TRADING household items for chrome-bumpered Aussie metal sounds like the kind of dealings that would’ve gone on in the 90s, but that’s exactly how young gun Tim Polsen got his hands on his HQ Premier.
“Dad got it for me as a Christmas present in 2011, trading a chainsaw for the whole car,” he says. While it sounds like a ripper deal, as with any Lion of this age, it wasn’t all gravy and rainbows. “It was painted with what looked like three layers of house paint, and it had rust in three of the doors, the rear quarters and the firewall, so it needed some work,” says Tim with considerable understatement.
The initial stage of Tim’s journey with his first car saw him turn it into a sweet P-plate cruiser, with a 202, GTS interior and a new lick of paint. “The first rebuild was decent for a P-plater, but not up to scratch for what I wanted, and everyone assumed it was my dad’s car!” he laughs.
This triggered phase two of the build, culminating in the beastly HQ Prem you see before you now. “I had a good mate of mine, Terry Keys, giving me inspiration and advice during the build, and he knows how to build a Summernats-level car on a budget,” says Tim.
Every inch of the car was given a thorough makeover to transform it from a cool cruiser into a major trophy hauler. Job one was finding a new mill, and after a brief stint with a 350ci V8 ended with a blown head gasket during a failed burnout attempt, Tim decided to seek some serious stonk.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
ROYAL CARRIAGE
BENNY ROYAL TOOK A FAMILY HEIRLOOM TOYOTA CORONA, SHOVED A 1JZ IN IT AND HEADED OFF FOR FIVE DAYS OF DRAG-AND-DRIVE
DEBUT TOUR
WITH A SCREAMING HOLDEN SIX, DEAN TROUNSON'S HOME-COOKED HR STEERS WITH THE BEST OF 'EM
FULLY FRANKED
A SNEAKY 670 HORSES OF FRANK MARCHESE POWER MAKES ROB GORGIEVSKI'S CONCOURS XW A PROPER TREAT
NOMADIC LIFESTYLE
DON'T BE FOOLED BY ITS DEMURE APPEARANCE THIS '57 CHEVY NOMAD IS A RAUNCHY RESTOMOD PACKING MODERN MUMBO
PERFECT 10 '!!!!
THE SYDNEY HOT ROD & CUSTOM AUTO EXPO TURNS 10
VAN WILDER
PETER MARRIOTT BUILT THIS TOUGH, 350 CHEV-POWERED HK PANEL VAN IN TRIBUTE TO THE LONG-LOST HT VAN OF HIS YOUTH
EXPRESS DELIVERY
IF YOU'VE ever been to the Bright Rod Run (and you damn well should've), odds are you've seen Joel Beatson lapping in an early Falcon.
RED HOT & BLUE
A REBORN PROGM8 SHOOTS FOR THE TITLE OF AUSTRALIA'S BEST SHOW-AND-GO COMMODORE
PEOPLE LIKE US
WHEN Michael Gonzalez isn't busy making eight-second passes in CHOCTOP, his street-driven, LSA-fed VC Commodore, or cruising one of the many other cars in his collection, he can be found managing Springmount Raceway, home to Far North Queensland's biggest horsepower hoedown, Northern Nats (see p. 48 for full feature).
DRIVING INNOVATION
EVER WISH YOU COULD HAVE A BRAND-NEW VERSION OF AN ICONIC 1970s AUSSIE MUSCLE CAR, FULL OF THE LATEST TECH? DRIVE SOUTH IS WORKING TO MAKE THAT A REALITY