Browse over 9,000 car reviews

Allan Moffat GTHO helps unveil DJR livery

Johnson says the GTHO cover for the Moffat car had brought back a lot of good memories.

Taking the special "GTHO" wraps off son James's race car for this year, Moffat declared the Blue Oval teams are ready to take it up to the Red Lions.

Holden has won the past two constructor titles with 14 to 12 race wins in 2010 and a dominant display last year, winning all but four races.

While no one is suggesting James Moffat is ready to win the title, his father and DJR boss Dick Johnson believe he is ready to go much better than his two fourths places at Queensland Raceway and Surfers Paradise last year.

"He's very brave just to take the family name to racing," Moffat says. In his first year in the main game, 27-year-old Moffat finished just 23rd, but with enough moments of brilliance to attract the attention of other drivers such as Craig Lowndes who declared Moffat the one to watch this year.

"That's a big compliment coming from someone of his calibre," says young Moffat. "I'm not getting too far ahead of myself and I won't say we will win every weekend; I'll just be building on my experience.

"The advantage this year is I know what to expect." He says his father has been "more of a help than a hindrance".

"The only hindrance is the fact that people expect too much of me, which is only natural," he says. "The biggest things dad has taught me over the years are the importance of preparation and finishing." 

DJR preparation last year was thrown into disarray with their championship-winning chief engineer moving to Triple Eight and their replacement dying early in the season. DJR competed all year with only one full-time engineer.

Johnson says the new four-car team now has a host of full-time engineers and they have sorted out the "technical issues" that haunted them late in the season. "We've now recognised the problem that was put into the cars at Queensland Raceway," he says.

"You don't go from being a top three qualifier to the bottom two without some dramatic change. It was a human error issue.

"We had a huge void in our engineering for most of the year, but now we have one of the strongest engineering teams."

Johnson says his relationship with his former Ford opponent was also strong. "He's unlike the typical driver's father. He knows when not to interfere. He knows James is getting the best treatment possible."

Johnson says the GTHO cover for the Moffat car had brought back a lot of good memories. "But it just shows how far technology has moved on in 40 years," he says. "The major difference is today you have more grip and stopping power.

"Those old race cars were basically road-going cars but damn fast. Today they are formula race cars."

1973 Ford Falcon GTHO race car
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Power: 224kW @ 5400rpm
Torque: 515Nm @ 3400rpm
Transmission: 4-speed synchro H pattern
Top speed: 225km/h
0-100km/h: 6.4 secs
Quarter mile: 14.2 secs
Brakes: 286mm discs (front), 254mm drums (rear)
Wheels: 6 x 14-inch steel
Weight: 1524kg

2012 Ford Falcon V8 Supercar
Engine: 5-litre
Power: 470kW @ 7250
Torque: 650Nm @ 5500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed sequential
0-100km/h: 3.4 secs
Quarter mile: 10.8 secs
Top speed: 303.8km/h
Brakes: 375mm discs (front), 343 discs (rear)
Wheels: 11 x 17-inch alloys
Weight: 1345kg

View cars for sale