Yearbook aside, we’re just about at the end of the line for the 2022 Street Machine roster! Here’s a taste of what you’re in for with the December ’22 mag, out today.

Ray Elia’s VN is our loud-and-proud cover car. This thing is the complete package, and it wowed at the Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo with more red and chrome than previously thought possible. The mint finish, massive hoops and gorgeous interior fit-out are topped off by a tough but still street-friendly 8/71-blown LS2.

We can’t go any further without tipping our hat to Jasmine Green, who’s just claimed Milwaukee Street Machine of the Year with her epic self-built, LS1-powered HiLux. Telfo rolled out to Shepparton to present the well-deserved trophy to Jazzy, making her this month’s Legend.

A Porsche in SM? When it’s this bloody good, you bet! Built by Real Steel Group, Livi’s 1978 Porsche 911 is packed to the hilt with top-notch custom work and uber-stylish design choices, and took home Top Street Machine Overall at this year’s MotorEx. There’s subtle billet everywhere you look, big brakes, and a hot 3.5-litre flat-six out back that’s equal parts show and go.

Ian Woods’s EH panel van was another MotorEx head-turner, bringing a hearty dose of Vitamin C to the Elite Hall. Ian drew on his affinity for Mexican culture when he gave the ex-morgue pano a new lease on life by kitting it out with Day of the Dead-style art, plus a neat LS swap for good measure.

Adrian Haynes picked up his LX hatch as a complete mess. Fobbed off by its previous owner as a ‘too-hard’ job, the pro touring stunner you see here is a testament to Adrian’s dedication and willingness to have a crack, and was built as a tribute to his late dad. The LS3 and six-cog combo makes for an awesome driver with style to spare.

It’s not something you see every day (or month, or year) in Australia, but we dig Matt Hourigan’s Mercury Comet. Matt wedged a stout ProCharged 347 Windsor up front, making for a sweet sensation in a small package.

On the topic of stuff you rarely see, check out this EA TSS Falcon! If you can tear your eyes from that massive wing and bodykit, you’ll notice it’s got two tyres on each wheel. That’s just the start of these wild 80s-built weapons, as chief investigator Dave Carey writes.

We deployed the intrepid Torrens/Tanner duo to Unique Cars’ Rolling 30 in Sydney, and boy, did it look like a corker. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more diverse bunch of cars hitting the track, from touring car tributes to high-powered muscle and weird stuff from years gone by. Bring on the next one!

Gazzanats NT offered some much-needed warmth for two sun-deprived Victorians, not to mention some of the country’s best burnout cars going balls-out! The Myers clan extended the Darwin show to two days this year, meaning more track cruise action, burnout pad shenanigans, and show ’n’ shine goodies than ever before.

We also check out a tough-as-nails VP ute that’s done more than its fair share of Drag Challenges, a gorgeous pink LH Torana sedan, and an OG sleeper in the form of Shane Bridge’s 429-cube Mk1 Cortina.

Arby’s been a busy boy in the States, picking up a Chevy Malibu roller to build a Rocky Mountain Race Week 2.0 belter in just 10 days. It’s a rollercoaster of a read.

Regardless of how you see the future of internal combustion, there’s no doubting we’re living in the golden age of out-of-the-box power. But things get tougher to navigate as more and more crate motors hit our shores, so let engine guru Iain Kelly guide you through the ups and downs of what’s available.

The cherry on top for this issue is a jaw-dropping, Gurney Eagle-headed Windsor with GT40 history and sweet, sweet individual throttlebodies.

The December issue of Street Machine is on sale now. Get on it!