1969 CHEVROLET C10 PICK-UP

IN 1986, PETER Brock was just about at the pinnacle of his career. The eight-time Bathurst winner was still a major force on the track (he would win again in 1987) and off the track his influence was just as potent.

As the owner of the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) not only was Brock running one of Australian motorsport’s most successful outfits he had also branched out into the production of modified, high performance, road-going Commodore sedans, selling the cars to an enthusiastic public.

Up until 1986, Holden had been happy to give the nod of official approval to Brock’s creations. His knowledge and experience, coupled to his popularity, would hardly give them reason to do otherwise. And then things went pear-shaped. For whatever reason, Brock began to champion the Energy Polariser – a small device, about the size of cigarette packet, that was said to contain crystals and magnets and have mysterious properties that supposedly affected molecular alignment and energy fields and would allow it to ‘make motor vehicles work better in all respects’. Not surprisingly, the Energy Polariser polarised opinion and Holden questioned its technical merit. And when Brock installed the device on his HDT Director sedan creation at the start of 1987, and unveiled the car against Holden’s wishes, Holden brought the tie-up with Brock and HDT to an end.

This peculiar story may have had people questioning quite what was going through Brock’s mind but it’s just the type of story that makes the cars fitted with the polarizer, including the 170 or so VL Group A Plus Pack’s, even more spectacular, “I don’t think it does anything,” says Ryan Anderson of the energy polariser placed carefully in the engine bay of his stunning VL Plus Pack. “It doesn’t plug into anything – it just sits in there. I’ve never pulled one apart because I don’t want to wreck it, but it is a bit crazy!”

Whatever the truth about the Energy Polariser, there’s no denying that the rest of the VL Plus Pack is the real deal. It’s 4.9-litre V8 is a symphony of thunderous notes that screams power (whether molecules are aligned or not) and are a perfect accompaniment to its muscular exterior with hood scoop, boot spoiler and deep maroon paint job topped off with the swirling print of Peter Brock’s signature on its flanks.

The additional Brock touches – Momo steering wheel, star wheels and upgraded engine components and suspension settings – make the Plus Pack as close to the racing version of the VL as it’s possible to get and the addition of a Peter Brock signature on the glovebox, next to the plaque indicating the vehicle’s build number, is a tasty additional flourish that makes this particular car even more special. “Not all of them have the signature on the dash – it didn’t come with that,” says Ryan. “I imagine quite a few people with them would have had them signed over the years but it is good to have it on there for sure.”

Ryan, owner of Morayfield Smash, north of Brisbane, actually owns two of these classic pieces of ‘80s automotive history – the one you see here he has had for seven years after finding it on carsales.com.au. The other he has had for 13 years. You would think that someone who would buy two of these rare models must be a Holden, or Brock, fanatic, but actually Ryan has no special affection for the marque. It is, in fact, the model.