Innholdsfortegnelse for #350 24-AUG i Just Cars

A one-make GT racing series that’s been an important part of European and North American motorsport for the past 30+ years, the Ferrari Challenge is coming to Australia. Commencing from 2025, the “Australasian” title for the series infers that rounds will be held on New Zealand and/or South East Asian circuits, as well as in Australia. Officially labelled as the ‘Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia,’ there are no details available on the new regional series, like the calendar and circuits, but Ferrari says more information will be released in the coming months. “We are delighted to announce this championship, a project our team has been working on for a long time,” said Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Ferrari Endurance and Corse Clienti. “The introduction of the Australasia series is part…

The synergy between hot rods and Chev’s small block V8 goes back a long way. In fact, it was being applied to rods and custom cars soon after it was released in 1955. Just as enduring is the Ford ‘T Bucket’ that’s been a styling constant in the rodding scene since the 1950s. As shown by the car featured, uniting these two elements of hot rod history seems only natural. Both the T Bucket and Small Block have seen changes over the years, as new engineering arrives and styling trends come and go, but it seems like the 350 cubic inch version of the Small Block has been a constant. Attribute that to it being an engine that was so widely utilised (at least in the US), its combination of…

When does a car cross the threshold from being just “used” or “old” to being “classic”? You can put a number on it, but it doesn’t apply equally to all cars from a certain period. For example, cars from a few years either side of the year 2000 are currently in a grey area when it comes to status and appreciation – not quite classic and not quite new, either. That in turn makes for some relative bargains, like the fifth generation ‘C5’ Corvette. The C5 Corvette’s path to market was a torturous one, marked by constant delays to the launch date, changes within management and the Corvette design team, plus GM financial losses in the early ‘90s that ran into the billions. The fifth generation was originally to be…

John Emery’s 1964 factory Alfa Romeo Giulia TI Super was perhaps the most famous of all. It’s the same car that won the Sandown International Six Hour in 1964, entered by Alec Mildren Racing, driven by Alfa factory driver Dr Roberto Bussinello and Mildren driver Ralph Sachs. The homologated Autodelta race special ran like clockwork, while the 4-wheel discs saved it from the brake issues and longer pit stops suffered by works teams that included the 7-litre Ford Galaxie of Lex Davison and Sir Gawaine Bailey, Indy driver Rodger Ward’s Studebaker Lark and the Lotus Cortinas of Jackie Stewart and newcomer Allan Moffat. The modest qualifier won by seven laps! In 1965, the Alfa repeated the hare-and-tortoise trick, winning in the hands of Frank Gardner and Kevin Bartlett. It now lives with…

SEVEN82MOTORS have scored a major coup for their August auction in the form of a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T that served as a promotional vehicle for the Dukes of Hazzard TV show in the 1980s. One of only five authorised by Warner Bros. (the show’s producers), this car is sure to be the star of the next SEVEN82MOTORS auction that runs from 9 to 19 August. While not one of the 300+ Chargers used during filming over the seven seasons of The Dukes of Hazzard (many of which were destroyed), this is as close to a screen-used General Lee as you’re likely to get. The car to be auctioned was one of a handful of vehicles officially licensed by Warner Bros., the TV show’s producers, for promotional duties. To understand…

Jaguar has built its final F-Type, ending a 75-year lineage of petrol-powered sports cars that started with the XK120 in 1948. The discontinuation of the F-Type, which was first announced last year, is part of a broader change at Jaguar that will see the entire brand go electric in 2025. Built on 14 June, the final F-Type was a Giola Green 5.0 V8 convertible with a black hood and Tan Windsor leather interior. The colour combination is similar to that of the final E-type, a V12 Series III convertible that was built in 1974. Like the E-type, the final F-Type will go to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust that preserves the marque’s history and occasionally brings cars out for anniversaries and special occasions. Inevitably compared with the E-type and often…

The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC), the oldest and largest club of its type in the country, has launched their Race Academy ‘Formula Pathway’ program to support the next generation of Australian driving talent. While the initial focus will be on open-wheel motorsport – Karts to Formula 4 – there are plans to expand the academy program to touring cars and motorcycles in the future. Supporting the ARDC in this new initiative are AGI Sport and Focus Driver Performance, both of whom operate from the Australian Motorsport Innovation Precinct (AMIP) that was launched last year. The AMIP is based at Sydney Motorsport Park (SMP - aka Eastern Creek) “When we first planned for the AMIP back in 2017, it was very much a goal of the ARDC to attract the…

Pretty much every car enthusiast knows what a ’57 Chev looks like, but what about a ’57 Pontiac? Despite being released here in factory RHD form for a couple of decades after World War II, Pontiacs from this period is a rare sight. Pontiacs were available in Australia soon after the marque was launched in 1926, with imported chassis fitted with local bodies (mostly by Holden) throughout the 1920s and ’30s. After World War II, CKD assembly became the norm, with some units brought in as complete cars, too. These RHD units were engineered in the US, but partially or fully assembled in Canada to reduce import tariffs. Our smaller market meant that only one model type was usually available here, unlike the US, which offered a broad range of…

When Holden launched their HQ Series, it was new in so many ways. Along with new models and an all-new body design, the HQ saw some familiar engines given a new edge, a hi-po powerplant farewelled and a new take on the Monaro come to market. Debuting in July, 1971, and remaining in production until late 1974, (the second longest production run of any Holden up that point), the HQ Series is regarded by many as one of the best-looking Holdens of all time. With more than 485,000 built across sedan, wagon, coupe and commercial variants, it was also one of the most successful. It wasn’t a “build it and they will come” approach, though. Holden had to work hard and adapt their range to suit customer tastes and the…

Even the most magnificent race circuits sometimes have their off weekends, and so it was with the JUST CARS racers for the July State Race Series round at Phillip Island; a makegood meeting for a cancelled event earlier in the year. The new date suited only a few – and the wet conditions suited no-one. On Saturday, wheels went on at the last possible moment after staring at the sky and checking the weather app – but this is Bass Strait and the heavens opened over the dummy grid for R1 with the field on dry tyres. All the ‘s’ words applied – slow, slimy, slippy and sideways - and probably a couple more. The sun made a guest appearance on Sunday, but dry tyres still weren’t a good choice…

1 PROFLOW GILMER BELT DRIVE KIT Victorian Performance Wholesale vpw.com.au Gilmer belt drive kits are more reliable for performance applications than traditional v-belts as the toothed belts and pulleys prevent slippage. This Proflow kit, to suit the Chevrolet Small Block V8, includes crank, water pump and alternator pulleys that are constructed from billet aluminium. Stainless steel bolts for fitting and a new Gilmer belt are also included in the kit. $285.00 RRP, available in a choice of silver anodised (pictured) or black anodised finish. Kits to suit the Chev Big Block, a variety of different V8 applications and other engines are also available. 2 CLR GREASE & OIL REMOVER CLR Brands clrclean.com.au With a new and more effective formula, CLR Grease & Oil Remover provides a fast-track solution for cleaning…

Chrome Temple, Australia’s only automotive investment fund, has added ‘Godzilla’ to its investment portfolio, with an ex-Group A Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R from the early 1990s recently acquired by the Sydney-based firm for their ‘Mach 1’ fund. Noting the ever-increasing values for selected classic cars, Chrome Temple added the investment arm to their high-end car sales and storage business in 2021. Cars like the GT-R, once acquired, are held onto until such time as their optimum re-sale value is achieved. They are then sold to bring returns to investors. Since the fund’s inception, Chrome Temple claims returns of 37 per cent net. Rather than Ferraris and Aston Martins from the 1960s, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLRs and the like, Chrome Temple focuses on ‘youngtimer’ classics like the Ferrari F355 and Lamborghini Diablo.…

1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS The ‘SS’ trim level has been a constant throughout the lifetime of the Camaro - available on the very first and the very last examples built. In 1967, the Camaro SS was the first Chevrolet of any type to be fitted with the 350ci version of the famous Small Block V8, with a 396ci V8 optional. By 1969, a Camaro SS could also be optioned with four-wheel disc brakes. Enhanced in SS form, the aggressive design of the 1969 Camaro inspired the 2010 Camaro revival. Today, a ’69 SS is regarded by many as the ultimate Camaro. This 1969 Camaro SS is available from Classic Custom Imports, VIC. See more online with this ad code: JCMD5298918 1948 BUICK SUPER Buick’s ‘Super’ made its debut for the…

Like the first F-Series pickups from Ford, the 1940s and ’50s trucks from Chevrolet are a favourite with enthusiasts today. But a quirk of Chevy’s pickup development back then meant that, in 1955, two very different-looking pickups were available. Chevrolet’s first all-new truck design since 1941, the ‘Advance Design’ range was launched in 1947 and available as a 1/2-ton (3100), 3/4-ton (3600) or 1-ton (3800) pickup. Along with larger 1 1/2-ton and 2-ton trucks, plus other variants, the Advance Design range kept Chev at the top of the US market. The trio of pickups were the volume sellers, though, accounting for more than half of Chev’s entire truck output. Initially, a 216ci inline six and three-speed column-shift manual transmission were standard for all Chev pickups, but a 235ci six was…

Next year will mark the 45th Anniversary of Australian historic touring car racing. But before we go back to the first local meeting for historic touring cars held in 1980, let’s go waaay back… In the two decades after World War II, an explosion of different automotive makes and models from around the world became available for Australian drivers - and race enthusiasts - to enjoy. With engines from two to eight cylinders in different formats and placed longitudinally, transversely, fore or aft, the variety of sights and sounds made the new touring car events hugely popular with spectators. Additionally, touring cars were accessible for the amateur racer, unlike open wheelers, which were pretty exotic, even back then. The boom in touring car racing saw the Confederation of Australian Motor…

Like all older cars and even some new cars, the Holden Commodore VS originally came with halogen headlight bulbs. While these bulbs have served well over the years, modern LED technology offers significant improvements in brightness, energy efficiency, and durability. Here I’m testing two types of Philips LED headlight bulbs – the Ultinon Access and the Ultinon WeatherVision – installed and tested on the same vehicle. FIRST IMPRESSIONS Both Philips Ultinon Access LED Bulbs and Philips Ultinon WeatherVision LED Bulbs come in a small package that’s easy to order online and have delivered, or pick up at your local retailer. The bulbs themselves have a solid design and seem durable. Included in the package were, of course, the LED bulbs, a detailed installation manual and integrated IEC 60061 compatible base.…

Enjoy the convenience of having JUST CARS delivered to your letterbox every month. Subscriptions are also available as gifts for Father’s day, Birthdays, Christmas, etc. JUST CARS caters for collectable, classic and custom car enthusiasts. With easy-to-find category sections, the buyer finds what they want quicker and are on the phone to you sooner. JUST CARS has the largest number of private advertisers of any automotive magazine in Australia. We also provide the best service in the business. BONUS 1. You never miss an issue 2. It gets delivered directly to your letterbox 3. You get 13 issues over 12 months 4. We do all the hard work for you 12 MONTHS = 13 ISSUES Price shown includes delivery within Australia only. For international prices, please contact us directly. NOTE:…