Upper Middle Petrol Head:

This honest-looking XB GT Falcon was photographed in Bombala, which, ironically, is a town in NSW's Monaro region.  It's unlikely the owner would object to the observation that it's more of a survivor car than any sort of show pony, as evidenced by the odd ding here and there and its slightly faded, occasionally  chipped duco. However, despite the patina, it appeared to be straight, rust free and without evidence of major crash damage. Other than the after-market mags, above, it was totally original, right down to its very tidy cream coloured interior, three-spoked GT steering wheel and a centre console surrounding the four-speed floor shift.  All the exterior classic GT hallmarks were there, too:  a honey-combed grille with integral driving lights and  GT badge; silver contrasts on the bonnet, sills and boot; Mustang-inspired bonnet scoops and bonnet pins; iconic 351 decals; locking chrome fuel cap; and twin exhausts.   ...

The condition of this otherwise clean, straight and tidy late 1970s / early 1980s BMW's red duco prompted UMPH to ask:  Why does red car paint fade more readily than other colours?   Unsurprisingly, the answer - via Google and Quora.com ( https://www.quora.com/Why-do-cars-painted-red-fade-faster-than-other-colours ) - involved a bit of physics: Red paint reflects red light. It therefore absorbs blue, green, UV etc light. The shorter wavelengths of light have greater energy and cause more "bleaching" of the pigments in the paint than the other colours. Therefore it fades quicker. Blue, white or silver reflect blue (and reflects UV) so it fades more slowly. Thanks,  Rupert , for enlightening us so succinctly. Which brings us back to our 323i, photographed in sunny (and there's the problem!) Ainslie, one of Canberra's leafier, more traditional northern suburbs. All things considered, it was still a lovely car with classic BMW styl...

The 1963 - 1964  EH   holds a special place in many Australian's hearts, possibly because it was such an aesthetically pleasing car compared to its immediate forerunner - the  EJ  (please see https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7165367970551834236#editor/target=post;postID=2508981426685843641;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=1;src=postname ) - and due to it being the first Holden to feature the beloved 'red' motor that GMH continued to use up until  VB  Commodore production ceased in 1980. This particular car reminds UMPH of the 1970s, in that its metallic blue paint and fat chrome wheels are more in keeping with that decade than the majority of today's often faithfully restored examples featuring factory-spec colours and standard, or at least more modest, rims and rubber.  The fact that the most of today's  EH s have undergone often extensive restorations reflects their age, relative scarcity and statu...

Unfortunately, work commitments precluded UMPH's full participation in February's classic car drive.  What he did manage to do, however, was slip up to the starting point - the Rivulet Cafe, Anglesea Street, South Hobart - grab a cup of coffee, catch up with a couple of friends and capture a few of the cars present. As is usual, British vehicles were well represented, with a whole array of MGs, several Austin Healeys, a Mini and a Stag, to list just a few.  There were also a few European marques and a very nice looking Datsun 280 Z , too.  Enjoy! U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

Ford's global reach is undeniable.  However, other than the Mustang, there arguably isn't a single vehicle in their line-up that represents the the American giant in the same way as, say, a Beetle does Volkswagen.   Or is there ... ?  Ford's ubiquitous F-truck has been around since the 1950s and has certainly made its mark in Australia at least, with easily more F100 s, F150 s and F250 s in this country than there are Mustangs.  And that trend doesn't look like ending any time soon, either ;  big F-trucks are still at the top of the large ute / truck food chain. Moreover, the F-truck's evolution has been slower, with each subsequent model building on, but still being linked to, earlier versions.  An F-truck has a recognisable look whether it's a 1950s edition or a current version.  That's less so with the Mustang, the style of which got a little lost during the 1980s, even if it's been reestablished with a vengeance with their latest r...