It’s amazing just how many articles, interviews and tall stories have been written about our hero Brocky.  Over more than thirty eight years there is now quite a collection to be acquired.  Indeed to possess such a collection would be great, but what items are truly worth collecting?     

I have noticed that many of my favourite resource documents have appeared on E-Bay lately and I was quite surprised at how inexpensive several items still were.  I naturally think it’s important to preserve such resources and to highlight their importance as historical documents.  The articles and magazines tell a story from their historical perspective and highlight the issues and values of the time.  It’s great to be able to reflect upon these times and the seemingly uncomplicated past.  It’s also the only way to fully understand the full impact that Brock had on the racing scene in Australia.  Most people have long forgotten his many achievements which in many ways dwarf anything accomplished by the latest crop of V8 Superstars.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not their fault, but Brocky could, and was actively encouraged, to race nearly every second weekend of the year.  All this racing in a variety of cars, (something which is virtually prohibited to the latest crop of corporately contracted drivers) obviously honed his skills to a degree never quite seen before.      

Brock’s story is really about the unique development of production car racing in Australia.   The passion of our past is responsible for the creation of the most popular form on tin top racing in the world so it’s important to understand its heritage. It’s a proud heritage that the name Peter Brock has become synonymous with.     

I have selected a few quite obvious magazines which should be compulsory acquisitions for any Brock fan.  It’s going to be fun in identifying them and to discuss why I feel they are important.  I would like others out there to also email me so I may notify the fan base of other collectables I may have overlooked.      

Mr HDT

This is the first magazine devoted to our hero and probably one of the rarest and I believe there were only 25,000 published.  It’s got some quite rare pictures from the Brock archives and the information contained is very accurate.  It’s extremely well written and very entertaining and light to read.   It’s got the most accurate statistical information from 1970 to 1979.   It’s a must have resource and mine is badly worn as I can’t put it down.  If you see it, buy this Bible at any cost. 

Valuable & very rare.

Racing Car News – 1975 Bathurst Edition

Well it’s the RCN edition with the colour picture which was an absolute treat.  As a frustrated teenage motor sport junkie I was always impatiently waiting for the next edition of RCN.  I just had to catch up on all the events around the country.  As you expect from RCN, a great report on all aspects and classes of the great race but its presentation was in the usual agricultural style.  It’s getting hard to acquire this magazine so if you come across it grab it. 

Valuable & rare.

Racing Car News – 1972 Bathurst Edition

Don’t you just love those Cole Anderson drawings on the front page?   It gave the magazine such a unique persona and as a frustrated artist, I was constantly jealous of whoever was paid to do such fun work.  Well it’s a great article about the great wet race and the enthusiasm of having young Brock win simply spilled out into the narration.  It’s a must have edition and one that every man and his dog is holding on to for grim death.  Don’t expect to see it on E-Bay for a song.  As you can see, my copy is a little worse for wear…any donations to an old poor fan???

Valuable & very rare.

Peter Brock – An Illustrated History – Chevron

When I saw it at the paper shop I bought it on the spot.  At $14.95 it was a bit expensive but the quantity and quality of the pictures is simply unsurpassed.  It’s a very classy publication and as you’d expect from Chevron the information contained within is accurate and written with authority.  I absolutely love this magazine and have a bad habit of buying every one I see.  One for the office, two for the house and one for the…….never mind it’s private!    Surprisingly, I come across quite a few copies out there in second hand bookshops, swap meets etc, so there must have been a hell of a lot sold. 

Valuable resource but not yet rare  

Bathurst Holdens – The Cars The Race The Winners

It was the dark ages…..1989 and the situation for die hard Holden fans was very tough indeed.   We had Pommie and Jap hairdryer equipped cars consistently knocking off the General on the race tracks courtesy of bias European Group A rules.   It was a horrible time and it seemed like an eternity for Holden Racing Team to get a fuel injected V8 up to speed.  However, this magazine gave me the tonic to recover.  It reminded us frustrated Aussie V8 fans of glories past and that we will not be beaten, it’s a fight back, kick’ em in the cods magazine and I love it.  It had fantastic large colour pictures and was written in a very jingoistic fighting spirit.  In some sections it was a bit over the top, with story titles such as, “The Glory Days” and “Ultimate Supremacy” but it was very sweet medicine nevertheless.  It’s got lots of Brock pic’s and a centre spread poster of the masters 1979 A9X.   Grab it as it will put a smile on your dial.    

Valuable resource and becoming rare  

Peter Brock The Book – Channel 7 – Alan Kennedy

This is simply a fantastic addition to your resource file.  It’s about the only publication that details Brock’s and Moffat’s European adventure and has some fantastic pictures and informative narration.  It goes back to Brock’s humble beginnings and has a great photograph of Peter and his Dad Geoff together in Mobil Holden Dealer Team gear.  It also has some excellent statistics and tells the Brock story from the A30 right up to the Group A era of 1986.  If you don’t have a copy make it your mission to do so as the information contained here is quite rare and quite interesting to boot.  I have seen many of these on E-Bay so the publication must have been reasonably high. 

Valuable resource   

Street Machine BROCK The Man The Machines The Legend

Valuable & very rare.

More to Come