21 replies to this topic

[ellrosso]

I'm chasing any pics of the original Holden Dealer Team Torana SLR5000 for a client. It had 7 races in 1974 before being crashed at Lakeside and being retired to make way for the L34. We have 1 shot on the oldracephotos.com site(front 3/4 at Calder with Brock driving) but he's particularly after an engine bay shot. Anything would be appreciated though of course. He's already checked with some of the HDT boys (Ian Tate etc) with no luck as they were just too busy at that time.
Regards, ellrosso

[Lola5000]

few years ago Chevron published 2 books.Racing Holdens and racing Fords.
Also another company put out a book on various racing Holdens/Fords will post when I get home.
The 1st Bathurst year book by Chevron and that years Motor racing Year book.

[Chris Frizell]

ellrosso, I have sent you a pm, I might be able to help you...

Chris

[ellrosso]

Thanks Chris, look forward to hearing from you. You can e-mail me at info@oldracephotos.com if thats easiest.
Regards, ellrosso

[cooper997]

There's a few photos of early HDT SLR5000's in the softcover 'Australian Competition Yearbook - 1975 edition' (has Max Stewart's Lola F5000 on cover) it states the Surfers Paradise ATCC rd 6 event as the debut of Brock's first V8 Torana. It shows the car minus flares and the HDT logo reversed on the front spoiler, in a couple of photos. Then there's a couple in the feature for rd7 at Adelaide International Raceway. It then goes into the Manufacturers Championship and more photos in L34 format (same car updated?). Worth your client trying to get a copy (Ebay?).

Same goes for the other softcover annual 'Australian Motor Racing Annual 1975' (has Moffat Capri on cover) and the odd photo and a 5 page feature titled 'Inside the HDT' this shows a photo (and captioned as such) of the first HDT SLR5000 being built in the workshop. But still no engine bay photo.

The 1988 Chevron Publishing book 'Holden - The official racing history' has the odd photo too and actually states in one caption that photos of the early SLR's are rare. As is being proven.

Stephen

[Hank the Deuce]

Chevron's Australian Muscle Car magazine did a feature a fair while back on the L34, and it featured some shots of the HDT SLR5000... of course, my copy's missing in amongst a pile of stuff remaining unpacked from our relocation six weeks' ago, so I'm of no use to you (my usual default position really).

I don't recall engine bay shots of the car from that... one question I haven't seen answered: was it somehow entwined with the Bathurst 1974 appearance of a third HDT car, with a "T" designation, entered to give thee co-drivers a bit more track time, but parked on the trailer after breaking? That's one car that many have been unable to flesh out a history on...

[David McKinney]

GM-H used to put out an annual publication called Giant Killers recording the successes of its various models. The 1974 and 1975 editions have loads of photos
Can't see an engine-bay shot though (though there is one of the L34)

[cooper997]

As Hank the Duece eludes to AMC's Torana L34 feature is published in issue 15 (Sept/Oct 04). This issue corresponded to the 30th anniversary of the L34. It has several HDT pre L34 photos within this feature, but still no engine bay shot (well there is one but its of a privateer's L34).

There's also a nice colour GMH advert in the inside front cover of the 1974 Bathurst programme. Essentially showing a small HDT XU1, with a large HDT SLR5000 below it (the changing of the guard).

Stephen

[thunder427]

ellrosso;I wish you and your client 'Every Luck' and I mean this in the nicest way,when I contracted to rebuild(notice I didnt say 'Restore')the Bob Jane ZL1 Camaro,like you I thought, somebody must have taken a photo? ?!!,sadley Nothing of value ever turned up,lot to do with the "Closed Bonnet" (hood,for our American TNF'rs) Official SECRETS ACTS, Business policies, READ:"we're cheating,so we dont wont you to see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!",not much different from todays'Smoother Covers Policy......David Mckinney,God Bless Him, is on the Money with 'Giant Killers'....that had 3 photo's of Bob's Camaro in a feature,but some 'officious'Art Director saw fit to put them in the wrong way round,which puts the 'Loud' pedal on the left hand side,'strange', me thought,being that it is and always has been 'LEFT HAND DRIVE',Ive heard of Left foot braking,and the photo of the ZL1 engine show's it with the 'Dry Sump Pump'on the RIGHT side of the engine...........Trust you Guy's have better luck..........regards427..................PS; I was real lucky to have John Sawyer,the Original 'Crew Chief',on the Camaro build program,1970, drop by my shop, for 10minutes, actually stayed 3hours,helping plan the engine bay lay out, if He got to do it again, what you see today reflects his thinking,in the 'Spirit of the Seventies'...Thank you John!!!!!!

[ellrosso]

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice, especially to Chris for sending thru his pic from AIR 1974. It is going to be pure luck to get an engine bay shot I think - would come from an enthusiastic spectator rather than an accredited photographer I think.
If anyone hears of anything please let me know on info@oldracephotos.com

Regards ellrosso

[Gregor Marshall]

I apologise for my lack of knowledge but was this an ex-Brock car? If so, I am friends with his nephew (Craig) in New Zealand and I can ask him (and he in turn can ask Uncles, family, etc) if they have any pics. If it's not an ex-Brock car then forget I ever spoke!!

[cooper997]

Yes Gregor it is an ex-Brock car.

[lazzHAR]

and it's also a bond car ! , HDT only had one SLR5000 and both bond and brock drove it . bond also used it in one round of the 'sun 7 series'in '74 (3 rounds with the XU1)

lazz

[KandA]

Do you want pics with or without the polarising box?

[Catalina Park]

I have found a photo of the car in a picture book called Holden verses Ford by photographer Mike Harding. It shows the car at Sandown in the wet with Brock driving. (and winning)

RCN from July 74 has three photos of the car, one in a story about the upcoming L34 and the other two are from Adelaide and shows Brock (and others) just after the start of the race and the other is Brock going through the reverse camber corner onto the oval.

[Catalina Park]

Some more photos of the car in the August and October copies of RCN. No great detail in them though.
Looks like Brock drove it at Calder, Sandown, Surfers, Adelaide and Lakeside. And it looks like Bond drove it at Amaroo and Oran Park.

[Lee Nicolle]

I seem to remember some SLR pics in Giant Killers. That car never did very many meetings as the L34 was coming. I would be interested to know what happened to that car, did it evolve into a L34 or was it put on the road [or scrapped] ?

[ellrosso]

Hi Lee, its being restored at the moment by a Victorian guy who has asked me to try and find some more pics and info for his Historic certification. He has the log book etc and has given me a full list of the cars outings (which have all been mentioned on this post).
Not too sure how far down the track he is with the work on the car, but sounds like its quite advanced.
Regards, ellrosso

[Team Result]

Originally posted by ellrosso
Hi Lee, its being restored at the moment by a Victorian guy who has asked me to try and find some more pics and info for his Historic certification. He has the log book etc and has given me a full list of the cars outings (which have all been mentioned on this post).
Not too sure how far down the track he is with the work on the car, but sounds like its quite advanced.
Regards, ellrosso

You, of course, advised him to stock up on front hubs ;)

[Lee Nicolle]

Originally posted by Team Result


You, of course, advised him to stock up on front hubs ;)

It was the stub axles Ross. I always used HQ ones and had no trouble but those std Torana ones were a little fragile.

[Team Result]

Thanks for the correction, Lee. I meant front hub assemblies.
I was at Lakeside when Peter and then Gricey both lost their front right wheels going into Hungry Corner, Gricey embedded his SLR quite heavily into the bank there. And I seem to recall later seeing at least one of the errant wheels with hub flange still attached.

[lazzHAR]

correct elrosso, the resto is well under way with the car in colour and the motor at the engine builder. it will be a beauty when completed
laz