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Our Editor-in-Chief takes a Sabbatical: a 350 cu V8 Chevelle

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  You may have noticed that a fair chunk of UMPH staff have just done the big f*ckoffski, taking (un)fair advantage of their overly generous leave entitlements.  With personnel currently spread from Italy to Canada , the editor-in-chief has not only had to pick up his own coffee, he’s had to pay for it himself, too! Working on the premise that what’s good for the gooses* is even better for the gander, our E-i-C decided a bit of tax-deductible travel is just what the company accountant - had we such a person in our employ - probably would’ve ordered and has taken a sabbatical to Cottesloe Beach, Western Australia .   Why Cottesloe beach?   One word - or acronym - really:  FIFO !  Or drug money, possibly .   There are more noveau Porshe 911s and Ferraris than our beloved E-i-C has seen outside of anywhere but Monaco, plus a constant parade of Brock / HSV Commodores, classic Aussie GM, Ford and Chrysler muscle - his absolute faves being a patina-spec HT...
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From Our Man in Tuscany: a Citroen Dyane

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I initially thought Our Man in Tuscany - who's now visiting Rome - had gone artsy on us, tilting his camera to add dynamism and a slight sense of claustrophobia to the lead photo.  And maybe it was intentional.  But a look at his subsequent images suggests otherwise; the way the Polo's jammed in behind OMiT's subject - a charming Citroen Dyane - speaks volumes for the genuinely confined nature of   Rome's  la strada and the resultant  scarcity of parking .  The Dyane is, basically, an upgraded 2CV that was built to take on rival French manufacturer Renault's R4, examples of which OMiT has fortuitously already sent us: ( https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2025/09/from-our-man-in-tuscany-renault-4.html and  https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2025/09/from-our-man-in-tuscany-another-renault.html ).  Although a not insignificant 1,443,583 Dyanes were manufactered in France, Spain, Iran, Yugoslavia and Portugal, their production run sta...
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From Mrs OMiT: a Fiat 500 C Belvedere

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  When in Rome ... ?  Take pictures of Roma-registered classic Italian cars, of course! This absolute gem - brought to you by Mrs OMiT - is a Fiat 500 C Belvedere, which predates the better-known and comparatively newer 500 Bambino  (1957 - 1975, as shown below) by two years (1936 - 1955).  There are three models with only fairly minor styling updates, the A, B and C, with Mrs OMiT's example being the latter. Image courtesy of the Italian Corrispondente ( https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-italian-corrispondente-4-fiat-500.html ). The original 1930s' 500 was affectionally known in Italy as the Topolino ,   which translates as little mouse in English.  Unlike the more famous 500 Bambino , it was a front-engined, rear wheel drive car and came in two-door sedan, convertible, station wagon (Belvedere) and van configurations.  There was a Zagato-bodied  Panoramica version, too ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_500_...
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Classics by the Beach: October, 2025

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Opinions are often divided when it comes to the Datsun 120Y / B210, with some in-period drivers bemoaning their lack of power and somewhat tinny construction, while others fondly recall good times had behind the wheel and enthusiastically recount stories of the marque's near indestructibility.  As one punter put it, "they might've been cheap but you couldn't kill 'em with a stick."  Sounds about right to me.    Even the non-fans would have to admit that this example - a rarer lift-back photographed at Hobart's first-Sunday-of-the-month cars 'n' coffee, Classics by the Beach - is pretty damned cool!  The JDM wing mirrors and 13" vintage Japanese alloy wheels, its B210 badging and Momo Indy steering wheel all really suit the car, while its blue duco is pure 1970s' magic. This stunning Alfa 105 Series 1750 GTV is new to Tasmania, having just been purchased from NSW.  It genuinely is perfect, looking as near as possible to being brand new as ...
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