The last of the Big Bangers that’s how the farewell to Bathurst’s Group C touring car dinosaurs had been billed. They were going to make way for an exciting new breed of touring cars. But there were some regrets

And it was perhaps fitting that the combination that had dominated this category for much of the previous decade Peter Brock and Holden came up trumps again.

However, the 1984 James Hardie 1000 won’t be remembered as much for the Holden Dealer Team’s convincing one-two win, but for the creation of three chapters of Bathurst lore.

For Bathurst 1984 introduced the new International Group A regulations to The Great Race; Group A and Group C cars shared the track, competing in two distinct classes.

As well, this year marked the first time a Japanese car had taken pole position at the Mountain quiet, self-effacing George Fury’s whispering Nissan Bluebird Turbo had rocketed around the course in a touring car best of 2 minutes, 13.9 seconds.

Then there was the massive starting-line crash that wrecked several race cars.

The local Jaguar of British touring car champion and celebrated Bathurst rookie Tom Walkinshaw, immobilised with clutch failure the instant the race began, was rammed from behind.

Faced with a pit straight strewn with cars and the circuit blocked, race officials were forced to flag down the field.

The carnage continued on Conrod Straight, when some drivers failed to react to the flag signals. Murray Carter’s Mazda was destroyed, while Ron Gillard’s Mazda was badly mangled.

Forty minutes later, the race was restarted minus four badly damaged cars but including six that had been hastily repaired in time.

Ever calm Brock immediately blasted his Commodore into the lead and, with co-driver Larry Perkins, proceeded to race away from the rest. Ford hope Dick Johnson (Falcon), and Allan Moffat (Mazda RX-7) chased hard and fast early but it was obvious that it was going to be another wonderful day for the King of the Mountain.

Johnson and co-driver Dick French ultimately succumbed to a succession of mechanical problems, while Moffat’s Rotary simply didn’t have the power to run on terms with the powerful V8s.

It was the immaculate Brock’s eighth Bathurst triumph an incredible record and a hat-trick for the Brock/Perkins combo.

The second HDT machine of veteran John Harvey and Tasmania dairy farmer David Parsons overcame minor problems to take second, two laps from the lead. At one point, a gear lever had come adrift in Parsons’ left hand. He must have thought he was milking a cow, Brock joked later.

Moffat and co-driver Gregg Hansford chased hard all day and were to finish a weary but respectable third, on the same lap as the Harvey/Parsons Commodore.

Fourth and perhaps unlucky not to finish higher was the Commodore of Alan Jones/Warren Cullen. Jones held second in the closing stages until he was forced to make a quick visit to the pits for fuel.

One of the two factory Rover Vitesses from Britain the car shared by Armin Hahne of West Germany and Jeff Allam of England annihilated its Group A opposition. It beat the BMW 635 of former world champion Denny Hulme and European blueblood, Prince Leopold of Bavaria, by four laps. However, the BMW had been disadvantaged by a practice crash with the Prince at the wheel.