Lazerzap's Car Webpages

Dandenong
Dandenong is located aprox 20 miles south east of Melbourne, Victoria.Victoria is a State in Australia.
Click here for a map of Dandenong and surrounding suburbs.

Worn Out
I remember one day the family and I were on some outing.The Single was labouring up a long steep hill when the gearbox blew up.

Click here to see an image of the car at Tara Valley (Where I got lost for a couple of hours)

Wonthaggi
Wonthaggi is located aprox 80 miles south east of Melbourne. Located on the Princess Highway. Past Philip Island. (Where the Motorcycle races are held)

Click here to see where Wonthaggi is on a Map of Victoria. (Australia)

The above image is of the Jawbones of a 74 ft Whale.

Hicksborough Store
Mum and Dad operated the Hicksborough Store from 1964 until 1967.It was and still is located on the outskirts of Wonthaggi on the Princess Highway.

Click here to see a larger image of the Hicksborough Store.

EH Holden
The Mighty EH Holden. Made in 1964.

Click here to see a larger image.

64 Chevy
This is a 64 Chevy image I located.
Please help me find a more suitable 63 image.

Click here to see a larger image.

64 Pontiac
This is a 64 Pontiac image I found.
Please help me find some better images.The model pictured is a Bonnyville.Mine was a Parisienne.

Click here to see a larger image.

57 Chevy
This is Dads 57 Chevy.

Click here to see my 57 Chevy Webpage.

1971 GTHO Falcon
I wish I could own a GTHO Falcon.
I have owned a few good and bad fakes in my time.

Click here to see my GT Falcon Webpage.

Fords
I have owned a few.

Click here to see my Ford Webpage.

Cars I have known

My Father introduced me to "Yank Tanks" at a very early age. From my earliest memories in Dandenong. He always had a "car" that was different from most others on the Australian roads.

The first car I have memory of was a 1950's Ford Single Spinner.

Dad also had a 1939 Chev 4 door that he was "gunna do up one day". Unfortunately the 39 Chev was "borrowed" by a neighbours boarder. We never saw the car or the boarder again. The 39 was rough. Although he rarely spoke about it. I'm sure Dad felt the loss of the car.

The Single Spinner had been purchased sometime before I was born. By 1963 it had become so worn out a decision was made to replace it.

After checking out a few cars Dad eventually picked a Twin Spinner Ford that I remember to be in extremely good condition. The Twin was traded in 1964. I don't think Dad wanted to loose that particular car. But my parents had decided to move away to a remote country location (Wonthaggi) to operate a general store. As a result they needed a commercial vehicle for transporting various goods.

So they traded the Twin Spinner for a Brand New Australian made Holden EH Panel Van.

1964 EH Holden Sedan

1967 was when Dad traded the EH in on the 1957 Chevy. I learned to drive in the 57 during 1970.

Back around this time. I remember asking Dad what he thought was the BEST car he had ever driven. He answered that it was a 1934 Hudson Terraplane.

Around 1974 I got my first car. It was an EH Station Wagon. After an interval of motorcycle ownership.

I finally got my first "Yank Tank" in 1978. It was a 1963 283 Chevy 4 door "Pillared" sedan.

This is a 1964 Chevy - I need a 1963 Image

This is a 1964 Chevy - I need a 1963 Image

I paid $400 cash for her. The 63 was in pretty bad mechanical condition.
I "swapped" the 63 for a motorcycle with a friend.

In 1979 I bought a 1964 Pontiac 307 4 door "Pillared" sedan.

That car only had a small dent over the passenger wheel arch. Apart from that it was perfect. (Maybe the interior needed a little attention.) Dad and I pulled the dent mostly out when I visited one time.

Unfortunately I loaned the 64 to a friend. (never again) This resulted in the car being undrivable from that point. After being unregistered for some time. The 64 became a problem for me.

Being harassed by the local council because it was on the street. Or the landlord because parking the 64 in my designated carpark resulted in complaints from other residents. (Carpark too small.. Car too big)

So after trying to sell the 64 repeatedly in the Trading Post. I gave in and wrecked it. The 307 came out. (Now in an LJ Torana) etc etc. The body was dumped out the front of Sims Metals around 1982.

During 1982 I paid $400 for a 1965 327 Chevy 4 door "Pillared" sedan. It had a damaged front on it. Missing grill. etc etc.

Yes I put a 1966 front on a 1965 Chevy

I put complete secondhand (black) interior in it from a 1967 Chevy. Everything fitted perfectly - Except the rear door trims. After 12 months or so. I sold the 65 to the same friend who blew up the 64 Pontiac for $700. He did up the 65. Fixed the front and gave it a respray. Looked nice. But the motor was pretty low.

From then until now. I have never owned another "Yank Tank". A few cars I've owned since then have had the small block V8 chevy engines though.

During 84 I purchased a 1968 307 HK GTS Holden Monaro for $600. I spent heaps on that car. New brakes and suspension. Exhaust system. etc etc.

Mine was Black

I swapped the powerglide in it for a 4 speed muncie. (The muncie owner was sick of blowing diffs) 1987 I sold the Monaro too cheap. Thats what happens when you loose your drivers licence.

1985 I had a Valiant 245 Charger that I swapped for a home stereo tape deck. I only owned the car for a couple of days. I drove it once. It was not a very nice car.

1986 I purchased a 1969 ZB 302W Ford Fairlane for $600. It was a very nice car to drive. I put a set of brand new mags and tyres on it. That cost as much as the car. 3 Weeks later a friend was interested in swapping his car for it.

So I ended up with a 1971 XY 351W Falcon Panelvan. (with the new mags and tyres)I did the Panelvan up over a 6 month period.

Thats my old Van.. After the crash..

While waiting for the Panelvan to be finished. In 1986 I bought a 1970 308 Holden Brougham for $2000.

Note the Monaro Bonnet - Mine was normal

I overheated the Brougham a few months later. It got sold for $900. A short time later I finally finished the XY Van. 10 days after registering it. It was written off by a lady who did not give way to me.

So I purched a 1971 XY 351C Fairmont Sedan for $700 from my friend Leroy. The idea was to swap the running gear out of the Panelvan. I remember that only the front brakes worked. The 9" diffs brakes weren't even connected. But it was a bit rare with it's factory fitted air conditioning. The Cleveland was very low in this car. Very fumey.

An image of the Interior of a XY Fairmont

An image of the Interior of a XY Fairmont

Unfortunately, the Panelvan to Sedan running gear swap never happened. Long story. Lets just say the Panelvan was basically stolen before I could do the job.

1987 I swapped my computers for a 1974 250 XB Falcon Panelvan. That thing handled like a dream. It had good suspension all round with big sway bars fitted.

6 months later I'd swapped it for a 1973 XA 302 Fairmont Wagon.

Mine was a Wagon.. But Looked the same.. GT Bits on it Lowered.. etc

Mine was a Wagon.. But Looked the same.. GT Bits on it Lowered.. etc

The Wagon was a rusty relic. I eventually sold it for wrecking.

1988 I purchased a Leyland P76 V8 from my friend Rick. I met Barbara with that car. Barbara and I did a trip to Canberra. From that point on we have been together. (with a couple of gaps)

1988 I made my first 4 cylinder mistake. I purchased a 1969 Cortina 440. "Just to get to work in".

Mine was a 4 door

It blew up real fast. I replaced the engine and blew that up too.

I swapped a motorcycle for a 1968 161 HK Belmont Sedan in 1989. Swapped the Belmont for a Yaesu Radio. I bought a Renault 12 in 1989 for $50. I never drove it. The motor was in a million pieces.

In 1990 I bought a 1974 XB 250 GS Fairmont Sedan for $1700.

Mine was Purple.. Chunder!

6 months later I had swapped it for a 1976 XC 351C Fairmont Sedan. Which I ended up swapping for a 1978 360 Chrysler. The Chrysler went to Sydney and was never registered there. It sat on the front lawn and eventually sold for $500.

1991 I purchased a 1980 351C Ford Fairmont Wagon. I had that car for a few years.Unfortunately during 1996 It was defected for being too low.

It was a good car.. A bit too modern though.. The plastic rattled..

It was a good car.. A bit too modern though.. The plastic rattled..

(I kept it until 1999) In 1996 I purchased another 1980 XD Station Wagon for $1000. After a few months I swapped it for a 1984 Sigma. (What a mistake)

The Sigma was eventually swapped for a 1974 250 XB GS Fairmont Sedan. (Best deal I ever did)

A good car.. Only a 250 ci 6 Cyl

In 1997 I swapped the XB for a 1982 250 GLX Cortina. The Cortina was defected that evening. By 1998 I was ready to buy a car again. So I bought another Cortina from a friend for $350. This car had been stolen and recovered. So I had to do a lot of work to it.

1999 I purchased a 1988 3.9 EA Ford Fairmont Ghia. It was a very high milage car. 300000klms on the clock. Mechanically it was fine.

Sad Sad car

But the onboard computers were up the $hit. Another example of poor modern engineering. Failed Power Windows, Heating, Cooling, Speedometer, electricals, etc etc I sold the car within 12 months.

2000 I had a 1979 186 HZ Holden Sedan which cost $1100. It was a dual fuel machine. Very cheap to run on gas.

It ran hard for awhile... It cost me nothing.. A good reliable car to run.. Low on power though.

It ran hard for awhile... It cost me nothing.. A good reliable car to run.. Low on power though.

Just as well. I was working in a Bakery for 12 months. I had to travel 40+ klms per night. The HZ got sold for $600 in 2001.

I sold the HZ cheap to buy my current car. It is a Ford XY 250 Automatic GS Fairmont Sedan. Which cost... Thats right.. $600. Turned out that I knew they guy I bought it from. I knew him from the CB radio.

The side of my rough XY

The XY has done some hard miles. I had an accident in it very recently. I did some major damage to a modern car. I was uninsured. So I suppose I will be in the $hit. I shudder to think of how much it will cost to fix the other car. Um.. What happened to the XY in the accident? Well.. It cost $85 to get the radiator repaired. I still need a mudguard, indicator, and front bumper to fix it properly. But... I'm driving it.. It's kinda on the road again $85 later. Thats what I really like about older cars. Cheap to repair.

Most of my vehicles have been Fords since 1986. I've decided that almost any V8 will do the job... Those 351C's are as much fun as a 350 Chev...

Eventually I inherited Dads 57 Chevy.

My Chevy

So I suppose I really should be Ford bashing.

But I can't really do that.. With my previous Ford history. And the fact that I still have the XY.

Just like a GTHO Falcon. Well kinda. Right kinda body and trim. But mine isn't a V8. Nor is it in very good condition.

In fact it is positively bent, rusty, and rough. But I can dream can't I? Maybe one day.. With a solid coating of body filler over all the problems.. Nah.. I don't think so either.

Anyway I hope you enjoy looking at the various images and reading a little of my life. I am looking to improve this webpage. If anyone can supply good clean sharp hires images of the same model vehicles I have talked about on this page. If you have something you can let me use. Please send it via email. Thanks in Advance.

I own 2 cars at the present time.