Event Coverage Australia Trip with Pics!

Behave yourself . . . as long as anyone's watching!

 

So…OT to this thread actually, but since it’s my thread and I brought it up…the two cars that my son is considering. I know which one I would pick, but it’s not my money. So, we will see what happens soon here. This piece of the trip is when I wish I was home to help him decide. But, since he is 19 and knows everything, it will be interesting to see how it turns out. The pink one has a 352 and automatic and the black one is a 292, 3-speed car. I am not a four door fan, but he did do a good job of making his 59 Edsel cool. Either car will be cool as a cruiser for a young guy like him. It amazes me how other kids his age were influenced by him driving the Edsel and this is somewhat how we keep this old car hobby moving on to the next generations. So, more to come…

 

I feel that, my son is after a 1958 Chevy, won’t consider anything else.

 

Does everything have a digiridoo background track down there?!?!?!

 

Those are both cool cars.

I'll bite, which one is your preference?

Myself, I think the Pink one. More trim, 352 Auto.

 

I would choose the black one since it is a very nice unmolested car. But, either could be very cool. My son is likely leaning toward the pink one, but who knows. The pink one does have power steering which he needs since he just had shoulder surgery. We would end up adding that to the black one if he goes that way.

 

Nobody asked me, but the black one definitely. Get rid of those hubcaps, stick some dog dishes on, 8-foot antenna on the back, bubble gum machine on top, two if he's feeling racy!

 

Haha…from what I understand, the black one is an ex-cop car.

 

I like the body of the pink one . It has more style than the black one . But that’s my opinion.

 

So you’re saying it’s got a cop motor, cop suspension, cop tires and it’s a model made before catalytic converters so it’ll run good on regular gas?

 

When you put it that way it becomes a very attrctive option......

 

While you are in Queensland, not automotive, but The Australian Zoo doesn’t look much like a zoo in the states. Well worth the time. It is also an opportunity to snorkel The Great Barrier Reef. Both are once in a lifetime things for USA people to do there.

 

Here locally they sell that in 40 ouncers along with a couple of other malt liquors that are the beverage of choice of the local "homeless" alcoholics. They know to the penny exactly how much change they need for a 40 and usually lay that exact amount on the counter of the mini mart they buy from. Many places no longer sell the single 40's because of that.

Still not many things called beer taste as bad as that Ballentine from the east coast did when I was in Vietnam in 1968. If you ended up being one of the last guys to make it to the beer breakdown to get your case of beer for between 2.40 and 3.60 for a case of 24 and contribute to the first seargents retirement kitty you ended up with Carling black lable or Ballentine.

 

No thank god.

 

I've noticed the younger generations don't seem to have that "4 doors are not cool" hangup us older guys have. Which is a good thing I suppose. It get's them into the hobby at a lower price point.

 

I fall in the older guy group. I have a 4 door 57 Fairlane I enjoy the car. I can load up the grandkids or friends and away we go . We use the car for what it was built for. To move people

 

What I have learned having a couple four doors is that from the steering wheel, they look the same over the hood. Anyway, seems it all just boils down to the look we are going for, what budget we have to work with, and what our intentions are. I have had ton of fun driving both a 64 Impala four door I had as well as the 50 Buick. But, if I plan to put a ton of work and money in something, it will have two doors.

 

My dad had a 60 Impala 4 door when I was a teenager. He could fit the whole family in that car and have tons of room. It was the perfect car for him at the time. He also had a 64 El Camino during that time, but he hardly ever got to drive it since it could only carry one or maybe two passengers.

 

Carling Black Label, bad at any price .

 

Back in the 70's, I drank a lot of Fosters. I had a deal with my girl friend. If I was some place and she couldn't be there, I would only drink 3 beers, no more. Fosters came in a BIG can.

 

Okay, now. They do ford rivers. But the Rovers have snorkels over the top of the roof. Maybe the passengers (with their windows down) should roll them up and have their personal snorkels?

(Love to see that.)

 

I had a friend around 1972-3, that had a 64 El Comino. I think it was an SS if they made one? I do remember it having a 283 4 barrel and 4 speed. He took two pieces of firewood off my Dad's pile and put them in the back. I asked why? He said the emergency brake cable broke and he didn't want to take a chance of it rolling away.

 

It is a poser thing. Here in the Black Hills we have HUNDREDS of jacked up Jeep Wranglers, Tacomas, and such outfitted with roof top tents, snorkels, Jerry Cans, 35" tires and traction boards that never even see gravel let alone real off road conditions. While my little DD Subie routinely sees 3 wheels out hunting with my kid

 

Does he really want a 59 Ford, or is it a coincidence they're both 59s? I'd say it's a toss up, maybe go with the pink one with power steering since he needs it, one less chore.

Also, the 352 is an FE, right? Would you rather work on an FE, or a Y block? Only you all can answer that.

I really loved my 39 4-door. I'd still have it if I didn't have all these kids and responsibilities.

 

Yes, he really wants a 59 even though he may be one of the few people that does. I have nothing against a 59, but am not sure I would go looking for one either. It’s as much that he had a 59 Biscayne as his first car, then a 59 Edsel later making him partial to the 59 deal to be honest. I suppose there is also a 59 Lark that he may pick up sometime in this mix as well now that I think of it.

 

So, I have been here in Australia since Sunday and have seen a total of two HAMB-era cars on the road at least that I noticed driving quite a bit in both Sydney and Brisbane. I just saw a LHD 55 Chevy on the way back to the hotel and the 58 or 59 Chevy pu a couple days ago. Anyway, maybe I can get somewhere this weekend to see some. Still debating whether to hang out with my co-workers at Gold Coast or to figure out a ride to Yamba for the rod run. I do think that I might be able to meet up with a HAMBer in Melbourne next week when I get there. One thing that I have learned that everyone here is great (or I just haven't met the bad ones yet ). You Aussies have a great country here.

 

Cat pee Mate.

 

Good on you for trying it, we were fed it on a tea soon when we were young (toddlers) so it is very easy to eat. I have yet to find anyone like it on their first try, very much an acquired taste. Shamefully, my wife doesnt like it and prefers peanut butter, so my two kids like peanut butter and DISLIKE Vegemite. Every family has something they hide from the outside world......