Upper Middle Petrol Head:

This very tidy, apparently original Series 2 Fiat X1/9 is currently for sale, with an asking price of $13,000, or nearest offer.  UMPH is neither a panel-beater beater nor a  mechanic but, from a fairly cursory road -side examination, it would appear to be straight and rust free, with no signs of major repairs having been undertaken.  The paint is glossy and of even colour and the tyres are all newish.  Of course, he wouldn't even dare to comment on the mechanical side of things but it wouldn't be hard to have it checked out by one of the local Italian car specialists (who probably know of, and work on, the car anyway - that's Hobart for you!).   UMPH isn't a car salesman, either.  If, however, you happened to look through all the attached photos, you might well see a phone number of a bloke that's dabbling as one - at least in respect to the car we see here.  And, if it's as good as it looks, it could well turn out to be an astute buy.

Tasmania has a number of top-notch annual car shows, the Post Vintage Car Club of Tasmania's Picnic at Ross ( http://www.postvintage.org.au/ ) and Shannons' Take Your Tops Off breast cancer awareness-booster and fundraiser not least amongst them ( www.facebook.com/events/725377600952980/ ).  A number of local car clubs and service organisations - Rotary and The Lions, for example - run great events, too, and Club Motori Italia's Parliament lawns display - scheduled this year for Saturday the 28th of October - is always a ripper.   Twelve months between major events is a long time for classic car junkies.  Fortunately for those of us in the south of the state, there's a more regular fix in the form Classics by the Bay, an informal get-together that occurs on the first Sunday of each month at the middle car park of Sandy Bay's Long Beach.  Don't let the notion that informality equals second rate ; there's nothing ersatz about the cars that gath