Upper Middle Petrol Head:

Whether you're a fan of unmolested, totally original classic cars or, like me, prefer modified versions, I reckon it'd be hard to not admire this ripper FJ.   Opinions can be very, very divided when it comes to what should - or, more commonly - shouldn't be done to a classic car but this example seems to me to be the perfect balance between the two schools. Its body has been finished in lustrous teal but otherwise appears to be totally stock. The only other ostensible mods are a set of Hotwires , although closer inspection also reveals a set of front disc brakes. A sneaky peek inside revealed a nice three-spoke steering wheel - a Momo Corse , possibly - a floor-mounted 4-speed shifter, sumptuous-looking bench seats that look like they've been retrimmed in cream leather, along with matching door cards, and seatbelts all-round. It seems likely that whatever donk it's running has been upgraded and, I suspect, the suspen...

I think this dopey-eyed old Beetle is rather lovely.  The lady owner told UMPH's Special Correspondent for West Hobart that she's owned it for the last 20 years, it's her only-ever car, and she originally bought it when she lived in New South Wales. Interestingly , it's equipped with a clutchless three speed manual transmission which, until today, I'd never heard of.  A bit of VW forum-foraging soon had me in the know, though ; the gear knob has a switchy-sensor type device that engages a solenoid which, in turn, kicks in an electrically-actuated vacuum clutch.  So it's really clutch-pedal-less, if you wish to be pedantic. I believe that Porsche once had a similar system, although I can't imagine that their version was a three-cogger.  Honda and Mazda have both offered clutchless manuals, too, but not for many years.  And as far as tech goes, we're not talking flappy paddle-shift here! U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blo...

Sandy Bay's monthly celebration of classic and sports cars has kicked up another notch, building in size from the first post-covid-19 get together in June.  It's very likely that the weather - an unseasonably pleasant, sunny day in the mid-teens - added incentive for owners and admirers, ensuring that the July edition was quite a spectacle. The first vehicle to take my eye was this lovely Triumph Herald , finished to a very high standard in sky blue.  It's equipped with a Datsun 1200 motor breathing through a 45mm Weber side-draught carbie, and features a Celica five-speed 'box, Triumph TR7 rear end and meaty tyres on widened steel rims.  It does, however, run four-wheel drum brakes but they're of good size and are quite efficient, according to the car's owner.  A half-cage and some racing harnesses add to its safety. It's a recent purchase, having been bought from a bloke whose wife thought he had one too many special interest cars - four or ...