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The Architect’s Eye: an XL Falcon Ute

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  Hobart architect Mark Drury has done it again, having snapped this ripper XL Falcon ute in historic Battery Point.  XLs were built between 1962 and 1964, bookending a very, very important year for more than just automobile production.    Look closely and you'll see that although it's ostensibly stock, this particular example may be a bit of a sleeper.  The fat steelies and column mounted tacho mightn't mean much on their own but the subtle twin exhausts suggest it could be packing a couple of cylinders more than it did when new.  For those that may be wondering where this month's Classic by The Beach post has gone, I can assure you that it's coming.  There's an IT issue to overcome but, once that's resolved, we'll have the former Canberra Chief Correspondent's photos up for all to enjoy. Did you enjoy this post?  If so, why not browse the rest of the uppermiddlepetrolhead site?  There are loads and loads of classic, sports and performance v...
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Random # 348: a 1958 FC Holden ute

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Thank you, Noosa, my old friend!  Five minutes.  A mere 300 seconds.  That’s how long it took to find this magnificent FC ute on Hastings Street, home to the Noosa Concours d’ Elegance ( https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2024/07/noosa-concours-d-elegance-2024-part-1.html ) and the scene of many an UMPH Random post over the years.  It’s not like I wasn’t keeping an eye out.  But winter’s not exactly peak classics season in Tasmania.   Queensland’s Sunshine Coast’s a much, much more enticing place to exercise your classic car and to share a little joy.   And what a joy it was!  Beautiful two-tone duco, dechromed brightwork, red steel wheels and a magnificent interior with diamond quilted seats, in tan leather, and an elegant wood-rimmed sports steering wheel.   There is a set of LED headlights but, otherwise, it looks like the car is pretty much stock, retaining its three-on-the-tree gearshift and four wheel drum brakes but going large...
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Classics by The Beach: July, 2026

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How's this for a Merc with attitude?  It looks like it's sitting on airbag suspension and it has heaps of negative camber, especially at the rear.  The car's big, fat AMG wheels look a treat, as does the German Auto Club ( Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club )   grille badge and California-style headlights.  I'm not sure what it's powered by, though; there's 280 script on the rear but that seems a little under-cooked for such a tough looking machine.     Classics by The Beach - Hobart's regular first-Sunday-of-the-month cars 'n' coffee, held at Sandy Bay, fifteen minutes' drive south of the CBD - is no stranger to custom vehicles or "specials."  This 1929 Hudson would seem to fall into that category, featuring what appears to be a hand-formed aluminium cockpit and  mudguards, plus a number of beautifully made wooden components - its dashboard, dash-surround, steering wheel, door combings and rear luggage rack - plus what looks very mu...
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