Brock Torana GTR XU-1 going to auction

A highlight at Shannons Winter Timed Online Auction this August is sure to be a Holden Dealer Team LJ Torana GTR XU-1 campaigned by the legendary Peter Brock.

First prepared for the 1973 racing season by HDT’s Chief Mechanic Ian Tate, under the leadership of Harry Firth, this genuine GTR XU-1 is the car in which Brock finished second at that year’s Hardie-Ferodo 1000 at Bathurst after co-driver Doug Chivas ran out of fuel and had to push the car up pit lane.

Part of HDT’s Manufacturers’ Championship win that year, this car would also win the South Pacific Touring Car Series in early 1974 with Brock behind the wheel before playing a part in Brock’s first-ever Australian Touring Car Championship crown in the same year.

We say ‘playing a part’ because HDT were developing the LH Torana SL/R 5000 through 1974 and Brock would drive the new car to victory at the final two rounds of the ’74 ATCC season, but the first three wins that year were achieved in the LJ GTR XU-1 shown here.

Soon after winning the ’74 ATCC, HDT sold the LJ Torana to Holden dealer Graeme Blanchard, who would continue to race it at national level for the remainder of 1974, while the car’s next owner, David Langman, campaigned it at state level.

This significant Torana’s history goes dark for a period after this, until it was discovered in the early 1990s, sitting on a nature strip in the outer Melbourne suburb of Dandenong, where it had apparently been for a decade.

With its provenance confirmed by Ian Tate, the car was purchased by Tate’s son, Paul, who treated it to a thorough restoration. Liveried as it appeared at Bathurst in 1973, around 95 per cent of the original car remains, according to the Tates, including the bodyshell, Bond aluminium roll cage and custom-made Weber carburettors.

In 2006, this GTR XU-1 was purchased by the vendor, who had it prepared for competition, including the addition of custom-made Globe Sprintmaster alloy wheels.

Described as still being in excellent condition throughout more than two decades after its restoration, this Torana will be offered with its original CAMS logbook, history notes, race results, some photos of its restoration and various magazine articles related to the car.

This very important piece of Australian motorsport history and a significant car in Peter Brock’s career is expected to sell in the $900,000 - $1.2 million range.

Brock-related vehicles consigned for the same auction include a 1985 HDT VK SS Group A Group 3 sedan and a 2005 Holden VZ SS ute with ‘Brock Group 2’ enhancements. Guiding range on these two is $200,00 - $300,000 and $75,000 - $95,000, respectively.

Shannons Winter Timed Online Auction runs from 2 to 9 August. Bidding opens from 10:00AM on 2 August and closes from 6:00PM on 9 August.

For more details, go to: shannons.com.au