HDT "Brock" Commodore VC
Reviewed by Unique Cars and Parts
Our Rating: 5
Introduction
When
GMH collaborated with race legend
Peter Brock for the manufacture of a road going high
performance Commodore, everyone knew the final product
would be special.
The HDT VC was based on the SL/E and
hit the streets in October 1980. By June the following
year, from their tiny Melbourne facility, Brock's company
had churned out 500 of the awesome HDT VC's.
There was
a limited selection of colours, white, red and black
(the latter colour proving the least popular at the time).
The
HDT VC’s were rather gregarious, but that
was more fashion of the time, if you were hot, show
it.
A huge air-dam was fitted to the front, while the
back featured a large three piece spoiler, fat wheel
flares and bold striping in red, white or black, stretching
from the front spoiler and continuing along the flanks
of the car.
The bumpers were colour coded and fitted with
protective rubber inserts, while inside the standard
steering wheel was jettisoned in favor of a personalized
Momo version, each bearing the cars build number and
Peter Brock’s stenciled signature.
Mechanically,
the Brock engineers matched the 5.0 litre V8’s
manifold to the head, while the inlet and
exhaust ports
and the combination chamber were reshaped for better
gas flow.
Larger
valves and a high capacity air cleaner
were fitted to improve breathing, and a dual
exhaust system ensured it could exhale as easily as it could
inhale. Once again, the build number of each car was
struck onto a production place located under the bonnet.
Purchasers
could opt for the four speed manual or three speed auto,
with either
transmission a heavy duty limited slip diff
was standard kit. Able to have the needle pointing at
the 100 km/h marker in 8.4 seconds, it could cover the
400 metres in just over 16 seconds.
Given the pimp-my-ride
looks and well endowed power the car boasted, most forgot
about the important stuff. To improve handling, the engineers
lowered the VC, and fitted Bilstein gas shocks to better
control the
suspensions movement. The disc
brakes were
upgraded to match the extra performance, and the whole
package was capped off with the fitment of 15x6 Irmscher
alloys, shod with Uniroyal Steel 60 series radial tyres.
Desirable? You Bet!
