Peter Brocks HDT car-building business was not like other places where raw materials go in one end and cars come out the other. Nope, you see, you weren't just buying a car when you lined up for an HDT Commodore; you were also buying a slice of the Brock magic.
HDTs first product was the VC series HDT Commodore.
The folk at HDT made a serious attempt at grabbing Holdens premium Commodore sedan the SL/E and turning it into a luxury express with dynamic qualities.
The engine room got a make-over, with the 308 V8 scoring a fairly comprehensive upgrade for the breathing, including work on the heads, inlet manifold and the fitment of a four-barrel Rochester carburettor plus a bigger diameter fuel line.
A cold air intake was part of the package, along with a larger than stock air cleaner, that little lot bumped up the power significantly, by nearly 40kW, and a claim of a 20 per cent improvement in fuel consumption.
That was enough for a 15.5sec standing 400m (in a manual) and a top speed around 215km/h at the time the quickest Aussie road car currently on the market.
The chassis scored a similarly comprehensive make-over with dampers (now Bilsteins), springs and sway bars all receiving attention, as did the overall geometry and set-up. Wheels magazine, in its first full test of the car, opined: "Brocks understanding of suspension design is, frankly, quite remarkable."
Brakes too were upgraded, with ventilated discs on the front and a bigger master cylinder. Inside, you got the full Holden luxo pack, including power windows, air-conditioning, central locking and velour trim in Carmine Red only.
