Long nights, wads of cash, mountains of stress; it's a story you have probably all heard before. It is all part and parcel of building your ultimate street Commodore. Of course, you could do that - shortening your life with the anxiety and possibly severing relations with your better half - or you could pick it up pre-built. Liking his bank balance, Craig opted for the latter and picked up this VK already with the Simmons, the custom interior, the dark paint job and that amazing chunk of steel piercing the bonnet.

Do certain things to a car like this and you really can't go wrong. Simmons FR rims are one of these things that can compliment any car, and when it's got metal upside of the bonnet as well as under the guards, the result is stunning. Craig's VK rolls on FR17s measuring 8 inches wide at the nose and a chunky 10.5 inches under the bum with rubber sized to match. Playing with the bodywork on an older Commodore is fraught with danger, and choosing the wrong kit can land you in a lot of hot water with your peers. Fortunately, the only kits we seem to see the VKs wearing are the Group A and Group 3 kits, which suit them to a tee. Combine a Group A kit with a paint job that's not quite blue, but at the same time not quite black, and you're on to a winner.

Whoever said black cars are hard to keep clean is a damned liar, as every time you see Craig's VK it shines, even if it has just ripped a skid smokier than a Nimbin lunch hour. When the light hits the dark paint job, the blue pearl accentuates the lines of the VK, while the almost black colour over the panels spells tough. Take a peak inside the car and have a stab at what those seats might be. Okay, so the brand stitched into the upper sections may have given the game away, but what the hell are the buttons and switches for? How's this for swanky: not only are they fully electrically adjustable, they're also heated! The Recaros look right at home in the cockpit of this road rocket thanks to some extensive re-trimming of both them and their immediate surroundings.

The fact that grey was an interior theme available for the VK meant that the dash pad and many interior plastics could remain their factory colour. The headlining was re-trimmed in grey velour, while on the opposite end of the spectrum is some grey carpet. The factory gauges were turfed in favour of a super tough Auto Meter flavoured item, with a B&M Quicksilver shifter flawlessly integrated into the centre console helping Craig nail gears.Crawl over the other aspects of the car, but you all know that the next paragraph is the one you've been wanting to read. If you're one of those politically correct types, or a bird lover, you may not explore that chrome monstrosity.

"I BUILT THE ENGINE SO THAT I COULD HOP IN, GO FOR A SPIN 'ROUND TO A MATES HOUSE, HAVE A FEW BEERS AND THE MISSUS COULD DRIVE THE CAR HOME"

The focal point of the motor is without a doubt the GM 6/71 'charger topped by a pair of sideways mounted Double Pump Demon 750 carbies with two High rise K&N filters on top. The GM blower pumps a monster 20psi through the 308ci under full noise and has motivated the rebuilt standard stroke eight to send close to 500 tyre-frying ponies to the rear wheels. The pulleys, resembling a Gilmer drive set-up, are hand-machined and allow the VK to be fitted with a single flat V-belt to drive the power steering and alternator, which a standard, straight cut set up would otherwise sacrifice.

The rotating assembly has all the good bits including a Harrop Crank, Scat Rods and Arias pistons with Speed-Pro rings which gives a lower compression ratio for the added boost from the blower. The heads have been ported and polished and the valves measure 1.940 on the intake and 1.609 on the outlet. A host of other mods including teflon guides, moly retainers and custom valve covers with -16AN breathers go a long way to aid integrity and reliability. A Crane bump stick as added to get all the valve train components moving in sequence with the rest of the engine.

How does one keep fuel up to a motor that scares low-flying aircraft? A Barry Grant 220 Electric Fuel Pump draws from a custom, boot mounted fuel cell. Normally, these big alloy cubes stand out like certain parts on a dog's anatomy, but the cell in this car has been trimmed to match the boot. Juice is shot down the lines into the throat of the Demons, where an MSD ignition system lights the air/fuel combination. Enter exhaust gasses, which is where the pipe work off the side of the bent eight comes in. Tri-Y headers take the gasses and show them the way down a dual 3 inch stainless system, and passing them through two mufflers to keep the racket down. Make no mistake: the VK still sounds every bit as tough as you'd want it to with the profile it cuts.

"IT'S NOT A SHOW PONY OR A GARDEN GNOME, IT GETS A LOT OF STREET USE. I LOVE THE VK SHAPE, THE SIMMONS - EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CAR"

Not being able to get the power to the ground would render 500rwhp a little useless, so bolted to the back of the engine is a TH400 three-speed auto box. A manualised valve body and Trick-Shift built 3800rpm converter improve the experience, as does a mini-spooled 4.11 ratio 9 inch rear end. The driveline and engine are really built for one thing, and one thing only, and this is a fact that Craig is well aware of. Don't let the steep gearing scare you off, though. The VK sees driving duties at least once a week - sometimes to the shops or down to Macca's for a feed and what better way to rock up at the in-laws than rattling family heirlooms off their mantelpiece?

Craig has dragged the VK along to a few shows and burnout comps, but takes home at least one piece of metal for his efforts. For their help with the VK, Craig has asked to express his thanks towards Mark at EZE10S Performance (02) 9623 2416, Matt at Hi-Tech Modifications, his dad for all his help, and his beloved Melissa for putting up with him.