Australian Muscle Car

Australian Muscle Car is a fresh, proudly Australian publication dedicated to preserving the legend of the unique ‘Australian made’ Ford vs Holden muscle car heritage. From 1960s classic Bathurst muscle to the super sophisticated Falcon and Commodore performance cars of the new millennium and everything in between.

Steve Normoyle

Australian Muscle Car

Mustang Dark Horse returns with Triple Eight special edition

The Captain’s birthday party

Sports Sedans turn it on at Mallala

Goodwood down under

AMC BEST LETTER

HR department • As the last Holden model before the Aussie muscle car era dawned, the HR series doesn’t get a lot of love these days. But in lots of ways it was a pivotal model that paved the way for Holden’s transformation into a multi-model and V8 manufacturer. And in the 186S version, the HR laid out the basic technical blueprint for what later became the LC Torana GTR – without which, there couldn’t have been an XU-1.

FPV GT Ford’s last angry shot • This year marks half a century since the end of the original Falcon GT lineage. But it wasn’t the end. The iconic Falcon GT would return decades later, and while the EB and EL Tickford versions in the ’90s maybe weren’t to everyone’s tastes, the new century’s FPV-developed GTs really hit the spot – culminating in the barnstorming GT-F 351 F. Mark Oastler reflects on 12 glorious years of FPV GTs.

LH Torana XU-1 The car that never was • A Torana LH XU-1? No such Torana ever existed, but in early 1975 HDT boss Harry Firth developed a 2850cc version of the old LJ XU-1 triple-carby engine in anticipation of Holden mounting an attack on under 3.0-litre touring car racing with a six-cylinder LH Torana.

Heavy hitters • 1972 Grace-Bros Toby Lee Series final

Vale: Barry ‘Bo’ Seton • He was famously known as a man of few words; in many ways he was the classic quiet achiever. But in a motorsport career that spanned four decades, Bo Seton is probably unparalleled not just as a champion racing driver and a master engineer, but also for the motor racing dynasty he fathered.

By George Part 2 • He was never a famous racing driver, but he contributed to many famous wins. Part 2 of Liz Swanton’s look at the life and times of the late George Shepheard takes in the early Bathurst 12 Hour races with Mitsubishi and then Volvo, plus leading the Swedish marque to victory in the Bathurst 1000 during the Super Touring era. And, finally, a return to George’s first love, rallying, including a second round Australia trial win with Holden Commodores.

Just like old times • It was just like old times on the Mountain in the 2026 Bathurst 6 Hour as big V8s from Ford and GM proliferated in a race normally dominated by sophisticated European and Japanese turbos. But the 6 Hour this year harked back to an earlier Bathurst era in another kind of way, too. Because as the event continues to grow, it could soon reach a crossroad not unlike that which the Bathurst 500 faced in 1972.

Slot car addiction

Tales from the factory floor • With two successful one-make racing series behind him, Mike Breen was ready to run with the idea of another one when it was suggested. Yet again, the series colloquially known as ‘the 86ers’ would provide a launch pad for some of the best racers of a new generation.

Mini Muscle

Hard to top

Carpark Muscle

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