The day I shot Mark McGill's very tough VR ute was the same day I did the Walkie in this edition.  These boys from Caboolture sure know how to build a car, and they aren't scared of messing with the blowers.  This 'cherry black' Commodore ute is one tough as nails ute, with a Holden engine, and to keep the big beast company, we needed a beauty, and we certainly found one in the lovey Victoria.

 

 

 

 

Let's start with the powerplant.  It is a 355 stroker, stroked from a 308.   Mark was pretty secretive about what was inside the beast but I did hear mention of a steel crank and forged pistons, and sitting on top is 2 Barry Grant Mighty Demons being fed by a Barry Grant fuel pump.  Oh and there is the matter of the little 8/71 blower shop blower.  This wasn't the original blower on the VR.  Originally it had a Vortech V7 blower with a front mounted intercooler.  It made 581 with the Vortech before Mark decided to flick the Vortech for the more conventional TBS unit.  The exhaust gets out through 4 into 1 Pacemakers and twin 3 inch mandrel bent system to the rear.

 

 

 

Mark is definately not scared to drive this thing, and has left it as a manual with a T5 5 speed in it.  The arse end is occupied by a 3.55:1 full spooled 9 inch with 31 spline billet axles.  The springs and shocks are all Pedders and the whole lot sits on a gorgeous set of 22 inch Verdes wheels on Falken 245/35/22s. 

 

 

 

The interior of the car is pretty much standard.  I asked Mark about the stereo and he just said "yeah it has one".  What he did tell me about was the WRX seats - (I don't think I was supposed to mention that so don't tell Mark).  Mark bought this car back in 2000 and in 2001 it got it's first supercharger, the Vortech.  She has been blown ever since.  Mark is as old school as they come.  Even as a kid he raced go-karts and motorbikes, so going fast has been his thing for a long time.  He doesn't mind turning the odd tyre every now and then either.  This car has seen burnout action at Powercruise and has been an entrant at the Elite Pro Street Burnout Comp at Archerfield.

 

 

 

Mark wanted to give a mention to a few guys - Paul from Qld's Best Wheels and Tyres - Blair from Toxic Image - Dean Hanrahan for constantly building new gearboxes - James from Full Race Fabrication - Adam Whitehouse for building the engine and Mark Locko for the exhaust.  Unfortunately after shooting Mark's VR he took it out to Powercruise last weekend and broke the crank.   You can bet that a car this tough will be back and knowing Mark and some of the crowd he seems to hang around, it will have even more grunt next time round.