Street Machine Australia — January 2018

do yet another GT replica; there’s 15 times the

number of GTs on the roads now than ever!”

After being checked and freshened by

Summernats Horsepower Heroes demon Jake

Edwards, the engine and its attendant four-speed

auto gearbox were slung into the engine bay using

RRS conversion components. The new-century

XR8 powerplant doesn’t drop straight into an

XY Falcon, though, so the spring towers were

abbreviated and plated to create a wider bay.

“That was the biggest change – the strut

towers,” Steve says. “But even with the RRS stuff,

transplanting the later engine is still a big task; it’s

not just Lego!”

RRS also provided the conversion-friendly

brake booster/master cylinder hardware – it’s

now under the dash – and the extractors to allow

the big quad-cammer to fit. The radiator is an

alloy aftermarket item cooled by the donor XR8’s

electric fans. The management system – lifted

from the BA – works happily in its new home with

a wiring harness modified by Wayne Egan and

with a new tune by Jake.

Steve made the engine look its best, too; it’s all

factory stuff, but with components such as the cam

covers filed, filled and finished to improve on the

factory appearance. Just in case you didn’t notice,

there’s a little CAPA-supplied Vortech centrifugal

blower in there, too, boosting a modest 9psi.

The transmission was given a tweak, starting

with a looser converter by Auto Torque in Phillip,

ACT. “It’s not the best-respected ’box,” Steve says

I DIDN’T WANT TO DO YET ANOTHER

GT REPLICA; THERE’S 15 TIMES THE

NUMBER OF GTS ON THE ROADS NOW

THAN EVER!

STEREO
Audiotech at Tuggeranong
installed the Clarion head unit,
with Hertz hardware elsewhere:
splits front and rear and three
10in subs enclosed in the boot,
all driven from three amps. “I
have no idea how many Watts
it is,” Steve admits, “but it’s
enough to make a big rumble!”

FRONT AXLE
RRS provided the strut front
suspension conversion,
necessary with the widened
engine bay and modifi ed spring
towers. Lovells springs work
with QA1 dampers and poly
bushes, with Steve twirling the
column to a power-assisted
rack-and-pinion steering
conversion, once again by RRS

EXTERIOR
It’s not obvious straight away,
but each wheelarch has been
re-radiused to complement the
extra size of the 22in Simmons
rims. The fuel filler has been
replaced with an aero-style
one and much of the Falcon’s
exterior staino has been
binned. Crystal-type headlights
add an extra bit of bling to the
silver paint