Upper Middle Petrol Head:

The Car This exceptionally tidy HQ Kingswood  sedan was spotted in Hobart's Lower Sandy Bay.  All evidence suggests that it's just been fully restored ; the paint, chrome and interior all appear to have been recently, and expertly, renewed.  Even the registration plate - which may well bear the original number attributed to the car when it was new - has been been remade in the newer Tassie Tiger style.  The Cautionary Tale There is absolutely zero suggestion that this particular car - or any of the other HQs featured elsewhere in this 'blog - are anything but one hundred percent kosher.  However, anyone considering buying an HQ through to a WB series Holden should be aware of a few potential issues that may arise with the identity, and thus the authenticity, of cars from that range.   The following information is skewed towards HQs but a lot of it applies to HJs, HXs, HZs and WBs, too.  Buyers of performance versions, espec...

Big car look. For a medium sized vehicle, this Mazda 929 station wagon has quite a presence, somehow managing to look larger than it actually is.  The front-end styling is reminiscent of a Mercedes of a similar era, albeit possibly a bit wider looking and more rectangular than the German maker's offering of that time.   This particular example was very straight and clean, with the only evidence of damage being confined to the front and rear bumpers and, even then, both instances were very minor.  It appeared to be all-original, without modification, and featured only era-appropriate accessories like the hearse-style chrome roof racks, velour seats and some very funky fan-shaped retractable sunshades for the front windscreen.  A blue checked travel blanket draped over the rear seat completed the look. Hearse-style chrome roof racks. The inlaid faux wood inlays suggests that this was a deluxe edition. It's hard to tell when it might have bee...

You could be forgiven for thinking that UMPH is a Volksie-nutter, given the number of recent posts devoted to the marque.  He'd think that was a bit harsh ; in his opinion, a 'fan' would be a fairer assessment. In this case, he happily admits to being a van-fan.  Let's face it - who wouldn't love this classic early Kombi with its glossy paint job and attention to detail?  It's a credit to whoever restored it and its owner.   U M P H. (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au .) (All iPhone images.)

Sometimes restored cars seem to actually be that bit nicer than they probably were when new.  This immaculate 60s Mustang, spotted on Hobart's eastern shore in Bellerive, is a case in point.   It appears that no expense has been spared in terms of its finish and the tasteful accessories with which it's been fitted.  It's hard to imagine that so much attention to detail would have been lavished onto a car straight from the production line.     U M P H ( uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au .) All iPhone images.

Clean, simple lines.  What a ute should be. The B -reg on this Datsun 1200 ute suggests that it's around 35 or 36 years old.  However, its condition says otherwise, with great paint, straight panels and unmarked chrome.  The interior, spartan as it is, is also very tidy.  Other than the wheels, it looks totally stock.  Nice! Tasteful alloys. No need to complicate this design. Hobart's original Datsun (now Nissan) dealers. U M P H ( uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au .) iPhone images.

UMPH believes that the term  classic  can be applied to a whole range of cars - from agricultural  to awesome, from prosaic to performance - and that price and prestige don't have to be part of the definition.  However, to borrow from Orwell, some cars are more classic than others. Take this extremely beautiful 1956 Beetle, for instance.    It would be hard to imagine a better example of the marque ; from its flawless paint, to the tasteful era-appropriate accessories, every single part of this car screams German classic!    Oval-window Beetles aren't common in Tasmania (they're probably not that common anywhere these days!).  Adding to this particular ones uniqueness are its one-piece front door windows which, according to the proud owner, weren't actually standard for 1956 but were fitted because he liked them. And he's not the only person that likes the car, giving rise to its nickname - The Slut - given ...

Pretty much anything that UMPH could say about the mighty Mini Cooper S has  already  been said, and by people much more knowledgeable than he is, so he'll let these photos of this very fine example seen in Hobart do the talking. U M P H. ( uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au .)