This article was originally published in the August 2018 issue of Street Machine

SO IT’S taken Danko the best part of 15 years to come up with a new combination for his own Ford Capri streeter. Back in the day it ran 10.60 with a 4V Cleveland, but this new deal is quite a step up.

Danko has built up a Dart Windsor block, measuring 434ci and stuffed with a Callies crank, GRP rods and custom Diamond pistons – all machined by Cable & Burns. Up top it’s fitted with 218cc CHI heads, a custom CHI intake manifold (modified for EFI with a big Wilson throttlebody and elbow), and a custom fuel rail with 235lb Moran injectors fed by a belt-driven fuel pump. The heads are decked out with T&D rockers, Ferrea Comp valves and titanium retainers, while down below it features a custom-grind Comp Cams bumpstick and Isky lifters.

Hanging off the motor are two 70mm Precision turbos, with 60mm Turbosmart wastegates, Race Port blow-off valves and a water-to-air intercooler, all plumbed by Dean G Fabrications and coated by Race Coatings. The whole thing is controlled by the new Haltech Elite 2500T ECU with torque management, wired up by James at Switched On Auto Electrics.

On Adicted’s engine dyno and drinking E85, she made an impressive 1687hp at 7200rpm, and 1319lb-ft of torque at 6600rpm at around 20psi. It’s an angry bit of gear, and Danko reckons he can still wind more boost into it at the track if he needs.

The goal with this combo was 1500hp, and I think even Danko was surprised by just how easily he achieved that. That’s plenty of grunt to get the lightweight Capri well into the seven-second quartermile zone.

The coolest part is, the Capri is a leaf-spring rear-end street car; we’ve seen Danko get it out to a couple of Melbourne cruise nights with the family since it was finished.

So far the Capri has gone 8.10 at Swan Hill Dragway. “We’ve still got a few little bugs to sort out,” Danko says. But that’s pretty good for just his third time at the track with this combo. It’s only a matter of time before we see this thing run that magic seven.

ELITE CLASS

Using the Haltech Elite 2500T, Danko is able to set the Capri up with torque management to limit wheelspin and give more consistent times. Using a driveshaft sensor, the Haltech can detect slip and pull timing to get the car back on track with its mission to go as quick as possible. Since Danko is running a leaf-spring rear end in the Capri, this system could be a big help with achieving his 7sec goal.