Upper Middle Petrol Head:

Imagine living in 1950s America when cars like this imposing Cadillac, with its hugely exaggerated tail-fins and rocket-style taillights, ruled that country's roads and highways like some sort of automotive mega-fauna!  Its sheer bulk puts UMPH in mind of a pterodactyls compared to today's more modest-sized vehicles, especially now that exquisite, big-statement styling as gone the way of the ... , mmm, dinosaur! This particular example, affectionately known as Margie , has been a fairly common sight on Hobart's roads for the better part of a decade or so.  It's a lefty, so it's clearly been imported from the USA or possibly some other cack-handed country that deliberately chooses to drive on the incorrect side of the road. There's absolutely no point banging on about the car's perfect duco, acres of glittering chrome and sumptuous interior, or its grace, charm and presence.  It's perfect.  The photos prove it.  Enough said!  

This classic early 70s LC Torana is definitely more survivor car than pampered restoration but that's at least half of its charm.  There was a bit of crazed paint and a hint of bog here and there.  However, it was straight, rust free and complete, with nice chrome and a tidy interior.  Its only ostensible modification - a set of fat steels wheel with chrome caps and rings - were bang-on for the period.  Nice!  There's also a nice LJ Torana in an earlier UMPH post (http://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au/2017/06/random-137-lj-torana-s.html), as well as several other examples of the marque scattered through the 'blog.  Just use the search facility (magnifying glass icon) in the top right hand corner of the UMPH banner to find them.    U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) All iPhone images.

UMPH's got nothing for you today.  Nothing at all.  So, in lieu of anything original, he's sharing this 1977 Fiat X1/9 review from Britain.  That and another gratuitous image of his own Series I.5 X1/9 to make this page look pretty. If Top Gear (nka The Grand Tour ) is the pinnacle of motoring shows, this one's, well ...  .  Let's just say it's barely out of first gear.  Pay particular attention to their test track ; less unused aerodrome and more industrial wasteland.  Please enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=wvLyqB8MPrQ   . U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

This certainly isn't this blog's first Morris Minor and it's hugely unlikely to be its last, either.  In this instance, it's an earlier model - possibly the version immediately after the 'low-light' Morrie - as evidenced by the vertical slat grille, split windscreen and small, red-only tail lights. Readers might also enjoy  http://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au/2017/07/random-140-morris-minor-traveller.html.  For further examples of the marque, please use the search facility (magnifying glass icon) in the top right hand corner of the UMPH home banner. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) All iPhone images.

This delightful Mk I Cortina was photographed by our East Coast correspondent but the image appears to have been captured closer to Tasmania's capital city of Hobart.  It was in great nick, especially when one considers that the car's roughly fifty-five years old.  It's a little known fact that early Australian-built Cortinas, like the one shown here, differed from their British-made cousins in that they featured extra internal cabin bracing off the rear wheel arches to cope with this country's rougher roads.  This is not dissimilar to early Aussie Ford Falcons ; the first model, the XK, was based on a North American vehicle and therefore lacked the rugged suspension that local conditions demanded and that was fitted to subsequent iterations.      The Cortina was very popular in Australia from the early 1960s until the mid 1980s, when it was dropped from the Ford line-up.  There were five different models, designated the Mk 1 to the Mk V, with the Mks I

Even the most ardent Holden fan would be hard pressed not to appreciate the sheer muscularity of the XY Falcon GT with its aggressive looks and purposeful 'shaker' air intake poking through its bonnet!  This particular example, photographed outside Shannons' office in Hobart, Tasmania, was immaculate in every way.  All the Falcon GTs, from 1967's XR through to the XB of 1973 (plus the XB hardtop-based John Goss Special  and the XC Cobra hardtop that followed in 1978), are highly sought after by Ford aficionados and investors alike.  However, it is without doubt the XY GT that tops the desirability list - especially in its rarer GT-HO (Handling Options) Phase III form. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) All iPhone images.

Sometimes, just every so often, the planets really do align to create something truly special!  In this case, it was the coming together of Club Motori Italia's annual display on the lawns of Parliament House, Hobart, plus the Australian Lancia Register and TR Register Australia's concurrent Tasmanian tours, combined with a particularly pleasant spring day.  How could anyone not love that?! The locals ... There was a strong showing from the locals, including a good-sized display of Fiat X1/9s, an 850 Sports, Phil Blake's awesome 850 Abarth replica, a 128 and a 131 coupe, as well as some Alfas, plus a Dino and one or two other Ferraris.  They're not all featured in this post.  However, just about all of them can be found elsewhere on this 'blog (just use the search field in the top right of the screen).   The Lancia Contingent ... A fair-sized chunk of the Lancia tour was made up of Fu