POWER AND GLORY
Street Machine Magazine|March 2020
KEVIN MANTACH’S ’50 CHEV COULD HAVE BECOME A SWEET CUSTOM SLED, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT’S NOT HIS STYLE
BORIS VISKOVIC
POWER AND GLORY

ONE of the biggest hits at Street Machine Summernats 33 was Kevin and Jo Mantach’s army-themed ’50 Chevy coupe – partially because it was completely different to anything else at the event, but also because it is an exceedingly cool build with a tonne of clever touches and design features. While the prevailing trend of burnout car builds over the past few years has been turning the newest car you can find into a tyre-destroyer, Kev has flipped that on its head with one of the earliest cars built to this level.

While all manner of cars have been built over the years with an army theme, more often than not they have USA markings – a white star on the door, for instance – but not this time. Instead, Kev’s inspiration comes from his dad’s service in Vietnam with the Australian Army, so there’s a kangaroo roundel on the door, and emblazoned on the rear guards is his dad’s dog-tag number. The finish makes the car look like a battle-weary veteran that’s been dragged out of the jungle, with flaking and faded olive-drab paint and weathered markings, but it’s actually a very cleverly designed wrap by Ben and his team at SignBiz WA.

Of course, you can’t just chuck in a big engine and slap a wrap over a beat-up old car and call it done, and that’s most definitely not what happened here. The entire car was built by Geoff and Lauren Black, the father/daughter team that make up Black Magic Race Cars (BMRC). According to the more senior Blacky, “nothing is a problem; there are only solutions, my friend.” The car is proof of that, with many challenges faced and overcome.

Denne historien er fra March 2020-utgaven av Street Machine Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra March 2020-utgaven av Street Machine Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA STREET MACHINE MAGAZINESe alt
ROYAL CARRIAGE
Street Machine Australia

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

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024
DEBUT TOUR
Street Machine Australia

DEBUT TOUR

WITH A SCREAMING HOLDEN SIX, DEAN TROUNSON'S HOME-COOKED HR STEERS WITH THE BEST OF 'EM

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
FULLY FRANKED
Street Machine Australia

FULLY FRANKED

A SNEAKY 670 HORSES OF FRANK MARCHESE POWER MAKES ROB GORGIEVSKI'S CONCOURS XW A PROPER TREAT

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
NOMADIC LIFESTYLE
Street Machine Australia

NOMADIC LIFESTYLE

DON'T BE FOOLED BY ITS DEMURE APPEARANCE THIS '57 CHEVY NOMAD IS A RAUNCHY RESTOMOD PACKING MODERN MUMBO

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
PERFECT 10 '!!!!
Street Machine Australia

PERFECT 10 '!!!!

THE SYDNEY HOT ROD & CUSTOM AUTO EXPO TURNS 10

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
VAN WILDER
Street Machine Australia

VAN WILDER

PETER MARRIOTT BUILT THIS TOUGH, 350 CHEV-POWERED HK PANEL VAN IN TRIBUTE TO THE LONG-LOST HT VAN OF HIS YOUTH

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
EXPRESS DELIVERY
Street Machine Australia

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.

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
RED HOT & BLUE
Street Machine Australia

RED HOT & BLUE

A REBORN PROGM8 SHOOTS FOR THE TITLE OF AUSTRALIA'S BEST SHOW-AND-GO COMMODORE

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
PEOPLE LIKE US
Street Machine Australia

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).

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024
DRIVING INNOVATION
Street Machine Australia

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

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024