Jack be nimble, Jack be Swift!

Forget every preconceived notion you have about the Suzuki Swift! While the name typically evokes images of 2000’s white girl music and Starbucks runs, Jack Mill’s 2009 model fundamentally rewrites the script. This vehicle has been radically transformed, swapping its economical roots for a singular, aggressive purpose: to dominate the burnout pad, destroy tyres, and create immense clouds of smoke.

At its core, this Swift is a ground-up custom build. The journey began with stripping the factory shell and performing extensive surgery on the body. To handle the torque of a V8 and the stresses of competition, the standard floorpan was cut out and replaced with robust, custom-fabricated frame rails that run the full length of the car. In the rear, massive tubs were meticulously crafted and welded into place, creating the necessary cavernous space to house a narrowed 9-inch differential and enormous 20×10-inch Simmons wheels. This intensive fabrication work was essential to convert the car from its front-wheel-drive origins into a fortified rear-wheel-drive monster.

Under the bonnet lies the heart of the beast: a 6.0-litre LS V8, chosen for its renowned reliability, immense power potential, and vast aftermarket support. While currently naturally aspirated, it provides more than enough grunt to turn tyres into vapour. The engine is paired with a legendary two-speed Powerglide transmission. Power is sent to the rear wheels through the aforementioned 9-inch differential, a bulletproof final link in a drivetrain built for pure punishment.

What makes this build even more remarkable is that it is a true shed-built masterpiece, put together entirely by Jack, his brother, and his father. In an incredible display of skill and dedication, the trio took the car from a bare shell to a competition-ready vehicle in just nine months. Their tireless work culminated in a successful debut at Summernats 36, and since then, Jack has been a fixture on the national burnout circuit, travelling the country to compete against the best.

Engine management is provided by one of our Haltech Nexus Rebel LS ECUs, with all vital data displayed clearly for Jack on an iC-7 Dash, which even features a custom “Swifty” design. The interior is just as neat as the outside and filled with custom touches, but one of the things we love is the original Suzuki key that brings the big V8 to life.

Like most projects, Swifty is an ongoing evolution. Future plans are already in place to push the performance envelope even further. The next steps involve a new methanol-huffing donk, based around a Dart block, and a supercharger. So, just in case you thought it was already the pinnacle of tyre-shredding insanity, well, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!