A genuine Holden Dealer Team race suit from Peter Brock's golden era, signed by the man himself and held by one family for almost 50 years, leads Donington Auctions' ‘Holden vs Ford’ sale. Bidding is open now and closes from 6:00pm AEDT on Wednesday, 7 October.
When the man became a legend
Close your eyes and you can hear it. The bark of a Torana A9X coming down Conrod Straight, the crowd on their feet at the top of Mount Panorama as a man in a bright red race suit became a legend.
That man was Peter Brock, and the late 1970s was when "Peter Perfect" became “King of the Mountain”. In 1978, Brock won the Australian Touring Car Championship and the Hardie-Ferodo 1000 (his third Bathurst crown) driving for the Marlboro Holden Dealer Team. Brock would win Bathurst again in 1979, this time by an astonishing six laps - setting the lap record on the final lap for good measure.
The race suit on offer with Donington Auctions comes from that special period in Brock history. Neither a replica nor a tribute piece, this is a genuine, race-worn C1978–79 Holden Dealer Team race suit - with the scars to prove it.
Every patch tells a story
Compared to modern race suits that cover every square inch of fabric with corporate adornments, this suit is notable for its lack of sponsor patches. But what is there reads like a roll call of names associated with Australian motorsport in the late-1970s.
- AC Spark Plugs and Castrol – in the engine room of the HDT programme
- TAA - the airline that flew Australia
- 2SM and 3XY - the Sydney and Melbourne radio stations that brought racing into lounge rooms and car radios
- Parramatta Protective Fabrics by Sozo - the maker of this flame-retardant suit
- .05 - the racing number that Brock adopted and made his own
Look closely and you'll also see the outline of the ‘event patch’ that was only attached for the Great Race. It's a small detail, but places this suit squarely in the paddock at Mount Panorama.
Signed on the Mountain
The provenance attached to this race suit is what true collectors look for. The vendors acquired it around 1980 through a mutual friend, and it’s stayed with them ever since.
Sometime around 1998, they took it back to Bathurst, where Peter Brock signed it on the upper left chest. He didn't just sign it: he stopped to reminisce with the owner about that very special period of his career. Brock’s passing in 2006 makes a signature gathered face-to-face - on a suit he actually raced in - all the more meaningful.
Honest Patina
Reflecting the toll of racing, this suit does show signs of wear. There’s deterioration around the collar and damage to some of the patches, with the stitched "Marlboro Holden Dealer Team" lettering on the back largely worn away. But for collectors, this patina is a big part of the appeal. A pristine suit may show what the team looked like on launch day, but this one wears the scars of touring car competition and racing 163 laps around Mount Panorama.
Measuring approximately 160cm tall, this suit had been displayed by the owner in a special box frame. This is not included in the auction, but the winning bidder could arrange its acquisition directly with the owner afterward.
Bidding Open Now
Bidding in this auction is underway, closing from 6:00pm on Wednesday, 7 October, 2026. If Brock, the HDT or Bathurst in the 1970s means something to you, this is a rare chance to own a piece of it.
View the lot and bid at Donington Auctions →
Donington Auctions — The Holden vs Ford Auction
Lot #:1
Item:Circa 1978–79 Marlboro Holden Dealer Team Peter Brock race-used suit, signed
Format:Online, timed
Closing:From 6:00pm AEDT, Wednesday 7 October 2026
Buyer's premium:19.5% + GST
