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Brian McLinden (aka The Taxman)
has owned this 1934 Chevrolet sedan for the past 32 years. This was
his first hot rod, although he has had a number of American or
otherwise interesting cars over the years: a couple of 39 Chevy
Slopers, 62 and 64 Chev Impalas, a 63 Oldsmobile Cutlass coupe, a
67 RS Camaro, a 68 Falcon GT, a series of modified early Holdens
and an 89 'Vette. He is currently building a 32 Ford pick up. His
three sons are also into American cars, and the list includes a 37
Chev sloper, 60 and 65 Chev Belairs, 62 and 68 Chevy Impalas and
a 67 SS Camaro (which currently runs 10.70 @ 128mph at WSID) as
well as numerous other modified cars of lesser heritage (ie Japanese
buzz boxes).
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Australian bodied '34 Chevrolet sedans are the same as their
US counterparts, whereas Aussie '34 Fords are unique to
Australia. |
Brian bought the 34 Chev in Canberra in 1973
from a local rodder for $400. The car had come from Sydney in the
late 60s and had never really been off the road (except for
rebuilds). It had been built up as a rod with Customline running
gear but was in a torn down state when Brian bought it. It took him
three years to re-build the Chevy using a 64 Chevy as the donor for
the new running gear. Total net cost to get the car back on the road
was $2,500 after selling off the remains of the donor vehicle and
other parts he did not need.
Brian never has to worry about his wife wanting to sell the car as
it has some significant sentimental value for the McLinden family -
his youngest son was born in the front seat.
The car has had a couple of rebuilds since the first build. The
colour of the car has gone from burnished bronze to red pepper to
cherry red to its current colour, Crimson - it has proved handy
having one son, Joel, a spray painter and another son, Paul, a panel
beater. Brian's friend Peter Claydon from Canberra also assisted
with panel beating chores. The running gear has also had some
changes over the years. The motor has gone from Chev 283ci to 327ci
to 350ci. Just recently another 350 ci motor was installed. The
trans has gone from Powerglide to Muncie to Turbo 350. In addition,
both front and rear suspensions have been changed over that period.
The body of the car is stock, with 4 rows of louvers punched into
the bonnet being the only modification. External mirrors are billet
items supplied by Avgas Autos in Canberra. The chassis is basically
stock 34 Chev but a commercial vehicle example has been used
because it has an inbuilt X member. All external chrome work has
been retained and has been replated. Hella tractor headlights show
the way ahead and a set of accessory type tail-lights and small
bullet shaped indicators round out the lighting department.
The front suspension is HR Holden with Selby springs, gas shocks and
stabilizer bar. The chassis rails are channelled into the cross
member 2 to get the car low without sacrificing the ride. The
steering consists of a narrowed Morris Minor rack and pinion
attached to a 68 Holden Monaro column via LH Torana steering
universals. The steering wheel is a leather bound Boyd's billet
item. The rear end is a 53 Customline with 3.70:1 ratio. The rear
suspension consists of reversed eye 34 Chev semi-elliptic springs
with gas/air shocks.
Front brakes are 68 Falcon GT rotors with Girlock calipers. The
rears are53 Customline drums. An HT Holden dual master cylinder is
used and the front brakes are boosted by a remote VH44.
The wheels are Centerline Racing Auto Drags measuring 5½ x 15 on
the front and 8½ x 15" on the rear. Fake knock-offs were supplied
by AJ's Wheels. Tyres are 165/60 x 15 Hancook steel radials on the
front and 235/75 x 15 BF Goodrich T/A radials on the rear.
The interior uses black naugahyde on the stock bench seats and doors
and black carpet on the floor. Headlining is black vinyl. The
upholstery was done in 1972 and has held up pretty well over the
years although a couple of black sheepskin covers hide a few tears
in the front seat. Instrumentation consists of a full complement of
stock 34 Chevy items housed in a timber dash insert supplemented
with a set of Smiths gauges (tacho, oil, temperature and vacuum).
The shifter is a Hurst dual gate from a mid 60s Pontiac GTO. Brian
has added a set of billet door handles and rear vision mirror to the
interior, also from Avgas Autos.
The new motor is the original motor from Brian's sons 67 Camaro
and is a 4 bolt main hi-po 350 ci. The build sheet that came with
this motor indicated that it is built to LT1 specs. Those motors in
the late 60s were good for 350 - 360hp and this motor feels very
strong. It runs a Weiand Team G intake manifold and a Barry Grant
Demon 650 DP carburettor. The headers are chrome block huggers and
feed into dual 2.5 pipes. The ignition is Chev HEI.
Brian has added a number of polished alloy and
chrome accessories to improve the appearance of the motor - water
pump, Edelbrock Elite valve covers, K&N air cleaner and sump. The
radiator is a Desert Cooler 4 row item and the cooling is aided by a
15 thermo fan.
The turbo 350 transmission was rebuilt by Bob Grant in Brisbane a
couple of years ago and is built to stage III specs. It has a
Dominator 2500 rpm stall torque converter.
Brian estimates that, aside from registration and insurance costs,
he has only spent around $30-35k on this car. He claims that it is
still possible to build a car relatively cheaply if you are willing
to do a lot of the work yourself and source used parts from swap
meets. Having a good support base with help from fellow rodders and
family is also a great asset. Brian is currently testing this theory
with the build of his 32 Ford pick up. ◄
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Brian, at speed. The car was at the '77
Nats in Narrandera, and has been to a good many of the
National events since. |
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Accreditation: The Editor,
and information supplied by the owner.
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Some rodders feel they have to build or buy a new rod every
year - not the McLinden's. Having driven this Hot Rod for 32
years Brian is in no hurry to part with it, though a new
project is under construction. |
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Brian was employed by the Australian Tax Office in Canberra,
Melbourne and Brisbane until recently, but the 'Taxman'
nickname stuck, hence the plate. |
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This is what a Hot Rod looks like after 32 years of regular
driving - still quite presentable. |
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Brian's boys have some outrageously powerful cars, and their
influence shows in the rumpety rump SBC in the family sedan. |
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A family car in the truest sense of the word; one of the
family members was born right on the front seat! |
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Brian collects speed equipment, some of which adorns his
garage walls, alongside the '32 pickup project. |
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The 'glass '32 was someone else's project, and Brian is
bringing it closer to completion every week, in spotless
surroundings that double as this personal trainer's
gymnasium. |
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