Upper Middle Petrol Head:

I'm still often surprised just how many really, really great cars there are in Tasmania.  For example, this is the first time I've ever spotted this awesome looking XL Falcon with its rich, lustrous metallic flake duco and Superlite  wheels.  The body appears to be basically unmolested, other than the rear door handles having been shaved.  It runs front disc brakes and has a really tidy - and very comfortable looking - contemporary-style interior with bolstered leather bucket seats, a sports steering wheel and full instrumentation. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) All iPhone images.

This, well ... regal Valiant Regal was spotted in North Hobart.  A quick chat with its owner, Matt (0409 413 229), revealed that it's for sale for $8,000, firm .  According to Matt, who's very upfront about the car, there is a bit of rust in front of the windscreen, around the rear window and under the vinyl top, but that hasn't stopped Shannons putting an agreed value of $15,000 on it.   The reason?  It's a totally unmolested example, running its original motor, gearbox and all the bits that matter.  The interior is first-rate, too.  Matt reckons it runs like a dream and is the ideal cruiser. It's a one (or two?) previous owner car, with it being in the hands of one older gent for thirty-odd years.  The only thing that he mightn't recognise - or maybe approve of - are the new alloy wheels but, all things considered, they do rather suit the car. I am very, very definitely not in a position to vouch for the car, other than to say tha...

Spring, the start of daylight savings, and Classics by the Beach, all on one mild and sunny morning!  It just doesn't get better than that!  It must have been a wrench for a good many car enthusiasts, though, with the lure of the Bathurst 1000 versus Hobart's best free car show to choose between.  Of course, the smart thing would be to enjoy a morning outing to Sandy Bay to check out the cars, then adjourn home to catch the second half of The Great Race  and to have a few beers around the telly. It's an absolute certainty that the vehicles on display - be they Porsches or Beetles, Ferraris or FB Holdens, muscle cars or vintage offerings - will always be fabulous.  What's less of a sure thing, however, is exactly what might turn up on the day. October's event seemed to have a slightly French feel to it, with a number of Renaults - a Dauphine and a couple of Caravelles - amongst the assembled fleet.  There was also a larger than usual n...