NOSTALGIC INSPIRATION

However, two days later, when the first mods began, things might have gone a different way! “I told the wife that new, wider wheels would help to make the car safer,” Kevin now laughs. Anyone who’s modified cars knows that it’s like a drug, and there was no way Kevin’s modification spree would end that easily. Lowered suspension was next, and, before long, the car was booked into ProTune Automotive — not only for an over-the-radiator air intake but also for a mass airflow meter (MAF)–less retune and a full exhaust system to be fitted. After all, what’s the point of owning a V8 if you can’t hear it, right? While the car could have easily stayed that way, Kevin was soon itching to do more. Having owned a turbo, and wanting to do something different, he was thinking of supercharging. It was at this point that things spiralled, as that idea of an underbonnet blower grew to an out-of-the-bonnet blower. The more Kevin thought about it, the more he liked the thought of adding traditional hot rodding touches to the modern vehicle. As Kevin looked more deeply into it, people in the know suggested that the easiest way to get what he was after would be to change to a carburetted setup. Knowing that that was akin to putting propellers on a jet plane or throwing an outboard motor on a jet boat, Kevin was quickly turned off the plan. But still having that desire for a distinctive look, Kevin went back to the drawing board, and back to ProTune. With LS-series engines now a mainstay of the global hot rodding scene, countless bolt- on parts are available for them, and, when the suggestion of a Holley high-rise manifold came up, Kevin knew that that was the perfect compromise. Not only would it add power, if done right, but it would add the look, too, and, in theory at least, keep the budget intact. While purchasing the manifold — in the highest height that Holley offers, of course — was easy, getting the parts to make it all work was a bit harder, a task made all the more difficult due to Kevin’s unwavering desire for twin filters. Sure, a single throttle body could have worked and been fitted easily, but there was just no way that he’d have been happy with it; it was double or nothing. While Wayne at ProTune was initially a fan of the concept, he wasn’t sure it’d work, but, the more he

researched it, the more he, too, became convinced it could be done. The key to the puzzle was finding an Ozmo twin-throttle-body control unit that could operate both fly-by-wire throttles at the same time. The alternative to this was to ditch the fly-by-wire in favour of a traditional cable-style throttle, which would have meant replacing the entire engine harness for more dated technology, something that wasn’t about to happen. While some car owners are picky about brands, Kevin doesn’t buy into the Ford vs Holden rivalry, and that’s lucky, as twin Ford throttle-position sensors were deemed the best option for the conversion.

After a few teething issues and a few hours on the dyno, the combo — thought to be the first of its type in the world — was up and running. Thanks in part to a few other mods previously made, such as a Powerbond 25-per-cent-underdrive pulley kit, the result was a none-too-shabby 436hp at the wheels. Sure, both Wayne and Kevin were both stoked with the result, but, after a few beers with the lads one night, Kevin’s mind filled with the idea of adding nitrous. So, back to ProTune went the ClubSport for the twin 75hp NOS plate kits to be added, Kevin laughing that his OCD would never let just one bottle work for him. Growing up in The Fast and the Furious generation, Kevin had one other requirement for the nitrous set-up — a purge kit. Wanting the system to look right, rather than like a kid’s colouring-in book, Kevin had all the coloured fittings supplied with the kit swapped out for black ones — apart from those that now protrude through the bonnet, that is. That blacked-out theme has been used across the vehicle. While the stock Sting Red paint remains, the badges have been blacked out, as have the headlights. What’s not so obvious are the changes inside, where the VZ front seats have been replaced by VY ClubSport Coulson items, giving a bulkier look. With the seats he purchased needing a retrim, Kevin hunted around for an upholsterer he could trust, settling on Waikumete Car Upholsterers. There, the interior was retrimmed, with fabric inserts replacing the usual leather centre sections of the seats — thanks to Kevin’s decision to rid the car of its air-conditioning system earlier in the piece. A B&M Stealth Pro Ratchet shifter was also fitted, along with a hoard of Auto Meter gauges and a Sony audio system. Despite owning the car for two and a half years, Kevin clocked up very few miles on it for a while, thanks to its constant state of development. Part of that included multiple sets of wheels, Kevin claiming that, with the number of different Simmons wheels that he’s purchased, he’s become Heads Racing Supplies’ best customer. Even now, when he’s finally happy with the car, he’s juggling between two sets, one being the 20x8.5-inch and 20x9.5-inch Simmons FR-1s, the other being a set of matt black 20x8.5-inch and 20x10-inch Simmons FR-Cs. At least with multiple sets, Kevin can now get out on track and burn a bit of rubber at events such as Chrome and Powercruise. Love it or hate it, you’ve got to give it to Kevin for achieving his goal of taking a car that people thought would be impossible to do anything different with and creating something truly unlike any other. With this being his first foray into the V8 world, we’d hazard a guess this won’t be the last we’ll be seeing of Kevin Brooke and his custom creations.