Club Motori Italia Domain 2020 Hillclimb

If Queen Liz thought 1992 was an annus horibillus, I'd like to know how she refers to 2020! Annus bloody terribillus doesn't seem quite adequate and I'm not sure Her Majesty's vocabulary extends far enough into expletive territory to do the year's total faecality proper justice. Let's pretend that I'm not a potty-mouthed lout, predisposed to gratuitous use of the F-word, and go with thoroughly egregious!

One of the most thoroughly egregious things about this very, very egregious year - for me and my fellow motoring fans, at least - has been the cancellation of all our favourite events. Targa Tasmania and Targa Wrest Point both fell victim to the C-word, as did the Baskerville Historics. The Picnic at Ross didn't eventuate, either.

Possibly even worse for southern Tasmanian motorsports fans was that Club Motori Italia's Lufra Hillclimb, which regular readers might remember is one of my all time favourite outings, also got knocked on the head. For those not in the know, the Lufra is held in August each year and kicks off from outside the local hotel, overlooking spectacular Pirates Bay at Eaglehawk Neck, about an hour's drive from Hobart. It's as good a grass-roots event as you could hope for, combining perfect scenery, beautiful cars, spirited driving and a genuinely village atmosphere that makes it easy for spectators to wander about in the marshalling area and to find a perfect spot to take in the action.

Fortunately, CMI's other signature event - their Domain Hillclimb - did not succumb to the threat of Covid-19, providing a much-needed hit for motorsports addicts and car-nutters alike. Like the Lufra, the Domain is a grass-roots event, organised and run by the same very competent motorsports enthusiasts. It's also similarly accessible, allowing spectators to mingle with drivers, check out their cars at close range and to find any number of great places from which to view the action.

This year's Domain was held earlier than usual - on Sunday the 27th of September - rather than its regular date in late October, and was the second time it's been run since the City of Hobart Council overturned its 2018 ban on the use of the area for motorsports. It certainly was a welcome relief for those of us who've been deprived of our favourite sport!

The photos above and below were taken, in no particular order, at various locations during the first three pre-lunch runs. I hope they adequately show the range of classic, sports and performance cars competing, as well as doing some justice to the beauty of the Domain itself, a usually tranquil oasis about ten minutes' walk from Hobart's CBD, popular with mountain bikers, runners and dog walkers. Please enjoy!

For results, please refer to the following link:

http://cmitas.org/blog/category/events/.

Thanks to CMI and their team of organisers for putting on an excellent event.

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

EJ or EH Holden? (Up-dated December, 2022)

EJ or the later EH? Several years ago, I posed the question: Can somebody please explain the difference between an EJ and an EH Holden ute or van? The response at the time wasn't overwhelming, so I did a bit of Googling and ferreting through my photos and came up with my own rough guide to EJ and EH identification. Sedans and wagons are easy to tell apart ; the EH's vertical rectangular tail lights are a dead give-away. However, the workhorse versions of both models share the rear-end treatment of the earlier EJ, making it harder to identify one from the other. No super obvious hints here. Or here ... . It turns out that the main clues are in the placement of the front H O L D E N lettering and GMH lion emblems, the style of the radiator grille and the width of the vents in front of the windscreen, with all EJs - sedans, wagons, utes and vans - having one combination and the EH line-up having their own . So what exactly are those diffe

Vick Auto Prima Fiat X1/9 Brakes: An Owner’s Assessment

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Random # 301: Nanna-Spec KE36 Corolla

Once upon a time - six or seven years ago, actually - there was a lovely pale yellow GC Galant station wagon getting around Hobart. It was totally nanna-spec; its paint was umarked, the chrome work and hubcaps were immaculate, and its very original interior was pristine. Then someone stuck feathers in its dashboard. Next, the windows were adorned with Tibetan prayer flags. And a hubcap went missing. And the the rear bumper was pushed in, mangling the bodywork behind it. And a mudguard got dented. And rust set in. I fear for this sweet, innocent KE36 Corolla. Somebody please save it before it's too late. Nanna needs you to do it. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) Photos by GlamRock.

Upper Middle Petrol Head:

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