This article on Charlie’s HK Kingswood was originally published in the September 2018 issue of Street Machine

WITH a surname like Sant, this young fella was always destined to be a car guy. Son of Paul Sant of ProFlo fame, and nephew of gun auto sparky Mark, Charlie has always had a strong passion for modified cars that has manifested in this stunning HK Kingswood. Beautly, he’s finished it just in time for his P-plates, and as far as first cars go, it’s up there with the best we’ve seen!

Nice car, Charlie! Tell us all about it.

I bought it about two years ago from one of my cousins. It was a pretty original car with a 186 and three-speed manual in it, and the build started from there. It wasn’t meant to turn out as good as it did; it just kept snowballing like these things do. The original plan was to lower it and make it look cool, then my uncles and my dad started to encourage me and they kind of pushed it along. Now it’s got a 350 Chev and Turbo 350 in it, and a nine-inch with a Strange centre and billet axles. Daniel and Luke from Kingpins Kustom Paint did the paint in a custom-mixed blue to match the interior.

You’re probably one of the youngest Young Guns we’ve ever had in Street Machine. You’ve obviously been into cars from an early age?

Yeah, my whole life. It’s all I’ve ever really been interested in. I’ve always been keen on cars and as I’ve got older I’ve become more and more involved. I’ve been really privileged in the sense that I’ve had the opportunity to hang around the shop as a kid and pursue it as a career.

When your dad runs ProFlo Performance, you can bet your first ride will have a stout driveline. Charlie’s HK houses a nicely detailed 350 Chev, backed by a Turbo 350 trans and 9in

What was it like growing up as a kid with ProFlo Performance in your backyard?

It was mad! I’ve seen some cool cars getting built here over the years. Some of those cars have been really influential and helped shape the car scene. I’ve got to meet some really cool people, made a lot of great mates and learnt off some of the best.

What do you do for a crust?

I’ve been working at the shop for two years now, and I’m in the second year of my light vehicle mechanic apprenticeship. But I get to do a bit of fabrication, working on engines, putting cars together; whatever. We build turnkey cars, so I get to have a bit of a go at everything. Dad’s a good boss and he treats me just like every other employee in the shop.

You’ve got a pretty keen interest in automotive art and photography, too.

I’ve been drawing cars forever, and I’ve been taking photos of events and cars at the workshop for Facebook. I’m starting to do a bit of video stuff as well. I’m just interested in anything to do with cars, really!

How do you see your future in the industry panning out?

I’d like to stay at ProFlo and just keep doing what I’m doing. I want to get better and better for myself, and this job gives me the opportunity to do a wide variety of work on a lot of high-end builds. I just want to keep on working at that and improving my skills. The HK definitely won’t be the last car I build, either.

Charlie’s HK is a cruiser, and the factory front and rear bench seats allow him to roll six-up with his mates. Just like the exterior of the car, the cabin retains its original flavour, but contemporary colours and treatments give it a modern twist

Working in that environment must give you a lot of ideas for projects!

One hundred per cent! I won’t be building anything else anytime soon, but the next car will be nothing like the HK; it’s too nice a car for me, really! The next one won’t be as neat and it’ll be more aimed at Powercruise and racing and that type of thing. But I guess it’s like everything; these projects tend to blow out.

Any plans to further develop the Kinger?

I’m really rapt with it how it is, and I just want to drive it. One day we’ll probably end up building a bigger and better engine for it, but I don’t really want to touch the rest of the car; I reckon it’s perfect how it is.