LIFE IN THE FAST ’LANE
DAMIEN KEMP’S FAIRLANE FASTBACK IS A PURPOSE-BUILT DRAG CHALLENGE MACHINE
PEOPLE building street-friendly machines specifically to take on the gruelling trials and tribulations of Street Machine Drag Challenge is quickly becoming commonplace, and Damien Kemp’s 1966 Ford Fairlane fastback is a prime example.
Famous for piloting his outrageously cool 1000hp Funderbolt gasser, Damien decided to build something a bit tamer for Drag Challenge, while still keeping that 60s flavour. “I pulled the Fairlane out of a desert in Arizona, which is why it has that real sunburnt look,” he says. “I built the car ready for last year’s Drag Challenge, but then my son was born so close to the event that it just didn’t work out.”
Damien converted the car to right-hook using a ZD Fairlane dash, and then cherrypicked all the old running gear from his Funderbolt gasser to give the fastback some snot. “I built the whole thing myself except for the exhaust,” he says.
A Windsor mill headlines the act, using a Scat stroker kit to take it out to 408ci, with Edelbrock heads and intake and an 850 Demon carby. Damien theorises the donk is good for around 520hp with a 100-shot of giggle gas, making for a pretty stout package. The rest of the driveline consists of a C4 auto that is shifted with a genuine set of Hurst Lightning Rods from the 80s, plus a 3800rpm converter and a nine-inch rear end with 3.7:1 gears.
Damien loves keeping his cars in the 60s era of drag racing, so the Fairlane also features a Don Garlits tacho and original Ansen wheels.
Prior to Drag Challenge, Damien had only had the car at the track once, flashing up an 11.1 on his best of three passes, and due to having no rollcage he wasn’t going to be able to push it much harder than that at DC anyway.
While the exterior remains unchanged, Damien re-did the interior with extra Drag Challenge creature comforts to make the road miles less torture. “I put all new sound deadening through the car when we did the interior; I coated the whole underside as well and just made it a bit nicer,” he says. “It
DAMIEN THEORISES THE WINDSOR DONK IS GOOD FOR AROUND 520HP WITH A 100-SHOT OF GIGGLE GAS
made a big difference. The road miles were so much easier, and I made sure everything in the car worked, even the clock and the glovebox light.”
As for Drag Challenge aims, Damien just wanted to have fun. “A few of my mates were in Dial Your Own, so I went with that class, and it’s a good way to have a week off work and spend some time with your mates,” he says. “It’s also a really good test of your knowledge as well, having to fix a car at the side of the road without major help and making the car do 1500km and at least five passes in a week.”
Damien’s week was a pretty smooth one, with only a dud starter on the way to Portland giving him some trouble. Despite having a largely untested car and no intention of running a proper dial-in strategy, Damien managed to fluke his consistency enough to earn himself 11th spot out of 59 finishers in the K&N Dial Your Own Class. “I’m pretty stoked with that; it wasn’t really my plan going into the week,” he says.
He began the week with an 11.19@123mph on Day One, managed a 7.11@98mph and a 7.15@97mph over the Mildura eighth-mile on Days Two and Three respectively, before a 7.11@98mph at Portland on Day Four and a 11.13@121mph to finish off the week back at Calder.
I PULLED THE FAIRLANE OUT OF A DESERT IN ARIZONA, WHICH IS WHY IT HAS THAT REAL SUNBURNT LOOK
“It was a really enjoyable week because I usually run in the more serious brackets with other cars,” Damien says. “It was good not to bust arse and just go out there and have some fun.”
Damien is interested in running in future DC events, but he’s not quite sure what his plan of attack will be yet.
“I’m planning on coming back next year and having a bit more of a crack, but I’m not sure if the other car I’m building will be ready in time,” he says. “I’d be pretty keen on the Drag Challenge Weekend event in Queensland as well; that’d be a good road trip up, I reckon.”