Classics by the Beach: June, 2024

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There's something about the HR that seems to really set it apart from other Holden sedans of roughly the same era.  Sure, there's affection for all the marque's early cars but, for some reason, HRs - along with 1963 to 1965's EH - have attracted a particular following over and above that which exists for their other family-orientated models.   


Today's example - a top of the line 1966 Premier photographed at June, 2024's, edition of Classics by the Beach in Sandy Bay, Tasmania - was absolutely immaculate, inside and out.  Forget "eat your dinner out of it" as an engine bay descriptor; this car's under-bonnet area was medical grade clean!


Adding to its charm is a worked engine, four-speed floor-shift, lowered suspension and mag wheels, all in a package that is arguably better that when it rolled off the production line nearly six decades ago.  It was as good as any HR ever seen by the UMPH team, which is quite impressive considering the quality of the very vast majority of the other examples out there and the extraordinary efforts most of their owners have gone to to restore and preserve them.    





Team UMPH aren't really that into pre-WWII cars.  However, this magnificent Packard - and the stately Bentley that follows towards the end of this piece - were just too good not to include.  









A Toyota Crown but not as we (normally) know it.  And an Athlete, nonetheless!  











This isn't just any ol' Ford Cortina; it's a luxo Mk IV Ghia edition, complete with a swish velour interior and a T-bar auto.  Not only that, it's packing an Australia-only 4.1 litre six cylinder engine, doubling the displacement of the still quite adequate at the time 2.0 litre Pinto-powered version of the car that was also sold here. 

Why we really needed a 4.1 litre six when the UK-market base-level versions came with 1.3 and 1.6 litre four pots is a bit of a mystery but, hey, that's how we do things Down Under!  Something to do with our wide-open roads and all that big, brown land sort of stuff, probably ... .




Now here's a British car with some serious style!  Google suggests that it's a circa 1967 Alvis 3 Litre Series IV (TF 21), also available as a cabriolet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvis_TF_21, accessed 02 JUN 24).  It is the epitome of elegance and is really quite exclusive, too.  Sadly, it was the last of the Alvis cars ever produced.       








Here's the Bentley mentioned earlier.  Can you see why we've included it, even though it's not really our "thing" here at UMPH?




How's that for a mirror finish?




And, finally, there's this:  a 1980 Fiat X1/9 which is very, very much our thing!  And yet sort of isn't, too ... .  


Confused?  It's a DC-powered, 120 volt electric X with a range of about 40 km.  Yes.  40!  A great city car - which is what the owner uses it as - but not yet a practical alternative to a petrol-powered car for longer trips or fun country sorties.    

There are batteries here, too.






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.)




 

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