Upper Middle Petrol Head:

Going ... One from the vault, just to prove that forensic photographers can occasionally nail a bit of "live" action. Going ... Going ... Gone! And back into it again! * No Jags were harmed during the photographing of this event. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

  There are worse ways to tour Tasmania than in a classic VW wagon, its modest flat-four putt putt puttering out the back as you take in the views!  And quite the practical choice, too, with plenty of room in the cabin and even more storage space in the front boot.     The example shown here - photographed in the North Hobart restaurant strip (I'm thinking the hipster NoHo tag has failed to catch on, thankfully!) - looked great with its whitewall tyres and nifty Venetians.  Just the thing for a bit of cafe cruising!    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.blog...

For several years, there have been whispers that an electric X had been constructed in Tasmania's south.  However, no one seemed to know much about the car and how it had been built. That's not to say that it was some kind of skunkworks project; it seems to have simply been an under-the-radar affair, quietly put together by a bloke in his shed.  It was actually so U-T-R that I'd seen it at least twice without me realising that it'd been electrified. The car's since been sold but this is what I could glean from its current owner:  - It's a 1980 model and, as such, was delivered to Australia as a "Series 1.5," meaning that it originally had the Series 1's 1300 cc / four-speed in a Series 2 body with impact-absorbing bumpers and the higher engine compartment lid, as well as the latter's interior; - The motor is a 120 volt DC unit from US company Advanced Motors and Drives, rated at 10 HP / 7.355 kW ( http://evalbum.com/advdc , accessed 03 JUN 24);...

There's something about the HR that seems to really set it apart from other Holden sedans of roughly the same era.  Sure, there's affection for all the marque's early cars but, for some reason, HRs - along with 1963 to 1965's EH - have attracted a particular following over and above that which exists for their other family-orientated models.     Today's example - a top of the line 1966  Premier  photographed at June, 2024's, edition of Classics by the Beach in Sandy Bay, Tasmania - was absolutely immaculate, inside and out.  Forget "eat your dinner out of it" as an engine bay descriptor; this car's under-bonnet area was medical grade clean! Adding to its charm is a worked engine, four-speed floor-shift, lowered suspension and mag wheels, all in a package that is arguably better that when it rolled off the production line nearly six decades ago.  It was as good as any HR ever seen by the UMPH team, which is quite impressive considering the quality ...