Random # 19: Toyota Crown

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Just like Grandpa's!  Well, maybe not quite.  But GUMPH (that's grandfather of UMPH, in case you were wondering) did have this exact same model, also in white, purchased new from Launceston's Hollis Motors.  It was rather the gentleman's car back then; a refined, comfortable ride but somewhat avante garde, too, being a bit of a departure from the predominantly British marques favoured by GUMPH and his ilk in the early 70s (he drove a Morris Oxford and a Vauxhall Victor before his conversion to Toyotas).


This particular example is largely rust-free and, other than a banged-in rear driver's side corner, looked pretty straight.  The interior - complete with low-back buckets, floor change, centre console, and an old-school three-spoke wooden sports steering wheel - also looked to be in fairly good nick.

Grandpa would never have approved of the sports steering wheel or 8 ball gear knob!


AMI - Australian Motor Industries - a local assembler of overseas cars.  As well as Japanese Toyotas, AMI also assembled American Ramblers, including UMPH's favourite, the Hornet. 

The hubcapless, chrome ring and whitewall look is repeated on all four wheels.  It looks a treat.

Too bad about the pranged corner.

UMPH doesn't really know why he likes this particular car so much but it does have something - let's just call it a style or an attitude - that works for him.  Perhaps it's the image of his bespectacled, hat wearing grandpa breakin' bad behind that sports steering wheel?


U M P H

 (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au .)

 All iPhone images.

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