Upper Middle Petrol Head:

Below are two fine examples of Aussie muscle cars from the 1970s.  The first is a Ford Falcon XB GT, built sometime between 1973 and 1976, powered by a 351 cubic inch V8.  They were fitted with either four-speed floor-change manuals or three-speed T bar autos.  With their twin 'nostrils' built into the bonnet, they shared styling cues with their American cousin, the Mach I Mustang, especially in two-door hardtop form.  Holden GTS Monaros, like the one shown here, were General Motors' answer to Ford's performance Falcons.  This particular car is a 1972 HQ series, which had a production run from 1971 to 1974.  Like the Falcons, the GTS HQs were V8s mated to four-speed floor-shifts or three-speed T bars ( Trimatics in GM marketing parlance).  However, their engines were usually smaller at 308 cubic inches, although there were some 350 cu versions.  Like the Fords, they were also available in coupe form.  All the above are ...

Cygnet, home of the Lotus Eater and Red Velvet Lounge eateries ( https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7165367970551834236#editor/target=post;postID=1789515365344557423;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=42;src=postname ; &  https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7165367970551834236#editor/target=post;postID=1667150042274094703;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=24;src=postname ), is a favourite UMPH destination.  The town takes its name from the title originally bestowed upon it by French explorer Bruni D'entrecasteaux - Port des Cygnes Noirs - which Google wants to translate as 'wearing black swans.'  UMPH knows that French is a funny language but he's not convinced that's quite correct ; it's therefore enough to know that Cygnes was Anglicised to Cygnet and the rest, as they say, is history. Le Weekend is Cygnet's festival of all things French - a pondering of what might have been if D'entrecasteaux and his con...

This Chrysler Dodge Challenger RT screams 1970s!  Everything from its purple paint, Coke bottle profile, huge bonnet scoop and fat BF Goodrich tyres evoke the era perfectly. The car featured here is a Series I, built somewhere between 1969 to 1974.  Ironically, the Series II Challenger sold in the USA from 1978 to 1983 was a trumped up Mitsubishi Galant Lambda (a Scorpion here in Australia), big brother to the UMPH Galant, versions of which were also sold State-side as Dodges. It seems that everything old is new again.  A Series III is now available in America, complete with V6 and big V8 motors, as Chrysler's answer to Ford's reborn Mustangs and the Camaros of General Motors. U M P H. PS: If you enjoyed this post, please visit  http://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au   for more classic cars, route suggestions and Tasmanian dining experiences.

UMPH can reasonably claim to be a professional photographer, given that he formally studied photography for three years and a major part of his day job relies on his photographic skills.  He is not, however, a professional car photographer, no matter how much he wishes that were so. He's not so big-headed that he thinks the photos in this 'blog are the last word in automotive imagery but he does know that they're technically okay.  Here are a few simple tips he reckons will improve any car photography, no matter where the images might be taken, under what conditions, and irrespective of the camera you're using. Lighting For professional photographers, it's all about the light!  A pro will base his or her whole day around where the sun is going to be and what the prevailing weather conditions are or, if they're shooting indoors, will spend ages manipulating studio lights, diffusers and reflectors to get just the right lighting effect. As a predominantly f...

From the minute Patrick Devine announced that he would be displaying his immaculate 1956 Mercedes-Benz SL300 Gullwing at Classics by the Beach, it was always going to be virtually a one-car show.  It didn't matter that there was the usual collection of beautifully restored classics and one or two vehicles that UMPH had never seen before ; Patrick's German super-machine deservedly stole the show!     The distinctive doors that give rise to the Gullwing moniker. Owner Patrick Devine, centre, wearing the white hat. Plenty has been already written about the car, including this 2002 article from The Age   http://www.gardenseeds.com.au/ news/2002/10/24/oh-oh-what-a- gull / .   What might not have been written about, however, is what a thorough gentleman Patrick is.  Surrounded by eager punters, he happily shared stories of the car's  history and restoration and appeared not to be the least bit ...