Upper Middle Petrol Head:

Followers of P3P may remember that a full set of replacement seat belts*, clear gauge lenses, a short length of exhaust pipe, and a new sill and inner brace were all that was preventing it passing a rego check, as we Aussies call it.  Whatever you might coin that process - be it a roadworthy, an MOT or a pink slip - I'm very, very happy to say that P3P is now a totally road legal member of the UMPH fleet! The last pieces of the puzzle - the sill and driver's side luggage compartment brace - were completed a few weeks ago, earning the car its long-awaited Tasmanian registration plates.  I've had to go full rego, rather than SI ( Special Interest , which is our state's equivalent to vintage or club registration in other Australian jurisdictions), because SI regulations are being savagely enforced with only cars deemed to be "immaculate" able to qualify for the scheme.  Immaculate P3P is not! The repair to the luggage compartment brace, shown above, has been nice...

It's pretty clear that uppermiddleptrolhead.blogspot.com.au was destined to do a shaggin' wagon special, even if I hadn't seen last week's magnificent HK van ( https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/02/random-312-hk-panel-van-not-boring.html )!  Seriously, how could this awesome little Escort not kick start the late 1970s and early 1980s' nostalgia and set me down that path? This particular example - a tribute to "The Purple One" or, as said artiste was also known, Prince - is an absolute riot!  It really, really ticks all the  classic  evolution of the shaggin' wagon boxes, including, but not limited to:  a custom metallic purple paint job (yes, proper 1970s'   p u r p l e   duco !!); all-over body murals (of Prince, musical notation - presumably of his work - and purple rain drops); a pop-up sunroof; mags (wider on the rear); a front spoiler; AND bubble windows!   Prince Rogers Nelson, aka "the Purple one"! Unfortunately, those...

This 1968-9  HK Holden panel van is a prime example of what was, by the late 1970s to early '80s, fondly known as a "shaggin' wagon."  The origins of these iconic machines have their basis in Aussie surf culture, as vividly portrayed in Kathy Lette's 1981 coming of age novel,  Puberty Blues .   The phenomenon began simply enough with surfers' use of panel vans and station wagons - anything from VW Kombis through to Holdens, Fords and Chryslers - as mobile change rooms, and simple but comfortable beachside accommodation in which they could sleep or pursue other horizontal activities.  Early examples were simple affairs: a roof rack for the 'boards, a foam mattress, and curtains, but only if your mother was prepared to sew them.    They weren't status symbols at first, with older - and thus cheaper - ex-tradie vehicles being all the rage.  It was the sea, not the road, that early adopters worshipped.   However, by the late 1970s, a ne...

  This very, very tough Falcon hardtop - brought to us courtesy of the South East Queensland correspondent - has me a little confused.  It has the front-end and interior of an XC (1976 - '79), but the personalised rego - 75 EXB - suggests that it's an XB (1973 - '76).   The 1952 FX ute shown above and below also oozes toughness!  To me, it's nailed the restomod thing beautifully, combining a largely unmolested shell - save the insertion of some quite tasteful tail lights -  a striking orange paint job, perfect bright-work, and a really, really nicely retrimmed interior.  It's not obvious what mechanical upgrades it's received, although there are definitely some front discs peeking out from behind its cool five spokes alloy wheels. Did you enjoy these photos?  If so, you can see more of the South East Queensland's Correspondent's work here at  https://aureliatheitalianproject.blogspot.com/ .  Click the link to follow progress on his ...

I've been waiting to capture this lovely Saab 900 Turbo for a very, very long time, often seeing it while its owner does coffee not far from UMPH HQ and I  simultaneously  do something else that precludes stopping to make a closer inspection.  Fortunately, the opportunity to properly ogle one of the most original examples of the highly innovative Swedish marque in Tasmania finally arrived at the February, 2022, installment of Classics by the Beach at Hobart's Sandy Bay. The car is strikingly original, featuring the super-classic Saab snowflake wheels (I don't know if that's what they're officially called or colloquially known as, but how could they not have attracted that moniker?), TURBO badging, headlight wipers, a sunroof, rear spoiler, a nifty three-spoke steering wheel that's vaguely reminiscent of a Momo Monte Carlo , an unusual but not unattractive green interior and the quirkiest seatbelt buckles I've ever seen.  The duco and interior are first rate...