What's "Harry" got to do with it? Harry Firth, better known in racing circles as "Fox Firth" was an accomplished racer in his own right.  He already had won at Barthurst and was quite respected for his steering and team management capabilities.  As a Ford man, he witnessed first hand the General's win Bathurst in 1968 with the 327 GTS Monaro.  He was suitably impressed with its potential.  In it's new 1968 guise he knew it was to receive a 350 cubic incher with many other refinements.   So in 1969, Harry crossed the floor to join the General and set up the Holden Dealer Team.  Harry was now intent on making the Generals vehicles competitive so that the old adage, "win on Sunday sell on Monday" could be 'unofficially" realised by Holden.  Remember, in those days the General had officially withdrawn from world motor racing and placed a ban on direct factory participation.  So what does a new team manager do when he sets up a new team and has his eye on another Bathurst win?  He usually searches and tests new driving talent.  So the Fox was on the scent for new driving talent and in particular, young lambs for his tutelage.  In his sight were two young drivers Colin Bond and Peter Brock.  The latter was to form a relationship with the Fox that was to profoundly influence his life and his racing career.  So how did Harry first notice the young larikin Brock?   When was their first meeting?   Let's have Brock tell us in his own words.  "Harry must've seen me at the odd Sandown.  My first direct contact was when my car was subject to extra scrutiny at one of those meetings, and the scrutineer who checked the car was Norm Firth.  He checked it at their workshop and Harry was there.  When I drove a HD Holden for Watson's of Greensborough, Noel Gould was the sales Manager, and of course Dad had a good relationship with them.  It was a one-off-drive - they wanted to sell the car, which was actually a drag car - so we bolted on some 6" wheels, Dunlop CR82s (not a handy thing) and took it to Winton.  I raced against Dave Price and those boys and only Alan Hamilton and Ron King beat me.  Watson's couldn't understand that I'd been beaten, and I was really hurling it around.  I had had some vague offers of a drive at Bathurst from John Roxburgh, and then Harry rang, one night and said that he was getting together the Dealer Team together and 'would I be  available', I said 'yes'!  There was only a chance of running, and Harry wanted absolute secrecy.  As time went on we went out to Calder and had a drive - there was Peter Macrow, Henk Woelders, Tony Roberts and myself I somehow won the job of finding value float - it was 5800rpm - I recall, and Harry also showed us how to drive on the torque band.  I hung around the workshop while the cars were being prepared, and even in the final days I felt sure I wouldn't get a drive.  It was like a dream, and I didn't actually believe it was true until they painted my name on the car.  I stood there while the last letter was finished off - I had to be sure!"  Quotation extracted from Peter Brock Australia's own ace driver  Racing Car News 1979

Harry Firth had the work of coaching and mentoring his new young chargers.  He expected total loyalty and gave specific instructions on how they are to drive the series production Monaro 350 GTS.   These cars were fast, however, had obvious weakness.  Firth knew that Ford would throw everything at the General to seek revenge on the mountain after losing in 1968.  It was rumored that a "handling option -HO" was to be added to an already fast and formidable Falcon GT.  He also knew that Ford would stay with proven and very experienced drivers (Allan Moffat, John French, Geoghegan brothers, Fred Gibson, Barry Seton, Bruce McPhee, Barry Mulholland, Bob Muir) for their factory and factory supported vehicles.  The Fox went for a combination of experience and youth.  However, it was always going to be a huge ask, and a bloody big gamble, to blood two young drivers on the mountain.   Nevertheless, this was to be Harry's plan for 1969. 

It's interesting to examine some of the spec's of the 1969 the "high Plain" (Monaro is an Aboriginal word) GTS 350.  It will assist to better understand just how production these cars were; 

Model	two door hardtop
Engine Capacity	350 cubic inch Chev
Gearbox	Muncie close ratio
Carbie	Rochester four barrel
Brakes	Non-ventilated front disc's 10. 625 inch -  rear drum brakes
Track	58.38 inches front & Rear
Diff	Hotchkiss/Salisbury slippery
Final Drive Ratio	2.:85:1
Wheels	14 x 6 " slotted steel wheels
Tyres	ERH70 x 14 radial ply
Overall Weight	3,322lbs
Fuel Capacity	25 gallons
Speeds through the Gears	(3:36:1 ratio) Redline = 5500 rpm
1st	48 mph
2nd	72 mph
3rd	92 mph
4th	125 mph
Quarter Mile ET	15.7 seconds
Horsepower & Torque	300bhp & 389lb/ft

The real test was to come at Sandown in September where the Ford GT's blitzed the Holden drivers with a 1, 2, & 3 result.  Ford had announced their "HO" option; (shortly before the Sandown event) which gave them a front spoiler and a bigger Holley carbie.  Interestingly, these new options were not even used at Sandown.  Firth now knew that with these HO monsters Ford's claim of only 290 hp was simply a joke.  All in the trade knew they would be capable of over 130 mph down conrod.  The storm clouds were thick and dark for Holden at that moment.  Nevertheless, Harry was heard to say, "we can only improve from here".

Brakes and Gearboxes were Firth's greatest worry with these cars.  While the Monaro had been given larger front disc brakes than they had in 1968, they were smaller than those of their adversary, the GT.  Further, while the Muncie gearbox was an improvement over the previous clunky old Saginaw box, the Muncie was a mess of linkages that could not easily be adjusted/fixed if the drivers were rough with the box.  Harry gave explicit instructions to his drivers on how to drive these cars and get them to the finish.  It was to be a tall order for Holden to win at Bathurst with only six Monaro GTS 350's taking on a huge field of fourteen GTHO's. 

The race produced a fairly tale result for Harry and his new HDT.  First place for Bond & Roberts with Brock & Des West in third place.  This is what Brocky said Harry told to do before the 1969 Bathurst race. 

"The GTS 350 was the most awesome car around those days and to go to Bathurst was something else!  I was very much overawed and the new kid on the block.  I listened very carefully to everything Harry told me to do.  Do you know he'd say. 'When you come over the top of the hill, do this, that and this.  I'd do this, that and this.  I had to get all my stuff organised, you know in my brain, just what it all meant.  And if he said, 'don’t use the brakes', I didn't use the brakes.  If he said, 'don’t use the gearbox to slow down', I didn't use them to slow down.  I did this because I didn't know any better!  I finished third and did what Harry said and think that's what clinched the drive with Holden Dealer Team on a full-time basis." 
Extracted from Video Tape 
Holden in Motorsport 
25 anniversary 1969 - 1994. 

Harry was indeed suitably impressed and worked hard with Brock to develop their new weapon, the six cylinder GTR into a replacement for the Monaro.  Harry had Brock test and drive a GTR the early part of 1970 which was in fact a shakedown vehicle for the development of the XU1.  The first serious XU1 drive was to come in September three hour Sandown won race.  Brock came fourth on that occasion.  Years later, Harry advised in a television interview that he deliberately "held Brock back".  He explained that he did not want Brock to develop a "big head" and needed a driver he could "mould".  His praise for Brock being that he was "prepared to listen and learn" and "understood how to get what was needed out of a car without breaking it".  Harry openly acknowledged that he was "hard on Brock at times", but believed that Brock's early gift for driving, needed to be more disciplined and focused.

Brock therefore had to prove to Harry his worth as an investment.   A motoring writer asked Brocky a question related to this early period in time with Harry. 

Was Harry Firth the biggest influence in your career?  Brocky -" I think so…Harry was tough and clever.  It was years before I got a new set of race tyres on my car.  I used to have to use Colin Bond's old tyres on my car and Harry wouldn't give me new ones until I was as fast or faster than Bondy.  He knew I need to be motivated to give my best."

Harry had set in motion the wheels that would realise the full potential of Brocky as a race driver.  It was somewhat fortunate that a man like Harry was around that sought young talent.  One could ponder about how different the scene would have been for Brock had Harry not been prepared to risk his equipment on young talent. 

Many believe that Harry Fox Firth, was a motor racing manager who was well ahead of his time.  On behalf of all Brocky fans, thank you Harry. 

Harry with Holden's John Bragshaw and Colin Bond.