JANET Hough and Victor Reilly own and run Bucket Panels in Moorabbin, and have been together for over 43 years. Throughout their journey, Janet and Victor have remained diehard hot-car fans. They also had a lot of fun racing Honda Odysseys for many years, plus a bit of touring on their Harley-Davidson. And while a number of cars have come and gone, the one street machine that has steadfastly remained is Janet’s beloved 1966 Mustang. Having first featured the bright yellow fastback in our June 1986 issue, Street Machine couldn’t resist catching up with Janet and Victor to see what the three of them have been up to over the ensuing 37 years.
You’ve owned the Mustang for a very long time!
JH: Our daughter Raewyn is about to turn 40, and I’ve had the car since before she was born. I never thought I’d be able to afford a Mustang; however, a mother had gone guarantor on a car loan for her son, who’d stopped making payments. She just wanted out of it, so I was able to pick it up in ’83 for just $3500. VR: We did the original build at Bucket Panels. Jan initially wanted it to be black, but we convinced her to paint it yellow, and it’s stayed that way ever since.
It certainly did very well at its first outing.
JH: Yes, Top Coupe and Top Ford at the ’86 Nationals. We nearly didn’t make it. Towing it up to Canberra, the trailer got the sways and nearly jack-knifed. We went across the road and off through some trees before coming to a stop. Luckily, we managed to get it back on the road. VR: This wasn’t the first time the car was nearly destroyed. It was almost finished for the ’84 Nationals when it suffered an engine bay fire, which almost burnt it to the ground.
What about after the Nationals?
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Street Machine Australia.
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This story is from the August 2023 edition of Street Machine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
ARBY’S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE HIS VG VALIANT’S 60-FOOT TIMES YIELD PROMISING RESULTS IN THE RUN-UP TO STREET MACHINE DRAG CHALLENGE
ANIKA HODGES
THE CAR DROVE INTO OUR SHED AS A CREAM 202CI VC AND DROVE OUT AS A SILVER CAR WITH A 355 V8
STAGE FRIGHT
IT TOOK OWEN SCOTT MORE THAN 20 YEARS TO BUILD A TROPHY-WINING, 600HP EH HOLDEN UTE THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME
THE Ummmal SUSPECT
FORGET WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT MINI-TRUCKS. THIS SUMMERNATS TOP 60 HILUX IS A PROPER STREET MACHINE
FULLY UTILISED
HARDWOOD ROD & CUSTOM TURNS DARREN ISON'S HAND-ME-DOWN HT INTO A SMOOTH OPERATOR
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
ARBY’S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE HIS VG VALIANT’S 60-FOOT TIMES YIELD PROMISING RESULTS IN THE RUN-UP TO STREET MACHINE DRAG CHALLENGE
PEOPLE POWER
WE TAKE A LOOK BACK AT 36 YEARS OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS - AND MOST DEMOCRATICALLY AWARDED - HONOUR IN OUR SPORT: STREET MACHINE OF THE YEAR
OUT-AND-OUT MAYHEM
STREET MACHINE DRAG CHALLENGE IS ALREADY A ROLLICKING GOOD TIME, BUT WHAT CAR EVENT CAN'T BE MADE EVEN BETTER BY ADDING A BURNOUT COMP? INTRODUCING OUR INAUGURAL RODS OUT!
BAD TO THE BONE
THANKS TO HIS SON, ANDY, THE LATE MARIO COLALILLO’S 39 PLYMOUTH COUPE IS BACK ON THE ROAD AND STILL ONE OF THE BADDEST HOT RODS IN THE COUNTRY
THE CHALLENGE IS REAL
FROM TRACK DRAMAS TO SOARING TEMPERATURES, DRAG CHALLENGE 2024 THREW US SOME OF ITS TOUGHEST TESTS YET, BUT IT ALSO BROUGHT SOME OF THE QUICKEST TIMES THE EVENT HAS EVER SEEN
