When it comes to burnouts, Steve Loader’s ‘69 HT Premier “UCSMOKE” doesn’t just grab your attention, it slaps you up the side of the face and says “F’N TOUGH”! Out of all the big horsepower cars hitting the burnout pad right now, Steve’s HT gets more love than a hooker offering free rides. DART Bigblock and an Enerle Big and Ugly Hat pump out near on 900 ponies at the rears and take no time to massacre tyres.
Steve started off skidding his 318 powered VJ Valiant ute at Easternats ~5 years ago, upgraded to a 355 powered UC Sunbird Torana which is where the name “UCSMOKE” originally came from. The HT was then bought to be a clean cruiser, Steve bought the HT from a little old lady and only paid $800 for the 186 powered HT! Since then, the 355 from his UC Torana was slapped into the HT and the skids began. From there the HT has had 8 yup 8 different motors , 3 different trannys, gone from mini tubs to a full 4 link rear end, completely custom two tone leather interior and finished off by a Showwheels V-Rods!
The photo above was taken at Gazza Nationals 2008 after UCSMOKE underwent a major overhaul, engine, rims, paint and interior!
The interior is completely custom two tone leather covering the seats, roof lining, cage and dash, full custom dash with autometer gauges and B&M Pistol Grip shifter. The rear seats are gone, tubs take up most of the rear seating area now, but if you’re really keen you can sit right on top of the tubs for a really comfy ride.
Unlike most of these burnout cars, Steve has fitted some VE Clubsport calipers and rotors for a whole heap of stopping power even though the rear brakes no longer exist.
…I **** myself when it caught fire at Gazza Nats, i’d just resprayed and retrimmed the car and the last thing I wanted was to have to do it all again, luckily there was no damage from the flames, it was only a broken tranny line caused the flames…
“I’ve owned the HT for about 5 or 6 years now and have had about 8 motors and 3 different trannys in it. Bought it for $800 from a granny with the 186 in it, painted it black, slammed it on white walls and drove it around like that for a while”.
.. Motor wise I’ve had the 186 in it, then a 308, 355 stroker, tunnel rammed small block, another small block, then blown carbied small block, blown methanol injected small block, and now the blown methanol injected big block ..
“The only reason I initially painted it black was because a mate had 20L of industrial black 2pac laying about so we just painted it black.”
What happened at summernats? “I was cruising along and the injector hat got stuck open, it froze from the methanol and smashed into a barrier. Spent the night getting it ready for the next day and got to skid it with a new nose cone fitted”.
What’s Next? “Looking at a new motor combo and have my motor up for sale at present”.
Quick Specs
Steven Loader
1969 HT Premier
Colour : Black
Age : 25
Occupation : Own a Tyre shop -
Tyre Style
ENGINE
Make : 540 cube Dart Block
Induction: Enderle Big and Ugly Hat - injected Methanol
Heads : DART Pro 1 Heads
Ignition : MSD 7AL
Exhaust : Twin 4 ” with 2 1/2″ primarys on the headers and 4″ collectors
Cooling :custom alloy radiator
Power : Est ~900 hp
Performance : 10.0 “
running like a bag of ****”
TRANSMISSION
Gearbox : 2 speed Powerglide
Converter : TCE 3800rpm stall
Diff : 9″ 3.55 moser centre and 35 spline moser axles
SUSPENSION & BRAKES
Shocks & Springs : 90/10 pedders up front with Strange coil overs on the 4 Link rear end
Brakes : VE Clubsport rotors & calipers upfront with no brakes on the rear
INTERIOR
Seats : retrimmed RCI low back fronts and no rear seats
Instruments : All Autometer gauges
Dash : Custom
RUBBER & RIMS
Tyres : Rear - 18 * 7” Front - 20* 13”
Wheels : Showwheels V-Rods
THANKS
Thanks to my missus (Kylie) and all the boys who have give me a hand with UCSMOKE over the years.
Propipes, SOC Upholstery, Hi Gloss, Speed Pro, Burko Transmissions