Muscle Maniac

Class Driving with Brocky and GT-HO mishaps with Gossy

In 1975 the Victorian government engaged Peter Brock to lead a vigorous new road safety messaging programme. The deal saw Brock’s Gown-Hindhaugh Torana L34 that year wear ‘Class Driving’ signage as well as the number 05, signifying that state’s 0.05% maximum blood alcohol driving limit (if it had been a NSW initiative, 08 rather than 05 might have gone on to become the most famous race number in Australian motorsport).

But it was more than just a sponsorship deal. Brock was front and centre in the campaign, appearing in TV and print ads, and in person in road safety public seminars.

A glossy Class Driving brochure was produced in 1978 with a host of handy tips from Brock covering topics like driver attitude, tness, cornering techniques, braking, tyre pressures and types of tyres. There was even a page with tips on modifying your car for higher performance!

Brock also does a bit of crystal balling – and predicts the ‘imminent demise of the Australian car as we now know it’! He says that with economic pressures forcing manufacturers to standardise ranges and engage in badge engineering, ‘it’s unlikely that anybody will risk the enormous recovery costs required for an all-Australian production.’

That prediction would come true, but fortunately for Brocky his crystal ball was out by about 40 years – otherwise HDT Special Vehicles and the ‘80s Brock Commodore era might never have happened.