MR GAS LH SL/R 5000 Torana (Built by Rob Upton).

Here's a couple of pics of MR GAS. I've got some more I'll scan up soon, if anyone else has any throw them up to! Rob recently joined the forum so he might be able to fill us in on some history of it.

Cheers Rob

Actually, he was later known as RU Racing

Hi Jason, still am using R U Racing for both Engineering/Fabrication and for BMX bikes.
I've got your mobile number and I'll txt you soon to catch up.

The wheelie bars, 'chute, window net and quite a few other goodies from MR GAS are now on MR BAD.
Zodiac, you took pics of MY car. There were a lot of great Toranas at Wagga in '88, I'm honoured. I've got albums full of pics from Wagga and the 1st couple of Summernats. Was it really that long ago?

Hey Rob, Was in 1988, I was 14! The other pic I've got was taken a few years later (1991 I think) at the Summernats and it had a tunnel ram than, pro wheels and a drop tank(?), I scan it in the next few days, also got a pic I cut out of Australian Street Rodding when it had the McGee and the top of a Pro Stock scoop.

Cheers Rob

good stuff rob

you dont happen to have any pic of my old HX do you?

I'm sure I do. I recall one at Auburn McDonalds in one of my albums mate. I'll have a look and get back to you.
Man, we've got some great stories we could tell these guys haven't we?
I bet most of them wouldn't believe we drove around with wheelie bars and chutes and no bonnets in the middle of Sydney on saturday nights, relatively hassle free.

Pretty sure i got my first defect at Auburn McDonalds

Well it was in the back streets near the factory areas....

The Zodiac wrote:Hey Rob, Was in 1988, I was 14! The other pic I've got was taken a few years later (1991 I think) at the Summernats and it had a tunnel ram than, pro wheels and a drop tank(?), I scan it in the next few days, also got a pic I cut out of Australian Street Rodding when it had the McGee and the top of a Pro Stock scoop.

Cheers Rob

Hi Rob,
When I sold it the tank was in the boot, but I think I heard he stuck a drop tank in it to free up boot space. The gilmer drive off that engine is now on my daily driver LX that I just stuck a 355 stroker in.
In fact, so is the bonnet latch and hinges, a couple of gauges and (I think) one of the Holleys that was on it before I did the injection. I'd love that injection now..........

MajesticXX7 wrote:Pretty sure i got my first defect at Auburn McDonalds

Well it was in the back streets near the factory areas....

Yeah, you weren't alone there. We were sitting ducks if they wanted us. It's amazing how much we got away with though, I know Jason talked his way out of a lot of tickets and so did I.
I remember getting pulled up one Saturday night in Hurstville at about 3am by a random breath test and you can imagine the noise my car was making with no bonnet, screaming gear drive and almost no mufflers. The young cop just looked at me and didn't know what to say except "can you please blow in the tube". I couldn't believe it when he then said "OK, you can go" after it was done. I just dropped it in gear and got the hell out of there before he changed his mind!
Those were the days.....

big rob wrote:I'm sure I do. I recall one at Auburn McDonalds in one of my albums mate. I'll have a look and get back to you.
Man, we've got some great stories we could tell these guys haven't we?
I bet most of them wouldn't believe we drove around with wheelie bars and chutes and no bonnets in the middle of Sydney on saturday nights, relatively hassle free.

like the night Karl ot pulled up in hus WB van with no bonnet on and a set of tunnel rams hanging out in the air off the 454

or the time you and Sam were going down Parramatta rd at 160mph (yes MPH) past flemington cop shop when a cop went to pull out and just watched you guys go past, put his blinker on and turned the other way without a thought of chasing you

or when we got back from dolls point to Jillys in i think it was 15 or 16 minutes
i went past revesby cop shop doing 160ks and you and a couple of others were pulling away from me

persionally i thought we were very well behaved

Oh christ Jason, I'd forgotten about all 3 of those but I just spent 5 minutes laughing like an idiot reading your version!

Yeah, it was 160MPH and that cops eyes were WIDE. He didn't want a bar of getting involved in that little incident.

And remember the night Charger Mick and I raced through the airport tunnel after we left Hashems? I was off the speedo and sitting on about 6 grand in top gear and Mick was holding me. That was just after he had run in his new 340 and it had that "special" cam I'd ground for him. He won the Street Meet at Oran Park the next weekend with that motor and I ground him a new cam for his next motor with the profile from a HEMI Plymouth Superbird oval track racer. I think he started breaking lots of parts after that......it revved to 9 grand! Bloody quick Charger that one.

Oh, I'm on a roll now.
Remember the time You and I (and Donna) were at Dolls point and when we left I raced a guy and broke and axle?
No problemo.....we left Donna with the Torana, drove to Richards place where I had a spare diff, grabbed an axle and a trolley jack and leadlight, went back and fixed it on the side of the road....piece of cake!

big rob wrote:And remember the night Charger Mick and I raced through the airport tunnel after we left Hashems? I was off the speedo and sitting on about 6 grand in top gear and Mick was holding me. That was just after he had run in his new 340 and it had that "special" cam I'd ground for him. He won the Street Meet at Oran Park the next weekend with that motor and I ground him a new cam for his next motor with the profile from a HEMI Plymouth Superbird oval track racer. I think he started breaking lots of parts after that......it revved to 9 grand! Bloody quick Charger that one

ive been in touch with mick for the last few years and have helped his 2 sons out a couple of times

big rob wrote:Remember the time You and I (and Donna) were at Dolls point and when we left I raced a guy and broke and axle?
No problemo.....we left Donna with the Torana, drove to Richards place where I had a spare diff, grabbed an axle and a trolley jack and leadlight, went back and fixed it on the side of the road....piece of cake!

yes, i remember that very wellyou might also remembe that the skys opened up right at the end and we got drenched

i always know when it's one of the old crowd that see me when i hear somebody scream out "MARBLES"

there's only a limited number of people that understand "how about it; how about what"

Can you PM me Micks email address or phone number? I'd love to catch up with him.
His kids must be about 20 now.

Here's a page from Dec 88 Street Machine featuring MR GAS.