Issue 70

Muscle News
Paul Gover asks HSV head honcho Phil Harding to dissect the GTS’s stunning sales success. He also reports on the latest from the blue corner. Suggested song to ‘play in your head’ while reading this section: ‘Here is the News’ by Electric Light Orchestra.

Muscle Maniac
This edition Muscle Maniac James Cockington presents Art of Action, the Holden Precision Driving Team head honcho’s retirement project, the latest auction results and fills in a gap in the Goss XB story. Theme song: Icehouse’s ‘Crazy’.

Muscle Mail
AMC readers respond to last edition’s Brock’s Best Car story, chat about Chargers, caption the Moffat Oran Park pic and pose questions for readers via Muscle Assist. Theme song: INXS’s ‘I Send a Message’.

Columns
In his exclusive AMC column, Ford legend Fred Gibson recalls his time running the famed Road & Track business. Meanwhile Phil Anders looks back at the VN Commodores he has owned. Theme song: Madness’s ‘Drip Fed Fred’.

GTO-triggered arms race
The Pontiac GTO’s reveal 50 years ago triggered the start of the muscle car era in America. As Ben Stewart outlines, it also set the ball rolling in Australia on our own uniquely-flavoured automotive arms race. Theme song: ‘Little GTO’ by Ronny and the Daytonas.

The Golden Child
Last issue we featured a chassis that twice won the Bathurst 1000. This issue Aaron Noonan takes a look at the only other car with the same claim to fame. Theme song: the soundtrack to Eddie Murphy’s 1986 film The Golden Child.

Poster
AMC now features a regular double-sided poster. This time we salute Dick Johnson’s 1984 ATCC-winning XE Falcon and showcase the Bathurst Grid Spectacular. Theme song: Kermit the Frog’s ‘It’s Not Easy Being Green’.

Muscle Man
Vern Schuppan is a member of Aussie motor racing’s elite, with success at Le Mans and a top three finish in the Indy 500. He’s also driven, as Paul Newby writes, for the three biggest names at Bathurst: Moffat, Johnson and Brock. Theme song: any track from Powderfinger’s Internationalist album.

Punter Pics
Reader-supplied photos this edition cover unsold A9Xs, a school teacher’s Cobra and tourers in Tassie. Theme song: Van Halen’s ‘Hot for Teacher’.

Muscle Car Masters report
Eleven pages of coverage from everyone’s favourite weekend of muscle car indulgence. Our snappers caught the Bathurst Grid Spectacular from every angle. Theme song: Kool and the Gang’s ‘Celebration’.

Precision Driving Team
All about the Holden Precision Driving Team’s earliest days when it used Monaros. Theme song: Strauss’ ‘Blue Danube’. Read the story and you’ll understand why.

TMR 380
South Australia’s Tonsley Park production facility – with a little help from Dandenong – produced its last performance car more recently than you might think, writes Adam Davis. Theme song: Traveling Wilbury’s ‘End of the Line’.

Algie Bros in racing
Orphaned twin boys growing up in an out-of-town institution develop a taste for hot rods; sounds like the script for a 1950s B-movie that ends in disaster, doesn’t it? There’s nothing ‘B’ about Dave Cooks’ AA yarn. Theme song: anything from the Twin Peaks soundtrack.

Mini Muscle
All creatures great and small. Theme song: Kraftwerk’s ‘The Model’.

Out of Action
Readers again send us some sad pics that make us tear-up. Theme song: Green Day’s ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’.

MIA
Trivia question: How many 3-series Sports Sedans were raced by the iconic JPS Team BMW? See MIA as we seek info on their whereabouts. Theme song: U2’s ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’.