Reporter Trevor Paddenburg looks under the bonnet of Perth's car club culture THE headlights stretched in a line as far as the eye could see on Old Yanchep Road as about 60 cars with beefed-up engines, body kits and stereos heavy with bass rolled through the night. The Sunday Times joined Unforgotten car club members on a Saturday-night "cruise" from Hillarys to Yanchep and back to find out what gives these men - and women - their passion for petrol. With the media along, there were no burnouts, speeding or drag racing, and the worst anti-social behaviour was revved engines when the cars pulled up near Hungry Jack's for a dinner stop. Many of the members - mostly men in their early to mid-20s - insisted that the club was not a meeting of revheads out to menace society, but a gathering of like-minded friends who simply love cool cars that go fast, sound loud and pack plenty of horsepower. HSV owner Josh Hardman, 26, said pouring his savings into his passion for cars was "a hell of a lot better than blowing $600 a fortnight in Northbridge." Toby Morris with his 600hp Commodore SS ute, fitted with an aftermarket supercharger, cams, exhaust and lots more. Stephen Radis, 19, of Joondalup, conceded he had written off his HSV Clubsport show car after a driver pulled out in front of him, but said club members were constantly told to drive responsibly and those who didn't were soon booted out. Club president Glenn Polidano insisted car enthusiasts were saddled with "the hoon label" because of the actions of a few idiots, though there was no shortage of idiots last month when more than 180 drivers were fined at a car cruise to remember late Hollywood star Paul Walker of the Fast and the Furious movies. That event was organised by the Unforgotten car club, which called it off when more than 3000 non-members turned up, with some refusing pleas to drive safely. Top traffic cop Nick Anticich slammed those caught hooning, saying it was typical of the dangerous behaviour of a minority Last year, a member of the notorious Running On Empty club pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless driving and was banned from driving for life for doing a burnout in front of a crowd of people. Member of Unforgotten, gather at car park in Hillarys before the cruise starts. Unforgotten's co-founder Marc Jones, 21, admitted clubs like his "sometimes get a few dickheads" and said so far six members have been expelled. "Not everyone is an angel but we tell them to save it for the right place - official days at the track (Kwinana Motorplex)," he said. Despite professing their innocence, many members said they'd lost their licence at some time. Others conceded they had illegal engine performance modifications hidden under the bonnet. On the Saturday night cruise, drivers stayed at or below the speed limit, with only the sleekness of their vehicles marking them out as anything other than ordinary road users. Their passion for cars, however, is anything but ordinary. Belmont car stereo technician Toby Morris, 21, said he's owned up to six cars at a time, including a Holden Commodore SS with $60,000 worth of modifications and a Toyota HiAce van that he spent every cent of his savings turning into a "nightclub on wheels." CEO of Unforgotten car club, Glenn Polidano, introduces new members and explains the route and rules for the cruise. Auto glazier Daniel Silvestro, 20, from Westminster - who admitted he'd lost his licence after being charged with reckless driving while "having a bit of fun in the wet" in his Toyota Celica - said he'd owned 18 different cars since he was 16. I love cars way too much to think about a house or a holiday. I spend everything on cars," he said. His reason for joining the club was typical of many members, describing Unforgotten Carclub as a "family" and a source of friendship and camaraderie. It's also very well organised. Glenn Polidano said: "A lot of people think we're a bunch of kids jumping in loud cars being idiots. The truth is we're having board meetings, we're organising charity runs, we are run as a business, we're working with the police and not against them, and we're telling our members that 10 seconds of fun isn't worth the lives of your mates in the car. An Unforgotten car club member cruising past in his Nissan S13 Silvia. His girlfriend, auto spray painter Kara Mullane, 22, of Canning Vale, said women were welcome in the club and many knew more about cars than the blokes. "The girls also get hassled more by the cops," she said. I got pulled over 32 times in my first one and a half years on the road. My car at the time was bright pink so it was hard to miss. Ms Mullane - who drives a Nissan Silvia S13 convertible, one of only three in WA - has written off one car and lost her licence once, but said her life had changed since joining Unforgotten. Ms Mullane said she was estranged from her family. "The car club is my family now," she said. One former club member who agreed to speak to <i>The Sunday Times</i>said drivers, while well behaved on club cruise nights, let their hair down during everyday driving. "If you pull up next to another GTR at the lights you're going to dump it (accelerate rapidly) when the light turns green," he said. You want to see who's got the faster car, who's the boss and who's got the biggest d--k. Mr Polidano, on the other hand, insists most car enthusiasts don't hoon because they value their licence too much. Police have no problem with vintage and classic car clubs, but unofficially believe clubs like Unforgotten blur the line between enthusiasts and hoons. To shake that tag and build its family friendly image, Unforgotten is organising outings to Perth Zoo and charity fundraisers. And the regular car cruises will continue. Unforgotten car club member, Stephen Radis (19), owns a modified VY HSV Clubsport.