Classics by the Beach: Sunday the 7th of April, 2019

- April 10, 2019

How I've never seen this Lotus Elise before I'll never know! It does, shall we say, ... stand out like a dog's danglies. And it's not just the LOTUS rego plates; it's an extremely eye-catching machine, resplendent in fluorescent green duco that really pops!

Also fabulous was this near-perfect Ford LTD. It appears to be totally original with paintwork that's so unblemished, save the tiniest few supermarket scrapes, that the car could pass for only a couple of years old, rather than the late 1970s' model that it is.

I don't want to overdo the superlatives, but this BMW E28 M535i was also immaculate, from its glossy, lustrous paint right through to its lovely beige M-style leather interior and bodykit. It's for sale but the owner hasn't included a price on the sign.

Personally, I wouldn't like to hazard a guess at what it's listed at but, despite the M-badging, interior and bodykit, it won't be as costly as a full M5 version (confusing, I know; it took me a while to suss out that an M in front of a three-digit model designation doesn't denote full M-status). However, I'd still be perfectly happy with this, the less exotic offering, even if it is down 30% on grunt over its more exotic twin.

An actual M series car badge would read M5, not simply M.

Toyota really missed a trick when they didn't make this Celica. Of course, they did make this - and every single Celica ever - but what they rather foolishly omitted to do was make one like this - i.e. a rear-wheel drive convertible!

The car shown here's been around Hobart for a good many years now. However, this is the first time I've been able to have a proper look at it.

It is most certainly not a half-baked backyard job, although its owner tells me that it was converted to a rag-top by a Melbourne-based student many years ago. The entire passenger compartment has a full steel bracing frame that runs above sill-height along both sides, under the dashboard, behind the front seats and into the rear wheel-arches, where it's further plated and bracketed to provide proper rigidity and, of course, safety! The reality is that it's probably got better side impact resistance than early Celicas ever had maybe even quite a few newer cars, too.

The side- and under-dash bracing.

What's more, the conversion's been done so well that the original 'Coke bottle' styling has been kept and the lack of tin-top doesn't detract from the Celica's classically great looks. Apparently a few people have lamented the conversion, claiming that it's ruined the car, but I have to say that I'm a fan.

It was impossible not to take this photo contrasting Mike's extremely pretty late 1950s' Alfa Giulietta spider with the much more contemporary Alfa convertible next to it. I'd own either in a heart beat! But if I had to choose (what a horrible choice to make), it'd be the classic every time!

For an obscure marque, there's a surprising number of Bristols in and around Hobart, and they tend to attract quite a following, as the image above shows. There were two down at the Bay on the day: a finned soft-top, in left-hand drive, and a turtle-backed coupe. A yet-to-be-published UMPH article will feature a 1990s' Bristol coupe (out within the next two weeks), and several more can be found elsewhere on this site (just use the search facility in the top right of screen).

Fins and a turtle-back.

I'm unsure what the full spec of this pristine XB Fairmont is but it is fitted with a potent 351 cubic inch V8 and a four-speed floor-shift 'box, making for a pretty lively package. It's not running rear discs, so it's unlikely to feature the GT's nine inch diff, either, but it's still a high-end, high-performance package. The GT-style grille with in-built driving lights is also a nice touch and the unusual vinyl roof that extends to the tops of all four doors sets it apart from other XBs that I've seen.

The classic 'deep dish' SAAS sports steering wheel is era-correct and very cool!

The owner of this stately Talbot Sunbeam - from the Rootes stable of cars that included the Hillman and Singer lines - has owned it for forty years. Featuring a 2.5 litre four-cylinder engine, it was once considered quite sporty, with Stirling Moss having raced one. This example has been resprayed. However, the colour - a sort of metallic ocean blue - is an original factory hue. It's a truly wonderful looking machine and a true credit to its owner.