Classics by the Beach, 06 September 2015

UMPH is beginning to appreciate the benefits of arriving at Classics a bit earlier in the morning than has been his norm.  For a start, it's a lot easier to find a legitimate parking spot.  Then there's the opportunity to hear and see the cars arriving ...

For sure, the Maserati Ghibli below is a thing of rare aesthetic beauty.  But seeing it parked is only half the story; its understated yet menacing V8 rumble somehow completed the experience.  It even sounded good as it reversed into its parking spot. 

Is it?  Yep, that Woodheap fella at the left of photo.

According to its owner, it's the only one in Hobart and was red until a few years back when he had it sprayed metallic dark grey.  The colour, like its exhaust note, is wonderfully understated.

Also in grey was this very tidy EH Holden, tastefully up-graded with a simple set of mags shod with BF Goodrich Radial TAs (tyre of choice for the hot Aussie car set during the 1980s).  The interior was finished with a dished three-spoke steering wheel (a Sass?) and a nice dash-top instrument binnacle.  The dog looked like it might've preferred UMPH to go away!  

This early 60s GT Cortina is a semi-regular at Classics.  Very period, very straight and very cool indeed!

It's not often that trucks appear down by the bay.  This V8 Ford was in great nick and was a credit to its owner and whoever restored it (very likely the same person!).   

There don't seem to be a lot of TriUMPH Spitfires in Hobart.  There's at least one green and one red earlier model, plus the one shown below, a later British Leyland version.  There might be a few more lurking in their owners' sheds - like the Sebring that used to live in West Hobart and that might still be around - but they're not common. 

Michael C's Alfa Romeo Giulietta is absolutely perfect and might well be UMPH's all-time favourite Classics attendee.  What's not to love?  Timeless Italian design, flawless paint and a pristine interior!  Michael also owns the 1937 Riley TT Sprite featured in last month's post.

The cars that feature at Classics are nothing if not eclectic.  Case in point: one grandma special 1970-something Datsun 120Y.

The 120Y lines up with an Austin Healey, a Pantera, Herbie and an MGB.

There mightn't be many Spitfires in Hobart but there are a reasonable number of 2500 PIs like the one featured below.  UMPH suspects that their owners value them highly, as they're almost all very well maintained.  It's not uncommon to see other Triumphs at Classics, too; there's a TR3 and a TR4 that appear fairly regularly and there's at least one Herald that shows up occasionally.  (Please see UMPH's post of the 5th of July, 2015, for photos.)      

A Triumph 2500 PI, GT Falcon and a Morris 1100.

It doesn't really matter if you're a Ford fan or a lover of Holdens.  Some cars, like this XW GT Falcon, transcend brand loyalties.

The Super Roo badge used to also adorn 1970s Capris and Escorts but UMPH hasn't seen one on either for years.  Interestingly, South Africa had its own version of the 'Roo taking pride of place on their home-grown GT Falcons.  To Aussie ears, however, Super Rhinoceros doesn't have quite the same ring to it.  It does look cool, though!  

(Internet image.)

According to a placard the very helpful owner of this 1963 Panhard placed on the car's windscreen, it's powered by an 848 cc, 60 BHP air-cooled flat two cylinder motor, coupled to a light-weight four speed 'box, driving the front wheels (how very French!).  A single cylinder operates the external finned alloy drum brakes, the steering is rack and pinion, the front suspension is a transverse spring set-up and the rear is made up of torsion bars on a triangular frame.  Top speed is said to be 150 km/h - talk about a two-pot screamer!

The placard goes on to explain that the car is currently undergoing restoration.  If the interest it generated in semi-restored state is anything to go by, it's going to be a real crowd-pleaser when it's finished. 

External alloy brake fins.

Herbie-fied or not, this 70s Beetle is a nice looking car.  The wheels really set it off.

A rare barn-find X1/9 (recognise it, anyone?), Mike's Porsche Spyder and Pat's X1/9 (one of two).

No nonsense front-end.  Pat's other X1/9, a blue one, is more ... traditional looking.

Elegant!

If there's anything that UMPH should have done differently on the day, it would be to have taken more photos of Chris' fabulous Fiat 500 .  Chris has owned the car for over thirty years and said that it was his daily-driver until quite recently.  The two cylinder engine was built to Abarth specs in the 1970s by John MacLean and runs modified Porsche cylinders, displacing about 800 cc, and is fed through a single side-draft Weber attached to an Abarth twin inlet port cylinder head.  It also has custom Billet pistons, a set of extractors and an oil cooler.  Red-line is an amazing 9,000 RPM, compared to a standard 500's 4,500!  It sounds quite meaty just putting around, so it must be quite something when Chris sinks the right boot in.  The front Fiat discs have Ford Fiesta calipers and work well, according to Chris, which is just as well given that the car's capable of at least 80 miles per hour.

The immaculate blue paint job is nicely complimented by a set of rare Chromadora alloy wheels.  One admirer of the car - a Fiat salesman in the 1960s - once told Chris that the wheels were an optional extra available when the car was new.  However, they didn't sell any at the time, as a set cost as much as an entire 500 did at the time.

Another great day at the bay and not a bad way to spend Fathers' Day, either!  Looking forward to next month's event!

UMPH. 

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au).