Upper Middle Petrol Head:

We car people would appear to be setting a great example to everyone, because I don't reckon I've seen a classic, sports or performance car on the road since this whole Covid-19 nonsense reared its annoyingly restrictive head.  So in order to bring some automotive colour to a very drab world, here's another six of the best from Sandy Bay's Classics by the Beach.  Enjoy! U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

Sure, new cars have got lots of stuff.  Safety stuff.  Comfort stuff.  Connectivity stuff.  Stuff for the sake of stuff.  Stuff 'em, I reckon!  Gimme this ultra cool 1965 VW Beetle any day!   U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) Photos by CACT

I suppose that, in the whole scheme of things, missing out on my regular first Sunday of the month outing to Sandy Bay's Classics by The Beach isn't a huge deal, what with Covid-19 and all that rot.  So, rather than dwell on its temporary cessation, I've gone through my photos and put together half a dozen of my favourites, whether they're interesting cars or just images that I particularly like.  This selection is from late 2015.  I hope you enjoy them, too.  Is this your first time on uppermiddlepetrolhead?  There are plenty more classic, sports and performance cars, as well as car shows and motorsports meetings, on the site that you might enjoy.  J ust use the search facility - the magnifying glass icon - in the top right hand corner of the screen to look for any type of vehicle or Tasmanian automotive event.  Please enjoy!  U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

Thirty odd years ago, I'd have rolled about on the ground urinating myself laughing at the prospect of liking a Holden Gemini.  However, here we are in the third decade of the 21st century and not only do I like one, I'm (almost) in raptures over the example featured today, recently sent in from the UMPH Canberra Bureau.   It's ostensibly stock, save the ultra-tasty BBS basket-weave wheels but it's a fair bet that someone's put a lot of effort into the duco, such is its lustrous depth.  The interior appears to be just as perfect, too. A simple Google search is enough to reveal that there's a flourishing Gemini scene, with plenty of great examples of sedans and wagons from the TC of the mid-1970s, right through to early- to mid-1980s TGs like the one shown here.  Sadly, the now much sought after coupe is a little less common, which might be attributable to some degree to their manufacture having ceased in 1979 (Wikipedia). As prevalent

The Canberra UMPH Bureau staff have come up with this ripper GC Galant, equipped with some very tasty 13" gold-spoked mags, period correct Cibie Type 45 - or Airport -  driving lights and FoMoCo exterior mirrors.  Its front bucket seats don't appear to be standard-issue, it's missing its 'eyebrows' - a common problem, given their scarcity - and has a bit of primer on the driver's side, suggesting that it's under active restoration.  It's otherwise in excellent condition and I, for one, love it! U M P H (upperemiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) Photos by CACT.

The Correspondent for the Australian Capital Territory has been staking-out subterranean carparks again and has captured this elegant Falcon coupe.   Generally, Australia's "Big Three" car manufacturers - Ford, GMH and Chrysler - used to go model for model, so that each offered an equivalent of the cars within the others' lineups.   This was certainly so by the 1970s, with all three having a range of Aussie-built six and eight cylinder sedans, wagons, utes and vans, and a coupe - Ford's Falcon hardtop, GMH's Monaro and Chrysler's Charger - being examples of the latter. However, it was Ford who first introduced a two door as part of their 1964 XM range, beating the others by several years. The XM hardtop was followed-up by the XP but then, inexplicably, Ford dropped two door Falcons for the entire XR to XY series (1966 - 72), even though there were equivalents available in the US-market Falcon lineup of the time. Perhaps

Some people - including, I suspect, the contrarian who took today's photos - reckon the 240Z's a nicer looking vehicle than the 260Z 2+2 version.  Maybe the 240Z is the purer of the two; it might also be that they're better performers, given the small weight advantage they've got over the four-seater 260Z, notwithstanding the slight boost to the latter's engine capacity. However, I can't help but feel that the 260Z 2+2's rear window line is one of the best looking I've ever seen.  Actually, the entire car's design is about as perfect as it gets and, while we're on the subject of perfection, the example shown here is absolutely magnificent!  I'd happily have either model but, given the choice, I'd be hard pressed to go past a beauty like today's featured car! U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) Smart phone images by GMB.