Aussie cars moving out is nothing new, not for us, not in general. We know that Australians love a good hot rod…look at how many of them came over for Drag Week this year. That’s because Down Under, modifying a car isn’t just a thorn in the local authorities’ side…it’s pushing serious legal boundaries, even for minor stuff. Which is why this Holden Calais has our attention. Far as we can tell, that’s a legit Victoria license plate on the back with what appears to be a registration tag in the center. The styling of the Calais is giving off hints of Orca-body Chevrolet Caprice, the one that had the fender-skirt shaped rear wheel wells. Not the first or even third choice for a build, but this one is running mid-11s using an LSA mill yanked from a Cadillac and a TH400 automatic. It’s got independent rear suspension, 3.54 gears, and looks about as unassuming sitting still as if it was sitting in a church parking lot. When you live in the land of the anti-hoon laws, flying under the radar isn’t a fun hobby, it’s a way of life.
Now, for our Aussie readers, help a sleepy Yank out: is this thing really legal for the street?
That’s not a registration tag, we don’t have tags on out plates, we have no label at all on out cars to show they are registered.
The number plate is checked on a data base by the authorities to find the registration status of a vehicle.
That tag (made of metal so it doesn’t burn) is there to show the emergency services that the vehicle is fitted with a propane tank and that extra precautions need to be taken. On the tag is “LPG”
The “tag” in the center of the license plate is an “LPG” sticker, used to designate that a car runs on Liquid Petrolium Gas – Required by law in Australia due to the pressurized tank.
But indeed, the Calais has full Victorian registration… and looks to be a “real” sleeper!
General rule of thumb for modified vehicles is 3 times vehicle weight (kg) for the maximum cc the engine size can be for forced induction.
VN V8s are around 1500 kg, meaning max size engine with a blower would be 4500cc.
Pretty sure a LSA is 6200cc
Might be registered, but not necessarily legal….
Hence it looks factory stock