Gallery of Members′ Cars ....
A brief synopsis on the 1972 Bathurst LJ XU−1 ....
The LJ Torana GTR XU−1 'Bathurst' model was built in August 1972 as a limited-production homologation special for the 1972 Hardie-Ferodo 500 at Bathurst. Holden produced these cars so that specific performance components could be legally used on the Holden Dealer Team race cars under the Group C production racing rules of the day.
The standard LJ XU−1 was released in February 1972, but the special 'Bathurst' version appeared later, shortly before the October Bathurst race. The Bathurst package included features such as:
- 13 x 6-inch Globe Sprintmaster alloy wheels.
- Stronger fine−spline rear axles.
- Tubular exhaust headers (extractors).
- Close−ratio gearbox and associated driveline improvements.
- Engine upgrades including a revised cylinder head, camshaft and stronger internal components.
These improvements formed the basis of the famous 1972 Bathurst-winning car driven by Peter Brock.
The exact number of genuine LJ XU−1 Bathurst homologation cars built is often debated among enthusiasts, but it was only a small fraction of the approximately 1,667 LJ GTR XU−1s produced in total.
A genuine August 1972 Bathurst-specification LJ XU−1 can usually be identified by:
- Build date around August 1972.
- The homologation option components listed above.
- Verification through Holden records, body/chassis numbers and original documentation.
Great Cars, Great Runs, Great People, Great Times ....