Victor Bray's 1957 Chev Burnout Car Is Back!

Joe Bauer’s first time at Summernats was unlike anyone else’s, ever. A lifelong car guy, the journey to the nation’s capital in January had always been on his bucket list.

The stars aligned at Summernats 36 and Joe finally got the chance to attend his first Summernats, granted with his 3000hp Dodge Charger in tow that had the covers ripped off it on Thursday night, and subsequently won just about every bit of silverware in the Elite Hall!

Our mates at Street Machine will do a hell of a job covering the Grand Champion Dodge in detail, but Joe also brought down another of his favourite toys - none other than Victor Bray’s doorslammer burnout car, which Joe purchased a few months before the Nats.

“I was building the Dodge and asked Victor to build me an engine for it,” begins Joe. “I was with him through every stage of the engine build which was unreal!” he gleams.

As the pair bonded, Joe plucked up the courage to ask Victor to sign his son’s model of the famous Chevy burnout car. Low and behold, the car itself was sitting in a corner of the Bray’s workshop!

“I asked if he’d sell me the Chev’ but he was adamant that he doesn’t sell any of his cars,” explains Joe, but after months of working on the engine together Victor finally relented. “I think he could see that I shared his passion for that car and for the sport,” says Joe.

Having been parked up for nearly a decade, and having gone through a few different liveries over the years, Joe admits that the Chev was a little worse for wear. Before he knew it he was building two cars for the Nats!

“It wasn’t meant to, but it turned into a full build - body off, powdercoated chassis, every line and fitting replaced. It was stressful, but I had my son helping me.”

The Chev’ is powered by a 500-cube Hemi using a water-cooled Indy Maxx block, topped by a 14/71 high-helix pump. “It’s a similar combo’ to when Victor used to skid it,” explains Joe.

“Being a car guy I’ve done a few skids, but nothing competitive. This car handles so differently to a street car - you can’t tip it in because of the width of the rear tyres!” laughs Joe.

“We decided to take the car back to the old Castrol livery because that’s how I remember the car as a kid. I originally wanted to finish the car then put it in my showroom with the other builds, but Victor had convinced me to keep doing demos at shows with it,” he adds.

Joe hinted that he and his son Joseph will be back to tackle the cruise route at the next Summernats, which is just about all they’ve got left to dominate! “It’ll be another 3000hp Hemi in something nice and big with bench seats that we can cruise in with our mates!”