“RIGHT from the beginning, the plan was to put an LS1 and a six-speed from a Commodore into it and have it fully engineered so I could drive it as much as I possibly can.

This article was first published in the September 2020 issue of Street Machine

It has all the comforts: the best leather I could buy, air con, and I even had custom electronic gauges with ‘FJ Holden’ printed on them made in the US by Speedhut.

Originally the paint was going to be Tangerine Yellow, but I have to thank Jole Styles for suggesting Phantom Black with chrome because I was sold instantly – I love the way it looks now and don’t regret it for a second. When we were stripping the car down, there was a rattle in the driver’s-side rear door, and when we pulled the door apart we found a 1956 penny – the same year as the car! So I stuck it to the centre console that I made.

The engine received a cam and some roller rockers and made a stout 400hp on the dyno through a custom set of extractors made by Dusty Benson. Even with the 10-inch tyres on a four-bar rear end, it still gets a bit loose.

I couldn’t have done it without some key people: Graeme Holt, Rob Chaplin, Paul Kuczko, Dusty Benson, ‘Womp’ at Webster’s Dyno and Beachy’s Upholstery. I’m very grateful to them for helping make this dream come to life.” Photos: Luke Hunter