Picnic at Ross, 2023 (Updated)

Here are a few of the cars that particularly appealed to me at this year's annual Picnic at Ross.  There's no theme; cars were photographed for their rarity - this maybe mid-60s' Chrysler New Yorker being a prime example - condition, quirkiness, cool factor, or the stories attached to them.  

The first car to have a story attached was this P5B Rover coupe.  Its owner told me that it was a local car, having previously belonged to the mayor of what I presume to be the Northern Midlands Council (Ross is in that municipality, although I'm not sure if there haven't been some amalgamations over the years) and, as such, it was parked only a very short stroll from where it was once left outside Ross's council chambers while the mayor was doing mayoral things.  The mayor's own home farm wasn't far from the town, either.  

Being a later car, it's fitted with the Buick-designed 3.5 litre alloy V8 that went on to power an amazing number of British vehicles, not the least being the original Range Rover, the MGB GT V8 and - in larger form - the TVR Griffith.  It was also fitted to our very own Aussie Leyland P76, three of which feature further down the page.

According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_P5), the P5B also got a Borg Warner auto 'box, power steering and fog lights, all three having been optional on earlier iterations of the model.  The owner says the tasty pressed steel Rostyle wheels were part of the package, too.  Most striking of all, though, is that as a coupe, this car's roofline is some 2 1/2 inches lower than that of the saloon version, and also sports revised B- and C-pillars, giving it a much, much more stylish appearance.

Overall, the entire car was in lovely condition, although its owner does say that he had it resprayed several years ago.  The lustrous British Racing Green duco is a perfect match to the magnificent tan coloured leather and wood trimmed interior, making for one extremely elegant machine indeed!

Austin Healey Sprites have a particular place in my heart, especially the quite rare, Aussie-only Mk III/A version shown here.  If you're wondering why, wonder no longer: https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-blast-from-past-im-reacquainted-with.html.  

This one - resplendent in what might be BMC's Riviera Blue - was in great nick, having been restored by the bloke who owned it previously.  It has an interesting history, as it used to be the current owners' (actually the female partner's) car around twenty years ago, but was then sold to finance some new carpet for their house.  Its sale was, however, on the proviso that if it were to go back on the market, they would have first dibs, which is how they found themselves back in possession of their once cherished roadster.

There was no one around to fill me in on the history of this rather curious TE (?) Gemini*.  And please note that I resisted calling it a Holden, as it's badged as an Isuzu, the Japanese company whose design formed the basis of our Aussie Gemini.

Therefore, it might  j u s t  be that it's an imported Isuzu Gemini and not the already rare-enough Aussie version of GM's T-Car platform that also included Germany's Opel Kadett, the UK's Vauxhall Chevette and Bedford Chevanne, and various Chevrolets and Pontiacs in the US, to name but a few variants.  If you want to see some of the others, click here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_T_platform_(RWD).

So why do I think it might be a JDM Gemini, apart from the badges?  The first clue was the rear spoiler, the likes of which I've never seen before.  It's clearly a factory item and, yes, it could've been imported and fitted here but I suspect that it's not.  Then there are the bumpers;  if, as the tail lights suggest, this is a TE, they're all wrong, as that model was the last to wear chrome.  Moreover, this car's plastic ones are sportier than those found on the subsequent TF and TG, the front with a prominent integrated air dam, and both appearing to match the apparently factory side skirts.    

It also features JDM-style mirrors mounted well forward on the front guards, as well as some non-Aussie bonnet vents, but that's not to say they're not later additions.  The rear disc brakes are interesting, too; they're not something ever available on Geminis here Down Under, so obtaining them wouldn't have been easy, leading me to think that they and all the other goodies are probably part of a JDM Gemini performance package.

* A couple of days after publishing this post, the Gemini's owner contacted me and confirmed that the car is, indeed, a fully imported JDM Isuzu ZZR.  I probably got more right than I got wrong but here's what he had to say:

It's a genuine 1985, pf60 (TF) isuzu Gemini zzr. The engine is 1800cc dohc fuel injected. It's got a close ratios 5 speed box, 4 wheel disc brakes and factory lsd. These were homologated for rally with full FIA approval. The body kit isn't factory, it's from speed garage g5 in Kobe Japan. The kit was fitted to the car in Japan. The boot spoiler is a very unusual thing, it's made in Germany by BBS and is designed for a VW Jetta.

That rear spoiler was a surprise, because it just fits so, so well!  I also muffed the model, this one being a TF and not a TE, as I'd guessed.  Either way, it's a fabulous car and, given its FIA homologation specs, must be one of the very, very best Gems in the country!  Thanks, Troy! 

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(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)