For those that fear coming to Australia!

[monkeysarefun]

I trust that you remember Bullen's African Lion Safari in Yatala?  It was much the same thing and is referenced here.

 

The penchant for 'big' roadside attractions was a curious thing since they are all a blight on the landscape, but we all flocked to them - the Big Pineapple (Nambour) was the grandfather of them all, but there were Big Bananas (Coff's Harbour), the Big Peanut (not necessarily a former Premier of Queensland), a Big Cow and many, many others.

 

 

I can carbon date the colourbond  shed here on my property to at least 1987 due to the 'Joh For PM' sticker on the inside of the door.

Edited October 14, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[kevinlms]

Really? You didn't have that ad down there? Maybe thats how they went broke - by limiting the advertising to the places that already knew about it!

 

I did go to one of those zoos when I was down in Melbourne ages ago, not sure if it was Weribee or Healsville but it was a good day out.

 

And the penguins on Phillip Island. Of which my main memory is of heaps of Japanese tourists  filling the viewing stands waiting for the penguins to arrive from the sea and the rangers making it plain not to use cameras when they appear from the water because the flashes will scare them. Finally the first penguins waddle out of the surf and a million flashes go off making  the place look like its Omaha Beach  on D-day.

 

Regarding the Australian assembled Morris cars, I think Leyland here were some kind of subsidury to BMC? I remember they had a major factory or distribution centre or something at Moorebank near Liverpool NSW. I'd drive past there (in the backseat of my dads crap Wolsely)  and see row upon row of  Mini Mokes. I decided then that when I was grown up  I'd get a mini moke - a yellow California one. I never did though which is lucky because they were a pretty stupid car when you think about it.

 

  Then when the mighty P76 was developed there were rows upon rows of them too. Trouble was, they never seemed to actually leave the Leyland distribution centre - just sit in rows upon rows... . I don't know why - they were a stuning car, especially in that brown they came in

p76.jpg

.

 

Shortly after  they went broke and shut down.

A former boss of mine had one, yellow I think. He called it a P38, because it was only half a car! Handy though, if you wanted to carry a 44 gallon drum!

 

 

There was a dealer in Ringwood, Vic, who had rows of them parked for years. One day they all disappeared! Sims Metal, must have done well that day.

Edited October 14, 2017 by kevinlms

[PatB]

Here in WA we've got a big sheep or two. There's one in Wagin and another somewhere so memorable I've forgotten it. There's the Big Kangaroo at Border Village out on the Nullabor, and the Big Whale at Nullabor Roadhouse a bit further east, which is about the only good reason for stopping there. Oh yes, and the Big Galah at Kimba, although it was looking a bit sad last time I passed through.

[The Blue Streak]

When you look back at the P76, they were a bit doomed from the start.

They were rushed into production against what was firmly entrenched competition from Holden, Ford and Valiant's big cars. The first of them suffered from poor build quality, then there was a series of strikes and finally the oil crisis (which although short lived, caused a fair bit of anxiety at the time).

 

It was quite a shame as really they ended up quite a good car just prior to them shutting down production. I knew a bloke with the 4.4 litre all alloy V8 Targa Florio version which was a really nice car.

 

The stillborn Force 7 Coupe (Hatchback) would have been quite a car if more than 10 prototypes had been developed before the project was canned although as it turned out the big coupes were on the way out anyway, the Falcon Hardtop, Chrysler Charger and Monaro Coupes were all finished by 1978.

Edited October 14, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[monkeysarefun]

When you look back at the P76, they were a bit doomed from the start.

They were rushed into production against what was firmly entrenched competition from Holden, Ford and Valiant's big cars. The first of them suffered from poor build quality, then there was a series of strikes and finally the oil crisis (which although short lived, caused a fair bit of anxiety at the time).

 

It was quite a shame as really they ended up quite a good car just prior to them shutting down production. I knew a bloke with the 4.4 litre all alloy V8 Targa Florio version which was a really nice car.

 

The stillborn Force 7 Coupe (Hatchback) would have been quite a car if more than 10 prototypes had been developed before the project was canned although as it turned out the big coupes were on the way out anyway, the Falcon Hardtop, Chrysler Charger and Monaro Coupes were all finished by 1978.

 

And next Friday it will ALL be finished..

 

I don't think I ever saw a P76 on the road, a story repeated with that last Mitsubishi Magna they built - the 380?  Apparently a pretty good car, better in many ways than the Commodore or Falcon, but didn't stir the loins and just disappeared.

 

The Chrysler Charger always seemed a bit try-hard and lacked the cool of the Holdens and Fords. Its  side on view to me always looks a bit stunted. Personally I preferred the  Valiant  hardtop, but they are completely forgotten by history!

 

Jeez we smashed up a lot of now very expensive cars back in the '80's!

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfK1IOIIDv8

 

Edited October 14, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[The Blue Streak]

Yep the big Chrysler Hardtop was a pretty cool beast, all the cool blokes fitted them with the Chrysler by Chrysler (the big luxury tanks) grill and headlights.

 

I remember all those corny B grade Aussie Movies that all tried to Muscle in on the success that  Mad Max 1 achieved, another one was "Running From The Guns" which starred a very tough XY GT and and early AC Cobra.

 

Good times - I remember going to the Drive In to see Mad Max 1, I was well under 18 at the time and My brother had to smuggle Me in (I was in the boot) I've still to this day never seen so many Aussie Muscle cars in one place !!! 

 

Ps. I bought one of the last 380's a VRX - great car.  Really underated.

Edited October 14, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[SRman]

Chrysler hedged their bets both ways with the two 2-door coupes. Their hardtops were actually longer than the 4-door cars, while the Charger ("Hey, Charger!" - remember that campaign?) really captured the public imagination more.

I still have my Falcon Hardtop bought in 1985 when it was already 11.5 years old. It is now just on 44 years old.

Edited October 14, 2017 by SRman

[monkeysarefun]

Chrysler hedged their bets both ways with the two 2-door coupes. Their hardtops were actually longer than the 4-door cars, while the Charger ("Hey, Charger!" - remember that campaign?) really captured the public imagination more.

 

I still have my Falcon Hardtop bought in 1985 when it was already 11.5 years old. It is now just on 44 years old.

 

 

 

'Tis a pity I can only click the 'Like' button once!

 

One of my mates had an XB model

 

- ironically I was in it at the drive-in when the 'Coming Soon' ad for Mad Max came on. I was in the back seat (nothing salacious to report, we were all lame back then so went to the drive in with our mates and watched the movie)   and those tall front seats meant I missed most of what it was about but after it finished there was a cacophony of air horns and flashing high beams  so I assumed it was something to look forward to.

 

I was a Holden guy, unable to afford a Monaro I had to settle for the little version:

 

 

 

Edited October 14, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[The Blue Streak]

Chrysler hedged their bets both ways with the two 2-door coupes. Their hardtops were actually longer than the 4-door cars, while the Charger ("Hey, Charger!" - remember that campaign?) really captured the public imagination more.

 

I still have my Falcon Hardtop bought in 1985 when it was already 11.5 years old. It is now just on 44 years old.

 

 

Wow , still got it! Good for you mate.Nice XB , are they 15's on the rear ? You could get a 295 Mickey Thompson or TA under those back guards, Yours look like it has a  a pretty decent set of Bags.

 

I had an XB and an XC My sister had an XA with a big superbird decal down the sides. All gone now

Edited October 14, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[The Blue Streak]

Last time I went to a Drive in, was in My XB Coupe, it was raining and because it had a carp aftermarket sunroof it leaked all over the Girl and she got really annoyed. But I didn't care because I actually wanted to see the movie which was "Heart Like A wheel" the Shirley Muldowney Story.

 

Never saw the Chick again i'm afraid

 

Edit - Tomorrow I will dig out all My old Photo's, I might even scan a few and post them here. Aussie Bogans in V8's - the real reason why people feared coming to Australia.

 

PS. Nice LJ Torry there Mr Monkey's are Fun.

Edited October 14, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[monkeysarefun]

This one is on EBAY for 55 grand - I'd be parking yours in my bedroom if I was you!

 

Edited October 14, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[monkeysarefun]

Last time I went to a Drive in, was in My XB Coupe, it was raining and because it had a carp aftermarket sunroof it leaked all over the Girl and she got really annoyed. But I didn't care because I actually wanted to see the movie which was "Heart Like A wheel" the Shirley Muldowney Story.

 

Never saw the Chick again i'm afraid

 

Edit - Tomorrow I will dig out all My old Photo's, I might even scan a few a post them here. Aussie Bogans in V8's - the real reason why people feared coming to Australia.

 

Ha - I was going to apologise to our non-Australian readers for this car indulgence, but along with Taipans and nutty Queensland premiers, it IS a part of Australia.

 

But it does  highlight the repercussions of us naming things boringly literally. . All the other countries used forethought and gave their dangerous and impressive things great names - so that they could then in turn name impressive cars and so on after them - eg Cougar, Cobra, Wildcat etc.

 

Because our names were so unimaginative we don't have that opportunity. The Ford Brown Snake or Valiant Blue Ringed Octopus doesn't really inspire. The best we could come up with was the Monaro, but even that is just some sheep filled part of the country down past Canberra.

 

So instead, we used the same technique naming our muscle cars that we used on our wildlife - "Hey, its a Ford, and its got a hard top and two doors - lets call it the Ford 2 door Hardtop and bu99er off to the pub.."

Edited October 14, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[The Blue Streak]

That's  the thing hard to convey, not only to those from OS but even to our own Kids. How big the car culture was in Oz back in the 70's and 80's. People go on about the US car culture, but I remember cruising through Fremantle, Perth and Scarborough beach on a Friday or Saturday night and just seeing tough cars bumper to bumper. You just don't see that now.!

[monkeysarefun]

That's  the thing hard to convey, not only to those from OS but even to our own Kids. How big the car culture was in Oz back in the 70's and 80's. People go on about the US car culture, but I remember cruising through Fremantle, Perth and Scarborough beach on a Friday or Saturday night and just seeing tough cars bumper to bumper. You just don't see that now.!

 

Exhibit one - Eric Bana. International film star, can afford any car in the world but his one love is his XB falcon. Genuinely upset when it seems it might  be dead..

 

 

Edit - replaced clip with a more Aussie one! IF we ever develop a space programme - ie work out how  to strap V8s to a tube and fire it straight up, this clip will be on a USB stick or whatever so the alien life that find it will know what they are dealing with.

 

Top quote : "Mate you'll never get laid if you drive around in an Alfa Romeo mate, you've got to get a hot car mate!"

Edited October 14, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[The Blue Streak]

Exhibit 2

Do I really have to explain this one ?

 

 

even Scalextric know how cool this car was

Edited October 14, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[SRman]

Ha - I was going to apologise to our non-Australian readers for this car indulgence, but along with Taipans and nutty Queensland premiers, it IS a part of Australia.

 

But it does  highlight the repercussions of us naming things boringly literally. . All the other countries used forethought and gave their dangerous and impressive things great names - so that they could then in turn name impressive cars and so on after them - eg Cougar, Cobra, Wildcat etc.

 

Because our names were so unimaginative we don't have that opportunity. The Ford Brown Snake or Valiant Blue Ringed Octopus doesn't really inspire. The best we could come up with was the Monaro, but even that is just some sheep filled part of the country down past Canberra.

 

So instead, we used the same technique naming our muscle cars that we used on our wildlife - "Hey, its a Ford, and its got a hard top and two doors - lets call it the Ford 2 door Hardtop and bu99er off to the pub.."

 

Actually they didn't even do that with the Ford: the compliance plate says "2 door sedan"! How imaginative is that?

 

That's really useful for insurance purposes, because if it said "coupe" the cost would be bumped up by several hundred dollars.

[monkeysarefun]

 

Actually they didn't even do that with the Ford: the compliance plate says "2 door sedan"! How imaginative is that?

 

That's really useful for insurance purposes, because if it said "coupe" the cost would be bumped up by several hundred dollars.

 

Seriously though, what pub could you walk into back in the '80's and say 'I drive a coupe!" and get out alive. Maybe in Paddington but thats it.

 

"This Is Not The Way Home' by the Cruel Sea  is all Hardtops, not Coupes!

 

Edited October 14, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[The Blue Streak]

More Falcon Coupe Music Videos

 

This one a direct rip off from the Mad Max Chase Scene, although the birds aren't too shabby.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0teP99JFwjs

 

Even Shannon Knoll got in on the Muscle car bandwagon

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKjAVcvgpaw

 

If You want to sell records in Oz - just put a Falcon Hardtop Coupe in your music video

Edited October 14, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[Horsetan]

Aussie cars. Soon to be no longer "Made In Australia".

[monkeysarefun]

Aussie cars. Soon to be no longer "Made In Australia".

 

Is that YOU, Joe Hockey?

[The Blue Streak]

Aussie cars. Soon to be no longer "Made In Australia".

 

Sad isn't it.

At one time We built cars that were exported all over the world.

Falcons to South Africa, Monaros to the UK, SS Holdens to the Middle East, Police Pursuit cars to the USA.

We built the fastest 4 door production car in the world once, the fastest accelerating 6 cylinder production car to 100mph anywhere and employed tens of thousands of people doing it.

Next Month it will all be over

Edited October 14, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[Horsetan]

Sad isn't it.

At one time We built cars that were exported all over the world.

Falcons to South Africa, Monaros to the UK, SS Holdens to the Middle East, Police Pursuit cars to the USA.

We built the fastest 4 door production car in the world once, the fastest accelerating 6 cylinder production car to 100mph anywhere and employed tens of thousands of people doing it.

Next Month it will all be over

DougN mentioned to me in passing that it was basically because Aussie car workers were too well-paid! Although having seen how the Aussie dollar has strengthened from $2.8 to the pound (2002) to about $1.8 to the pound now, I'd say that was more of a root cause.

 

There was a fashion for importing HSV Commodores into the UK in the late 1990s/early 2000s, but I haven't seen one here in years. When I had a basic 3.8ltr Commodore as a hire car I was so impressed by its effortlessness that I actually asked Avis if I could buy it from them when its hire career was done, with the idea of shipping it back to Britain. They never got back to me, so I never knew where "REW 669" ended up.

[monkeysarefun]

Sad isn't it.

At one time We built cars that were exported all over the world.

Falcons to South Africa, Monaros to the UK, SS Holdens to the Middle East, Police Pursuit cars to the USA.

We built the fastest 4 door production car in the world once, the fastest accelerating 6 cylinder production car to 100mph anywhere and employed tens of thousands of people doing it.

Next Month it will all be over

 

 

Its this Friday,  sorry to say.

 

At the risk of being a little BIT political - a government that refused to back the auto industry and its 10's of thousands of jobs, but wants to  give a billion dollars to an Indian coal mining company just to pursue a meaningless dead end coal agenda and  create at most 1000 jobs , and on top of that the 122 million on the stupid marriage non binding postal survey.

 

"Best managers of the Economy"...for sure!

Edited October 14, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[The Blue Streak]

There was a fashion for importing HSV Commodores into the UK in the late 1990s/early 2000s, but I haven't seen one here in years. When I had a basic 3.8ltr Commodore as a hire car I was so impressed by its effortlessness that I actually asked Avis if I could buy it from them when its hire career was done, with the idea of shipping it back to Britain. They never got back to me, so I never knew where "REW 669" ended up.

 

I think more later model Monaros were exported to the UK as Vauxhalls and to the USA as GTO's than were sold here in Oz.

 

Even Mike the Bike Hailwood took an XYGTHO phase 3 home with him when He came out for the Tasman series in the early 70's. It was on loan to him while He was here and He loved it so much He kept it.

Edited October 14, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[monkeysarefun]

I think more later model Monaros were exported to the UK as Vauxhalls and to the USA as GTO's than were sold here in Oz.

 

Even Mike the Bike Hailwood took an XYGTHO phase 3 home with him when He came out for the Tasman series in the early 70's. It was on loan to him while He was here and He loved it so much He kept it.

 

Back in the days  when I had to go Thursday night late night shopping in my pyjamas cos I was so young,  my Greek neighbours had a taxi business.

 

They had matching his and her black XY GT Falcons. My mum had a deal with them to pick me and my brother up from piano lessons every Tuesday afternoon, so I'd come skipping merrily  out of the piano teachers house with my music books, happy in the knowledge that I';d never get picked on by jealous non piano learning bullies in that vulnerable stretch between the  piano teachers house and car  -  solely because the car was a black V8 XY GT..

Edited October 14, 2017 by monkeysarefun