Mega-Random # 2: Post Vintage Car Club Rally - January, 2017

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Calling the 2017 Aston Martin tour of Tasmania installment of Upper Middle Petrol Head a 'Mega-Random' wasn't without risk (http://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/mega-random-1-2017-aston-martin.html).  What would happen, for example, if UMPH didn't randomly come across another massed gathering of classic cars?  Would Mega-Random # 1 remain an only child, lonely and anomalous?

Fortunately, UMPH did happen upon a sibling for Mega-Random # 1 in the form of a Post Vintage Car Club (http://www.postvintage.org.au/) rally, staged between Hobart and Dunalley on Saturday the 14th of January, 2017.  The PVCC are well known for the annual Picnic at Ross (http://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/2015-picnic-at-ross.html and http://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/2015-picnic-at-ross.html) but their other events don't seem to attract the same level of attention.

 The first hint that there may have been something happening on the classic car front was when UMPH saw a lovely red E-Type Jaguar on the back road between historic Richmond and Sorell, gateway to the Tasman Peninsula.  Then there was a large 1950s styled American sedan and an early model Holden on the Arthur Highway between Sorell and Forcett.  Something was definitely afoot!

 All was finally revealed when the UMPHs (Mr, Mrs and Upper Middle Petrol Hound) arrived in Dunalley, en route to their favourite fish 'n' chippery (please see: http://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/chips-fish-n-chips.html), to see perhaps two dozen or so beautifully presented classics lined up in the car park alongside the Denison Canal.  There were Italian, British, American, Swedish and German marques, as well as a particularly strong Aussie contingent present.  Cars from all eras were represented; some appeared to be vintage plus a few newer models, too. 

 Here are some of the vehicles that took UMPH's eye on the day.  If your car was there but it's not shown, please don't be disappointed - it's very likely that it's been photographed at a previous event and is already displayed elsewhere on this 'blog. 


The owners of these four early model Holdens have parked them oldest to newest (left to right in the photo above; right to left below).  The fancy-looking white one, an FE, is the oldest (1956 - 58); next, in green, is an FC (1958 - 60); then the light grey and white FB (1960 - 61); and, finally, the incongruously sequenced dark grey EK, which is the latest version of the four (1961 - 62).  How E comes before C and C before B, and then E comes after F in Holden's alphabet is a mystery that Wikipedia can describe but not explain!

The FE.






The FC.






Closer to camera is the FB.

And the newest:  the EK.






Rounding out the offerings from GMH was this immaculate SS Torana hatch-back, one of the more recent cars taking part in the rally.  It's good to see a bit of muscle out and about!








 Another Aussie car:  a 1990s Ford Capri.  UMPH has argued elsewhere that Capris like the one shown here, based on a Ford Laser / Mazda 323 floor-pan, are fully deserving of classic car status (please see:  http://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/random-21-1990s-ford-capri.html).  This one was in great nick and was a credit to its owner.

There were a number of excellent looking MGs amongst the assembled fleet.  However, the majority of them have cropped up in earlier UMPH posts (http://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au/2016/09/classic-car-run-wednesday-14th-of.html, for example), so they haven't been included here.

 In lieu of the regular MGs, Britain has been represented here by this brilliant six-cylinder Ford Zephyr, the lovely Bristol shown further down the page and then a beautiful Morris 1100-based MG sedan.  All three were perfect. 

 UMPH can't remember seeing the Zephyr before.  However, its owner says that it's a southern-based car and that's he has it out and about fairly regularly.









This particular Bristol is from Queensland.  Anyone who's interested in the marque can find another one, a Tasmanian-registered four-door, at: http://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/classic-car-run-thursday-15th-of.html .



















The last car for today's post is this impressive Porsche 911.  At a guess, it's a very late 60s or pre-1975 model and looked totally original.  Just fabulous!








Thanks to the drivers for allowing UMPH to photograph their cars.  Appreciation also goes to the gentleman owner of the green FC for explaining the differences between the various Holdens shown earlier on because, without his expert guidance, UMPH would have been none the wiser.


U M P H

 (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

 All iPhone images.

         

Comments

  1. Anonymous24 January 2017 at 10:34

    What year is the Bristol? Regards '74 Pantera

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alastair Watson24 January 2017 at 11:52

      It's a 403 which, according to Wikipedia, means it was built between 1953 and 1955. Not bad for a sixty-plus year old car.

      Delete

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