SS Commodore

Vehicle Type: VH HDT Brock Group 3 SS Commodore

Year of Manufacture: 1983

Owner: Russell Kelly

Registration Type: Historic rego

Info…The standard engine in the Group 3 was still the 4.2-litre unit, but pretty much everybody who ordered one ponied up for the 5.0-litre option. A handful of 4.2 Group 3s did make it out the door, however, so they’re real oddities these days.

Regardless of the engine, it was blueprinted even further – including the ignition system – and power of the 5.0-litre version was, depending on who you talk to, around the 180kW mark. But given the VH’s kerb weight of about 1435kg, this was still a handy device, especially when you consider it had something like 430Nm at its disposal.

The M21 four-speed was the ’box of choice and an automatic option was never officially listed. The ubiquitous 3.08:1 final-drive ratio was installed in the diff and a single-plate clutch was the man in the middle. A 63-litre fuel tank was standard unless you ticked the box for the optional 90-litre bugger.

Those time-warp 15 x 7.0-inch Irmscher alloys were the standard fitment on the Group 3 but there was also an option of 16 x 7.0-inch Centra rims.

Like the mechanical spec, pinning the Group 3 down to a single interior and exterior trim specification can be tricky, too. Many had Scheel buckets fitted but there were two types of steering wheel fitted across the car’s life. The reverse bonnet scoop was a Group 3 inclusion (but could be optioned on Group 1 and 2 cars as well) but some cars even had VC-style wheelarch flares fitted at the factory. The Group 3 also got the guard splitters and rear spoiler of the Group 2, but added the front spoiler, side skirts and rear apron.

Whichever way you cut the deck, the Group 3 is a great looking thing even (especially) now and there’s just something about those black paint-outs against the Maranello red body colour that just works. But there’s another thing; while most were indeed that lovely shade of deep red, some VH HDT cars were white, just to confuse the trainspotters out there.