Classics by the Beach: February, 2024

You'd be hard pressed to find a better example of a mid-'80s Commodore than this ripper VL, photographed at February, 2024's, Classics by the Beach at Sandy Bay, just fifteen minutes' drive south of Hobart's CBD. The two letter, four numeral Tasmania - Holiday Isle rego only added to the car's appeal, with the plates likely to have been with it since day dot.

It's running some serious rubber and has upgraded stopping power, too, courtesy of some big red Brembos. However, the owner told UMPH that the wheels have gotta go, as the rubber band tyres wrapped around those gorgeous alloys don't always fare so well on southern Tasmania's less than ideal roads.

He also said that the car's not as quick as people might imagine, being powered by the non-turbo 3.0 litre version of Nissan's RB30E in-line six, as also fitted to their Skyline of the day. So not outrageously fast but not really a slow coach, either.

Another TR4 by Italian master-stylist Michelotti graces the pages of UMPH? Not this time! This is a silky-smooth TR5, an almost visually indistinguishable upgrade over its four cylinder little brother, packing a petrol-injected version of Triumph's 2500 cc straight-six where the former made do with a 2138 cc four pot with dual carburettors.

A bit of quickie-Wiki reveals that only 2,495 TR5s were ever built. However, many, many more - nearly eight and a half thousand - of the otherwise identical but twin carburettored American market-only TR250s were manufactured (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_TR5, accessed 04 FEB 24).

The TR5 trounces the TR250 in performance, making a respectable at the time 150 BHP over the US version's meagre 111 (a piddling 6 broken ponies more than the TR4!). Our friends Stateside can mainly blame their government for this; US emissions legislation ruled out the apparently dirtier PI fuel system in favour of twin Zenith Strombergs, although cost was also said to have been a factor.

Was this you, Norm?

Did you enjoy this article? If so, why not browse the rest of the uppermiddlepetrolhead site? There are loads and loads of classic, sports and performance vehicles featured, as well as stacks of car shows and motorsports events. Even better, you can follow either the 'blog itself or do so via Upper Middle Petrol Head's Facebook page. And please do like and share!

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

Comments

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:

Search This Blog