Just about all of us wish we could’ve completed the dream vision for our first cars, but usually they end up crashed, stolen or sold before the wild and outlandish ideas our young minds concoct come to fruition.

After an intensive labour of love for nearly nine years, 28-year-old Mathew Hughes finally got to live that dream, unveiling his first car – a 1973 TA22 generation Toyota Celica – infront of a packed crowd at Street Machine Summernats 38.

“I just built the car for me, how I’d like it,” he said. “It was never meant to get out of hand like it did from just building it myself at home.”

A spray painter by trade, Mathew slowly built the whole car at home, taking influence from plenty of wise heads during the lengthy build process. “I did my apprenticeship under Simon Bonello, so naturally, he taught me a lot, and his perfectionism with paint and panel rubbed off,” says Mathew.

“Everyone who knows me knows my life has revolved around this car, it’s been a constant uphill battle, and it’s taken me to the absolute limit of my capabilities,” he continues. “But, this [unveiling] has honestly made it all worth it.”

Under the bonnet is a Toyota 3S-GE four-cylinder, using ITBs and backed by a six-speed manual. Keeping the car Japanese-themed is a set of SSR Dori Dori Mesh alloys, and it sits on Fortune Auto coil-overs, with AE86 Corolla rack-and-pinion steering up front. “It is built with a bit of a Japanese style, but more to my taste rather than getting stuck being era specific,” says Mathew.

Clearly the judges agreed with Mathew’s attention to detail on the little Sillycar, the TA22 garnering third place in the Elite Paint and Top Coupe categories, and runner-up in Top Engineered to land a place in the Elite Top 10.

“I got to Summernats not expecting anything, I’m only human, this is my first ever big paint job and car build, and the competition is tough in the elite hall,” says Mathew. “I was infinitely grateful to just make it there and back safely and have the car unveiled for all my friends and family to see.

“[This is] something I had constantly dreamed of, but of course never expected. Four awards amongst some of Australia’s best car builders. I’ll do the show circuit for a bit, and then I’m going to drive the wheels off it!”