THE WILD ONES
NOEL INMAN HOT ROD WHEELS-UP IN A T-MODEL
shy. He loves hot NOEL Inman isn’t racing and if you’ve rodding and drag he’ll tell you why. got a couple of hours T-model is His 1922 centre-door body that he’s an ultra-rare fibreglass years. Name a track been racing for raced there at and Noel has probably so it’s no surprise some time or other; Challenge. Where that he loves Drag to race at five tracks else do you get in five days? a 302 Windsor The Model T runs until Drag that proved reliable when the motor Challenge 2015 day. Noel built an let go on the first that runs nearly even stronger 302 old aspirated as the as quick naturally He still uses the one did with nitrous. T-model up on the nitrous to get the lift we heard Noel back wheels, but the finish line the pedal just before during the week. more than once with this thing,” “I can’t run too quick they’ll make me he says, “otherwise put a ’cage in it.” driveline is simple The rest of the a Jag IRS rear. But – just a C10 and the desire to do if you’ve ever had you a lounge chair, wheelstands in Noel’s hot rod. should check out
DARREN MALLISON OH, WHAT A FEELING!
that high on TOYOTA Coronas probably aren’t but that might anyone’s list of performance builds, Chev-powered be about the change. This rumbling and, with his beast belongs to Darren Mallison from South Oz. brother Mick, he brought it over ago from Tony “I bought the car about six years Darren said. “It Webb – Webby – in Brisbane,” this car has been already had a V8 in it – in fact, 30 years!” V8-powered for most of the past that time, but for It’s had a Val 318 in it for most of and it the past decade it has been Chev-powered year with a gassed arrived at Drag Challenge this and E85-fuelled 414-cube small-block. laughed. “People “It turns a few heads!” Darren for a muscle car – hear the rumble and they look That’s what we they don’t expect to see a Corona! like about it – it’s fun and unexpected.” of giggle gas – The rear slicks – and the 150-shot Outlaw Blown meant Darren was in the Turbosmart class for Drag Challenge. it launches really “You look at the videos and anti-roll bar went in, nice,” Darren said. “Before the it used to really twist up. said of his Drag “We had the best time,” he we talk about it Challenge odyssey. “Every time our first real play we start smiling again! This was a 9.37 at 145 at with the nitrous and our best was awesome.” Swan Hill. The startline there is
PAUL MULCAHY HOME-BUILT AUSTIN PUT TOGETHER WITH SCRAP
DON’T feel bad for not recognising what this is; at first, we didn’t either. But when you see something as ratty as this lifting its wheels on its way to a quarter-mile time at the pointy end of the Drag Challenge results, you gotta start asking questions! It’s Paul Mulcahy’s Austin Lancer – and it runs 10s. “Up here, we make fast cars from crap!” laughed Bendigo-based Paul of his Aussie/pommy relic, which rolled out of the factory in 1958 with a wheezy 1500cc four-pot. “It’s been registered for nine years with a turbo V6 in it. But now it’s twinturboed and supercharged!” With its previous turbo motor, the little Austin ran consistent 10.5s prior to Drag Challenge, but with the new multi-pumped donk, the car started Drag Challenge way below its potential, with a 12.4 at Calder on Day One. “The engine was machined last week and assembled into the car on Saturday,” said Paul of an 11th-hour thrash that would be familiar to many other Drag Challenge participants. “We started it on Sunday morning and left for Calder 25 minutes later!” . The lads eventually got it sorted, laying down a best of 11.3@118mph at Swan Hill, but Paul reckons he had so much fun that he’ll be back.