After the annoucement two weeks ago that Aussie expat billionaire and racer Kenny Habul had bought HDT Special Vechicles, Habul has today outlined some of his plans for the brand the HDT-sponsored ‘Lap 162’ post-race festivities on Mt Panorama, Bathurst.

Habul aquired HDT from long-time custodian and collector, Peter Champion. Champion bought HDT in 2007 from Len and Sid Pennisi, who themselves acquired the brand in 1994 and build their own successful operation.

Amongst Habul’s ambitious plans include a Bathurst-based factory to create Commodore-based, Singer-style restomods (or Reimagined HDT’s in Habul’s words), as well as restorations and upgrades to existing HDT vehicles. Prototype restomods are said to be already being tested in Austrlia, Germany and the US.

Two museums are also planned, one for HDT and one for Holden itself.

“For me, I didn’t want the brand to die, I didn’t want it to disappear,” said Habul today in Bathurst.

“A bit like Brock’s racecars that were here this weekend. I’m glad people get to see them and I’m glad we get to display them because I don’t want to disappear in the memories. The memories that he [Brock] gave everybody.

“He had a lot of time for everybody, including kids….for me I wanted to revive it, add some capital. We’re probably going to restore a lot of these cars…we’re going to have upgrade kits and we’ll probably build some new ones….a few prototypes are being worked on right now. There is one being put together in town right now that is pretty impressive.

“Bathurst is where HDT became famous, so we’d like to be here…I think we need a new museum. I think Australia in general needs a Holden museum. We don’t really have a proper Holden museum and we hope it will be here.”

Habul’s SunEnergy1 is one of the largest solar power operations on earth. His racing achivements include being a two-time winner of the Bathurst 12 Hour and has competed in a wide range of motorsports, including Formula 3, NASCAR Trucks, V8 Supercars and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Habul’s personal connections to Brock run deep, according to V8 Slueth: “I had a rough upbringing. I had to leave home and I went to Melbourne and he [Brock} looked after me and took me in…I worked there with his race teams, and basically seapt the floors and washed the wheels and he would always check on me, and Bev also.”

Is there a market for a full-on, Singer-style restomod HDT? That remains to be seen, but we can’t wait to see the product.