Upper Middle Petrol Head:

This, well ... regal Valiant Regal was spotted in North Hobart.  A quick chat with its owner, Matt (0409 413 229), revealed that it's for sale for $8,000, firm .  According to Matt, who's very upfront about the car, there is a bit of rust in front of the windscreen, around the rear window and under the vinyl top, but that hasn't stopped Shannons putting an agreed value of $15,000 on it.   The reason?  It's a totally unmolested example, running its original motor, gearbox and all the bits that matter.  The interior is first-rate, too.  Matt reckons it runs like a dream and is the ideal cruiser. It's a one (or two?) previous owner car, with it being in the hands of one older gent for thirty-odd years.  The only thing that he mightn't recognise - or maybe approve of - are the new alloy wheels but, all things considered, they do rather suit the car. I am very, very definitely not in a position to vouch for the car, other than to say that - aforementio

Spring, the start of daylight savings, and Classics by the Beach, all on one mild and sunny morning!  It just doesn't get better than that!  It must have been a wrench for a good many car enthusiasts, though, with the lure of the Bathurst 1000 versus Hobart's best free car show to choose between.  Of course, the smart thing would be to enjoy a morning outing to Sandy Bay to check out the cars, then adjourn home to catch the second half of The Great Race  and to have a few beers around the telly. It's an absolute certainty that the vehicles on display - be they Porsches or Beetles, Ferraris or FB Holdens, muscle cars or vintage offerings - will always be fabulous.  What's less of a sure thing, however, is exactly what might turn up on the day. October's event seemed to have a slightly French feel to it, with a number of Renaults - a Dauphine and a couple of Caravelles - amongst the assembled fleet.  There was also a larger than usual number of