SCHOOL’S OUT
This big-blocked, tunnel-rammed, show-quality Falcon likes to kick it old-school
THIS WAS MEANT TO BE A SHOW-QUALITY CAR THAT YOU COULD TAKE OUT EVERY DAY IF YOU WANTED TO
FOR a long time, human beings have sought balance. A balanced diet; a good work-life balance; even the elusive, perfect balance of Vegemite and butter on toast. One kind that often eludes car enthusiasts is the balance between the cars they own and the cars they actually want. It’s the ultimate automotive unicorn: A perfect mix of street car, show car and muscle car. It’s practically unheard of! So listen up.
The owner of this 1970 XW Ford Falcon had only a few requirements when he delivered it to Frank and Roy Velardi at V Resto Garage in Western Sydney.
“The car rolled in as a soda-blasted shell on the Simmons rims, but nothing else,” says Roy. “The owner basically wanted our advice on what to do with the car; he was after a balance of looks, muscle and driveability. He had seen our work on Facebook and wanted to see how we could take his car to the next level.
“He was definitely not after a trailer-queen build. This was meant to be a show-quality car that you could take out every day if you wanted to. It had to have power, style, sit low, and have air con! We made sure that we kept a classic look while adding a lot of custom touches that set this car apart on closer inspection.”
V Resto Garage is well known for its expertise in preparing classic Fords in all flavours – race, street, concours. Although they have dabbled in several other makes and models, the Velardi brothers hold the 70s era of Falcon close to their hearts, as they both own and drive immaculate examples themselves. Additionally, Roy was a long-time editor of Street Fords magazine, solidifying his status as a Blue Oval boffin. Over a span of two years, the Velardis took this XW from a blank canvas to the masterpiece you see today.
The X-dub went back to bare metal and there is very minimal filler under that unmistakeable PPG Surfer Orange paint. The metalwork under the duco is what you dreamed your panel guy had the time to do. Door and panel edges were welded and trimmed, and door skins were cut and reapplied in place, all to achieve millimetre-perfect gaps all around. The plastic and
THE PACKAGE IS PUSHING 714HP AT THE CRANK – JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF BOOGIE FOR THAT WEEKEND GROCERY RUN
chrome trim pieces also had the same treatment, and were measured and trimmed with the same precision to ensure every piece on the XW’S body was gun-barrel straight. The car was reassembled in bare metal along with the moulds and trims to triple-check all panels for fitment.
The firewall was originally fabricated flat to accommodate a small-block Ford and trans combo, but a choice was made mid-build to go big-block, so the firewall was modified again with a raised tunnel, added chassis connectors and new engine plates by Chris at CS Engineering. The Surfer Orange continues into the engine bay, with satin black and raw machined alloy providing a welcome contrast.
OLDSCL is powered by a strong 514ci Ford big-block, built by John Agazzi from VP Racing Fuels Australia. It features a bulletproof package of AFR heads, JE pistons and rings, Comp rockers, Scat crank and conrods, Manley valves and a modified Moroso sump. A pair of APD 1050 billet carburettors and a custom sheet-metal manifold by Hogan’s Racing Manifolds handle intake duties. Fumes and noise come courtesy of custom ceramic-coated, mandrel-bent two-inch headers by CS Engineering and a dual three-inch exhaust system.
Putting the power to the wheels is a Turbo 400 by Al’s Race Glides and a tough Ford nine-inch with an alloy centre and 35-spline axles from Strange. Mating these two items is a 3.5-inch tailshaft by Ricky’s Drive Shafts. A custom 70-litre fuel cell in the boot by JT Performance provides the magic 98-octane juice that gets this whole package pushing 714hp at the crank – just the right amount of boogie for that weekend grocery run.
After getting OLDSCL on the hoist – and mopping up the puddles of drool induced by the absolute cleanliness of the underbody – you will notice some trick suspension goodies created by Cain at Xtreme Fabworx. The rear is a custom four-link set-up with Strange shocks, and custom wheel tubs house the massive 22x12 Simmons FRS. The boot floor is all custom too, along with the side and rear filler panels.
The XW has 22-inch wheels fitted to all four corners, with the guards carefully sectioned and stretched to accommodate them. A custom IFS system also helps fit these monstrous FRS, with rack-and-pinion steering from
WE’RE NOT SURE IF THERE IS A MORE WELLROUNDED XW ON THE STREETS TODAY. VIVA V RESTO GARAGE!
a Holden VL making sure it all plays nice from lock to lock. Custom guard liners were also made, just in case you doubted the remarkable attention to detail.
The interior is presented in classic XW fashion, with simple but effective black vinyl and all the right period-correct trim and badges, albeit with the addition of Auto Meter gauges. The dash has been customised as well; you will see an extra gauge in the usual wiper control spot. If you’re wondering why there isn’t a big air con compressor system in the engine bay, that’s because it is an electric unit, hiding under the rear parcel shelf. Sneaky. It works well too, getting the inside temp down to a frosty 1°C!
The OLDSCL plates were intended to refer to the era of classic Aussie muscle to which this car belongs, but it’s just as accurate a description of the kind of workmanship and sheer elbow grease that went into making this project such a resounding success for both owner and workshop. We’re not sure if there is a more well-rounded XW on the streets today. Viva V Resto Garage!