1. Muscle Garage VE/VF Commodore shifter plate

MOUNTING aftermarket shifters can sometimes be a bit tricky, especially in loaded late-model interiors, but the boys from Muscle Garage now have a mint solution for VE-VF Commodores. Their shifter plate bolts right in place of the factory hole for easy fitment, and the nice flat surface, finished in powdercoated black, gives you plenty of room to mount the ratchet shifter you’ve always wanted. You can grab one now from musclegarage.com.au

2. CalTracs traction bars

UNWANTED axle twist is a real bastard of a thing, and traction bars are an easy way of sorting that. Summit Racing now offers a huge selection of CalTracs traction bars for most common chassis combos, including Falcons, Camaros, B-body Mopars, GM and Ford trucks, and heaps more. They bolt to the front spring eye and the bottom of the rear axle, using axle rotation to create a downward force on the front of the spring in order to improve pinion angle. This helps shift weight from the front to the rear of the car, which is sure to get those ETs dropping when you next hit the strip. You can find out more at summitracing.com.

3. Powerglide dump valve set-up

SMALL-capacity engines with large turbos are a common sight at Australian drag strips, but all too often the race is over before it even begins as competitors struggle to get the power through the converter and onto the two-step. This Pro Series two-stage Powerglide dump valve set-up from Hughes Performance should assist with that. Not only will it help get your combination on song at the startline, but the two-stage arrangement will also assist during the run, allowing you to slip the converter as required down the track. Call Rocket Industries on (02) 8825 1900 or visit rocketindustries.com.au.

4. Mishimoto hose clamp

HOSE clamps are an integral part of any mad machine. Whether it’s a simple power steering hose or a beefy V-band for holding in copious amounts of boost, having good quality clamps is important for any street machiner. Mishimoto offers a huge range of clamps to suit just about any need, including aluminium or stainless-steel V-band flange kits, ear clamps, high-torque and constant-tension worm gear clamps, spring clamps, and high-torque and constant-tension T-bolt clamps. They can be had in heaps of styles, sizes and colours, too. You can find out more at mishimoto.com.au.

5. Billet aluminium rocker covers

THERE’S no shortage of aftermarket rocker cover solutions for LS1 engines, and this offering from Tremaniac Racing Engines is right up there. The covers are CNC-machined from billet aluminium, with enough space to fit over most aftermarket rocker assemblies without spacers. They also feature –10 AN fitting ports for breathers, and are designed to take smart coils in the factory position for an OEM look, while still using the factory location for the oil fill cap. You can find out more at tremaniacracingengines.com.au

6. Forgeline wheel

WHEELS can make or break a car, and Forgeline offers a whole range of drool-worthy rims that can be specced to just about any need. Available in either monobloc or three-piece design, these rims’ PCD is fully customisable, and you also have the option of centre-lock wheel nuts. The finish – polish, paint, chrome or powdercoating – is up to you as well, so you really can build your ideal set of wheels. New to the line-up are beadlock options for larger-diameter pro touring-style rims. You can view them now on Harrop’s website: harrop.com.au.

7. Ryobi wet & dry vacuum cleaner

KEEPING your car and workshop free from dust and other grubby things isn’t exactly a favourite job, and having to deal with spaghetti power cords doesn’t help. Ryobi’s ONE+ 18-volt cordless wet-and-dry vacuum cleaner may well be the answer to your prayers. With an 18-litre capacity, it comes with a crevice tool, dust bag, foam filter, dust brush, wand and floor head, as well as a dust-port adapter. You’ll get well over 20 minutes of run time from a normal Ryobi ONE+ 18-volt battery, so no more rushing about with the coin-operated vacuum at the car wash. You can find out more at ryobi.com.au.