Altered Beast

Doorslammer racer Stuart bishop breathes new life into a classic show van with the build of his HJ Pano.

- Simon Major

IT’S EASY to forget that, just like you and me, the majority of level-one drag racers cut their teeth tinkering with street cars. It makes sense when you think about it, but the glitz and spectacle of professional drag racing feels like a world away from hoicking out your 186 donk using the Hills Hoist.

Camaro Door slammer racer Stuart Bishop has been there, done that, and although the racing stakes are higher nowadays, he still hankers to build and own tough streeters.

“I started out paddock-bashing as a kid and worked my way up to a nitrous-fed 360-powered CL Valiant ute that I raced through the 90s,” Stuart says. “That ute ran a 10.30 best, which was pretty quick for a 3800-pound street car. I later raced the ex-Bill Mann ’57 Chev in Triple M radio station regalia, and it was through this car that I met Bill Jones from Weld well Engineering.”

Stu knew Bill had a few choice cars tucked away and was able to pry an EH wagon project from him that was rebuilt with a 202, five-speed and air con.

“That car is still my daily driver,” Stuart says. “But I’d always wanted a panel van and he had this silver HJ languishing in the back of his shed; I kept chipping away at him and managed to purchase it around 10 years ago.”

First, you need to understand that this HJ has a great pedigree: In the 1980s it was a popular show van on the Brisbane scene under the guise Altered Image. Its owner, Jon Chivas, built one of the cleanest panel vans in an era of wild customs, and was a member of the revered Super Street Machines club along with pioneering street machining legends Wayne Pagel, Greg Carlson and Lou Spelta. Jon was an avid drag racer, and ended up swapping the HJ with the Joneses in return for fabrication work on a new race car.