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
outa 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 EHPanel
Van.
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 Chevy4
door "Pillared" sedan.
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
Pontiac307 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.
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.
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.
While waiting for the Panelvan to be finished. In 1986 I bought a
1970 308 Holden Brougham for $2000.
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.
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.
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".
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.
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.
(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)
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.
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.
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 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 Fordssince
1986. I've decided that almost any V8 will do the job... Those
351C's are as much fun as a 350 Chev...
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.
