APHRODISIAC
ELITE-LEVEL STREET ROD
risk destroying it completely, James ordered a plethora of Performance Automatic parts from Summit Racing — namely a C4 Super Comp transmission, flexplate, and 3500rpm converter. Surely that would be enough to get James out of the garage and into the driver’s seat? Wrong! “I thought I’d give EFI a try,” he explains. This started with the installation of a twin-throttle Holley Terminator kit, and went on to include a Comp Cams Nitrous HP camshaft and requisite Comp Cams valvetrain gear. With the engine out of the hole, what better time to tidy up the godawful wiring that had resulted from years of modification? James rewired the engine bay himself, using a Painless Performance kit comprising harness, relays, and fuse box. Lucky he’d got wiring practice in, as the motor was plagued with ignition problems as soon as it went back in. James attributed these to the old distributor set-up. Rather than stuff around with it, he decided to bring things up to a more modern standard by utilizing the Holley EFI timing control. With an MSD crank trigger to monitor engine speed and a Ford Explorer cam-angle sensor as a direct replacement for the distributor, the Holley ECU gets all it needs to fire all eight MSD LS3 coil packs without fail. It’s a system that works, and the smooth-running engine has allowed James to fine-tune it with the slick Holley touchscreen integrated into the Falcon’s dash. After reading the story behind this tough street machine, you may think it uncharacteristic of James to be happy with where his ute is now, but he confirmed that he’s got no desire to change anything else. Of course, he hasn’t ruled anything out, either! Whatever happens, you can be sure of one thing — that original bonnet is never going back on.