Articles by Ashlee Pleffer

“It's hard to explain, but just the whole way you drive it, it's really good,” Mortimer says. “It's a beautiful car to keep on the road.” The Wolseley fan's first experience with the classic was when his good friend bought the car in the late 1980s. From that day on, he knew it was one he had to have. “When I got home from driving it, I said to him 'I want first option on this',” he says. “And 20 years later he told me he was going to sell the car. So my son and I now own it.” And even though it was 20 years later, Mortimer's son Brett had a similar reaction the first time he buckled up in the driver's seat. “The first time my son drove one was going up to Queensland in 2005,” he says. “He looked at me after he'd been driving for an hour and said, 'Boy, this is different to drive, it's like nothing I've ever driven before'.” Although his friend didn't want to sell the car, Mortimer says he couldn't see himself finding the time or money to restore it. But it seems he could rest assured it was going to a good home. As it had been off the road for eight years it needed some work done on it. “We didn't do a full restoration, just a facelift,” Mortimer says. “We resprayed it, recovered the seats made it more user friendly, put blinkers on it; things like that to keep on the road.” The classic that still has a flip-out indicator on the B-pillar. Since buying the car three years ago, the Mortimers have taken it on long runs to Queensland, Canberra and Gloucester. “It's beautiful to drive,” Mortimer says. “It's fantastic on long distance runs, you get it on the highway and it's a limousine ride.” But it isn't quite as enjoyable on city roads, with heavy steering, its weight and drum brakes making it a little out of place in the busy traffic. “With 5 1/2 tonnes to lock, you're constantly turning the wheel, it is a bit heavy for it,” he says. And it's not only the way it acts on the road that has these two car fans impressed. “The styling, the look of it, especially the front end,” Mortimer says. “It has a very square front, a side opening bonnet and the big Wolseley grill.” The 680 gets a good work out by its owners, although Mortimer says he's more likely to use his other Wolseley, a 15/60, for city drives, and this one for the longer cruises. Mortimer says the engine in this car is unusual in that it was the basis of the design used in World War I for aircraft. “Wolseley made engines for aircraft,” Mortimer says. “They took the design of that aircraft engine and modified it, they changed it to suit a car engine.” And law enforcement agencies also took a liking to this stunner. “This type of car was used by metro police in London and some of the big cities in the 1950s in England as a police car,” he says. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 680 and to celebrate the Wolseley Club of NSW will put on a big display at The Kings School in Parramatta on August 17. The Wolseley 680 was made between 1948 and 1954. They shared the longer wheelbase with the Morris Six and also shared the same motor. “The Morris Six was basically the same car but was like the cheaper version,” Mortimer says. “They used to say Wolseley was the professional man's car and the Morris was for the blue-collar workers.” In particular, the grille and driving lights made it appear classier and the interior was also a classy standout with woodgrain, leather seats and even a heater. In total, 25,000 were built over the model's lifespan. About 5000 were shipped to Australia, some in complete knockdown condition. Mortimer knows of 12 models that attended a national rally last year, and says there would be at least another six that aren't roadworthy. When Mortimer bought his first Wolseley, the 15/60, his wife wouldn't even acknowledge it was theirs, instead making him park it at the side of the house. But, he says with a laugh, she has changed her tune over the years.   Snapshot 1951 Wolseley 680 Price when new: pound stg. 975 (about $2000) Value now: about $10,000 Verdict: The upmarket version of the Morris Six, the Wolseley is at home while cruising.  

But, what you probably don't know, is that in the very early days of motoring in Australia, Buicks were produced in this country, exclusively for Australians.John Gerdtz's 1929 Buick Roadster Model 24 is one such car. He is not only a big fan of the brand but of the car in general.There are many people in motoring who know so much about a brand they could easily document it all in a book. And rather than just talking about it, Gerdtz decided to do that.Along with a fellow Buick enthusiast, Eric North, he has written Buick: The Australian Story which is soon to be published.Gerdtz has owned four Buicks during his collecting years. He bought his first in 1968 at the age of 32. He's now down to two models and, as a fan of the vintage ones in particular, he loves his roadster. It's a love based not only on its stunning looks but its history.“This particular body was never built by Buick in America but was built by Holden Motor Body Builders out here,” he says.“I have been chasing the history of it and there are 13 confirmed still existing in various stages of restoration but there are only five on the road.”As far as they have been able to tell, there were only 186 of these models ever made and Gerdtz has been able to track down an image of the roadster bodies coming off the production line at the plant in Woodville, Adelaide, in 1929, showing a much different time.While General Motors didn't own Holden until 1931, the Holden Motor Body Builders was the only company to be making the cars in Australia for the old US car company.Gerdtz, who bought his model 25 years ago, says he was attracted to its smaller size and his love of the brand. The car had belonged to a friend who started restoring it but decided he wanted a later model instead.So Gerdtz added it to his collection thinking he could work on it once he retired.There was a lot of work to be done and Gerdtz completed a full restoration over 12 years.“My friend had done some, but not a great deal,” he says. “I did a huge amount on it."“Some things you can't do yourself but whatever I could do, I did. With that sort of thing you never write down how much you spend or else you feel too guilty.”Nowadays, it doesn't get driven a great deal, as he also owns a 1978 Electra Park Avenue Coupe, the top of the range. This newer model is easier to drive on the long distance rallies, he says.But just because he doesn't drive it a great deal, certainly doesn't mean he will give up his 4.0-litre, six cylinder Roadster anytime soon.“It's a vintage car and quite a comfortable car, you go everywhere in top gear,” he says. “It's not overly fast, 80-90km/h is top speed. And it's bright red so it does attract attention.”Gerdtz says the car isn't worth a lot of money, but is reluctant to put a price on it as it has been 16 years since he sold a similar one.“You could buy a reasonable mid-range new car for what you'd get for this sort of thing.”Gerdtz's passion for Buicks began as a child.His mate's father had one.“I like early cars, vintage and veteran cars, they've been my passion all my years,” he says.As one of the founding members of the Buick Club of Australia, Gerdtz says he has been very involved with the Buick movement.He says his family have always been involved with vintage cars and one of his beloved Buicks was used for the weddings of his two daughters.In their time, he says the Buicks were like the Mercedes of the day; an affordable up-market car. They were the vehicles the premiers and prime ministers travelled in and at pound stg. 445 in the 1920s, they weren't cheap. Gerdtz says you could buy two Chevs for the price of a Buick.Buick production in Australia stopped when the early Holdens began to be produced, with General Motors adopting the policy that Australia would only be Holdens.And when they stopped producing right-hand-drive models in the US in 1953, it became harder to get the cars here, as they had to be converted to be driven in this country. So, while the presence of Buick slowly dwindled in Australia, as Gerdtz shows, it's definitely not dead. Snapshot1929 Buick Roadster Model 24Price when new: pound stg. 445, about $900Value now: about $20,000-$30,000Verdict: There aren't many Buick Roadsters left, but this car, made in Australia for Australians, is a real gem.

The masters of style and elegance (that's right, those Italians) have delivered with this Brera-inspired Spider.With a really sleek and elegant design, it certainly doesn't go unnoticed, especially with the top down and exploring that throaty growl.But at $97,990, it's true what they say: class and style doesn't come cheap. The Spider has all the recognisable Alfa traits; the family nose, the horseshoe alloy wheels and the familiar dash design with a driver focus on the interior.It's the type of car that makes you want to go out and change your whole wardrobe to match. Forget wearing daggy tracky-daks in this stunner, unless of course they've been blessed with an Italian designer label.The stunning deep-red leather interior, the Alfa insignias embroidered into the seats and adorning the doorsteps and the sporty yet chic exterior all combine to make it an all round stylish package.The Spider is closely related to other Alfa siblings, sharing the 159's platform but with a shorter wheelbase, and was inspired by the Brera.But with its own character, the Spider becomes more than just a derivative of any other model.Its long bonnet, compact rear and the lack of the side creases seen on previous models makes it a standout.It not only glistens in the looks department, with a design that was developed in co-operation with Pininfarina and the Alfa Romeo Centre, but it also has performance that screams for the attention.The model tested was the 3.2-litre JTS. It's not only design that is closely related to other models, but this engine too — the six cylinder also found in the 159 and Brera. Pumping out 191kW at 6300rpm and 322Nm at 4500rpm, the two seater sports car races from 0-100km/h in seven seconds. Not overly quick, but it does get there feeling very sporty and 90 per cent of max torque is available from 1800rpm right up to 6250rpm.Also contributing to the strong performance is the Q4 permanent all-wheel-drive system that the V6 features as standard.Under normal driving conditions, 57 per cent of power goes to the rear wheels, and 43 per cent to the front.The rear-wheel bias provides better handling qualities, felt by the traction when coming out of corners.The Q-Tronic six-speed auto box lets the engine rev right up to 5000rpm before changing gears under harder acceleration. There is also the option of sliding into manual mode and using the steering-wheel mounted paddles.The only problem here is the gearbox takes over automatically around 5000rpm if you haven't already made the shift, which means you don't quite get to the higher end of the tacho.There's also a bit of a delay when shifting gears yourself. While the brakes in the Spider pull you up very quickly, on our test they are initially sticky and stay depressed even after you release your foot from the pedal.And when the display starts to show the Vehicle Dynamic Control and Hill Descent were not working, it's time for a call to Alfa. An Alfa spokesman says the brake pedal has been pressed too hard and one of the sensor points bent, which means the sensor that measures when the pedal is pressed is no longer getting a clean signal.That trips the ABS system into fault mode. Once the sensor is back where it should be, everything returns to normal and braking action feels a lot more confident. On the road, the Spider is a comfortable and firm ride and even on rough roads you're still held strongly in the very cosy seat.There's speed sensitive, power-assisted steering (which makes the car easy to manoeuvre), although it does still possess the stronger steering characteristics you'd expect from an Alfa. And while the price tag is high, it does come packed with some quality features — all as standard.These include chrome roll bars, a wind break, electronic folding roof, cruise control, automatic dual-zone climate control, Bose audio system and — keeping you most comfortable — the Pieno Fiore sports leather, electrically adjustable heated seats. It's also fitted with seven airbags and Vehicle Dynamic Control and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution.Running costs are not cheap either: while it has a claimed consumption of 11.5 litres per 100km, during our drive, the trip computer readout showed the average consumption to be as high as 19 litres per 100km at times. But if image is everything, you'll definitely be getting the tongues wagging in this. The bottom line Stylish is one word you'll become very familiar with. SnapshotAlfa Romeo SpiderPrice: $97,990Engine: 3.2L/V6, 191kW/322NmTransmission: Q-Tronic 6-speed autoEconomy: 11.5L/100km The rivalsBmw Z4 RoadsterPrice: $94,000Engine: 3.0L/6-cyl, 196kW/315NmTransmission: 6-speed autoEconomy: 9L/100km Audi TT RoadsterPrice: $92,900Engine: 3.2L/6-cyl, 184kW/320NmTransmission: S-Tronic 6-speed autoEconomy: 9.5L/100km Mercedes-Benz SLK 280Price: $102,900Engine: 3.0L/V6, 170kW/300NmTransmission: 7-speed autoEconomy: 9.5L/100km 

It's the marque that can start World War III in the back of family cars around Australia as children jump at the chance of being able to “punch-buggy” their siblings when seeing a Beetle go past. It's a car that spans different generations of fans, all attracted to the cult-like status of the uniquely designed “Vee-Dub” Beetle. And for Leanne Brkovec, it's a passion that started more than two decades ago when she married a Volkswagen mechanic. “I married into it,” she says. “The marriage didn't last, but the fanaticism did.” Brkovec originally owned a Mini van, but as her husband at the time was only interested in Volkswagens, she decided to sell the Mini and convert to the Beetle craze. “I explain it to people as being like getting malaria; you get infected and then it might go away for a while, but it always comes back. It's just like getting a bug,” she says, pun intended. And they had such a bad case of this “bug,” that along with her ex-husband, they decided to open up a Volkswagen business 26 years ago. She now runs Volksbahn at Pendle Hill, a shop dedicated to selling Volkswagen parts and paraphernalia and servicing the cars as well. And it was through her business that she was introduced to her 1972 Beetle. “We've been servicing this car for the past 15 years for the same little old lady, “ she says. “She decided to go into a retirement home, so we bought it off her.” Brkovec bought the car 18 months ago for $5500, a lot less than what it's really worth. “They really gave it to us because we'd been looking after it for so long,” she says. “This sort of car goes for about $10,000 on the open market, (with) low mileage, one owner, and never been in an accident.” The Beetle only has 62,000km on the clock and had been well looked after by the previous owner. “She was an elderly lady who used to live around the corner. She'd go out with her girlfriends shopping and always garaged it." “Her husband had even made her home-made cardboard sun shields for it.” However, Brkovec's passion doesn't stop with the Beetle. She's a fan of all Volkswagens. She says she's owned too many over the years to keep an accurate count but her current collection includes the 1972 model, a 1954 Beetle, a 1964 Type 3, a Kombi and her everyday drive,a 2004 VW Golf. Her two sons have also been infected by their mother's enthusiasm. “I think both have been indoctrinated,” she says. “They grew up with all our friends having Volkswagens. They just grew up around it, so they didn't really have much choice.” Both boys have their own Volkswagen collections, with modified, stunning Bugs among them. And her eldest is a Volkswagen mechanic. The German company began selling the Beetle in Australia in 1953. In 1977, it stopped producing them in Europe after the introduction of the Golf in 1974, and because they felt people were tired of the slow and noisy car. While some were still being made in Mexico and Brazil, they didn't meet Australian emission standards. Brkovec's was technically a 1972 model made in Germany, but it was road registered in 1973. Brand new it was worth about $2500. The history of the Beetle dates back to Nazi Germany — an idea formulated by Adolf Hitler. The Beetle was to be a model for the masses, a car most ordinary Germans could afford. It featured an air-cooled, flat-four rear-mounted engine and ultimately proved to be a real success, with more than 21 million sales worldwide. Brkovec says the Beetle was particularly popular with women. That still seems the case, and for Brkovec, the best thing about the 1972 model is the smell. “It doesn't smell like its been used — it still smells like vinyl, that rubbery smell inside,” she says. It's something she says that can be found in a lot of other Beetles as well. “It's just a good feeling to drive one and you don't realise you're going as fast as you are. You don't expect it to do that sort of speed.” And while her model is standard, as it came out of the factory, Brkovec says many other Beetle owners can be really fanatical about their cars, with modified versions with more than $50,000 worth of work being taken to car shows. Brkovec is a member of the Volkswagen Classic Car Club and mainly uses this model for club runs and car shows, such as a Beetle display at Darling Harbour on May 24. While many people may see the Beetle as just another cute car, for most owners it's so much more. “Most people buy Beetles because they want a Beetle, not because they want a car,” she says.   Snapshot 1972 VW Beetle Value when new: about $2500 Value now: $6000-$10,000 for a model in good condition; average condition $3500-$5000 Verdict: The car with the bug-like looks, made famous in the Herbie movies, was originally produced as an affordable “people's car.” But over the years, it has become more than just a car — it's an obsession.  

 There was no “umming and ahhing” over the style, shape, colour or horsepower. He didn't waste time deliberating over what he wanted, because he'd been dreaming of his perfect car for a while. The year was 1958. As a 17-year-old, Bradley got his licence on a Wednesday and two days later was the proud owner of a Model A Ford. “I rode my pushbike up to get the car, put the push bike in the back and drove home,” he says. Having been around people who owned veteran and vintage cars, Bradley knew it was a hobby upon which he had to embark. And a few years later, along with another enthusiast, he formed the Model A Ford Club of NSW, and is still a member of today. “Its been my passion, my life,” he says. Bradley has owned some 10 Model A Fords during his 50-year love affair with the car, and currently owns a 1931 Model A Ford Cabriolet. Next weekend will be like Christmas for Bradley and other Model A fans as more than 175 of these cars from all over Australia converge on Bathurst for the National Rally. It will be the largest gathering of Model A Fords in Australia and will run from Thursday to Sunday, celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the car. Bradley says there has been a real resurgence of the Model A lately, with a great deal of enthusiasm and interest in the car both here and in the United States. “The popularity of these in America is unbelievable,” he says. “There are 17,000 members (of the Model A Ford Club) in America and most of these guys have more than one car.” Bradley has even made trips to the US to witness the national meets over there 11 times. Unlike many other classic cars, Bradley says one of the great things about them is the easy access to spare parts. “They're so reliable ... that's the big thing and it's a car I can get any part for,” he says. “I can go and buy body panels, new wheels for a car that old — it's just incredible.” Bradley came across this model 12 years ago, while he was arranging to pick up a Rolls-Royce that a friend had bought at an auction. “It was sitting at a wrecker's yard under a car cover,” he says. “The owner not quite aware of what a special model he had. When he lifted the cover up, I couldn't believe it. The car is the only one in the country of this model.” Bradley paid $20,000 for it, and says it was “in a very average condition.” “It was an old restoration of 30-odd years or more. It was just bad,” he explains. So he spent two years restoring the model and getting it up to scratch. Having already restored two Model As in the past, both of which took about five years to complete, the 1931 Cabriolet was in good hands. And for its age, it still gets along at a fair clip. “Even now you can get them out on the road and they go quite well for an 80-year-old motor car,” he says. Bradley's car is on restricted rego, and he mainly takes it out for club events. It may not be the fastest vehicle on the road, with a top speed of about 80km/h, but it is a real looker and turns heads on the road. The Model A Ford took over from the Model T and was first released in Australia in 1928. More than 30,000 were sold through to 1930. Bradley's model was built in 1931, but was imported from the US by the previous owner and at the time of its release, wasn't officially for sale in Australia. The US was the main market for the Model A Ford, with more than 4,320,000 sold. Another 900,000 were sold in other countries. There were many different body styles to choose from including Roadsters, Tudor Sedans, Fordor Sedans, Sports Coupes, Business Coupes and Phaetons. They initially sold for about pound stg. 400 in Australia, and today Bradley says one in good condition like his would be worth about $30,000. “The one I've got, there were only about six-and-a-half thousand made,” he says. And with the fold down roof as well as wind up windows, Bradley has the “best of both worlds.” The passion for these cars, which he refers to as a “disease,” seems to be genetic. “My sons have grown up with the cars and my youngest son got super involved, restoring one when he was still at high school — he finished 10 years later,” he says, proudly adding that it won the national concourse one year. Bradley is very happy with his current Cabriolet model and won't be looking to sell anytime soon. But another version could always persuade him. “The ones I've restored, I've kept for a while and only ever updated to something better,” he says. “I wouldn't sell this one. Not unless I stepped up the ladder to another rare model. I also have a Fordor now that I'm tinkering with.”   Snapshot 1931 Model A Ford cabriolet Value when new: about pound stg. 400 Value now: average model about $15,000- $20,000; well-restored model about $30,000 Verdict: The Model A Ford is still attracting fans with classic looks and availability of parts.  

For Alfa admirer Richard McKee, some phone calls, faxes and emails led to a decision to purchase a 1986 Alfa Romeo GTV6 Grand Prix in Adelaide.But it didn't exactly result in the dream ride back home he had hoped for.“My wife and I flew to Adelaide on a Saturday morning and went straight to the place to pick the car up,” he says. “We then drove it back to Sydney, which was a terrible experience."“It had been in a garage for such a long time with little use on the kilometres. Driving out of Adelaide we got to 80km/h and the car began shaking as if the wheels were out of balance.”A quick stop into a garage and a check of the wheel alignment failed to locate the problem.So it was one wobbly ride home, or as McKee calls it, “the worst trip out.”After making it home safely, McKee discovered that all it needed was a new set of tyres.But being confronted with Alfa problems isn't something new for McKee. His Alfa Romeo appreciation began in 1979 with an Alfetta model, the same family line this GP model belongs to.“They're just unique in terms of their styling, their performance, but I definitely wasn't drawn by their quality control,” he says.Despite some unreliable Alfas in the past, McKee says the looks are just one element that draws him back to the cars. And in the same way that 1980s fluorescent clothing, leggings and teased hair has struck a chord with the younger generation today, the stylish Italian 1980s car still hasn't gone out of fashion. His wife occasionally drives the car to her job as a primary school nurse, and even the kindy kids are impressed.“The kids just love it,” McKee says. “A really young person would never realise the car is 22 years old. It still looks extremely good and that's probably one of the most outstanding things about Alfa Romeo's design. They're timeless ... this could be mistaken for a more current car.”But as the saying goes, looks aren't everything. It's what's inside that counts and that's also an aspect that attracts McKee to Alfa models.“It was about the styling of the car and the performance of the car was second to none when you consider the cc capacity of the cars,” he says.“The engines are so well developed, it's just a pleasure to drive. Their torque, their overall performance, the longevity. They certainly build one strong engine.”McKee says they were built with a 50/50 weight distribution, which was extraordinary at the time.“Everything was about getting the balance of the car right,” he explains, adding this also provides better handling when on the race track.Four-wheel disc brakes also come in handy, something that was also rare at the time. And aside from the initial forgettable road trip, McKee says this model hasn't caused him too much trouble, although as is the case with all classic cars, it does require general maintenance.“It was worth going to Adelaide to get a car that had been extremely well looked after,” he says.Indeed, this Alfa is a model clearly designed for the open road, rather than Sydney's traffic.“The engine is very much geared towards open-road running,” McKee says. “Its potent 2.5-litre V6 delivers exceptional economy.”With the previous owner adding a stainless-steel exhaust, McKee says the sound also adds to an enjoyable overall driving experience.McKee is only the third owner of the car and when he bought it three years ago, it had just 107,000km on the clock. He's now added 8000km of his own, mainly through weekend drives.However, as with many other classic car owners sharing their passion, McKee enjoys joining other members of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club of Australia on some longer cruises.Of course, there's a really good explanation for all this. McKee confesses that he's not just a fan of the marque and says, “it's called being an Alfa nut” — something that can be illustrated by a quick inspection of his garage. The McKee household is not short on Italian machinery.While he's currently restoring a couple of older Alfas, he also races an Alfetta model and his wife owns a 2001 Alfa Spider. So with both old and new models, McKee is considering selling his GTV GP.The car originally sold for $39,812 when it first went on sale in 1986, but McKee believes it would now be valued about the $12,500 mark.And it's not just he and his wife who have caught the Alfa bug. McKee also managed to pass it on to his son.“When we were driving back from getting his first car, he was just 16, and I asked why he wanted an Alfa,” he says.“He said, 'Because they're different'.” Snapshot1986 Alfa Romeo GTV6 GPValue when new: $39,812Value now: about $12,000Verdict: This car still knows how to look cool in the 21st century thanks to its classic, timeless design and powerful performance. 

Today, he proudly has two to his name, although can rattle off many more that have come in and out of his life over the years. “My first MG was a TF when I was 19 at university,” he says. “But I sold that and bought an MGA 1600, but then sold that.” And when a family and mortgage came along, Lyons was forced to put his MG passion on hold for 30 years. But while working in Eastern Europe during the 1990s, he decided it was time to revisit that passion. He started with a 1974 MGR V8, and then added an MGB V8 and a 1968 MGC Roadster to his collection. “I was a member of the MG owners club in England for many years and I happened to be looking in car club magazines, saw some MGCs for sale, so I thought that looks good, why not?” he says. “I'd had a number of MGs over the years and always used to look for something that was unusual. The MGC was unusual because there weren't many of them made.” After driving it around London for some time, he had it shipped back to Australia in 1998 and continued driving it here. But after some years on the road, he decided it needed some real work. So he sold the MGB to finance the project, stripped it back to bare metal and spent the next four-and-a-half years getting it up to scratch. Only about 4500 MGC Roadsters were built and many were sent to the US, particularly California, where they didn't rust out as easily. Lyons's model was one of the Californian cars, but when stripping it back he discovered it had some 'dodgy' work done, including a conversion back to right-hand-drive when it was brought back to England. And that meant a lot of extra hard work and money. “I stopped counting at $20,000,” he says. But Lyons says restoring an MG is made much easier because parts are readily available. “There's an industry keeping these cars on the road,” he says. “One of the reasons I bought the MGC was because I knew I could afford to restore it at a reasonable price.” Lyons says there are probably only about 100 MGCs in Australia, Lyons says. They were never officially sold here, but some dealers did import them independently. And while Lyons is very proud of his car, he believes in driving it, rather than merely keeping it immaculate for shows. “I don't believe in that,” he says. “I like to use them; that's the fun. Why have something if you can't drive it? Some people bring their cars to the meetings on trailers, dust them off ... but I bought it to drive it.” Lyons has had his MG on the road for the past 15 to 16 months and tries to drive it at least two to three times a month. His aim is to one day drive it between Melbourne and Adelaide and he hopes on achieving that very soon. “It's a beautiful touring car, much nicer to drive than the MGR V8,” he says. But it does have its downsides, which include slower acceleration through the four-speed gearbox and 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine. And it can be hard to manoeuvre around corners. “The only problem is it has a big six-cylinder motor sitting up the front and it doesn't always like to go hard around the corners,” he says. “It will understeer if you go into corners too quickly, but it's a beautiful touring car.” The MGC was only produced between 1967 and 1969. It was based on the MGB body, but had the larger and heavier engine and could be distinguished by a bulge in the front bonnet. As well as the 4500 Roadsters built, there were also about the same number in the GT Coupe version that hit the road. Lyons enjoys getting out on the open road in his MGC where it just “purrs” along and is “great for 120mph (193km/h),” he says. “It's a lovely car to drive and there's a certain amount of pride when you pull up and someone admires the car, they say, 'Very nice,' you say, 'Thank you very much,' knowing you can't have done that bad of a job,” he says. Lyons isn't the only one in the family to gain enjoyment from the MG. His grandson has also taken a big interest. “We put his child seat in the thing and I take him for a run. He thinks it's just great,” he says. And while his wife has driven both of his toys, she's not too keen to get behind the wheel. “She's too concerned that if she damages it, she'll never hear the end of it,” he laughs. And there's no way Lyons will be getting rid of his classic any time soon, even though it could attract a value of between $30,000 and $40,000. “I wouldn't sell it, not willingly anyway,” he says. “There'd have to be a good reason. There weren't many built and a lot have rusted out.” Snapshot 1968 MGC Roadster Value now: about $30,000 to $40,000 Verdict: Not many MGCs made it to Australia and despite its handling problems, it's a classic car many MG fans love.  

But with its stunning and modern hot-rod design, and only 12 Prowlers believed to be in Australia, it's definitely a car worth exploring.One man who couldn't resist temptation is American car enthusiast Peter Gasiliauskas.After first seeing the glamorous Prowler at a car show in the US, Gasiliauskas was an instant fan but never thought it would really be possible.Years later, he joined some Chrysler Prowler internet sites and started to monitor their value, with a hope of one day buying his own.“One came up for sale on this US website,” he says. “It was owned by a woman (in San Diego), who had won it at a casino, kept it for a year and then decided to sell it. It only had 2000 miles (about 3200km) on it. She didn't drive it much.”After hearing, “Get it. You won't be happy if you don't” from his wife, and sending friends who live in the US to check it out, Gasiliauskas embarked on becoming a Prowler owner.“I transferred the money over and bought it sight unseen,” he says.“When it arrived I sent it up to Queensland to get it converted to right-hand-drive.”While the initial outlay for the Prowler was $US35,000 (about $50,000 at the time), it became much more expensive; more than double the price once factoring in shipping costs and converting it to right-hand-drive, which has to be done for all cars under 30-years-old.Gasiliauskas says he had to borrow money on his house to be able to afford the car, but it's a decision he doesn't regret in the slightest.“It's not the sort of car you like to own and just have sit in the garage,” Gasiliauskas says. “I like to use it every opportunity I get.”He has also accessorised the car with some aftermarket features, such as a hard-top roof instead of the standard fabric.“I think it looks better with the hard top on, it's what makes it look smart,” he says.“But you need two people to take the roof off, it's manual and hard work.”He's also added a rear spoiler and matching trailer, which solves the lack of storage space in the car, especially for weekends away.Today, the trailer alone is worth about $8000, while importing a Prowler and converting it wouldn't leave you much change from $120,000.Hitting the road usually results in a lot of curious eyes trying their hardest to read the badge to find out just what the car really is.Originally badged a Plymouth, the production Prowler was introduced in 1997, based on a previous concept car that debuted at the Detroit motor show in 1993. Despite none being made in 1998, it continued to be produced until 2002, with a name change in 2000 to the Chrysler Prowler.“In total, through all of the years, they only made about 11,000 and the colour I have, candy red, they only ever made 301,” he says.It is powered by 3.5-litre V6 engine with an automatic tiptronic transmission and drives through the rear wheels. Power steering, cruise control, air conditioning and a five-stack CD player are all standard features.“It's a really comfortable car, the kind of car you can sit in and drive for hours,” he says.“It looks small but it's really quite a roomy fit but hard to get in and out of.”Being a fairly new car and having acquired some Prowler repair books from the US, Gasiliauskas hasn't experienced any problems but dreads the day something does go wrong.“No one has the computer equipment to repair it,” he says. “If I do have a problem, I'll have to approach Chrysler and see what they can do.”This isn't the only eye-catching vehicle Gasiliauskas has owned, having been involved on the hot-rod scene for more than 25 years. More than 100 cars have come and gone through his garages. He also currently owns a 1959 Cadillac.But the Prowler is one car Gasiliauskas will be holding on to for a long time to come.“What I do like is the fact that no one knows what it is,” he says. Snapshot 2002 Chrysler Prowler Value when new: about $50,000Value now: about $120,000 with shipping and conversion costsVerdict: Stunning hot-rod with all the benefits of recent technology, while still turning heads. 

The solution, a “bling-pack”. Imagine this. A H3 Hummer, add some huge 22-inch chrome wheels, some more bling to the front brush guard, fancy door handles, side steps and towing points and a dual chrome exhaust. It's all now possible at Suttons City Holden where you can transform your Hummer into a blindingly shiny beast. While the range-topper H3 Luxury usually retails for $60,990, there's a new exclusive model at Suttons City which “pimps” it to the max, bringing the total price tag to $89,000. And there are upgrades inside as well as the aesthetic chrome changes, with satellite navigation, a better sound system, a rear-view camera and two DVD players in the headrests for the children in the back, which means there will also be less fighting as they can watch a different movie at the same time. Customers are also able to add the features individually. And the enhancements have already proven to be very popular. Suttons City sales representative Paul Conibeer says every customer who has bought a Hummer since the extras were made available in December, has added some sort of chrome to the mix. That includes many celebrities, such as cricket player Nathan Bracken and So You Think You Can Dance? judge Jason Coleman. Suttons imports the parts and extra features from the US, but all the changes to the car are carried out at the dealership. It takes about two days for the makeover, which can be done on any colour Hummer. And a short drive in the gangster-looking stunner showed it really does know how to attract attention. The chrome dressing sparkles on even the mildest sunny day and there's no way this car can hum along unnoticed. The rear-view camera and satellite navigation are the only really useful added features, but the rest feels like a must-have for individual appearance and the sheer enjoyment factor. “It's more of a car to be seen in,” Conibeer says. “It's a lot to do with the ego. You just want people to notice you and you can see it coming a mile away, you know it's a Hummer.” Suttons says the Hummer with a twist has been sold to many families and businesspeople who want to be noticed on the road.  

It was cute, small and “fantastic”, but it was a car he'd never seen before. It was a Renault 5 and although it was unusual to Sprague, it wasn't for Europeans. Between 1972 and 1985 Renault built nea