Classics by the Beach: December, 2023

We have a winner! This awesome RS2000-themed Mk1 Escort, photographed at Sandy Bay's first Sunday of the month cars and coffee, is at least as good as any other example of the marque that I've ever seen, thereby taking out the coveted UMPH Car of the Day Award*!

Not only were the body work and paint perfect, so too was the interior. The iconic RS2000-style bubble arches would seem to be metal, rather than fibreglass (I had a sneaky feel underneath), while the side- and bonnet-stripes, Superlite wheels, split front bumpers and chromed bullet mirrors were all model and era appropriate. It was simply stunning!

Alex's second-owner-since-new Fiat 131 Mirafiori was pretty slick, too! It has around 95,000 genuine Ks on the clock and is straight and rust-free, having been garaged all its life. It was purchased with a few minor scrapes that have since been sorted and now wears a set of very, very tasty 15" Davide Cironi Signature alloy wheels by Maxilite, bought new especially for the car. There are plans to slip a fresh twin-cam donk under the bonnet, as well as fitting a five-speed 'box in lieu of the current three-speed auto, plus a few minor suspension tweaks, all of which will take an already lovely machine to the next level.

This striking red and white Kombi was one of two of VW's split-screen ute variants present on the day. Unfortunately, the other one - an equally impressive single cab - headed off before I could photograph it. Next time, I hope ... .

These vented boxes mounted either side of the car appear to be for additional engine cooling.

"Survivor spec" doesn't come any more authentic than this LC Torana. The body itself is exceptionally straight with nothing but the very lightest surface rust evident on the tiniest ding here and there, all of which adds character and does nothing to detract from the car's overall excellenece. The interior was similarly "used but not abused," showing surprisingly little wear for a car that'd be nearly old enough to retire on a pension if it weren't for former PM John Howard.

Almost rounding out today's commentary is this trio of classic US-muscle that wouldn't have been out of place starring in an episode of Happy Days or a scene from American Graffiti! The F100 impressed with its clever custom touches, the Chev wooed with its wrap around glass and tail fins, while the Customline (?) had the coolest patinated bumpers - rubbed back and sealed, leaving a sort of pock-marked effect - I think I've ever seen.

And finally - in stark contrast to the three big Yank tanks that it follows - was this nifty, super diminutive NSU Prinz with its 600 cc, two cylinder engine. That's at least four, and extremely likely six, fewer cylinders than its US cousins and almost certainly four of five litres' cubic capacity, too! It is kinda the same colour as the Customline, though.

Did you enjoy this article? If so, why not browse the rest of the uppermiddlepetrolhead site? There are loads and loads of classic, sports and performance vehicles featured, as well as stacks of car shows and motorsports events. Even better, you can follow either the 'blog itself or do so via Upper Middle Petrol Head's Facebook page. And please do like and share!

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

* UMPH Car of the Day: All glory. No actual prize.

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

At the end of 2022, I fitted a set of Vick Autosport Prima front brakes to my mildly worked 1.5 litre Series 1 Fiat X1/9 . I was fortunate, having picked them up at a very, very reasonable price, brand new but surplus to the needs of a fellow X1/9 Australia member who had imported them from the US. The kit included: New single pot callipers , new vented rotors (standard X1/9 front rotors are smaller, non-vented items), DOT approved stainless steel brake hoses, and all the necessary mounting hardware. They are a value proposition, being particularly well priced compared to other manufacturers’ packages - even at RRP - with everyone I’ve spoken to saying they’re made to a high standard, too. Here's a link to a piece that I wrote about them at that time, including some costings: https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-x19-gets-prima-brake-upgrade.html . Initial Assessment: I was a little underwhelmed by the brakes' performance, finding that although they had a tiny

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.

Anonymous21 December 2023 at 18:06
The Customline- yep. It is a Customline. 1952.
I couldn't afford to have the bumpers chromed, especially expensive with those "pock marked" pitting, but I could afford wire brushes and flap discs for the grinder and a few sheets of sandpaper- oh - and 5 coats of clear.
Glad you were impressed 🙂!

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