Noosa Concours d’ Elegance, 2024, Part 3: Australian and Other Marques

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I've subtitled this third instalment of my Noosa Concours series Australian and Other Marques.  However, that really means mainly British cars and a few Bugattis, as for whatever reason some of the examples shown here - ie: predominantly the Aussie ones - seem to be not so common at events like this.  These less-represented vehicles all struck me as being sufficiently concours, as I understand the term, so perhaps they're not considered to be as elegant as their more fancied counterparts?    


Which is probably why I've led the piece with Dick Johnson's ballsy XE Falcon racing car.  It's in excellent nick - thus being "concours" - but its elegance could be debated.  Or you could argue that being elegant is overrated, anyway; that it's a bit wanky and elitist, and just get on and enjoy a magnificent example of Aussie motorsports history! 


What really struck me about the Dick Mobile was just how much actual XE Falcon there is.  It's an ostensibly stock shell - doubtlessly seam-welded and strengthened - but at least bearing close resemblance to Joe Public's family hack.  The aero package, big bolt-on flares and Simmons wheels were widely available in period, gracing many a young hoon's pride and joy throughout the 1980s, while the interior - other than its instrument binnacle, race seats and roll cage - would be familiar to anyone who ever travelled in an Aussie taxi at the time.  


Compare that to today's so-called V8 Supercars with their "control chassis" and veneer bodies, with some examples being so far removed from the cars they're based on that they've swapped the driving wheels from the front to the rear!  And many of them were never, ever equipped with a V8 engine, either.



Unfortunately, this VK Commodore - the Number 25 Harvey / Parsons HDT racing car of 1984 Bathurst 1000 fame - was swamped by kids just after I took the image above.  From what I could see, it's also very much in keeping with the everyday Australian family car on which it was based.  There's a bit of controversy surrounding its history but, as that's not my story to tell, I recommend you read these: https://www.streetmachine.com.au/news/controversial-brock-vk-commodore-returned-to-harveys-25-livery and https://speedcafe.com/controversial-big-bangers-back-together-at-bathurst/ https://speedcafe.com/controversial-big-bangers-back-together-at-bathurst.




Now this Bugatti is elegant!  No disputing that! 




So, too, are the Jaguars that follow.  They're arguably from Jag's very finest era.











Yeah, Baby!  The Union Jack motif appears to have been etched into this E-Type's aluminium bodywork.










A shout out to the owner of this fabulous Aston Martin DB 2 for being the most approachable, helpful owner of the day.  He explained that the car's been in his family since the early 1970s, having been owned by his father.  It's now for sale.    




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.blogpot.com.au.)

iPhone images.

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