The covers have just been pulled off a huge roster of 29 new elite-level cars at Street Machine Summernats 35.

We’ve had to split our coverage into two parts to get the bumper crop out to the world as soon as possible, so here’s part one of the Meguiar’s Great Uncover for 2023. Stay tuned for heaps more metal soon!

BERNIE ROESCHMANN

XR FALCON

Bernie Roeschmann’s Sage Gold sedan hides a 372-cube Gurney Eagle-headed Windsor, screwed together by SR Engines (SM, Dec ’22). “When it went to get painted it went to the next level; we re-gapped and redid everything,” Bernie says. Other killer touches include a Motofab rear end and RRS front kit, plus blink-and-you’ll-miss-it carbon fibre interior panelling. “It doesn’t stand out, but it’s nice,” Bernie grins. The boot fit-out uses an XY GT tank, with custom piping to fit neatly within the XR’s confines.

MATT MCINTOSH

HQ STATESMAN

Matt McIntosh’s Stato is one of a few SBC sluggers, with twin Precision turbos lurking in the mega-sharp engine bay. The Engine Master-sourced mill is already rated to 1000hp on the run-in tune, and shifts via a Reid-cased Turbo 400. Matt coated it in late-model Land Rover Carpathian Grey, making for an eye-grabbing contrast against the rose gold Simmons.

CAMERON MCNABB

FORD CAPRI

Paul Sant and his team at ProFlo Performance built this perfectly stanced Mk1 Capri for Cameron McNabb, which made an impact the second the cover was pulled off with the beautiful Brandy Wine metallic paint. Proudly sitting upfront is a Littlefield 8/71 blower atop a Proflo-fettled 370ci small-block Chev, which comfortably makes 1300hp.

Once it’s done the show rounds the car will hit the strip in pursuit of sevens, and it’ll still be rego’d for the occasional blat to the shops and back.

TIM LAIDLER

HSV SV88

“Yes, it’s a real SV88,” laughs Sydneysider Tim of his ‘wrecked a classic’ monster pro street build based on HSV’s first ever ‘own brand’ production model. “But I bought it before it was worth anything.” Plenty has been spent since with a Merlin-4 blocked, 14/71 blown, mechanically injected 540-cube 2100hp mill planted up front under that glorious carbon fibre hat. With that much stick – and the car’s model name – inspiring the name ‘EXCESV,’ there’s plenty of barwork in and under the car as it has been built and tech’d to run 7s on the strip once its shiny show days are over.

SCOTT HEALY

HX ONE TONNER

Summernats ‘88 veteran Scott Healy says his HX Tonner is the fulfilment of a lifelong dream. “This is what I always wanted when I was younger, a long, long time ago,” he laughs. “It was here four years ago as a completely different car; different colour, different driveline, different everything.” There’s now a 468ci fat-block Chev up front and DNA Cherry Black panels, with a tray airbrush job by Inzana Customs. Kev at Double Trouble Restos handled most of the build, though Scott says he’s yet to tally up the hours spent over the last 18 months.

CHRIS FRANKLING

XR FALCON

Bendigo Automotive Restorations’s Chris Frankling snagged his second XR as a rusty bare body, and wrapped up the build over Christmas. It now features extended lower quarter panels, lowered sills, and a custom floor for sweet ground-hugging stance. There’s also a dead-smooth engine bay and custom beavertail under the rear bar. The donk is a 660hp, Pavtek-built 434 Clevor, paired to a manualised C6 and 9in third member in a McDonald Bros four-link. A&H Trim sorted the interior, and everything’s engineered as it sits.

TIM MARTENSTYN

HK MONARO

Tim Martenstyn’s HK GTS hides a TDR Engines-built LSX376, force-fed by a Jo Blo 8/71 with EFI. A Holley Terminator X ECU is the brains of the operation, hooked to a 6.86in dash inside. AccuAir ‘bags on all four corners and a four-link round out the package, and it rolls on 20×10 and 19×6 rolling stock. The interior’s all leather, trimmed in GTS style.

CRAIG MCKENZIE

HR HOLDEN UTE
Craig McKenzie has revived the HR ute made famous by Ditch Jones way back when it first unveiled at Summernats 20. Unlike some of his other show car rescues that’ve been restored as close as possible to their glory days, Craig added plenty of his own personal touches during the rebirth to make it his own. The interior has been completely changed, and Craig also played with the
external colours. “I wanted to keep the basic original styling while adding my own personal touch,” says Craig.

Fans of the original blown 186 from 2007 can rejoice as that still remains intact, Craig saying that was an important aspect of this car he wanted to keep.

Stay tuned, because we’ll bring you the rest of the unveil hall goodies first thing tomorrow!