Last updated on October 28, 2022
Peter always sends unique bits and pieces from pictures he has either take here in the US or from Australia. Some old and some current. Todays are a combination of a few of those with stories. Peter does not claim to be a expert. Just a photo observer. Fun stuff. Thanks Peter for sharing. Thanks for riding along. Frank
May 25, 2021. The License plate identifies this Holden Utility Vehicle (UTE), it looks like it has been taken out of retirement to do more “hard yakka” .(hard work) 1971 HQ is the model year, “K” is for Kingswood. A “B” would be for Belmont which my 1972 panel van was.
The photos were taken yesterday. After our recent drought, the green is back and so are the roo’s in numbers not seen from our back yard in years. Enjoy!
This 1972 Holden Belmont panel van was Peter’s 3M company car in 1973. He was located in Perth in Western Australia. The opposite side of the continent from Sydney.
May 21, 2021. This Hummer showed up at the Gallery yesterday. It is RHD. These Hummers are very few in Australia. Let alone in private hands. It was converted to RHD what makes for cramped seating and driving. I can attest driving a LHD is not very roomy either. Hummers were used by the Queensland Prison system in remote areas as gate guards and were painted black. They were retired after limited service. This is not one of those.
May 8, 2021. Peter has seen this 1969 Ford Mustang as a frequent driver in his area, but this is the best shot he has gotten of it as it drove by yesterday. It is LHD and no the skateboarders are not Ford escorts. “boom boom” LOL
May 2, 2021. Peter has a nack for gathering coincidences. Anyway one of his coincidences here Peter took these photos on the same day one in early afternoon in Manhattan Beach, CA and the other in late afternoon in Hermosa Beach, CA in March, 2014. Both being Buick drop tops one a Skylark and the other Gran Sport. The first is a 1968 Skylark finished in Turquoise Mist. This Skylark looks like it is under repair looking for a bumper and paint job. The second is a 1969 Gran Sport finished in Arctic White.
April 5, 2021, It seems as if all manufacturers here in Australia had a crack at building a UTE. Peter took this picture of this Dodge Coupe UTE 10 years ago. Peter states there is very little information on production runs for the UTE… Chevrolet made them up to 1952 and Ford dropped theirs when the 57 Ranchero was introduced in the USA. This was a fascinating potential for sellers if they were imported. Peter knows of two 1957 Rancheros that were imported. Mopar UTE’s are rarer still and lesser known about. I do not know what year this one is. My guess is 1938 – 1942?
April 2, 2021. Not all things “In the Hood here in Australia are nice and shining, this Bronco is a reminder of that. Peter is waiting to see how long it remains at it’s present location.
The little Austin “Chummy” went zipping by one day and he got a quick couple of shots of it.
The Dodge UTE were made for one year only, but this one has a different grill from a production models,
March 26, 2021. Peter went to Pier Ave School in 1955-56. Bacon Ford was a magnet for him. On a recent visit to Hermosa Beach he bought this post card at the Hermosa Beach Historical Society & Museum now at the the Pier Ave School and made that same trip across the road to replicate the photo. I simply went up the stairs in the new photo and there it was, the same location but a very view in a different time span.
