There's something about a good old Aussie ute, especially the ones that have found their way to a little 1320 action. When you think of Aussie Drag utes, you almost automatically think the HQ - HZ 70's sort of era, but a couple of decades before came the beautifully classic lines of the iconic FJ and lesser known FX. Rhys's example is a 1951 FX which looks immaculate in black with monster meats tucked effortlessly within those classic lines at the rear and a supercharged engine poking out the hood like it had always been there.

Rhys's FX started off where most of the early Wild Bunch cars did, in a little shop in Matamata called Tynan Race Cars, where it was crafted into one of the coolest cars of the era, of any era really. It has been through a few hands and a few chassis alterations and upgrades and what you see today is a racecar that would be equally at home doing the show circuit as it is on the quarter mile. These days motivation comes from a stout 355 cube small block Chev, dry sumped with Buick splayed valve heads, a Fowler 8-71 Superman huffer with a carbon fibre big n ugly injector hat. While Rhys has yet to do his first passes in the ute at the time I write this, its been well into the mid 7 second range under previous ownership and once the little small block is dialed in there is no reason Rhys wont be in the same ballpark and right at home at Wild Bunch Wars in January.

Hailing from the horsepower haven that is the Whanganui area, I'm sure the battle will be on for bragging rights with the likes of Tristan Teki, also set to debut his new supercharged combo at some point this season, either way it will be a welcome return to the track for Rhys and the super cool FX.

Update: With the supercharged combo not quite ready to debut, Rhys has opted to shoehorn a 540 cube big block Chev nitrous motor in for the Kumeu Classic Car and Hot Rod Festival Wild bunch wars, either way to see this iconic car back is going to be epic.

Age: 42
Day job: Digger Operator, Mechanic, Race car maintenance and repair work
Daily driver: Hilux
Dumbest way you've hurt yourself: 450 dirtbike, new years eve, paddock, jandals, shorts, t shirt..... high sided it, landed flat on chest, cracked ribs , night and holidays over...
Name a store you would max out your credit card: Good Vibrations
What movie title best describes you: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (hopefully 8 barrels and not smoking lol)