Street Machine Australia — June 2017

and friends. Smiles per mile are way more important than miles

per gallon, and with 642hp at the motor, there are plenty of smiles

to be had.

As I mentioned earlier, the whole process started when Mark

decided to chuck an auto in the car, but not just any auto. He

went straight to Mike’s Transmission in the US and ticked the

box for the Ultimate Vasco C10, full of bulletproof stuff like a

26-spline input shaft, solid drum and big servos – not to mention

the transbrake. Yep, the car wasn’t built for drag racing, but it’s

good to be prepared.

There’s a three-inch moly tailshaft with Strange yokes transferring

the rotating power to the nine-inch, which has been shortened

just enough to fit the 255/60/15 Mickey Thompson rubber and

9.5-inch-wide Weld AlumaStars under the guards. The leaf springs

are heavy-duty GT-spec and are still in the factory location, and a

set of CalTracs have been bolted on to help plant the diff during

launches. The Calvert 90/10 shocks up front are complemented by

a set of nine-way adjustables from the same manufacturer out back.

Mark’s entire philosophy behind the build was to keep it pretty

low-key – nothing sticking out of the bonnet, not even a reverse-

cowl. After all, these days you don’t want to draw too much attention

from the boys in blue: “The only time I’ve been pulled over by the

police, they just wanted to check the car out!” Mark laughs. s

MARK PSIHOUNTAKIS

1970 XW FALCON GT

Colour: Quicksilver with Lilac pearl

DONK

Type: 408ci Cleveland

Inlet: CHI 3V single-plane

Carb: 1000cfm Pro Systems Holley

Heads: CHI 3V 208cc

Valves: 2.07in (in), 1.65in (ex)

Cam: Comp Cams solid-roller

Pistons: SRP

Crank: Scat

Conrods: Scat H-beam

Radiator: GT Falcon radiator, AU

Falcon thermo fans

Exhaust: Pacemaker 1^7 / 8 in primaries,

twin 3in exhaust, Magnaflow mufflers

Ignition: MSD

SHIFT

’Box: Mike’s Transmission Ultimate

Vasco C10, transbrake

Converter: Dominator 9.5in, 5000 stall

Diff: 9in, Truetrac, 3.9:1 gears

BENEATH

Front end: Monroe springs, Calvert

90/10 shocks

Rear end: GT leaf springs with

CalTracs, Calvert nine-way

adjustable shocks

Steering: XF Falcon power steering

Brakes: Discs (f), drums (r)

ROLLING STOCK

Rims: Weld AlumaStar;

15x4 (f), 15x9.5 (r)

Rubber: Mickey Thompson Sportsman

S/ R 26x6.00 (f), 255/60/15 (r)

THANKS

Zoran & Bobby at Competition Engines;

Tom & Ben at GT Shop; Chris at Quik

Pitstop Automotive Repairs; special

thanks to my wife Virginia and kids

Nikki, Joey and Foti for their support

and patience with the build

MARK’S XW GT

THE ONLY TIME I’VE BEEN PULLED OVER BY

THE POLICE, THEY JUST WANTED TO CHECK

THE CAR OUT!