ONE of the most infamous cars in Australian automotive history appeared at last weekend’s Repco Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama.
While a range of ex-Peter Brock race cars from the 1970s to 2000s captured most of the attention in ‘Peter’s Pit Lane’ out the front of the National Motor Racing Museum, some of his road car creations sat just a matter of metres away.
Near the statue of Brock holding aloft the old James Hardie 1000 winner’s trophy alongside his race-winning ‘Big Banger’ Commodore, sat a pair of road cars.
One was a prototype used for a range of testing of components and body panels for HDT Commodores; the other though was far more distinctive; the ‘Blue Ice’ HDT Director.
We checked with new HDT owner Kenny Habul at Bathurst and he confirmed the car on display over the weekend is the one and same car famously launched by Brock at Tudor Court in Kooyong, Melbourne on February 20, 1987.
Holden had issued a statement the day prior to the launch which in part said, “with regret business relations with Peter Brock and HDT would have to be concluded”.
Brock at the unveiling of the infamous car in 1987. Photo: an1images.com / AUTOPIX.
The HDT Director, complete with optional Energy Polarizer, proved to be the final straw before GM-Holden made the decision to cut ties with him.
“This is a very proud moment for me, for there’s the soul of Brock in this motor car,” Brock said on the night during the launch.
“It’s the pinnacle. A car l’m determined is going to succeed. The price l’m paying to release this car is very high indeed, but the amount of research and development has given us great heart.”
Habul, the multiple Bathurst 12 Hour winner who announced a range of plans for HDT on Monday, had the Director flown into Australia from its home in the United States among his car collection.