The Street Machine Summernats pilgrimage is just around the corner, but in the meantime, we’ve got one last cracking issue to tide you over. From grumpy Holden sixes to fat-block V8s, big power is the theme for our first 2023 issue.

Splayed across the cover is Paul Hamilton’s 2000hp, twin-turbo, 600-cube belter of an XA sedan. It’s the culmination of an three-decade project, and Paul’s got a “serious seven” in his sights when he hits the quarter-mile.

Arthur Mitsoulis’s elite-level VF hardtop wowed back at Summernats 34. With a heap of work done by longtime mate George Saad, the genuine Regal packs a 6/71-blown 410 stroker for 720hp on just 8psi of boost and pump 98 juice.

Stefan Tomevski’s Top 60 VL Calais was another ’Nats 34 neck-snapper with its Nardo Grey and red combo, not to mention the immaculate RB30 up front. It’s quintessential VL stuff all-’round!

We snapped Sean Anthony’s epic 1500rwhp XD sedan fresh from a weekend of sevens at Heathcote Park’s Ford-Powered Nationals. The street-trim weapon has served as a test-bed for Frank Marchese’s foray into the Barra world, to bloody impressive results.

Young bloke Anthony Fortunato proves you can still kick it with the grown-ups while on your P-plates with his aspirated Holden six-powered LC coupe. The 220ci, J.ZED-headed mill is about as good as it gets, spitting out a more-than-ample 280rwhp in a lightweight package.

Here’s one you don’t see all too often on our shores. Falbo Siranni’s Chevy Monza sticks to the tried-and-true ‘small car, big engine’ formula, with heaps of work by Down Town Kustoms to make the American hatch a handsome streeter.

If you’re in need of a vitamin C kick, Ray Gullotto’s gorgeous FB has it in spades. Ray snagged the ute in 2012, and has just finished off the built, replete with 327 cubes of LS grunt in the super-neat bay.

The Adelaide Auto Expo always delivers a heap of top-notch stuff, making it a must-visit on the SM calendar. Visitors from all over the country agreed, braving floodwaters and smashed roads to take in all the action.

We also check out Anthony Burns’s sleepy-AF R31, which hides a turbo LS and six-cog manual transplant in readiness for a Drag Challenge assault early next year.

We hadn’t covered the Geelong Revival in the better part of a decade, so we headed down last month to enjoy show ‘n’ shine goodness and fun waterfront sprints. Victoria briefly turned on the good weather and the turnout was huge, making for an epic weekend.

Simon Major’s workshop series continues with a handy rundown on how to keep safe in the shed. Sure, some of it’s common sense, but it’s genuinely helpful stuff interspersed with Simo’s own close calls and learning experiences from decades in the shed.

On the Urban Warfare front, there’s DC veteran Damien Boyce’s killer seven-second Nova. The radial racer features sweet paint and panel around the twin-snail 540 for a wild but uber-stylish ride.

As mentioned, Summernats 35 is tantalisingly close, so we’ve got the 11-page down-low on everything to see and do over the massive weekend. Trust us when we say it’s going to go off!

Capping it all off is a stonking 634-cube big block Chev from the crazy minds at Dandy Engines, good for 1200hp, all-aspirated!

You’ll find Street Machine January 2023 in newsagents, supermarkets, and hopefully your mailbox now. We’ll see you in 2023 at Summernats!