Upper Middle Petrol Head:

I can't believe that I've never been to the National Automobile Museum of Tasmania in  Cimitiere Street, Launceston, two hours' drive of Tasmania's capital city, Hobart!  Fortunately, Matt O has and captured the photos shown here.  I think I'd better head up and take a look myself!   U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au. ) Photos by Matt O.

This ostensibly stock 1980 Corona is a good pairing with last post's LT Celica, as both cars would've almost certainly have been on Hobart Toyota franchise Co-Op Motors' floor at almost exactly the same time, with each of them baring BK rego plates within 195 digits of each other. They're also both exceptionally good examples of their respective models, with the car shown here featuring very straight, rust-free panels, unblemished chrome and a lovely interior. Its only apparent modification - one that suits it very well, it must be said - are its slightly dished Bathurst Globe style wheels and low-profile tyres. As a sedan, this Corona was Australian-made - or at least assembled - and would be fitted with the Starfire 4 engine, as shared with Holden's deservedly much-maligned Sunbird and four-cylinder Commodore ranges, plus a four-speed gearbox. The rarer, fully imported Corona lift-back of the same era, on the other hand, was equipped wit...

I can't remember the last time I saw a Celica like this, even though the earlier coupes and lift-backs seem to remain quite popular.  What I can recall, however, is the derision these so-called "librarians' cars"* used to cop. Ok, so the 2.0 litre SOHC Celica wasn't the most exhilarating car of its day but it was nicely appointed, with velour seats and an AM / FM radio / cassette (?) and four speakers, plus a five-speed box and better than passable handling.  Aircon may have been an option but it didn't feature on my mate's car that we drove from Hobart to Queensland in 1982, and we actually had to wind our own windows and manually adjust the driver's side-only exterior rear-view mirror.  What can I say?  We were made of tougher stuff back then!    The one shown here - identical to the other AW's in every respect except the seat fabric - was in apparently completely original, and remarkably fine, condition.  The paint was unblemished,...