Classics by the Beach: January, 2022

I begin 2022's first Classics by the Beach post with a personal Alzheimer's test, trying desperately to remember what the owner of this amazing O'Neill hot rod told me about the car and its very, very interesting history. It's an infinitely more enjoyable diagnostic than a swab up the nose, I can tell you!

The vehicle started out as a 1941 Ford army truck that was rolled and effectively written off in a crash at the Bandiana army camp in Victoria, Australia, after which it was purchased by the current owner's father. Its first iteration - circa 1946/7 - was as a racing car that competed at Phillip Island and a number of other mainland Australian circuits.

Its svelte hot rod body was hand-made in the early 1960s by one of the last coach builders to have ever worked for Rolls Royce in Australia and was fashioned from steel with a hammer and dolly. Believe me when I say that it's a true work of art, as well as a testament to the very highest levels of craftsmanship imaginable. It's almost inconceivable that it's anything other than expertly executed fibreglass but it's not.

There's a gap in the history of the car - or of my memory of the car's history, more likely - that involves its sale to a motorcyclist of the less-reputable variety, its almost complete dismantling and a chance rediscovery by friends / and or relatives of the original owner. The current owner was able to buy the car back and restored it to the condition in which it is today.

Power is now courtesy of a 5.8 litre Ford V8 by Church Race Engines, coupled to an auto 'box with manual shift-override and and 9" diff. Brakes are EL Falcon rotors and VN Commodore calipers up-front, with discs from a different model Falcon on the rear (demonstrating my cognitive decline here ...).

Such is the car's history and provenance that it holds almost legendary status within the Australian hot rod community, having been featured in many publications tailored to that fraternity. I believe - and please forgive me if I get this wrong - that it may have been the first officially registered hot rod in Australia. It's been in Tasmania since around 2014. There's also a replica version, in the original race car guise, that also receives huge amounts of attention in the broader mainland historic racing world. More photos are available on the Shannons Insurance site: https://www.shannons.com.au/club/enthusiasts/richieoneill/garage/1941-ford-oneill-ford-v8-special-milthorpe-ford-v8-special/.

Codger magnet!

This Beetle isn't half bad, either! It's running some sort sort of Franken-Porsche four-pot engine, any number of Volksie go-faster bits and has rear disc brakes, too. The owner did all the work himself, including the lustrous paint job.

How's this HJ Sandman for bang-on for era? It has everything: the earlier edition stripes, Monaro seats, dash and steering wheel, vented front guards and classic pressed steel wheels (both also a la Monaro), and bubble windows. Only thing that I couldn't find was a If it's rockin', don't bother knockin'! decal tastefully displayed on the rear window.

Sunday, Monday, happy days!

Self Portrait.

A smaller fleet than usual but right up there for quality, I'm sure you'll agree. Thanks to everyone for helping kick off the new year on a high note. Here's to a great* 2022!

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

#O’NeillV8FordSpecial

* TBH, I'd be satisfied with a moderately less f*cked 2022!

EJ or EH Holden? (Up-dated December, 2022)

EJ or the later EH? Several years ago, I posed the question: Can somebody please explain the difference between an EJ and an EH Holden ute or van? The response at the time wasn't overwhelming, so I did a bit of Googling and ferreting through my photos and came up with my own rough guide to EJ and EH identification. Sedans and wagons are easy to tell apart ; the EH's vertical rectangular tail lights are a dead give-away. However, the workhorse versions of both models share the rear-end treatment of the earlier EJ, making it harder to identify one from the other. No super obvious hints here. Or here ... . It turns out that the main clues are in the placement of the front H O L D E N lettering and GMH lion emblems, the style of the radiator grille and the width of the vents in front of the windscreen, with all EJs - sedans, wagons, utes and vans - having one combination and the EH line-up having their own . So what exactly are those diffe

Vick Auto Prima Fiat X1/9 Brakes: An Owner’s Assessment

At the end of 2022, I fitted a set of Vick Autosport Prima front brakes to my mildly worked 1.5 litre Series 1 Fiat X1/9 . I was fortunate, having picked them up at a very, very reasonable price, brand new but surplus to the needs of a fellow X1/9 Australia member who had imported them from the US. The kit included: New single pot callipers , new vented rotors (standard X1/9 front rotors are smaller, non-vented items), DOT approved stainless steel brake hoses, and all the necessary mounting hardware. They are a value proposition, being particularly well priced compared to other manufacturers’ packages - even at RRP - with everyone I’ve spoken to saying they’re made to a high standard, too. Here's a link to a piece that I wrote about them at that time, including some costings: https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-x19-gets-prima-brake-upgrade.html . Initial Assessment: I was a little underwhelmed by the brakes' performance, finding that although they had a tiny

Random # 301: Nanna-Spec KE36 Corolla

Once upon a time - six or seven years ago, actually - there was a lovely pale yellow GC Galant station wagon getting around Hobart. It was totally nanna-spec; its paint was umarked, the chrome work and hubcaps were immaculate, and its very original interior was pristine. Then someone stuck feathers in its dashboard. Next, the windows were adorned with Tibetan prayer flags. And a hubcap went missing. And the the rear bumper was pushed in, mangling the bodywork behind it. And a mudguard got dented. And rust set in. I fear for this sweet, innocent KE36 Corolla. Somebody please save it before it's too late. Nanna needs you to do it. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) Photos by GlamRock.

Upper Middle Petrol Head:

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