Carrying on with my coverage of Summernats 29, held in Canberra, Australia, earlier this month, I’d like to shine the Speedhunters spotlight on some standout attendees, the first of which being a contender for the unofficial title of ‘least obvious base for a burnout machine’.
Once upon a time this humble Toyota Land Cruiser was mastering the Australian outback, but today its arena of choice couldn’t be more different; earthy red dust traded for the thick black rubber of the Liqui-Moly Burnout Pad.
INFERNO was making its burnout debut at Summernats 29; the build being completed just in time for the event. As I snapped off some photos on the staging grid behind the burnout pad, the owner paced around in nervous anticipation, making those crucial last minute checks.
The bodywork is best described as raw; rust holes punctuate the unpainted panels and give the FJ a rat rod vibe that’s in complete contrast to the billet front alloys and gleaming blower sitting atop the Chev V8.
The blown and injected 510ci big block is typical of an all-out burnout machine, producing instant torque, redline reliability and what is without a doubt the rudest idle I have ever heard. Initial dyno figures put it at almost 1300hp and slightly over 1000ft-lb of torque.
BNR Engines is no stranger to building a tough blown V8, and I counted at least six of the top-tier burnout cars as having engines from the Victoria-based speed shop. When the BNR guys aren’t building burnout engines, they are turning their hands to race boats, sprint cars and everything else in between.
The chassis rails look equally distressed as the rest of the body, but in reality the whole unit was a custom fabrication. Suspension and brakes have been upgraded too, although I can’t imagine a coilover this short was ever intended to find its way into an FJ.
The interior is every bit as raw as the exterior and retains most of the original parts from the spartan factory specification. The harnesses thrown over the top of the bench seat gave me a good laugh though; I’m not too sure about the effectiveness of that setup! The rear storage area hides the huge tub job and ladder bar rear end.
Behind the original steering wheel sits a Racepak IQ3 digital dash, a much safer way to monitor your limiter-bashing, big-budget, blown big block than a 40-year-old stock gauge… Did these even come with a tachometer?
The dash is completed with some more modern switch gear; trainspotters will notice the B&M Pro Ratchet auto shifter and MSD Pro Mag, both popular choices for serious drag racing and burnout builds alike.
The weekend wasn’t all smooth sailing for INFERNO, with a popped burst panel after the first run. But it was back skidding again later in the day and already seemed to be a crowd favourite – the video above should give you a good idea why.
No doubt we’ll see more from this angry FJ in the coming years!
Blake Jones
Instagram: blaketjones
blake@speedhunters.com
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