Upper Middle Petrol Head:

According to Google Lens, this is an Iso Rivolta Lele.  Further Googling revealed that early versions were powered by a 327 cubic inch Chevrolet V8, which was a very Iso formula shared by the Grifo and the larger Fidia.  Everybody's favourite font of knowledge further explained that the Lele was named in honour of the founder's son's wife - Rachelle - it was produced between 1969 and 1974 and that it was styled by Gandini - he of X1/9 fame - who was working for Bertone at the time. Spot the Fiat 124 AC taillights?  The CC did! The red car below is also a Lele , although I'm not sure if it's an earlier or later version compared to the example above.  If it is a later edition, it's likely to be Ford Windsor V8-powered, as Iso cracked the sads with GM when they started demanding up-front payment for their engines, resulting in a switch to Blue Oval donks.   The GM versus Ford engine thing is also a nice segue to introduce the striking  Pantera parked alo...

Sadly, not my car!  Sort of the same colour, though. While the eponymous Jeff, of Home Built by Jeff , shoe-horns a Ferrari V8 into an Alfa 105 coupe, and fellow  YouTube  maestro of metal  Elin, of Elin Yakob's Rusty Beauties , resurrects various classic Triumph sports cars from little more than munted iron-oxide, here at Upper Middle Petrol Head I've repainted a mirror!  But not just any old mirror!  It is, afterall, a Cromodora Astro, as fitted to no less than the [Ferrari] Dino 208, 308 and GT4! Yes, folks!  That's 841 Euro Dollars.  Let's not tell the Ferrari people what we pay for ours! It also was standard equipment for the Fiat X1/9, 127, 128 3P and early 131.  But let's keep that to ourselves, shall we, seeing that  € 841 converts to a whopping $1,230 Australian!  Research suggests that there are three variations to the Astro - the I, II and III - although what the differences are eludes me.  There's an all-chrome...

  Author Philip Blake I used to think myself lucky to have met Philip Blake and indeed I was.  However, having read his autobiography, S**t, That Was Close!  A Life in Near Misses , I now know that it was Phil who was lucky to have survived long enough to have met anyone at all, let alone to have led the life of adventures that he has! Take a ride, quite literally, with Phil through his seemingly death-wish infancy and youth, to his motorcycling, rock climbing and ongoing motor-racing careers as he cheats a premature demise and manages not to take any of his co-adventurers out with him.  From his birthplace in Ireland to Tasmania, Australia, this is one hairy tale told with the typical wit and charm that those who know Phil have come to enjoy so much. Published by Forty South,  S**t, That Was Close!  A Life in Near Misses , is available at any good bookshop or newsagent throughout Tasmania, at Shannon's Insurance in Murray Street, Hobart, or, if you're real...