Upper Middle Petrol Head:

  No commentary today.  Just car porn, pure and simple.  The old school stuff.  Please enjoy! A Targa Tasmania perennial. Is this one of the very best car silhouettes ever?  We at UMPH think so! The South Side Steppers put on a great show! A Daytona replica. This sublime Stratos is an Alfa V6 "Busso"-powered Hawk replica  * . Did you enjoy this post?  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.  There are also plenty more Targa-related posts and further instalments  will be  coming up!  You can follow either the 'blog itself or do so via Upper Middle Petrol Head's Facebook page, too.   And please do like, comment and share! U M P H ( uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au .) iPhone images. * Here's some video of the magnificent Stratos in action: https:/...

The Mercedes Benz W-113 series “Pagoda,” assigned that sorbriquet because its removable hardtop resembles the rooflines of classic Asian temples, is a study in elegance and simplicity.  It’s no surprise, then, that this beauty caught the eye of semi-regular UMPH contributor and well-known Hobart architect Mark Drury. It's a 1968 version, being towards the end of the series' production run (1963 to 1971) and sports the larger of the three six-cylinder engines available - 2.3, 2.5 and 2.8 litres - giving rise to the imaginative model designations of 230 SL, 250 SL and 280 SL, respectively.  According to Wikipedia, the 230 was built between 1963 and 1967, the 250 came along in 1966 and was available until 1968, and the 280's run spanned the years 1967 to 1971 ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W113 ). This particular car, finished in immaculate gold duco with colour matched hubcaps, is a magnificent example of the model.  Every last detail is flawless, from the br...

  There are trucks and then there are TRUCKS!  Today's example - a "square tray" Caterpillar 793C Haul Truck, photographed  as part of a working set  at the Hannans North Tourist Mine in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia - is very much of the latter variety. Some stats: - Size: 6.43 m (H) x 7.41 m (W) x 12.87 m (L); - Weight: 113.51 tons, loaded / 376.49 tons, empty; - Fuel capacity: 3,790 of diesel; - Number of cylinders: 16; - Displacement: 69 litres; - Power: 2,300 hp / 1,715 kW; - Speed: 53.6 km/h, empty / 11 km/h, fully laden;  - Tranmission: 6 speed auto with reverse; and - Cost per tyre: $30,000 but this can vary, dependent on the price of rubber at the time of manufacture. (Hannans North Tourist Mine /  https://www.cat.com/en_AU/products/new/equipment/off-highway-trucks/mining-trucks/116620.html , accessed 11 NOV 25.)   Other QI facts: - The driver's deck (above) is big enough to host a BBQ for a dozen burly miners;  - In today's money, it's v...