Australian gear heads have a long, enduring love affair with custom cars.
The story goes that during World War II, American Navy men stationed in Australia brought with them automobile magazines that made quite an impression on the people living down under. Powerful engines were needed to traverse the vast deserts of the country, and soon, the culture of custom hot rods and drag racing boomed across the continent.
Here are some decked out vintage cars, cool roadsters and incredibly fast hot rods that Australians have been tinkering with and perfecting for decades.
1
Custom Roadster
Decked out with 1960s Psychedelic Paint job
2
1971 Cover of Street Rod Quarterly
3
Two mechanics showing off their custom hot rod
Syndey, Australia, 1960s
4
Ford Hiboy Roadster Race Car
The MG Car Club of Victoria, Australia
5
Hemi Chrysler AA/Gas Dragster, 1966
Surfers Paradise Drag Race, Queensland, Australia
6
Dodge Powered 1934 Coupe
7
Custom LX Torana Drag Car
Pro Drag Racing Championship, South Australia
8
Custom dragster
1966 Australian Drag Race
9
Custom EJ Holden, Series I Land Rover
Photo via Retromotive Magazine
10
1934 Ford Roadster, 1960s
Melbourne, Australia
11
1967 Queensland Hot Rod Show
Two hot rods rev up
12
Ford Y-block powered ’32 Ford roadster
1965 Australian Drag Race
13
A custom LC Torana in Queensland
Street Machine Magazine
14
Custom dragster
1966 Australian Drag Race
15
1934 Ford Roadster
Driven at the 1934 Victorian Centenary Grand Prix at Phillip Island
16
Gary Wright's 1932 Ford Roadster
On the cover of Australian Hot Rod, 1965 Issue
17
32 Highboy Custom Roadster
At the 1967 Queensland Hot Rod Show
18
Custom Model A
Nicknamed “ the Peppermint Pirate”
19
A T Bucket Roadster
With a custom green and yellow paint job
20
Racer John English on the track, 1960s
Driving his ’32 Ford altered roadster
