Random # 231: UMPH - His Place in Datsun 120Y History

Once upon a time, way back many, many decades ago when Australia's automotive manufacturing future seemed to be assured, UMPH's aunt and uncle's engineering and production stamping company in Croydon, Victoria, was contracted to produce exhaust brackets for Datsun 120Ys.  And, in what might be an example of trickle-down economics, the teen-aged UMPH was briefly employed with his cousins to dip said exhaust brackets in some sort of tarry black paint as part of the finishing / rust-proofing process.

So, there you have it:  UMPH's place in the history of the once ubiquitous Datsun 120Y.  Nothing startling, mind you, but a little factoid with which he amuses himself on the odd occasion he sees one, wondering if he might have contributed to its manufacture in a very small way.

According to the owner of the 120Y shown here, it's been in his family since new, having been originally bought by his mother.  He still uses it regularly, often driving it from Burnie, on Tasmania's north-west coast, to the state's capital city of Hobart and back (a bee's willy short of 700 km return, depending on the exact starting point).  

Not a bad effort for a forty-plus year old 1.2 litre four cylinder car!  It must be the quality of its componentry!!

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

All iPhone images.