Back at the Masters

Guest columnist Todd Martin is the principal of Muscle Car Events Australia. Instrumental in bringing the early Muscle Car Masters to life, Todd’s back involved and cooking up some fun displays.

After a hiatus from involvement in the Muscle Car Masters I’m pleased to be back in the passenger’s seat organising suitable elements that showcase sights and sounds from the golden era of motoring and motorsport. This year’s Masters, over October 28-29, will have a number of awesome added elements that we reckon will give you an excuse to head back to the event. This includes the reintroduction of road and club cars into the pit/paddock area for dedicated displays.

The MCM’s success was built upon providing punters with countless must-see displays and must-meet legends – lots of different experiences that, when combined, give everyone a great day or weekend out. And we are cooking up plenty of these for the Sydney Motorsport Park spectacular in 2017. Here’s a sample, just for starters... Firstly, a number of special guests will feature, including Gil Tucker. Who is he you ask? You sort of know the name, right?

Gil Tucker is a face that crosses many aspects of television, film and advertising through seventies and eighties. Perhaps best known for his role as Constable Roy Baker in Cop Shop, Gil was the initial face of Chicko Roll, the nitpicking ‘People’s Observer’ in Mad Max, plus the face of Torana Hatchback when the LX Torana needed a ‘hatch hutch tent’ added on for the great outdoors!

Gil will join us at this year’s Masters along with a handpicked Papaya SS Hatchback, complete with Hatch Hutch plus a collection of vehicles connected to Gil’s career, such as a MFP Falcon and Blue Bongo Van.

He’s the first of many muscle car era identities confirmed. Of course, the Masters has always attracted a who’s who of famous racing drivers from the era, many of whom will be on hand again this year. As time marches on, the presence of the greats is mostly confined to main race day, Sunday, these days.

Last year we had three generations of Setons present and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Bo Seton will get to cheer on son Glenn and grandson Aaron in the 6 Hours of Sydney enduro production car race.

Now, how about Aussie beach, outdoor and camping classics like the Sandman, Drifter and Surferoo – three iconic 1970s Australian models. Add in the Hatch Hutch, Tail Tent, some sand and palm trees and then you’re on the beach – or in the bush, if we include an Overlander 4X4.

Yep, we’re on the lookout for some cool cats with cool cars that gave us a culture of the great outdoors that we’re set to recreate as part of this year’s event. We simply cannot do anything in 2017 without a collection of the first GT Falcons combined with the last GT Falcons, making for an awe-inspiring display. Sure, we know the 1977 1-2 finish was made up of XC-bodied cars, but to have 10 GT Gold XRs onsite, plus 10 Falcon GT coupes in the pit precinct would look very cool. If they were joined by the actual race-winning 1977 Moffat Ford Dealer car and a tribute to the 1967 FoMoCo entry, that would be grand – not to mention some blokes called Gibson and Moffat!

If there was a roll-call of staff members at the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) it would read like a who’s who for those that provided generations of motorsport memories for no matter who you followed. From 1969 to 1986 members of the Holden Dealer Team produced numerous wins on racetracks, rallies and roads around not only Australia, but the South Pacific.

We here at the Muscle Car Masters reckon there needs to be a celebration of all members of the famed HDT. So no matter what you did through the period we’d like to personally invite you as our guests!

Adding to the Torana theme and to celebrate the giant-killing efforts of Brock in 1972 there will be a dedicated Group Nc race for Toranas. Plus we’re going to smuggle 45 colourful and genuine XU-1 road cars into the pit area. Now that will be a sight to see.

Remember that famous image from Bathurst 1973 of six red Ron Hodgson promotional LJ Torana GTR XU-1s mimicking the Bob Morris/ John Leffler entry that year? Of course you do, it’s pictured on this page. Well, at this year’s Muscle Car Masters we’re recreating photographic history by loading a transporter with six red LJ XU-1s stickered up like the six at the 1973 Hardie Ferodo 1000. Don’t tell anyone, but the six Toranas loaded on the transporter will only be stickered-up on one side. We might even have to make cut-outs of Bob and John.

Of course, none of this will happen without suitable vehicles, so we are putting the call out for the following: Sandmans/Drifters/Sundowners plus an Overlander and Surferoo; SS Hatchbacks; XR GTs/Falcon coupes (in any model), six red LJ two-door Torana XU-1s; one four-door LJ would be great, too.

If you own a car that fits any of these descriptions and want to have a fun weekend, contact me on 0428 487 981 or email todd@ musclecarevents.com.au

Likewise, if you were a member of the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) drop me a line and I’ll provide you all the details to get you to an awesome 2017 Australian Muscle Car Masters at Sydney Motorsport Park. Can’t wait!