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Highest quality reproduction trim kits made with genuine correct nylex vinyls to produce that original factory look for your 1967 to 1976 Falcon GT, GS, Fairmont, Futura, Fairlane, Superbird or John Goss Special For Enquiries, Please contact Reid McInnes Reid@musclecarinteriors.com.au
Win on Sunday, sell on Monday. It’s a hoary old cliché of motor racing, but back in the Series Production era of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s it really did hold cache for both manufacturers and their dealers. Take Fair Deal Car Sales, one of two Holden dealers in Church Street, Parramatta, later to be known as ‘Auto Alley.’ It joined the motor racing fray in 1969, supplying an HG Monaro GTS 350 in Kashmir White for Digby Cooke’s rst frontline assault on the Bathurst 500 (see this issue’s
pro le.) The Monaro raced on into 1970 before meeting its maker during the Easter Bathurst meeting, where if suffered total brake failure and careered through the inside fence at the bottom of Conrod Straight.
Undeterred, the good folk at Fair Deal stumped up a brand new LC Torana GTR XU-1, registration BHL 500, for Cooke and good mate David Seldon to race in the October Bathurst classic. Finished in vibrant ‘Yellow Dolly’ just like the Holden Dealer Team entries, it gave a good showing before being sidelined by the valve train issues that afflicted many of the Toranas, including the factory cars. Our Torana did star in an HDT cameo appearance at the Surfers Paradise 300, where Cooke was joined by none other than Peter Brock to nish second to Allan Moffat’s Falcon GTHO.
In May 1971 BHL-500 was sold by Fair Deal to Cooke and an aspiring young racer and car salesman called Geoff Leeds on hire purchase. The plan was to take the yellow Torana back to Bathurst the following October, only it didn’t happen. Instead, Fair Deal offered Cooke a brand new 1971 GTR XU-1 ‘Bathurst’ model for the race, which was entered and sponsored by Commonwealth Industrial Gases (CIG) and
nished in their distinctive blue and white stripe livery for the duo. Interestingly this Torana didn’t have any Fair Deal signage on it at all. The history of this Torana is known and it has been displayed at previous Muscle Car Masters. It is on AMC’s ‘to-do list,’ so watch this space…
Turning our attention back to our ‘Yellow Dolly’ Torana, Cooke still has the AGC deposit book for the hire purchase! The last payment was made in February 1972 when it was likely sold, though Cooke can’t recall the details. However, due to his meticulous record keeping, we do know the engine number for BHL 500 – ‘3100X 21361,’ although unfortunately the VIN number isn’t recorded anywhere. So Whaddyaknow about this LC Torana GTR XU-1 that the great Peter Brock once raced?
Contact AMC via amceditorial@chevron.com.au and please outline details in your email.