READERS’ ROCKETS

SEND photos of your car and a few details of what went into the build to Readers’ Rockets, Street Machine, Locked Bag 12, Oakleigh, Vic 3166 or email readerscars@bauer-media.com.au. Please note: Send us copies of prints as we are unable to return your photos.

ROD HAYLOCK LX HOLDEN TORANA

“I HAVE owned my Torana for eight years. It started as a licensed, fuel-injected 304/Th700/banjo diff car. The first thing I did was replace the diff and old front discs with a new disc-brake nine-inch and Vt-style front discs. I also replaced the carpet and soundproofed the floor, replaced the rubbers, and installed a B&M shifter through the console (that was no walk in the park!). My good mate Tom Toovey then convinced me to LS it, so we removed the old motor and ’box, smoothed the rails and bay, and stripped the LS and 4L60E, adding reconditioned heads, some port work, a Howards cam, a new Moroso sump, a custom crossmember and Tuff Mounts. The car was then transported to Shannon at Tune Corp for the engine and gearbox installation. Lundy Race Fabrication made the headers, did all the wiring and hid the computer under the glovebox. Shannon installed all the bits and bobs to complete the build, and also tuned the car. Big shout-out to my wife and family for tolerating the many late nights and weekends, and all my good mates that have helped along the way: Tom Toovey, Shannon Summers at Tune Corp, Lundy Race Fabrications, Peter M and Simon R.” Photos: Jordan Leist

PAUL GRECH EH HOLDEN SEDAN

“I BOUGHT the EH as an unfinished project; it had no motor or front end. My good neighbour and I went to Coffs Harbour to pick it up, and it sat in my shed for about a year before we finally made a start. My brother-in-law David is an EH expert, so he put all the bits in the right place, and I painted it and added a few chrome bits to the motor. We put in all-new brake wheel cylinders with the intention of going disc, but the drums are just so good that we kept them. Wheels are 17x7s all ’round. Having now owned the car for about five years, I have accumulated a few more bits for it, like a Peter Pulford-built 3.3-litre motor and Toyota five-speed, but I’m just enjoying cruising in it at the moment – the three-speed crash-box and drum brakes just work so well.” Photos: Ben Hosking

TRENT BRIMBLE 1986 VL CALAIS TURBO

“WHAT started as a car I bought 2.5 years ago that only needed a clutch and turbo to get her going, has snowballed into all the mechanicals getting replaced over time with all new goodies. At first the VL had a manual, GT3886 turbo, cam and springs, and was good for more than 500hp, but I wanted to go faster. So the gearbox was replaced with a Powerglide and TCE 5500rpm converter. After blowing up a few Borgwarner diffs, it was time to put in something a bit stronger, so in went a sheet-metal nine-inch, 35-spline axles and Strange centre. The motor was pulled down and rebuilt with Nitto rods and pistons but retaining the stock crank, and we added a JW2 cam. It’s fuelled by 2200cc injectors and three Bosch 044 fuel pumps, controlled through a Link Fury ECU. It made 750hp and ran a 9.42@148mph pass, but we recently changed to a Garrett GTX4202, and with a re-tune it made 968hp on 44psi. Thanks to Jamie Swift; John, Skinny and Nathan; Justin from JW Automotive; and finally, my wife for putting up with me and the build.” Photos: Steve Kelly