THE PROJECT COLLECTORS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR Biante Model Cars are very pleased to announce a brand new project that is sure to make many collectors very happy indeed, our 1:18 Scale Holden VN SS Group A project. We would like to announce two models initially that we intend to produce, the iconic Durif Red VN SS Group A and the Mobil backed Holden VN SS Group A, driven by Peter Brock and Andrew Miedecke in the 1991 Tooheys Bathurst 1000, which will form part of the Biante Peter Brock Collection. The VN is such an exciting project for Biante. Not only is it a new project for a new era of Biante, but also it’s such an important car in Australian Motoring and Australian Motorsport history, being that it is the last fully homologated road car produced for the track. We have been researching this project for over 12 months, gathering images, tracking down real cars and compiling data to make sure that this project re-establishes Biante at the forefront of the Australian Diecast Industry. To celebrate this new announcement, and as part of our ongoing initiative to keep both our stores and our collectors fully informed with all the latest news from Biante, we have created a Biante web blog that will not only include all the latest info from Biante but will also have a dedicated section within it titled “Project VN” Project VN is a new initiative from Biante and a first for the Australian Diecast Market. Over the course of the development of this model, we will be updating new images, information and insights to the development and production process as information comes to hand from our factory. We hope this project will give stores and collectors a unique insight into the creation of a brand new model, from concept to final production and to also highlight the significant amount of time and man hours dedicated to producing a 1:18 Scale model. You can view the Project VN and other news at www.bianteblog.com.au and make sure you visit regularly as the page will be updated often. We hope you are as excited about this project as we are and we look forward to sharing the journey with you all. www.biante.com.au www.bianteblog.com.au
THE FIRST TWO MODELS OFF THE LINE WILL BE THE DURIF RED SS GROUP A AND THE MOBIL BACKED 1991 TOOHEYS 1000 SS GROUP A DRIVEN BY PETER BROCK AND ANDREW MIEDECKE
PROJECT VN: 1:18 SCALE HOLDEN VN SS GROUP A TURN THE PAGE FOR MORE INFO ON THE DURIF RED VN SS GROUP A...
HOLDEN VN SS GROUP A 1991 TOOHEYS 1000 - DRIVERS: BROCK/MIEDECKE AFTER three years away from racing a Holden product, Peter Brock returned to the General Motors fold in 1991 in something of a marriage of convenience that reunited an old winning combination. Brock had Mobil sponsorship but was moving away from Ford Sierras and former Bathurst-winning partner Larry Perkins had cars and engineering expertise but no backer. So the 1982, 1983 and 1984 Bathurstwinning pilots pooled their resources and joined the Group A touring car trail in ’91 in a pair of Mobil-backed, brand new VN Commodores. The 10-round Shell Australian Touring Car Championship proved to be not much more than a public test session, as the squad developed its new cars. This was at the time of the domination of the mighty Nissan GT-R ‘Godzilla’, rendering the V8powered Commodores as not much more than bit players in the sprint series. For the Tooheys 1000 at Bathurst that year, Brock teamed with Andrew Miedecke in the #05 Commodore VN, while Perkins teamed with Thomas Mezera. Things started well in Wednesday practice with no problems and on the first day of qualifying on the Thursday, Brock peddled around the Mountain in 2m17.22s to be fifth fastest. He went even quicker on Friday afternoon in 2m16.44s, thus securing a spot in Saturday’s Top 10 Shootout for pole position - and what a Shootout lap it was! Brock was fourth car against the clock. The Mobil team had left the qualifying engine under the bonnet, so he had nothing to lose with the race engine to be installed later on. It was trademark Brock attacking stuff – the nine-time winner flung the car into McPhillamy Park and promptly had a massive slide over the exit kerb that drew cheers from the fans. Another sideways moment on the exit of the Chase cost further time and, while proving spectacular and giving the fans some fun, it wasn’t quite as quick as it looked. The end result was 2m16.071s and sixth on the grid. It later transpired that Brock had forgotten to adjust the brake bias for a light fuel load, hence the McPhillamy Park moment. “The mob on the hill loved it because I kept the pedal to the metal and drove it to the limit, it wasn’t that bad,” he said. Things didn’t start so well on race day, when co-driver Miedecke had the #05 Commodore suffer a serious misfire in the morning warm up. It later turned out to be a throttle potentiometer suffering from excessive under-bonnet heat, but it wasn’t the ideal way to kick off the biggest day in Australian motorsport. Brock took the helm of #05 for the start of the race, working his way up to a solid fifth by the time he handed over to Miedecke on lap 30. The former open wheeler
ace was seventh on lap 55 and things were looking on target – until the car died on the run to the Cutting. Upon first glance it appeared that the morning warm-up problem had resurfaced, but very quickly the Mobil team, back in the pit lane, realised they could use Channel 7’s in-car camera to spin around and give them a view of the interior of the car. Via radio they gave Miedecke a ‘crash-course’ in hot-wiring the car back into life and he made it back to pit lane. By the time he returned to the pits and had the problem solved (which turned out to be an overheating warning circuit breaker that shattered and broke the electrical circuit) and rejoined, he was a distant 32nd. For the remainder of the day the duo charged around Mount Panorama, clawing back as many positions as they could with nothing to lose. By the time the race was over and the Nissan GT-R of Jim Richards and Mark Skaife had claimed the chequered flag, Brock and Miedecke had hauled their way back up to eighth and completed 147 laps, 14 down on the winners. This would later become seventh when the fourth-placed Sierra of Gianfranco Brancatelli and Charlie O’Brien was excluded from the results post-race for a diff irregularity. Miedecke drove 78 laps, while Brock completed 69 and the car was the eighth fastest in the race with Brock setting its fastest lap of 2m19.18s. It certainly wasn’t an ideal way for Holden’s favourite son to return to Bathurst in one of its products, but race fans were simply happy to see Peter Brock back in a V8 Commodore at the Mountain that made him famous. Biante Model Cars are very excited to announce the opportunity to place your orders for the 1:18 Scale Holden VN SS Group A, driven by Peter Brock and Andrew Miedecke in the 1991 Tooheys 1000, the first time this iconic model will be produced in 1:18 Scale. We expect this model to have a regular retail price of $195.00 and is currently undergoing development by Biante Model Cars.
MODEL INFORMATION Product Code: B182706B Model: 1:18 Scale Holden VN SS Group A 1991 Tooheys 1000 - Drivers: Peter Brock / Andrew Miedecke Pricing: RRP $195.00 including GST
PROJECT VN: 1:18 SCALE HOLDEN VN SS GROUP A
THE LAST GROUP A
DURIF RED VN SS GROUP A
THIS RARE AUSSIE MUSCLE CAR WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE IN 1:18 SCALE The Holden VN SS Group A was an exceptional Australian muscle car which was built under contract by HSV for General Motors Holden Australia and was released in the month of November over twenty years ago in 1990. This car has the honour of being described as the last Group A model to be produced by General Motors Holden Australia due to changes in CAMS regulations and in addition to that title, it also carried the mantle of being the most expensive HSV ever released at that time with a price tag of $68,950 which was $13,000 over initial predictions, which wasn’t the most ideal price point considering the financial hardships Australia were facing during this period. The price tag included a raft of firsts for an Australian produced car including a special 17 inch wheel and tyre combination with 45 inch profile tyres and a completely redeveloped engine with an extra strength manual 6 speed gear box. According to HSV, the 215KW V8 theoretically could produce a maximum speed of something close to 400KM/PH, but the 6th gear ratio was too tall to break any high speed records. In addition to this there was a rumour that General Motors added a speed limiter at the time which would see the fuel supply cut if the vehicle reached speeds of 250KM/PH - but as the case is with many rumours, General Motors never confirmed this. Other technical inclusions that were featured in the VN SS Group A saw the engine block receive a Chevrolet bell housing bolt pattern along with a high torque AP racing clutch, a somewhat redesigned suspension system and a re-engineered engine that had similarities to the previously released VL Group A SV. Another similarity that the VN SS Group A shared with the VL was its body kit and modifications. Although the VN wasn’t quite as radical as the VL, the body kit was developed in Britain’s MIRA wind tunnel and the rear wheel housings were modified to ensure that there would be enough room for racing tyres when the car was sent to the race track. Initial build numbers for the VN SS Group A were predicted to be 500 units, but the actual number fell short of that figure with only 302 cars eventually being made. All of the cars in the production run were painted in Durif Red with a deep grey interior. Interestingly, the cars colour was named by General Motors Holden Australia’s head of motorsport John Lindell because the colour reminded him of the wine colour of the Portuguese Durif grape variety. Despite the main colour being the Durif Red, there were two rare models finished in Alpine White which were received by the Holden Racing Team and the engineering department of General Motors Holden Australia. These two models didn’t receive a build number and were labelled as pilot vehicles. Another two models that did receive a build number though were two VN SS Group A’s that were produced with the Durif Red paint job but were later sprayed a metallic black as part of a prize promotion for the 1991 Tooheys Bathurst 1000. These two models featured a red racing stripe down the lower body and special Tooheys 1000 decals. This car is a true example of an Australian muscle car and Biante Model Cars are excited to announce the opportunity to place your orders for the 1:18 Scale Holden VN SS Group A in Durif Red, the first time this iconic model will be produced in 1:18 Scale. We expect this model to have a regular retail price of $195.00 and is currently undergoing development by Biante Model Cars.
BOTH BIANTE 1:18 SCALE VN SS GROUP A’S ARE AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW FROM LOCAL BIANTE DEALERS MODEL INFORMATION Product Code: B182706A Model: 1:18 Scale Holden VN SS Group A - Durif Red Pricing: RRP $195.00 including GST