When it comes to the rarefied air of elite level Aussie show cars, no show can hold a candle to the revered Meguiar’s MotorEx, held bi-annually at Sydney Showgrounds — well, until now. Change is in the air for the staple feature of the Australian show scene, is now being run by Out There Promotions (OTP) — the business in charge of running such events as the legendary Street Machine Summernats — beginning with next year’s event which is to be held in Melbourne.
While we are sure that this can only mean great things for MotorEx, which never fails to disappoint. We’ll save the speculation for another day — with Meguiar’s MotorEx 2017 having only recently gone down, you’ll no doubt be far more interested in this highlight reel, as photographed by Jon Van Daal.
We should probably start things off with the incredible Mustang owned by Kelvin Taylor. The latest all-steel Eleanor built by the Matamata Panelworks team, it is also undeniably the greatest Matamata Panelworks build, and proprietor Malcolm Sankey figured it was good enough to hold its own at MotorEx. He wasn’t wrong, with the Mustang netting a bronze Medal of Excellence for the Bodywork category.
Bill Sharkey had to put the hammer down to complete his ’55 Chev Bel Air in time for Street Machine Summernats 30, and actually managed it in the nick of time! His perseverance paid off when he was awarded a Meguiar’s pick, ensuring it a spot at Meguiar’s MotorEx. That’s already got to say a lot about the standard of the build, and it’s definitely up there. Having owned the Chev for over two decades, Bill, who owns High Gloss Spray Painting in Dubbo, NSW, has finished the ’55 to an absolutely incredible standard. And it isn’t just good looks, packing a beautifully detailed Weiand-supercharged 350ci small block under the bonnet.
Matt Bell’s ‘FAT G’ Holden HG Monaro is simply out the gate — an unequivocal statement in mechanical brutality that’s as Aussie as it gets. The methanol-drinking 540ci big block Chev is topped with a Littlefield 14-71 high-helix supercharger and carbon-fibre injector hat, pumping out power figures deep into four-figure territory. However, it’s more than just a monster power plant. The entire car has been finished to a stunning standard, in terms of both build quality and presentation.
Gary Myers’ ‘AGROXA’ Ford XA Falcon coupe has been on the receiving end of one hell of a makeover. Formerly known as the two-tone ‘GM671’ Falcon, the big coupe is a lesson in Australian style and engineering. The towering motor is a Dart-blocked 360ci small block topped with John Kaase P38 heads, and a Littlefield 8-71 blower — a stout and undoubtedly reliable combo, and the perfect weapon with which to power this stunning machine on the burnout pad.
Gary Myers may have foregone two-tone for gunmetal, but it ain’t dead yet! That was proven by Steve Bellia’s ‘BFAT’ Ford XB Falcon sedan — a pro-street–style sedan that has been finished to an extraordinary level. Beneath the mirror-like two-tone paint is a tough machine, powered by a 434ci Windsor, built around a Dart block, and good for 754hp. More than enough!
Rides by Kam are at it again. After the stunning twin-ProCharged 572-powered Nova, Rob Zahabi has revealed the latest Kam build, ‘HAVOC’ — a ’70 Dodge Challenger that’s set to be absolutely killer when finished.
With the standard of hot rods on offer, Ben Forster’s ‘Coupster’ Model T takes things to a whole new level. Unveiled at last year’s Mooneyes Yokohama Hot Rod & Custom Show, you can bet that it’s been finished to an international standard. The style and detailing is second to none, and how about that immaculate Lincoln-Zephyr V12 flattie up front. Pure hot rod pornography!
If traditional is more your cup of tea, it’s impossible to look past David Murphy’s flawless ’32 Ford roadster — a beautiful hot rod throughout, from the detailed Y-block up front, through to the perfectly presented interior.
And we can’t overlook the monstrous Ford XY Falcon built by serial show-car–builder John Saad. The appropriately plated ‘FAT XY’ is your typical pro-streeter, but on some serious steroids. Up front is a Hemi-headed 673ci big block built by Sonny’s Racing Engines, making 1344hp on pump gas. The rest of the car has been built to the standard John is renowned for, albeit to a far more sensible level when compared to his ‘FATRX3’ Mazda RX-3.
Of course, there was a whole lot more on display than just what we’ve shown here, so take a look at the gallery below for more. We also have a full event report in NZV8 Issue No. 148, and you can grab a copy here.
