o sung those 327 Monaros, [the 1400 Bathurst Monaros built] were the sweetest handling cars on the road. This was remarkable, as race tuned suspensions are usually quite terrible, even deadly on the road. I actually had a couple of sessions at Lang Lang, doing suspension tuning of the cars, before they were released to the market. I then drove one of the Holden Dealers Team cars into second.

One of the reasons they took the first three places was they were so easy to drive they didn't cause too much fatigue. I did 121 laps in the 68 race, 464 miles, after a dropped exhaust cost us 3 minutes. My co driver was a bit slow, so I had to make up for the lost time.

Just in passing, the co drivers at Bathurst this year were being paid up to $400,000 for the weekend. In 68 I got $50 for taking second. How the world has changed.

That Ferrari was absolutely dreadful at high cornering speeds. All it wanted to do was swap ends. I have never raced a car that was worse. At the time it destroyed all my illusions. Holdens are quick, Ferraris don't go round corners, I was shocked.

We're probably lucky you're still around. Those minis were pretty flimsy. It did not take much of a prang to destroy one, & anyone inside as well. You have been on bonus time ever since I'd say.

Hey there HASBEEN, do you realise you've completly destroyed all my illusions associated with the legendary Ferrari's, probably for all time ! Isn't it funny the belief systems one grows up with, the Ferrari vs the Monaros, who would've thought eh ?

The reason the NSW coppers went for the Coopers, they were (generally) thought to be a safer bet than blokes on bikes. Moreover they were much easier to maneuver through Sydney traffic, so it was decided to trial them for a period of 24 months which turned into about seven or eight years. Hopeless for conveying someone in custody, similarly a couple of large coppers in the front seats ? In fact it looked quite comical to see a pair of large fat coppers trying to access and egress out of the thing ! Still and all, they did have a bit of get-up and go nevertheless.

To be very honest with you I never saw any of them involved in a serious prang, but I've little doubt, save for a Motorbike, you didn't have much more protection. For that reason you wouldn't wish to be in one, during a high speed collision for sure. Still I miss those days, cruising up and down the Hume, from Ingleburn to Mittagong & return, especially during summer months.

Yes mate, I miss them too, but for the other reason. When it was quite legal to do any speed you deemed safe on the open road, long distance drives were quite relaxing. Today you have to spend so much time checking you aren't over our ridiculous speed limits, it can actually get quite dangerous, as well as stressful.

I had the same response. I checked out this beautiful, & it was beautiful, V12 exotic Ferrari, with its inboard disc brakes, all independent suspension that looked great, & all the rest, & expected something special. Of course we forget that cars are built to sell to make money. Ferrari's market in the 60s was very rich yanks, & the poser yanks in particular. They wanted an impressive looking thing, with a name, that was a nice easy drive, cruising California boulevards. High performance suspension not suitable, & would probably kill them. A car built for that market was never going to handle.

Porsche was the other way, all performance, & not the least bit forgiving. They killed quite a few of their high profile customers, whose ambition far exceeded their ability. Either group would have been better off with a Monaro, but that would not fit the image.

That only went for the Monaros. The Ford GT HOs were equally as viscous as the Porsche, the reason so many ended life wrapped around a tree.

O Sung, Yes the AP5 had the "Slant Six", it was an engine even I could work on and I'm no mechanic, I only had a basic set of tools but I remember doing most of my own servicing and changing over the starter motor and the radiator and so forth.
Nah the fines were all for stupid stuff like parking in a clearway or parking on the wrong side of the road when it was street sweeper day. I got my first ever driving infringement just this last July, failure to obey a traffic signal, it was 5:30 in the morning, still half asleep, the guy ahead of me took off against the red arrow and I followed him without thinking.
These days they won't let you do jail to pay off fines, maybe in 95 I could have done it but my wife tried it a couple of years ago after hers got out of control and they told her that they don't jail people for fines anymore.

Hi there JAY of Melbourne...

I've never owned a Valiant but I've heard only good things about them and their mechanics under the bonnet. They were quite well finished too I heard, far better than the comparable Falcons and Holdens ? I was quite impressed by the P76 with it's Barn sized boot and it's snappy V8. ?

Interestingly, I was caught disobeying traffic lights 'twice' in the same spot about eighteen months apart ! Seems the amber didn't allow sufficient time before the auto-traffic camera 'functioned' as a legitimate traffic citation. On the first occasion I was somewhat surprised as I'm notoriously careful when approaching traffic control signals ?

Consequently I wrote a polite letter to the Traffic Citation Centre in order to plead my case, mentioning by previous work as a traffic cop and my thorough understanding of my obligations to drive safely etc., but apparently it was all to no avail, and I was directed to pay the penalty, and that was that.

The second time it happened (about 18 months later), at the same lights, roughly the same time of day, at about the same speed and similar traffic conditions, I was naturally absolutely 'filthy' when the penalty notice arrived in the mail !

Mindful that my previous pleas for leniency, were ignored, I just paid up, and 'fumed'. I now approach the same set of traffic signals inordinately more cautiously, much to the understandable chagrin of other motorist behind me ?

Moreover, I honestly believe I'm possibly contributing to a 'road rage' incident, all because the drivers following me, probably think I'm deliberating obstructing their right of way, by my slow, careful approach to the lights ?

A serious traffic incident just waiting to happen I would've thought. So much for properly regulated traffic lights by our erudite traffic engineers ? It's probably good that one can no longer cut out your fines in gaol, I'd be very sorely tempted I reckon ? Thanks Jay o M.

Maserati is the finest car according to me.. i really love this car...Wish i could purchase it ever. There is one more car that i like that was 1980 Triumph TR7 .. Now a days there are lot of cars available in market but it is true that vintage cars were legends.