.. thanks Martin
there is a little bit of a story behind that.
Back when I worked at GMH, there has been major changes in motor racing when CAMS upended all the rules
for our Australian touring cars, effectively killing the old A9X Torana/Ford GT Falcon competition at the end of the 70s and
with that GMH pulled the pin on the old HDT (really financed by Holden) operation.
John Shepherd, the manager quit HDT, the race team assets put up for sale (*bought personally by the great PGBrock) and...
Someone at GMH felt guilt about John ( I suspect Joe Felice) and offered him a job... as National Service Manager
for GMH (responsible for all internal GMH service centres where company cars, press test etc got serviced ... and repaired)
and this was based at GMH Salmon st.
Me?... I was at that time responsible nationally for all the administration relating to the GMH Service garages.
So yeah, I got to meet John .. and observe the improvement, the efficiency gains in these garages solely from his management.
One thing he impressed on the mechanics, the technicians and apprentices in the company service garages was....
it not only had to be fixed right but make sure it looks right.
That meant all cars got a wash after a service... and the garages look immaculate. The staff got clean overalls daily
the floors got swept, the benches wiped down and most importantly... cars going to motor shows, exhibitions etc
ACTUALLY got polished before going on the transporter.
That level of effort to present the cars, GMH product at their best has rubbed off on me.
The VK might not be the fastest thing on the track (I am racing guys who spent more on an engine that I on the whole car)
but good preparation, a clean car .. shows a a level of professionalism for our club level racing .
This might be over 35 years old (and remember it is an ex-Vicpol car) but it still scrubs up well
* that purchase by PGB (he hocked the farm) got him two non-usable Toranas, a shed load of racing parts and a VB Commodore
race car mule. He had some money from Marlboro but not enough to seriously go racing for more than a year or so. So being Brock
he started chatting to various GMH, dealer and racing people ... and that starts another story. The birth of HDT road Commodores
.... one for another time.
1985 HOLDEN COMMODORE
2015 HOLDEN SPECIAL VEHICLES CLUBSPORT R8
Originally Posted by Smitty
.. thanks Martin
