It can be very hard to stand out from the crowd when it comes to building a Torana. Generally, it’s all been done before. And while it sits there on a set of Simmons FRs in a suit of dark metallic red, you’d think the exterior combo would make Rocky Sarkis’ LH blend into the mass as well, but the execution is perhaps what sets it apart.
The stance, for a start, it not messing about. It sits perfectly. The diameter and offset of those 20x10s. The subdued – kinds of mature looking – dark red and lack of flares… it all combines to make this Torana seem head and shoulders above so many others.
Open the bonnet and you’re faced with a 388ci Dart-based LS force fed by a big BW S480 turbo. The combo hasn’t been fully pushed yet (Rocky has only recently welcomed his first child), but it’s fair to say the combo will be good for some serious numbers.
With it’s simple satin balck aesthetic, it’s again, seemingly more mature and refined. The same thing happens inside, where a brownish-tan leather and suede interior, complete with a few billet additions makes for a serious, adult cabin. It’s almost like some foreign exotic housed within a humble 70s Aissue shell.
The shoot appeared in the July 2023 issue of Street Machine.
There was a fair amount of hype surrounding the unveiling of Carolyn Hayes’ LH Torana, known as 275NOS. Street Machine had covered the build of the car both in print and video, and with Carolyn’s partner Mark being an icon of the scene himself, great things was expected.
As you can see from the images, it’s fair to say that Carolyn and Mark knocked the build out of the park, both in terms of fit and finish, but also attitude and attention to detail. No matter how close I got with my camera, the car was flawless and buried so deep in the weeds (in it’s show format) that the turning circle had about a 50m radius.
Carolyn was itching to get the magazine feature done and dusted so she could set the ride height a little taller and get the car ready for racing.
The shoot appeared in the March 2023 issue of Street Machine.
Interesting fact: The very first feature car I photographed (for Street Commodores magazine) was a VN HDT Aero Lexcen powered by a V6 – and it was built by Leo Mortakis, the same guy that built this pastel yellow LX Torana.
The Aero was a legit HDT and very nicely restored to original condition. Leo has made a name for himself over the last 13 years for performing very nice restos and custom builds. Off the top of my head, this is the third or fourth that I’ve personally photographed.
This LX was built as a family project for he and his father Steve and the shoot was featured in the February 2023 issue of Street Machine.
I always love it when I get to work with a car owner on more than one occasion. Sometimes it’s because more than one magazine has requested the same car (sometimes years apart!) and sometimes it’s because the owner has built something new – or like Mark Sullivan… many new things! hahah
So I was happy when Matt Lomas contacted me a few months ago about a new Torana he’d built. Around 2014 or 2015 I photographed his old white VL Commodore for Street Commodores magazine in an industrial area in Kurri Kurri. It was a nice car and pretty indicative of its time.
THis new Torana is on another level, with a Harrop Stealth 2300-blown LS2 up front, 9in and TrueTrac, phat stance and lovely House of Kolor metallic blue paint. Inside you’ll see there’s acres of tan leather, too. All up, it’s a killer ride and what’s even better is that he drove it the half-hour to get to the shoot location!
The shoot was featured in the Street Machine 2023 Summer Special.
Ricci Camilleri’s Holden Torana and I go back to 2014. That’s when I first photographed his LX sedan. Although back then, the car was bright yellow and running a naturally-aspirated 355ci stroker from Pro Flo Performance.
Fast forward to 2021 and Ricci Camilleri’s Holden Torana is back and looking nothing like its former self. Featured on the front cover of the November 2021 issue of Street Machine, the Torana now wears a thick coat of Audi red and is running a 754rwhp 383ci 8/71-blown Holden V8, also built by the team at Pro Flo.
It’s also got a lot more refinement underneath, where you’ll find a Magnum IFS and a Pro Flo sheet metal 9in with 4-link. Combined with the new interior (including the sweet 3D-printed dash fascia), wheels, brakes and tyres… it’s an entirely new machine.
Enjoy the gallery of images and be sure to grab a copy of the January 2022 issue of Street Machine for my next cover shoot 🙂
Anthony’s PROWOG Holden Torana. Over the course of 11 years, Sydneysider Anthony Terkalas has built one of the more insane Holden Toranas that I’ve had the pleasure of shooting. Known as PROWOG, the LJ Torana is even now still in the fine tuning process of getting down the track in its fastest possible state – but the specs speak for themselves.
Based around a massive methanol-sucking 540ci big-block and full-chassis, the combo also boasts a huge 118mm Precision turbo. It’s backed by a two-speed TH400 and sheet metal 9in rear. But really, the photos probably do it better justice than me rattling off some tech specs.
My photo shoot on the car was featured in the October issue of Street Machine magazine.
See more Toranas in my blog
Man, there have been so many killer Holdens coming out right now – I don’t quite remember the last Ford I shot. Oh, yeah I do! The nutso 1000hp Barra-powered XM from Image Conversions!
Louis Younis will be a familiar name to custom car fans in Australia. His latest build/refresh is this crazy ‘street’ LJ Holden Torana boasting a 377ci SBC with a 14/71 and trick EFI setup that was built by Louis’ dad Tony. Final assembly of the car was done by the crew at Pro Flo Performance and keen eyes would have seen a snap of the car in the Pro Flo workshop in my recent workshop tour pics in Street Machine.
My shoot on the Torana appeared on the front cover of the May 2021 issue of Street Machine.
As always, we’ve got a series of FREE desktop wallpaper images for you to enjoy. Simply CLICK HERE or on the thumbnails below to visit our Flickr page where all the goodies lay in wait for your visit.
In storage out west for some 20 years, Mendo’s barn-find Holden LX Torana mixes modern mumbo with classic styling for the perfect street car recipe.
Powered by a 454ci LSX-based V8 and backed by a T400 and 9in, the Contessa Gold sedan sits nice and low thanks to a set of mini tubs.
The car was featured in the Street Machine 2020 Yearbook.
As always, we’ve got a series of FREE desktop wallpaper images for you to enjoy. Simply CLICK HERE or on the thumbnails below to visit our Flickr page where all the goodies lay in wait for your visit.
I love it when I get to shoot cars that nail the ix between new-school and old-school. Alex Fenech’s Holden Torana does just that with a classy, classic black exterior with 15in Weld rims and a Weiand blower out the bonnet. But peer a little deeper and you’ll find the blower bolted to a 6L L98-based LS motor. Just magic!
Alex Fenech’s Holden Torana was featured in the February 2020 issue of Street Machine.
As always, we’ve got a series of FREE desktop wallpaper images for you to enjoy. Simply CLICK HERE or on the thumbnails below to visit our Flickr page where all the goodies lay in wait for your visit.