, bootlid and mudguards, and the engine and driveline is also practically identical.

The Holden six-cylinder is now a 202 rather than the 179 my original car had, but it still runs triple 1¾-inch SU carbs, backed by an Aussie four-speed like in the old car. It even has the same rego number!

The original wheels were Torana chrome-centres, but the new car runs CNC-machined, 15-inch Torana steelies. I used the same paint-and-panel man on both builds; he even remembered the exact paint codes from the first build! He was 78 when he worked on the new car.” Track photo (main): Alastair Brook

Brock & Cherie Pilkington
1964 GMC Pick-up

“My wife and I love cruising in our GMC pick-up to cafes for the morning coffee, lunches, car meets and anything else we can fit in on our weekends.

It runs a small-block Chev and Turbo 350 trans, along with a custom-fabricated rear clip, and rides on full air suspension.

The 22-inch steelies and power steering make it a comfortable drive for the better half if we dare find a pub on the journey back home!

It’s simple, reliable and economical – living the dream!” Photos: Steve Kelly

Brayden Skerry
HSV VZ Senator

“I purchased my 2005 VZ Senator from North Queensland in 2017; it had been sitting in a backyard unregistered, with some terrible wheels and no books. I drove it 20 hours home and got started on bringing it back to life.

Incredibly, I found the original owner through some paperwork in the glovebox, and he still had the complete HSV folder and certificate the car was delivered with, so he posted it all to me.

That’s how I learned it was a rare car – one of only 30 painted Glaze out of 471 built. Fast-forward seven years and it’s now tubbed and ’bagged and has had some engine work. I decided, why keep it original for the next buyer if I’m not selling it?

The LS2 runs a 233/246 cam and supporting mods – underdrive kit, racing billet timing set, LS7 lifters, valve springs, pushrods, oil pump and more – and it’s backed by an auto trans with a 3500rpm stall converter. All of that work was done by the team at Western Suburbs Mechanical, who also did the 17/8-inch chrome ceramic-coated headers and three-inch Hurricane cat-back exhaust system.

Showtime Customs & Fabrication tubbed the rear and installed a shortened 100mm IRS kit, and the car is airbagged all ’round using an Air Ride kit with AccuAir e-Level, installed by Ajay’s Car Clinic.”
Photos: Prostreet Media

Frank Barbaro
1977 Mazda 1000

“My father bought this Mazda 1000 ute brand new in 1977 and sold it some years later. Twenty-five years on, when the next owner, Chris, passed away, his sister Ann-Marie kindly gave the ute back to us.

It required a full restoration, which was carried out by me and my cousin Dom, with assistance from other relatives and friends along the way. The resto included a new paintjob, new tub, new interior and more. The motor was reconditioned, and all the electrical wiring was completely redone. The hubcaps came from my good friends at Bentleigh Garage in Melbourne; they’d been wall art there for 30 years!

The ute is now in the family forever.” Photos: Tyler P. Media

Matthew Smith
Chrysler VC Valiant

“I bought my VC 15 years ago, when I was just 12 years old, for me and my old man to get it ready for when I got my licence.

We had to pull the original 273 out and throw in a slant-six so I could drive it on my P-plates, but once I was on my opens, the old girl received a warm 360ci with a 904 behind it.

I cruised it around like that for a few years, but it is now in the middle of a bare-metal resto to accommodate an independent front end, Paxton-supercharged 410 stroker, transbraked Powerglide, 4000rpm stall, and a Gazzard Brothers rear end with a sheet-metal nine-inch.

It makes 645fwhp, which is hopefully enough for mid- to low-10sec passes. The build has all been done at home in the shed. The body is soon to be painted the same as the engine bay, but for now, I want to race it and enjoy it.” Drag strip photo: Dragphotos.com.au.

Dylan Clutterbuck
Ford BA Falcon

“Here’s my 2002 BA Series I Falcon skid car, LOCKDOWN. It was built during the Victorian COVID lockdown – hence the number plates.

The car was a paddock find that had half the front missing, and I bought it for $300 in mid-2019. I started working on it straight away to get it back to looking like a car once again. Once that was done, the performance side of the build started.

It now runs the mighty 4.0-litre Barra, which has had a custom base made for it to support the 14×7.5 air filter. Then it was time for some testing in preparation for the Falcon’s first skid. That revealed a few issues, so we fixed those and added more stuff like a tailshaft loop and a bigger radiator and fans.

My little brother spent some seat time in it and bought some better rotors and brakes for it. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2021, so I thought it was time to a choose a paint scheme in his honour – we went with the black-and-white look to match the LOCKDOWN plates. Then we continued to skid it in my brother’s memory.

It still rocks the same EFI Barra, BTR ’box and diff, running on pump fuel, but I will soon be swapping the BTR out for an AU ’box with a full manual controller. Many thanks to Mick, the bloke who sold us the car, as he has been a great support during the entire build. Also thanks to my dad, and to my partner for putting up with the long hours and grumpy moods.” Photo: Dropaset Media

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