Upper Middle Petrol Head:

I'd like American readers to understand that we Aussies invented the ute (ute being short for utility, by the way).  And, while we're at it, I think that it would be useful for them to understand that they're pronouncing the name of our beloved automotive icon all wrong.  We say the word as if it were spelled yoot and it rhymed with root, boot and bandicoot, but most definitely not pick-up , which is how the yanks erroneously believe it's pronounced!     Anyway, I digress.  The Austin ute shown here in a late 1960s' version and, as the more astute of you may know, the company that made it is actually British.  However, such is our love of the ute that when the Poms didn't offer one as part of the range, we made our own right here in the Land Down Under.  According to Wikipedia (which would be spelled Wikipaedia if our Stateside friends could spell!), we manufactured more than 2,000 of them and some cab-chassis versions, too.  (Please see  https://en.wiki

Here was me thinking that the Ford Ranger line was a fairly recent one, based on the shared Ford / Mazda platform that's built in Thailand.  Wrong!  It would appear that the Ranger has been part of the F100 line-up since at least 1968 in the USA and maybe other markets, too. The one shown here, proudly sporting New South Wales rego that handily gives the year of manufacture and the model, is apparently an ex-US  (or other LHD market)  version that's still in left-hand drive configuration.  It really was a great looking truck and in all round perfect condition.  I reckon someone's pretty proud of his or her old gal!  U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) All iPhone images.

Adapt and Overcome, Part 1 My 1975 GC Galant hardtop. I'm often surprised by the range of spare parts that are available for older cars.  MGB and "Spridget" owners, for instance, can access pretty much anything they like, from switch-gear right through to entire body shells, courtesy of British Motor Heritage Ltd ( http://www.bmh-ltd.com/ ).  Other companies, such as English-based Alfaholics ( https://www.alfaholics.com/ ), can similarly provide - manufacture, if required -  Alfa Romeo   suspension, performance and body parts to order.  An amazing array of spares are readily available for Fiat X1/9s from Midwest Bayless ( https://www.midwest-bayless.com/ )  and other specialist suppliers, too. GC hardtop / GD hardtop, sedan and wagon front indicator / park lens. But what do you do if your car doesn't have quite the same following amongst the cognoscenti?  Clubs and informal Facebook groups are great sources of advice and many participants are ofte

It's probably poor form to begin an article with an apology.  But I really do have to confess to utterly failing to capture the 2019 Old Beach car show as it deserves, so I'm sorry for that.  If I may offer a plea in mitigation, it's simply that I had no idea just how good the event was going to be, having thought I might pop in, meet a few people and fire off a couple of dozen frames.  An hour, tops?  Wrong.  Oh, so very wrong!  This chopped-top Morris Minor packs a mighty V8 and a host of other mods that might just make it one of Australia's - if not the world's - most extreme Morries.  Not only was it tough as, the attention to detail shown during its amazing resto-mod was a credit to its creator. I'd rather not think about them, actually! There are a surprising number of these lovely ex-USA Falcon coupes in Tasmania, the majority being left-hookers.  However, there'