MINI-TRUCKS aren't Street Machine's usual fare, and funnily enough, they weren't Darryl 'Paz' Penton's chosen flavour either, despite the photos before you suggesting otherwise. The Sydneysider admits he was more of an M LS Commodore man before he bought this epic, supercharged V8-powered 1998 HiLux.
"I had an E3 HSV Maloo with a Magnuson 2300-blown LS3 making just under 700hp at the wheels, but I'd go to shows and see all the same old things," Paz says. "I thought mini-trucks sucked, probably because all the ones I'd seen were half-built hack jobs, but I remember seeing this truck on CarSales, and I realised mini-trucks give you the freedom to build whatever you want, however you want. Purists look at muscle cars at shows and pick them apart, but nobody questions what you do in mini-trucking-sort of like hot rods." Despite its origins as a two-door tradie truck, Paz's slick pick-up, SED47E, can stand shoulderto-shoulder with some of the best street machines around, with mods that recall those on 50s customs. The fabrication, attention to detail, engineering and workmanship on display has landed it in the Summernats Top 60, and it's won plenty of other gongs through the years.
The 'Lux's current show-winning form is the result of gradual changes made by Paz as well as several previous owners. Before Paz carried the keys, a young fella named Ryan Williams owned the truck, which was initially known as TUX20S. Ryan had it airbagged by Norm Stewart, renamed the truck VEGAS, got it body-dropped and did the US Toyota Tacoma front-end conversion.
This story is from the Yearbook 2024 edition of Street Machine Australia.
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This story is from the Yearbook 2024 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
