Retro Stories by David Burrell – – – Automotive folklore says that the Buick Y Job of 1938 was General Motors’ (GM) first concept car. But that’s only half right. It was the first concept car shown to the public. During the early 1930s GM developed a number of concept cars, but never let them […]
You wouldn’t repaint a Rembrandt
The story behind a Ferrari 330 GT barn find by David Williamson – – – Barn finds are always big news for motoring enthusiasts. A couple of years ago, twice Gold Star champion Spencer Martin suggested I join him on a visit to one of Sydney’s Ferrari service centres. Intrigued, I was told only that […]
Standard 8: A small triumph
Retro Stories by David Burrell – – – The Standard 8 is one of those small 1950s British cars that sold in reasonable numbers, and was built in Australia, but is now largely forgotten. In 1950, Standard-Triumph boss, Sir John Black, challenged his design and engineering teams to develop a modern small car. Black insisted […]
Ambassador: India’s Automotive Icon
by Kooverji Gamadia – – – If the India of the Raj was identified with the Maharajas and their Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Daimlers, then independent India was identified with the Hindustan Ambassador, fondly known to two generations of Indians as “The Queen of Indian Roads”. There was no whiff of royalty about her, quite the […]
Chrysler’s downsize disaster
Retro Stories by David Burrell – – – One of the US car industry’s biggest ever mistakes happened in 1962 when Chrysler shrank its large Plymouth and Dodge ranges based on the snippet of an overheard conversation. It is automotive folklore that sometime in late 1959 William Newberg, Chrysler’s newly appointed boss, supposedly overheard Chevrolet’s […]
Brian Lear’s remarkable achievement
by Colin Piper – – – The AMHF houses many treasures, most of which have been donated by enthusiasts, collectors and, let’s face it, hoarders, over many decades. Most of the collection has come from the baby boomer generation who, faced with inevitable choices as to what to do with all the stuff they have […]
Tony O’Donnell’s Life with Cars
by Tony O’Donnell – – – What prompted me to buy an F90 BMW M5 Competition? This question started me thinking about a common theme that might link my motoring choices. I grew up around cars; my father was a panelbeater and he often had small jobs around home. I often “helped” when I was […]
GMH’s first sports sedan: 1962 Vauxhall Victor VX 4/90
Retro Stories by David Burrell – – – Many assume that the 1963 S4 EH Holden was the first “sporty” performance sedan offered by GMH. Not so. It was the 1962 Vauxhall Victor VX 4/90. Built from CKD (completely knocked down) packs by GMH, the VX 4/90 was the sports sedan version of the new […]
The Newman-Freeman “Budweiser” Can-Am Race Car
by Geoff Piggott – – – The Can-Am (Canadian-American) series is simply the stuff of legends. From 1966 to 1974 these were the fastest, most powerful sports cars in the world, running under nominal-rules that allowed much innovation and led to (mostly) hotly contested racing. And they were driven by the best racing drivers on […]
