Warick Meldrum's VF Valiant Regal: A Barra-Swapped, Eight-Second Drag Machine
Mopar enthusiasts may be quick to judge engine swaps, but Warick Meldrum isn't one of them. He's the proud owner of an eight-second, turbo Barra-powered VF Valiant Regal, a car that's turned heads and broken the internet with its unique combination of a Mopar engine and a classic Valiant body. Warick's passion for engine swaps is well-known, having previously built a Barra-powered VP Commodore and a Barra-swapped 1967 Camaro.
Warick's latest project, the VF Valiant Regal, was built with a specific goal in mind: to take it to the Street Machine Drag Challenge 2019. With only three months to work, he set out to install a turbo Barra engine, a rollcage, and make the necessary modifications to turn it into a drag-racing machine.
The engine itself is a work of art. Starting with a naturally aspirated wrecker engine, Warick added a set of Spool Drag Pro I-beam conrods and Carrillo pistons. He topped it off with an ASPO head, factory valves, and Crow valve springs with 130lb of seat pressure. The rest of the motor was equally impressive, with a simple and inexpensive setup. The inlet manifold was sourced on Marketplace and fitted with Bosch 2200cc injectors and a Turbosmart fuel pressure regulator.
The car's exterior and interior were also given a thorough makeover. Warick had to undertake plenty of fab work, including modifying the torsion bar crossmember to allow the TH400 trans to sit up in the trans tunnel. He also swapped out the K-member for an Elko item, which required a bit of ingenuity to install due to oil pump clearance issues. The sump was also modified to clear the steering rack, and other conversion items included Tuff Mounts engine mounts and a Chinese knock-off Holden radiator with Falcon thermo fans.
The rearend consists of a fabricated nine-inch with a full-spool Strange nodular-iron center and 3.23:1 gears. Homemade traction bars were added to the stock 1969 leaf springs, while up front, the factory front torsion bars were joined by el-cheapo three-way adjustable shocks.
Despite the challenges, Warick's car performed exceptionally well at the Drag Challenge 2019, posting a 9.81@143mph timeslip on the first day of racing and further improving to a 9.35@145mph pass on Day Five. Warick's car has since been updated with a new TH400 transmission and a silver paint job, and it continues to perform well, running a 1.26sec 60-foot and a best quarter-mile pass of 8.62@157mph.
Warick's approach to building the car is one of self-sufficiency and ingenuity. He's built seven cars for himself and works for Cummins, the diesel guys, which has helped him keep costs down. His Barra Valiant build only owes him about $35K, and he's proud of the fact that he's been able to build a reliable and powerful car on a budget.
Warick's VF Valiant Regal is a testament to the power of engine swaps and the creativity of car enthusiasts. While it may not be featured in a Mopar calendar anytime soon, it's a tough, budget-built drag-and-drive rig that's turned heads and broken the internet with its unique combination of a Mopar engine and a classic Valiant body.
