My history with drifting goes back a long time. I’m basically self-taught, through a lot of trial and error. I’ve learnt how to drive and how to tune my car for the best performance. I’ve always built my cars in my shed with help from my mates, my partner and eBay! It is hard finding time for my hobby in between work and family, but eBay makes searching for the range of parts I need for my passion projects a breeze. 

About 10 years ago, I upgraded to a classic Aussie muscle car dubbed ‘Gary’ for drifting and my career and notoriety in the sport took off. The car surprises a lot of people – they can’t believe what they see under the bonnet and they are often shocked to learn that I use a classic muscle car for drifting. Most folks who own cars like this only take them out for Sunday drives, but I reckon these classics deserve a more exciting life! 

In addition to drifting, I’ve had a lot of fun competing in other kinds of motorsports, such as hillclimbs, drag racing and lap dashes. 

Many of the other cars in the drift scene are newer than mine, so I’ve spent countless hours in my shed with my mates making modifications to keep up with more modern competition.

Up front, we have a late model, 6.0-litre V8, with a positive displacement supercharger, an intercooler and electronic fuel injection. All that gives the car plenty of power. And even better, it doesn’t need much maintenance or break the bank to build. Behind that is a six-speed gearbox and a twin-plate clutch, perfect for drifting and circuit racing. 

Inside, we have a hydraulic handbrake, which locks the rear wheels when I’m drifting and helps the rear of the car slide out spectacularly. 

Underneath, there is a late model steering box which helps me turn in quicker, upgraded suspension and bigger brakes which are important for circuit racing. 

I’ve had a lot of success and fun with the car, but it is time for a change. 

My two kids love Gary and being involved with the hobby in general. But with the car setup for racing, they can’t come cruising with me. So I’m in the process of converting the car from a full-race set up to something that the whole family can enjoy but can still compete when the urge to race it hits me. It isn’t easy making a car serve both purposes, but I think we can hit the sweet spot without making too many compromises. 

Let’s dive into the jobs to do!

The first problem was the full roll cage. This keeps me safe, but doesn’t allow for a back seat! So, I’ve cut out the back of the roll cage and fitted a rear seat and brand-new seat belts for the kids. Then when I want to go racing again, I can fit removable intrusion bars and a rear hoop for safety.

The next problem is that the car runs a deadhead fuel system. Although this is fine for racing,  the fuel can get too hot if we’re out cruising. So I’ll change that for a return line set up so the car can run smoothly when I’ve got the family aboard.

Lastly, my wife and I have recently purchased a vintage caravan that was built in 1958! We’re going to restore it and of course, we want to be able to tow it with Gary. So I’m going to need a tow bar and tow ball, safety chains and some wiring. 

That’s a lot to do, but I’ll get it done with some help from my mates and eBay, where I can shop quality parts for this project and at great prices. I can easily do this on my lunch break and they get delivered straight to my door. We’ve still got some work ahead of us, but the car is now kid-friendly and ready to cruise. 

Shop every part and accessory for your next car restoration project on eBay, here.