Holden special vehicles

By ALASTAIR SLOANE


The memory of the dominance that Australian motorsport legend Peter Brock enjoyed on race circuits in the 1980s with his V8-powered Brock Commodores will return next week. Two road-going examples in mint condition are going up for auction at the Sydney Motor Show.

The two Commodores - a 1985 Brock VK Group A SS with 90km on the clock and a 1986 VL Group A SS that's travelled just 38km - are among 24 rare cars offered for sale by Shannons auction house.

The firm is well known in Australia as a specialist motor vehicle insurer and strong supporter of all forms of motorsport.

Others include a 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster, 1983 Ferrari 512i BB, 1969 Dodge Charger R/T and a 1933 MG J2 Midget Roadster.

The auction is the first that Shannons have run at the Sydney show since 1999. The 24 cars will be on display during the 10-day event and will go under the hammer on October 17.

There has already been interest from New Zealand in some of the lots.

The sale of the two Brock cars comes more than 17 years after the driver and his benefactor, Holden, bitterly parted company after one of the most successful relationships in motorsport.

The reason for their controversial split was Brock's use of an "energy polariser", a small device that he insisted be used in his Commodore race cars.

It was fitted under the bonnet near the wiper panel. Brock claimed it improved the performance and handling of his cars. Holden tested it and insisted it did no such thing. It ended in tears on February 9, 1987.

Shannons auction manager, Christophe Boribon, expects the Brock Commodores to fetch around A$50,000 each.

The VK model with its its 196kW (262bhp) 4.9-litre V8, is finished in its original distinctive blue, while the red VL car and its five-spoke Momo wheels is one of the last Brock Commodores built.

Both were bought new by the same Australian collector and come with manuals and all dealer delivery items unopened in their original plastic pouches. The VL is also still fitted with its controversial polariser under the bonnet.

Another car sure to attract attention from bidders is the Ferrari 512i BB, a 280km/h flyer regarded as the definitive Ferrari supercar of the pre F40 era.

The five-speed manual model is powered by a mid-mounted 4.9-litre 12-cylinder boxer engine and is the only white 512i BB in Australia.

It has only 6500km on the clock and is expected to fetch A$150-180,000.

Sharing the spotlight is a 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster finished in turquoise and white, a rare 1969 Dodge Charger R/T S/E 440 Magnum in chocolate brown, and a mint 1933 MG J2 Midget Roadster finished in French racing blue.

Shannons says the Corvette is in great condition and it expects the rapidly appreciating classic to fetch A$65-$75,000.

The Dodge Charger R/T, with its manual gearbox, is a rare American muscle car in immaculate condition. It is expected to sell for A$52-62,000.

The MG J2 Midget comes from the same garage as a red J2 which sold for $A51,000 at auction in Sydney in July. It has been restored over six years to original concours condition and this year won an all-Australia vintage car award. Shannons expect it to sell for $A42-52,000.