Upper Middle Petrol Head:

Nice Datto!  This cool 1200 wagon was seen in Elizabeth Street, North Hobart, on a particularly fine autumn morning.  It's straight, rust-free and has a pretty tidy paint job, too.   The forward-mounted external rear-view mirrors lent it a bit of an old-school Japanese look but, given the very early Tasmanian rego-plates, it's clearly been a local car for the vast majority of its life.  It featured non-standard headlights with faceted lenses, natty 13" alloys, a sports-steering wheel and race-style bucket seats. U M P H (u ppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au .)

Only a few hardy car lovers ventured out for June's Classics by the Beach.  However, that only reduced the quantity, not the quality, of the assembled vehicles.  There were even a couple that UMPH hadn't seen before. There is quite a healthy population of MGAs, MG TFs and other examples of the marque in and around Hobart, many of which are often seen at Classics.  It looks like the wet weather put the other owners off on this occasion, though. Lucas Le Mans headlights. This 2 litre TC Rover was in lovely condition.  There are a few of the 3.5 litre V8s in and around Hobart but the four cylinder versions are rarer. Citroens like the model shown above - a CX Pallas - aren't common, either.  If anything, there are fewer examples than there are of the iconic DS series, several of which are still doing duty as daily drivers.  The Mk III MG Midget featured here is a regular at Classics.  There are still quite a few Midgets

It's interesting to see what floats people's boats when it comes to UMPH Random  posts.  Volkswagens rate really well, as do early Fiats and Alfas.  However, lots of other really nice cars often create barely any interest at all.  The following index is therefore an attempt to steer readers to where their particular interests might lie.   The Germans (VWs, mainly): 1956 Beetle ('The Slut') https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7165367970551834236#editor/target=post;postID=6748142476422085586;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=3;src=postname .  (Coming soon.) 1960s 1300 Beetle De Luxe https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7165367970551834236#editor/target=post;postID=1682370562301318900;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=6;src=postname . Split Window Kombi https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7165367970551834236#editor/target=post;postID=7606535652823221330;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=9;src=post

Roma comes to North Hobart. Some cars are so deeply associated with their countries of origin that it's almost impossible to see one without thinking of the other.  Britain has its Mini Minors ; in France, it's Citroen 2CV s ; the Hindustani Star says India as loudly as the loudest Bollywood starlet ever sang ; and the Beetle will always be synonymous with Germany. Quite fittingly, this ripper 500 was spotted in the heart of North Hobart's restaurant precinct near where many a good Italian meal is to be had. And in Italy?  They've got the Bambino!   U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au .) iPhone images.

UMPH isn't going to bang on about this Tasmanian registered, British made Ultima sports car, mainly because it's so exotic that he doesn't actually know anything about it.  He was, however, pretty chuffed to have seen it in Hobart and even more so when he visited the Ultima website ( http://www.ultimasports.co.uk/   ).  A  true supercar!    U M P H. ( uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au .)

This very tidy VW Beetle was spotted outside the excellent Small Fry cafe and bar in Bathurst Street, Hobart, on a pleasant Autumn morning.  According to its friendly owner, it's all original but has been recently reupholstered.   It's not the owner's only VW ;  he told UMPH that he's also got a number of engine-less Kombis that he hopes to get back on the road some day.      U M P H ( uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com .)

UMPH thought he'd stumbled across something really special when he saw this sleek Giugiaro-styled coupe in Hobart.  Turns out  out h e was both wrong and right ; what he thought was a Fiat Dino ended up being an Isuzu 117 coupe and that was no disappointment at all. The grill badge: not all that Italian. Absolutely classic lines. No need for decals - Giugiaro's signature is in the actual design. Admittedly, UMPH didn't know that Isuzu ever made the 117 .  But, now that he does, he's a big fan. A double (twin) over-head cam was quite advanced, and fairly rare, for a Japanese car of the 70s. Only here, in the rear-end treatment, does it depart from a more European look. This particular car featured flawless metallic silver duco and an unusual, but not unattractive, red vinyl roof.  The interior was very tidy while the exterior was finished off with a set of five-spoke alloys that would have looked at home on any Italian classic. Yes -