- Jamie Wicks 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
- Robbie Zerella VH Valiant Charger
- Chris Jennis XP Falcon sedan delivery
- Steve Garrett Ford XD Falcon
- Matt Tubner Holden VB Commodore
- Hudson Baker EH Holden
- Wade Briese Holden HQ Monaro
- Ethan Pay Holden VS Commodore ute
- Paul Di Salvatore Holden LJ Torana
Jamie Wicks
1969 Chevrolet Camaro
“I built my ’69 Camaro SS over the past 18 months. The extensive rebuild included a new 355 crate motor with alloy heads, roller cam, Victor Jr manifold and 650 Holley carb.
The gearbox was rebuilt and a 2500rpm stall converter fitted. All suspension components were replaced from front to back, and the car now has Corvette front brakes.
The seats have been re-foamed and the interior retrimmed in leather and Alcantara, giving it a modern feel but still retaining the classic look. A Dakota Digital dash and a custom boot and stereo were also fitted.
It rolls on a set of US Racing wheels with 18x8s up front and 18x10s on the rear to fill out the guards. A full respray was done in Shadow Grey with black stripes over the bonnet and boot.
I also carried out a full colour-sand and applied Gtechniq ceramic coating at my business, Wicksy’s Wash & Wax in Toowoomba. All the glass, trims, mirrors, badges and handles were also replaced.
Special thanks to Wayne Ogden at Oggy’s Airbrushing for panel and paint; Toowoomba Steering & Suspension; Tricky’s Transmissions for the ’box; James at J-Tune for engine fitment and tune; Toowoomba Exhaust; MotorVision for the stereo; and Garden City Auto Trimming for the interior.”
Photos: Rick Welch
Robbie Zerella
VH Valiant Charger
“Here’s some pics of my 1972 R/T E49 Charger replica, running a Hemi 265 stroked to 276ci with all forged internals. Up top is a heavily ported cast-iron head and modified Webers to suit.
It runs a single-rail four-speed gearbox and a freshly built LSD with 28-spline Currie billet axles and 4.10 diff gears. Hope you enjoy my pics!”
Chris Jennis
XP Falcon sedan delivery
“Here’s my XP dubbed WOUNDED. I found it just north of the Kumarina Roadhouse in the WA bush in 2014. It belonged to a friend of a friend around 1977, and the same friend took me to it.
I took it home and it was returned to the road in 2018. Since then it’s been driven to Albany, Nagambie and Broome.
I have also come into contact with a previous owner from 1974, following its appearance on Desert Collectors Australia.
It still retains some of the bullet holes from its 35-odd-year stint out bush.”
Steve Garrett
Ford XD Falcon
“I’ve got a few cars, but this one’s probably the prettiest. It’s not running anything special, just a tidy 351 Cleveland and four-speed.
It’s no race car, but it ran without issues in the last Queensland Drag Challenge Weekend.”
Matt Tubner
Holden VB Commodore
“This is my 1978 VB Commodore. It’s all pretty original apart from the lowering job and custom exhaust. I’ve done new brakes, steering rack, ball joints – all the boring stuff.
It’s been resprayed in the original colour. This car is very special to me for a couple of reasons. It was the first Commodore ever sold in my hometown of Narrabri, but more importantly, it was my pop’s car from new. I am the second owner; four generations of my family have now been in this car.
It has 117,000km on the odometer and cruises along beautifully. I also have the mirror that was given out at each dealership when the first car was sold. One was given to the buyer, one to the salesman and one to the dealership.”
Hudson Baker
EH Holden
“Here is my EH. Brought from the back blocks of Bendigo, she’s been transformed from a too-hard job to my little go-kart.
The 350 small-block Chev backed by a Turbo 700 ensures the car goes like a rocket, with handling from independent front suspension, Commodore brakes and a nine-inch diff. She stops on a dime. An Australian icon of motoring with a modern twist!”
Wade Briese
Holden HQ Monaro
“My car is a 1972 HQ coupe, running a carby LS1 and Turbo 400 ’box with 3.55 diff gears in the back. I have owned the car for 13 years.
When I first got the car, my house was broken into and they trashed the car, so I had to do a full resto inside and out before I built it into what it is today.”
Ethan Pay
Holden VS Commodore ute
“This is my 1996 VS 5.0-litre ute, and it was my first car when I turned 17 and earned my red Ps. I found it on Facebook Marketplace in Forbes, NSW for $4000, and it was rough.
I spent a few months with my dad learning what it took to work on and maintain a car to get it roadworthy. I absolutely loved driving this ute, and I even took it to a track day down at Wakefield Park.
While I was in Newcastle, I got rear-ended at a set of lights, which did a fair bit of damage to the back of it. So we took the car off the road for a year, and my dad and I took on all the work to make it what it is today.
Now the body is dead-straight with no dents, and sports a fresh coat of Botanica Mica paint. It had its maiden outing at Summernats 34 earlier this year, and I love the thing.”
Paul Di Salvatore
Holden LJ Torana
“I built this LJ Torana from a rolling shell when I was 17, and I’m 28 now. It’s sitting as a pro street car now, with a 427 small-block Chev up front making just under 700hp.
The ’box is a two-speed Powerglide, which sends the power to a nine-inch diff. The rear has mini-tubs with Weld rims and 275/50/15 ET Streets.”
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Keyword: Readers' rockets: '69 Camaro + VH Charger + rescued XP sedan delivery + more