Upper Middle Petrol Head:

It's no secret that I love Momo Vega wheels!  In fact, it's such a not-secret that Hobart-based purveyor of Italian car parts Norm recently offered me four, having learned of my not even slightly disguised appetite for them whilst reading an UMPH article showcasing an Alfa Spider wearing a set.   How could I say no?! https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/06/from-canberra-correspondent-alfa-spider.html Is there a '70s or '80s Italian car that Vegas don't suit?  (Hint:  No! )  They are to Fiats - especially the X1/9 - and to Alfa 105 coupes and Alfettas what Minilites and Superlites , and the the wheels that they inspired - Panasports, RS Watanabes or other clones - are to '60s and '70s British and Japanese cars.   A grubby but otherwise sexy A-F Galant wearing Rota brand Superlite replicas. I received a lot of advice regarding suitable tyres sizes from the very knowledgeable members of the Australian X1/9s Facebook group, especially with regards

This was, until circa 2004, my Mk III/A Austin Healey Sprite.  Or as Mrs UMPH would have it, the car that tried to kill her.   Not just once, mind you; the allegations levelled against my former pride and joy include poisoning via paint fumes wafting off its then new  exhaust extractors, AND hypothermia.  Personally, I think it’s a little harsh to blame the Sprite’s heater-less state for my dearest nearly freezing to death during a late autumn drive around the foothills of Hobart’s Mt Wellington, sans roof!   But anyway … . Since then, the car has belonged to relief teacher Tony, who, for the first few years of ownership, also lived in Tasmania but now calls Queensland, on Australia’s mainland, home.  Now it’s for sale.   For those of you scratching your heads over the Mk III/ A part of the model designation, it’s a unique Aussie thing.  The British Motor Corporation offered one car under two nameplates: the Sprite and its 99% identical twin, the MG Midget.  Both versions were exported

We're back!  After an IT-related hiatus, the UMPH engine room - that's to say the office MacBook Pro - has had its screen replaced and the slow, aged iPad has been put out to YouTube-viewing and social media-checking pasture.  That means that we'll hopefully be able to put a bit of content out again, on an at least semi-regular basis. Kicking off our renewed coverage is this classic Pininfarina-designed Fiat 124 Spider , which is timely considering how popular recent Fiat- and Alfa-related posts have been.  It's not a local car, though, coming to us courtesy of the SEQ correspondent and having been captured at a cars 'n' coffee in Brisbane, Queensland, several months ago.   It’s a recurrent UMPH theme but the less-fancied Fiat Spider  really, really is a more than adequate alternative to Alfa Romeo’s equivalent rag top sports car.  B oth manufacturers’ roadsters - based on their respective sporty coupes (please see:  https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/20

  Fun fact:   The inspiration for the rear side window of fabled Aussie muscle car the A9X Torana  came from the equivalent chunk of glass on this, Italy’s beautiful Fiat 850 Sport Coupe!   But don’t take my word as gospel, tempting as it undoubtedly is to believe every keystroke that I - an only moderately credible ‘blogger from the arse end of our magnificent nation - make; there’s this corroborative article from no lesser an authority than Shannons (please see:  https://www.shannons.com.au/club/news/classic-garage/lx-torana-and-a9x-from-mediocre-to-meteoric-in-18-months/ ).   Today’s 850 - interestingly, the second in a matter of weeks (the other one’s available here:  https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/08/readers-photos-125-fiat-850-sport-coupe.html ) - was brought to you by Philip H.  It appears to be in very good nick with nice duco, straight panels and no obvious rust.   They’re pretty rare these days, the vast majority have been devoured by tin worm, which is a rea

  Alfa Romeo - the first part of this fabled name being an acronym for  Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili and not, as I originally thought, an Italianised* spelling of the first letter of the Greek alpha bet - has produced some of the most beautiful cars ever made - think the  Montreal  and  33 Stradale for a start.  It's also made some stinkers, prominent amongst them being the grotesque chunk of plastic that is the 75-based SZ or Sprint Zagato**  (inset, below).  I'm not much of a 75 fan, either, but I'll cease further commentary for fear of further alienating any more of my already modest readership! The Tipo 105 Giulia of 1962 to 1978 probably isn't beautiful but, thankfully, it's not pig dog ugly, either.  It might politely be described as "handsome," "classic" or "of its era" and - for a berlinetta (a sedan for us Aussies) - it certainly has its appeal.  However - and again I risk the permanent aprobrium of a number of Alfa-ow

Full credit to the owner of this totally mint CL Valiant Regal !  It really, really is perfect; the duco, panels and chrome are unmarked, as is its parchment interior.  It'd be hard to imagine that any circa 1977 car could look as good as this one does, even when new.    Did you know that UMPH also features vehicles from all around Australia?  Recent examples include a lovely EH ute ( https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/08/random-321-eh-holden-ute.html ), an unmolested Datsun 240Z ( https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/08/from-south-east-queensland.html ) and the sporty younger brother of today's car, a CL Valiant Charger ( https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2022/07/random-319-chrysler-cl-charger.html ). So why not check them out?  Even better, consider following Upper Middle Petrol Head on Facebook ( @uppermiddlepetrolhead1)   or via their 'blogsite ( uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au ).   And please, please share with your friends!  UMP