Author: Ben Hosking

Feature Car: Steve Santos' Holden EJ Wagon

LS-Powered EJ Wagon

Sorry that I’ve been so lax about posting content in here recently. I’ll try and do better in 2023! 

This stunning LS-powered retrotech EJ Holden wagon was originally meant to be a birthday present for Steve’s dad. I posted photos from the Valiant that actually ended up becoming his dad’s surprise gift HERE.

This EJ (yes, it’s an EJ – with EH tail lights) ended up staying in Steve’s shed and boasts a host of upgrades that make it the perfect cruiser, including 6-speed auto’, extensive audio system, power windows and all the mod cons.

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Front Cover: Ray Elia's VN Commodore

Ray Elia's VN Commodore

I recently had the pleasure of photographing Ray Elia’s latest creation for the front cover of Street Machine’s December 2022 issue, which is on sale now.

Keen readers will remember his white blown LS-powered VK Brock-alike that I shot for Street Machine’s Commodore title a few years back.

Best of all, this beast is already getting driven on the street despite not yet being done with show season.

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Front Cover: VW Mag Australia - Nov '22

VW Mag Australia - Nov 2022

The new issue of VW Magazine Australia (VWMA) is out this week and contains three of my photoshoots. Gracing the front cover is Izzy’sheavily patina’d single-cab, as well as Dean’s Karman Ghia and Anthony’s rare-as Puma coupe from South America.

Be sure to pick up a copy and check out their stories! #supportprint

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Fresh Portraits for Paul Bennet Airshows

New Portraits for Paul Bennet Airshows

Paul Bennet and Glenn Graham – the two primary sky aces behind Paul Bennet Airshows – were in need of some fresh promotional images. These two guys are some of the most experienced aerobatics pilots in the country and I was able to shoot them in front of their respective aircraft.

Lighting was supplied primarily by two Godox AD600 flashes; the key light using a medium-sized, gridded hexagonal softbox and the rim light using a standard reflector.

If you or your business is in need of some new promotional shots, don’t hesitate to get in touch. I service the greater Hunter Valley region and even Sydney with a little notice. 

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Feature Car: Peter Kelly's 1961 EK Holden

LS-Powered Elite EK Holden

Peter Kelly’s 1961 EK Holden is ‘retrotech’ personified. Not only does it boast an LS1 conversion, but you’ll also find every mod-con under the sun within the 1961 sedan. Even if it didn’t come with all the special sauces, the car still features all the right cues, from a perfect stance and big billet rollers to flawless Audi RS4-inspired leather trim and die-straight panels and smooth metallic blue paint. 

You can read all about the build in the June 2022 issue of Street Machine. 

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Feature Car: Tony Murr's Ford XA Falcon

8sec 454ci XA Falcon Street Car

Tony Murr’s Ford XA Falcon was photographed for the May 2022 issue of Street Machine magazine.

It runs a 454ci Clevo, based around an Arrow block with a 1050cfm Pro Systems carb, CNC ported heads and backed by a custom 9in rear with 35-spline axles.

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Feature Car: Marcus Nikolic's Holden VL Calais

Blown LS2-Powered VL Calais

Marcus Nikolic is bound to make most people jealous. The fact that he’s a young guy will only exacerbate things. Marcus owns this super smooth, supercharged LS2-powered Holden VL Calais at an age where most folks are still lucky to be punting around in their first sub-$2000 shitbox.

With a strong and savvy work ethic, he built up enough coin to buy the VL with the LS2 conversion already done and he says the car was in immaculate condition when he found it for sale. But as you can imagine, a whole lot more took place before it came to be voted People’s Choice in the Top 60 hall at Summernats this past January.

The car now boasts a built LS2, topped with a Harrop TVS2650 blower and backed by a T400 and braced 9in. If that weren’t enough, the car now rides on 22in Simmons FR rims, measuring 12 inches wide under the ass.

I shot the car on a dismal rainy day at Marcus’ work and it featured in the May 2022 issue of Street Machine.

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Feat Car: Brett Russell's Holden LX Torana

Big-Block LX Torana Hatch

This was actually the second time I’d had the luck to get Brett Russell’s incredible big-block-powered Holden LX Torana hatch in front of my lens. The first time was some six or seven years ago for the cover of Xtreme Holdens magazine.

Outwardly, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the car hadn’t changed much in that time, however Brett has further refined the car since its original photo shoot. Today, it’s a great car to drive and has more torque than any mere mortal should probably ever hope to have in a car as nimble as this LX.

On paper, the car boasts 427-cubic-inches of alloy Merlin-based beauty. This is topped with 11.3:1-comp- CNC-ported heads and 750cfm Quick Fuel carbs that replace the original – and admittedly troublesome -EFI setup. 

There’s a raft of chassis and suspension mods under the car that stiffen things up and make it handle like the car is on rails. It’s a complete package and totally worthy of its place within the hallowed pages of Street Machine.

 

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Feature Car: Jason Pellett's HR Holden

Jason Pellett's 1966 HR Holden

I’ve come across a number of car guys like Jason Pellett in my time shooting cars. Indeed, many of them know each other quite well. What type of car guy am I talking about? Prolific self-builders that churn out brilliant street cars like their lives are depending on it.

One of the first cars I ever photographed was Jason’s partner Ashley’s pink Commodore in 2011 or so. More recently I photographed Jason’s clinically-clean white HG Holden sedan and not that long after, Jason let me know he’d just finished another Holden: this LS-powered two-tone HR.

Jason has a certain style to his builds so far: super clean, no unnecessary bling, smooth engine bays and clean interior trims. This grey and black HR Premier sedan is no exception to those rules. It even wears the Showwheels Streeter rims like his old HG did.

What’s most impressive is that all his machines are built in the shed at home. According to Jason “Our projects never leave the shed. We roll them in and they drive out under their own power”.

My photo shoot was featured in the April 2022 issue of Street Machine.

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Feature Car: Steve Santos' AP5 Valiant

Steve Santos' 1963 AP5 Valiant

I’ve had the privilege of working with Steve Santos a number of times over the last decade – shooting his cars for various magazines, including his iconic twin-turbo Walky and blown BOSS-powered XY Falcon.

More recently I spent a few days down in the nation’s capital and photographed Steve’s two latest projects: a super tasty LS-powered EH wagon and this truly fine turbocharged and injected, slant-six AP5 Valiant sedan. What’s even more special is the fact that Steve built the car of a few months as a gift for his father!

Despite the short time frame, this was a proper rebuild. The engine bay was smoothed, wiring hidden, bodywork straightened to perfection and the interior gutted and finely restored and brought well and truly into the 21st century. 

The shoot was featured in the April 2022 issue of Street Machine.

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