TWO-WAY STREET
JARROD WOOD’S XT IS A FORMIDABLE STRIP WEAPON THAT DOUBLES AS A TOUGH STREETER, AS PROVEN ON STREET MACHINE DRAG CHALLENGE 2017
Barrel down the drag strip, or cruise the streets? Jarrod Wood’s 688hp XT likes it both ways
WITH its six-point rollcage, Kirkey seat and 275-wide Mickey Ts, Jarrod Wood’s XT might look like a full-on strip car, but as the saying goes, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. “It’s actually a tough streeter,” Jarrod says. “We built it to have fun in; something that anybody can jump in and drive.”
In 2017, Jarrod and a few mates decided to join the fun of Street Machine Drag Challenge. “We were there for the beer and biscuits,” he says. “It was more about having fun. Other than setting the timing in Adelaide and changing the tyres, we never put a spanner on it. We were on the beers by five o’clock every day; it was great!”
Prior to DC, the Falcon had only raced at Heathcote, where it didn’t need a rollcage. However, to be Drag Challenge-approved it had to pass ANDRA tech inspection, so a ’cage was a must. “It’s full bolt-in,” Jarrod says. “It takes about four hours to bolt it in, or take out. I’m hoping to get the car engineered with the ’cage – minus the door bars. That’s why we moved the top bulkhead bar back, so the sun visors would still work. The ’cage doesn’t affect the operation of anything in the car.”
Let’s wind the clock back even further. Around nine years ago, Jarrod purchased the XT as a going concern. Not long after, it suffered a series of issues, starting with a blown engine. Jarrod’s good mate Gary Myers took time out from his busy tyre-frying and Smoty-winning schedule to build Jarrod a tidy street engine. Unfortunately, the rot didn’t stop there. Soon it had a busted gearbox, whiny diff and peeling purple paint – full rebuild time!
The quality of the car belies Jarrod’s modest financial investment. “I can’t afford to pay for a car like this,” he says, “so I try to do most of it myself. Everything else I look to do contra.”
The top end of the XT’S 688-horse mill is a prime example. Jarrod did some work on Eddie Abelnica’s Touring Car Masters car; payment was the CHI cylinder heads and intake off Eddie’s ballistic red XB hardtop.
Body and paint was a similar deal. Jarrod’s pretty handy in the body department; Gary’s Mustang has benefited from his handiwork a number of times. However, when it came to laying on the new Silver Fox duco, he struck a deal with Nathan at Auto Panel Repairs, Wagga Wagga. After all, as Jarrod says: “Half the fun with cars is hanging it out in the workshop with mates. Most Friday nights we all catch up for a few beers at one place or another.”
One of those haunts is Smith’s Speed Works. It’s run by Craig Smith, who was responsible for a ton of work on the car, including the chrome-moly ’cage, mounting the Kirkey seat, extractors, 3.5-inch exhaust that runs up and over the diff, and the new engine.
I DESIGNED THE SIDE STRIPE MYSELF. EVERYONE DOES THE SAME THING; I DECIDED TO MIX IT UP AND FOLLOW THE LOWER BODYLINE
That donk is good for 688hp at 6900rpm and 584lb-ft at 5300rpm, and has seen the car run consistent low 10s (with a PB of 10.06@133.74mph). Incredible, considering the mill is all wrong, according to Jarrod. “It was originally built to make torque,” he says. “The cam’s specced to suit the original dual-plane manifold and smaller 950 carb. We’ve changed all that for a 1050 Dominator and huge CHI Pro Series intake – that I spent 16 hours porting.”
In addition to having all top-shelf gear, the engine’s standout features include 55mm needle roller-cam bearings, Xceldyne cam belt drive and System 1 oil filtration set-up off Mr Myers’s GM176 Mustang.
“The engine has been awesome,” Jarrod says. “Other than a rocker service – nothing! The key is maintenance and priming the oil before starting.
“One of the best things I added was the Magnafuel shear plate,” he continues. “It’s only 13mm thick, as most of it drops down into the manifold. It didn’t make it go any better, but it transformed how the car drove; it’s a lot nicer to drive. My kids Kate and Ryan have driven the car on their L-plates. And although she won’t tell anybody, the missus, Tanya, loves driving it. At Bright the other year, it was like whoever wanted to drive it, could. In fact, Deby Myers drove it one-handed, because her other arm was in a sling!”
Body-wise, the XT is stock except for the massaged rear guards, bonnet scoop and the unique fluoro-orange side stripe. “I designed it myself,” says Jarrod. “Everyone does the same thing, so I decided to mix it up and follow the lower bodyline. This was my take on the whole car; it’s what I think a muscle car should look like.”
The tough and reliable drivetrain includes a Protrans C4 and Altra 9 rear end complete with beefy 5/8-inch wheel studs. “With a previous combo, the first time I used the transbrake, it broke the spring seats off, twisted the diff up and smashed it into the floor. I wasn’t taking any chances this time; I
pretty much ticked every heavy-duty option box – including 5/8-inch studs.”
Planting the rear hides to deliver those 10-second passes are Calvert Racing adjustable shocks, Caltracs and solid front bushes. And while 4.56 gears and a 6000rpm converter might not sound very street-friendly, the converter is ‘tight’ and doesn’t flash out until you stand on it. Mind you, for Drag Challenge Jarrod did install taller 30-inch tyres for the highway runs to drop the revs. Sitting on 3400rpm at 95km/h, the XT returned 27 litres per 100km while towing a trailer and with four guys on board – that’s not too shabby.
“The whole combo is super-reliable,” Jarrod says. “It’s done 211 passes and well over 7000km! I’d like to make more power, but the engine won’t wear out so I’m reluctant to pull it apart.”
Even better, the car has never lost its streetability. The boot is often carting Eskys and chairs to events; it’s even done a Bunnings run to pick up a bootload of cement bags. Now that’s what I call a street car.
THE CAR HAS NEVER LOST ITS STREETABILITY. IT’S EVEN DONE A BUNNINGS RUN TO PICK UP A BOOTLOAD OF CEMENT BAGS