THE BARRA versus LS rivalry has been a mainstay of Australia’s modified car scene for close to two decades, but in the Japanese tuner scene, a much longer battle has been raging, with Nissan’s RB and the Toyota JZ vying for force-fed straight-six supremacy. Chris Ethell’s VL Commodore kicks that rivalry up a notch, taking one of the most revered RB-powered cars of all time and slapping 1000rwhp worth of 2JZ under the bonnet.
“I’d say most people aren’t that angry about it, but I have had some purists get upset at me,” Chris says. “I will admit it was on the cards to upset people with the JZ.”
If it’s any consolation to the RB faithful, Chris did initially have intentions of putting a hot RB25 turbo and manual into the VL. “I was going to replicate another VL I previously had with an RB20 that was also very unassuming, but after I bought this new VL, I decided I’d rather have the car remain an auto,” he says. “So, the RB stuff went into an S14, and then Scott Hoffman talked me into a JZ for the VL.”
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 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
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 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
JAPANESE STEEZE MEETS AUSSIE ICONOGRAPHY IN JAY DUCA'S GENRE-HOPPING VL
BIG-BUCK BURNOUTS
SUMMERNATS ANNOUNCES MASSIVE NEW PRIZEMONEY AND A BRAND-NEW BURNOUT SERIES
RETURN OF THE KINGS
WITH SOME OF AUSTRALIA'S MOST ESTEEMED CAR BUILDERS SET TO DEBUT CARS, THIS YEAR'S MEGUIAR'S MOTOREX IS SET TO BE A CRACKER
YACHT ROCK
PRO STREET luxury cars may as well be a religion unto themselves in Victoria.
THE LONG ROAD
A 20-YEAR ODYSSEY SAW JASON MACKENZIE’S CAMARO TRANSFIGURED FROM BURNOUTBRUISER TO SHOWSTOPPING BOULEVARD CRUISER
KICKSTART MY HEART
TWO HEART ATTACKS JOLTED JASON HANNAM TO HOME-BUILD HIS SL/R 5000-STYLE HOTTIE
DOUBLE ACTION
THINK BUILDING AN ELITE CAR IS TOUGH? TRY DOING A 1700RWHP HQ MONARO STREETER AT THE SAME TIME!
Mission BROWN
TWIN BROTHERS YOUNAN AND EDDIE KHAZI SET OUT TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS WITH THIS CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BARRA TURBO XE GHIA BUILD
HELL YEAH
HOW DO YOU IMPROVE ONE OF THE BEST-LOOKING MUSCLE CARS EVER? GIVE IT TO RINGBROTHERS, OF COURSE!
DIY DREAM
MONIQUE O'GARR'S EH WAGON WAS THREE DECADES COMING, BUT AN ELITE HALL DEBUT MADE IT ALL WORTHWHILE