wuvvum Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 I found Oz quite impressive from a shite point of view. Still plenty of old Holdens trundling around, plus quite a number of '70s and '80s Japs. And the SUV craze doesn't seem to have hit them too badly either, which is a bonus - most of the 4x4s I saw were driven by people who looked like they actually needed four wheel drive, and a commendably large proportion of them were ancient Land Cruisers and Patrols. Anyway, here's some pics, in roughly the order they were taken. From the front these Lasers are one of the dullest-looking cars I've ever seen, but I do quite like the rear end. Has hints of Isuzu Piazza I reckon. Probably the oldest Holden I saw when I was there. Didn't Toadie from Neighbours have one of these a few years back? Nice scruffy pre-SL shape Camry estate. Australian Barry boy. Didn't recognise the car - something Japanese, probably Honda or Nissan. Never seen a Merc van this shape in Europe. Is it a facelifted MB100D or is it a rebadged version of something Oriental? Saw this DS a couple of times around Sydney - unfortunately it never stayed still for long enough for me to get a decent pic. Also saw a Mk2 Jag doing the rounds in Sydney, and a ZA Magnette and Humber Hawk in Cairns, none of which I managed to photograph unfortunately. Tidy-looking Mk2 Transit ice cream van plying for trade under Syndey Harbour Bridge. Crap picture as my camera doesn't cope very well in the dark, but I thought this was brilliant. Not sure what it is, but I'd drive around in it. Vauxhall Royale anyone? There are still loads of these rattling around over there. Another tidy old Holden - looks like it could be related to the Vauxhall Cresta? Nice little line-up in the car park at Bondi Beach - '60s Chevy, SL-spec Accord estate and nicely scruffy Holden wagon - I'm going to assume that the latter was a surfer wagon, given its condition and location. Here's that Holden surf wagon again. Honda's answer to the flood of cheap Chinese imported scooters - relaunch the 1981 Melody with a new set of plastics. The Australian Ford range is much more interesting than ours. We get a 200bhp Mondeo as the pinnacle of the range; they get a 425bhp RWD Falcon with a turbocharged 4-litre straight 6. Nice tidy little Spitfire. Sexy yellow Porsche. These early 911s may be slower than my Saab, and handle worse than my Saviem, but by Feck they make a gorgeous noise... This was the oldest of a number of Ferraris I saw round Sydney, including a couple of 355s, a 456GT and a 430 Spyder. This lovely old Ponton seemed to be in use as a daily driver, judging by the presence of two child seats in the back. I love old estates. This Chrysler is pure style. Old Leyland Atlantean in use as a tour bus in the Blue Mountains. Nice to hear the growl of an old 11-litre Leyland engine over on t'other side of the world. Solid old Civic being used by an aborigine to teach his missus to drive. Her clutch control left something to be desired. http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0401.jpg When I grow up I'm going to invent a digital camera that doesn't sit there scratching its bollocks for eight seconds when you press the button but actually TAKES A FUGGING PICTURE. This quad-headlighted 504 estate was superb. Honest. http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0400.jpg This nice old 144 looked to be the daily drive for its lady owner. http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0421.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0420.jpg Another pleasantly tatty '70s Oz Tank. http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0418.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0419.jpg Split screen Moggie pickup was an unexpected spot in downtown Cairns. Not sure about those mirrors though... http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0423.jpg Spectacular Mk1 Escort van. The picture doesn't even come close to doing justice to that paint job. This would sell for an absolute fortune over here. I saw it being driven around too - bet he'd be pissed off if someone ran into him... http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0424.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0425.jpg Couldn't work out if this was a proper Mk1 with later wipers and grille or a Mk3 with Mk1 lights and external door hinges. Either way, it was one of two early Minis I saw over there. http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0426.jpg Some reckless individual is probably touring the outback in this knackered old Mazda van. Rather them than me... http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0451.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0452.jpg An exercise in how large a demountable camper can be (nearly) fitted onto a '70s Holden ute. http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0455.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0456.jpg Shit more than shite - the vile little Hyundai Getz 1.3 automatic that I hired whilst in Cairns. It really was a nasty little car. And this is coming from somebody who owns a Skoda Estelle... http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0495.jpg Anyone fancy a bullbar for their Mk1 Carlton? Apparently they're available in Oz... http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0499.jpg I stumbled onto the tail end of a classic Ford show in Cairns. This '50s Fairlane [i think] was rather nice - flathead V8 an' all. http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0497.jpg I liked this one too... http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0500.jpg ...and this GT40 sounded rather pleasant when it was started up and driven onto its trailer. http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0498.jpg This was my favourite though. These Falcon GT HOs are an absolute beast. 140mph and 6 seconds to 60 from a 5.8-litre 360bhp Mustang V8 - Lotus Cortina east your fugging heart out. Purple is the best colour for these as well. And the noise it made when the owner booted it down the road was earth-shaking. http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0503.jpg http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0502.jpg This tidy Fairlane and early Bronco were parked on the street outside the show. http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/wuvvum/Oz/PICT0514.jpg I think this was a Holden Calais. Looked like a rebaded Oldsmobile to me. Either way, the partially covered headlights àla Isuzu Piazza were what caught my eye. And that's just about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiel Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Superb work, a ponton's on the wish list, just moved up a few places (from 957 to 634). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seth Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Brilliant photos Wuvvum! I've nearly thrown up at the Mk1 Escort though Ponton Merc is fantastic as a family car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrogeezer Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 This is the same shell as my 87 323 isn't it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Nah its not! I thikn it is based on the 323 but none of the panels are interchangeable. ALso these things have a Ford CVH engine! I'd love one, solid gold shite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross_K Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Australian Barry boy. Didn't recognise the car - something Japanese, probably Honda or Nissan.Ha ha. C U "L8R SXY" Imaginative.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 But after all that he couldnt get the right headlights for that grille Looks gash to me but no doubt a future ebay millionaire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrogeezer Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Nah its not! I thikn it is based on the 323 but none of the panels are interchangeable. ALso these things have a Ford CVH engine! I'd love one, solid gold shite.Yep, you are right. Looks similar at first glance but door skins are different, rear 1/4 windows are bigger etc.CVH engined eh....mad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betaphile Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I found Oz quite impressive from a shite point of view. Still plenty of old Holdens trundling around, plus quite a number of '70s and '80s Japs. And the SUV craze doesn't seem to have hit them too badly either, which is a bonus - most of the 4x4s I saw were driven by people who looked like they actually needed four wheel drive, and a commendably large proportion of them were ancient Land Cruisers and Patrols. Mmm...not too sure about that wuvvum. 90%+ around where I live are pointless 'fashion statements' IMHO - Cayennes, X5s, Q7s heading the list. You're right that there are a lot of old 'Cruisers and Patrols still hanging around, but we've been bitten by the SUV bug pretty hard. I read a few years ago that more than 20% of all new car sales were SUVs - that's a big percentage considering Australia is one of the most urbanised countries on the planet. Anyway, here's some pics, in roughly the order they were taken. From the front these Lasers are one of the dullest-looking cars I've ever seen, but I do quite like the rear end. Has hints of Isuzu Piazza I reckon. I know a bit about these as my parents had no fewer than three when I was growing up (including a Ghia...sheer luxury!). From memory all outside panelwork on these 'bubbleback' models is different to the 323 - even the rear screen has a subtly different rake - but bits like doorhandles are interchangeable and the interiors are virtually identical apart from trim and a subtly revised instrument binnacle. Nice enough cars in their day and a best-seller for Ford - they manufactured them here in Homebush, latterly the Olympic site. Not sure where the mention of CVH engines came from though - all mechanicals on all generations of Laser are all Mazda (1.3 'E3' and 1.6 'B6' single-cam fours on this generation), as are underpinnings and suspension, though Ford Oz subtly retuned the springs and dampers for a slightly more sporting drive and dumped the variable-assist power steering in favour of a conventional PAS setup. Lasers after this generation looked even less like their 323 counterparts. Australian Barry boy. Didn't recognise the car - something Japanese, probably Honda or Nissan. Private-import Infiniti G35 (or Skyline if it's a JDM job). Crap picture as my camera doesn't cope very well in the dark, but I thought this was brilliant. Not sure what it is, but I'd drive around in it. Rat-tacular old Falcon wagon - XA/XB vintage. Vauxhall Royale anyone? There are still loads of these rattling around over there. Nice find - a commendably tidy first-gen (VB - seriously) Commodore - more or less, it's based on a decontented Rekord with a Senator front end. Or rather, that was the plan, before Holden discovered the Rekord couldn't cope with crap Australian roads and had to spend a fortune beefing up the chassis to stop it breaking apart at the firewall. The Calais further down is a direct descendant of this car (VL generation), before it was replaced by the all-new VN in 1988. Except for the ancient Buick V6 they stuck in it, which dated back to the early '60s and was a thoroughly vibratory, unrefined piece of work. Nice little line-up in the car park at Bondi Beach - '60s Chevy, SL-spec Accord estate and nicely scruffy Holden wagon - I'm going to assume that the latter was a surfer wagon, given its condition and location. Camry wagon, actually. These things used to be EVERYWHERE six or seven years ago, but their numbers have really thinned out - dunno why to be honest, you'd think they'd go on forever. Another pleasantly tatty '70s Oz Tank. HQ Kingswood-based Holden Premier. Couldn't work out if this was a proper Mk1 with later wipers and grille or a Mk3 with Mk1 lights and external door hinges. Either way, it was one of two early Minis I saw over there. Almost certainly a Leyland Australia-built jobbie, which might explain the confusing spec. I liked this one too... Veeery shitey - last one I saw of these was a beautiful example (of its kind) in the city, complete with notoriously unreliable vacuum-operated headlamp covers. Supposedly a luxury version of the Falcon Hardtop, whereby the vinyl roof served to cover the fantastically crude hackjob on the roof and glasshouse carried out to give it a different look in profile to the normal Hardtop. Introduced just in time for the oil crisis with a standard 351 c.i. V8, it's not hugely surprising that this is one of Ford Australia's more obscure models... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtd2000 Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Veeery shitey - last one I saw of these was a beautiful example (of its kind) in the city, complete with notoriously unreliable vacuum-operated headlamp covers. Supposedly a luxury version of the Falcon Hardtop, whereby the vinyl roof served to cover the fantastically crude hackjob on the roof and glasshouse carried out to give it a different look in profile to the normal Hardtop. Introduced just in time for the oil crisis with a standard 351 c.i. V8, it's not hugely surprising that this is one of Ford Australia's more obscure models...That's just waiting to be turned in to the "second last" of the V8's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.welfare Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 GR8 pics. My love for early Commodores is well-documented but I can't get on with the crazy single-spoke steering wheel. I was annoyed not to be "allocated" a just-released VE Commodore for my drive between Sydney and Melbourne a couple of years back, ending up with a last-of-the-Omega-derived version, which was bloody awful. Might have something to do with the fact that the petrol over in Oz is very low octane, equivalent to John Smiths I believe. Certainly the Corolla I hired in Perth ran really rough, and might explain why the Getz was so poor - but I've not driven a UK-spec Getz to compare!The number of mint Pug 504s in Oz (save for sun-ravaged interiors) defies belief. Oddly enough, they were built by Renault Australia in Melbourne... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Hmm, it seems, according to Wiki, the CVH-engined Laser does exist but is a south african job. I saw one in a salvage yard in Sunderland once and it defo had a CVH unit, I had assumed it was australian. Wish i'd bought it! Unsurprisingly, no-one else did and it got baled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted August 4, 2008 Author Share Posted August 4, 2008 I found Oz quite impressive from a shite point of view. Still plenty of old Holdens trundling around, plus quite a number of '70s and '80s Japs. And the SUV craze doesn't seem to have hit them too badly either, which is a bonus - most of the 4x4s I saw were driven by people who looked like they actually needed four wheel drive, and a commendably large proportion of them were ancient Land Cruisers and Patrols. Mmm...not too sure about that wuvvum. 90%+ around where I live are pointless 'fashion statements' IMHO - Cayennes, X5s, Q7s heading the list. You're right that there are a lot of old 'Cruisers and Patrols still hanging around, but we've been bitten by the SUV bug pretty hard. I read a few years ago that more than 20% of all new car sales were SUVs - that's a big percentage considering Australia is one of the most urbanised countries on the planet. Most of the old FJ40s and the like that I saw were in Queensland. I honestly did find that there were substantially fewer 4x4s in Sydney than you'd see in London or pretty much any large city in the US. Maybe they're all stuck in suburbs that I didn't visit. There seemed to be a far higher proportion of traditional estates - a breed which has more or less completely died out in the US. Nice little line-up in the car park at Bondi Beach - '60s Chevy, SL-spec Accord estate and nicely scruffy Holden wagon - I'm going to assume that the latter was a surfer wagon, given its condition and location. Camry wagon, actually. I knew that. Must still be jetlagged... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete-M Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 But after all that he couldnt get the right headlights for that grille Looks gash to me but no doubt a future ebay millionaire I'm with you on that. I love Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts but I'd never entertain that pile of shite, that is probably the most hideous Mk1 I've ever seen - and I've seen some horrible things done to them.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micky0604 Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Greatï¼Â---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Never, never, never, never give up.While there is life there is hope. Nothing is impossible! world of warcraft power leveling world of warcraft powerleveling wow power leveling wow powerleveling world of warcraft power leveling ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micky0604 Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Greatï¼Â---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Never, never, never, never give up.While there is life there is hope. Nothing is impossible! world of warcraft powerleveling wow power leveling wow powerleveling warcraft power leveling warcraft powerleveling ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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