ACE BROCK
THE GREATEST HDT TO BEAR THE BROCK IMPRIMATUR? THAT’LL BE THE VK GROUP A, WITH THE GROUP 3 SPECIAL TAKING TOP BILLING
Every automotive brand –okay, almost all of them – has an iconic model or two that spring immediately to mind whenever the manufacturer’s name is mentioned. Jaguar is defined by its E Type, Ford by the Mustang and in bygone times by the Model T, Ferrari... well, take your pick. For HDT the car that stands out from the rest is the VK and specifically the Group A version which was nicknamed ‘Blue Meanie’. It was the car that Peter Brock hoped would put his products on the world motor sporting stage.
By March 1984 when Holden released its face-lifted VK models, HDT was still working on a multi-model range of its own. Six months later a new SS arrived; available in two colours (white or Asteroid Silver) and basic or Group 3 trim levels.
Both cars shared the well-known 5.04-litre V8, with the base model rated as slightly more powerful than the Group 3. The SS came with alloy wheels, sports seats and a basic body kit and sold without options for less than $20,000.
‘At the price, nothing even comes close’ was the catchphrase but buyers who bought an estimated 700 SS cars seemed to care little about how much they could save.
The Group 3 cost around $4000 more than the base model but setting it apart was a single-slot air-intake, full-length side skirts and ‘Aero’ alloy wheels. Inside there were heavily-bolstered Scheel seats and a premium sound system featuring