Articles by Ashlee Pleffer

Our very own wild reincarnation of the FJ Holden was yesterday voted the North American Concept Car of the Year.The Efijy was voted best concept car of a field of 33 concept vehicles, which made their North American debut this year.Motor journalists chose the Efijy as the car most likely to 'shape the future' of the industry.The purple coupe, borrowing from the 1953 FJ, was revealed at Sydney's 2005 motor show.Of the wildest car Holden designed, spokesman John Lindsay said: “Obviously North America embraced it as much as Australia did when it was unveiled here.” 

There's nothing like good, friendly Aussie rivalry. And since the 1960s, the one played out on the racetrack, which has in turn spread to suburban driveways, has attracted some very passionate and dedicated fans on either side of the fence. It's none other than the Holden v Ford debate, pitching mate against mate, car against car.From a young age, many car fans choose a side and stick with it. Most wear their team insignia advertising their choice from head to toe.But then there are those who are best referred to as the 'more extreme' fans.Take Dave Kahila and Bob Pupovac, for example. Both have spent about $100,000 and endless hours transforming an average car from their favourite brand into a masterpiece.And both will put their cars on display at next weekend's MotorEx for the first time.For Kahila, not only did he know where his loyalties lie from a young age, he also knew exactly what car he wanted and needed to show off this allegiance.As a teenager, Kahila was full of envy when his cousin bought his dream car, a VK Commodore. Kahila continued to pester his cousin for more than 10 years, making his intentions well known.“I said one day, `I'm going to own that car'; he would say, `Yeah, yeah, whatever'. And now I've ended up owning it,” Kahila says. “He wanted to build it himself, but kept putting it off.“It sat in the garage for about five years. Over coffee, I said, `Sell me the car'. He said, `All right'. I think he just got sick of me asking,” he says.And with the car finally in his possession, Kahila then enlisted the help of his younger brother, Paul, and the pair got to work.“We stripped every nut and bolt, every panel, every door, paint stripped it, supercharged it, put a nine-inch diff on it, tubbed the back ... it was a full custom restoration,” he says.“Ever since I was a kid that was my dream to have a blue VK Commodore.”This is the third car Kahila has restored, and the one he lists as the best. While he bought the brown car on his own for $5000, he has now given half of the ownership to his brother for all his help on the project. He estimates the car would be worth between $50,000 to $60,000, despite the extra money he spent restoring it.But to him, it's priceless.And when examining the extravagant nature of it, it's clear this isn't your daily driver.Kahila says he mainly takes it out on the weekends and is often greeted with some fairly scared responses, especially from the noise.“They freak out, it turns heads big time.They really get scared, it's so loud.”And it's not just kids with this reaction. Kahila says it's “kids, dogs, grown-ups, everyone, all the time”. Kahila may be proud of his car, but that doesn't mean he'll be embarking on another one any time soon.“I'm not allowed to do anymore,” he says, mentioning the house he is in the process of building. "I have got two kids, I've married recently, there's just no time for them (the cars). My wife hates it.”Kahila also says that he's not prepared to spend the huge amount of money that is needed with a new project.However, that doesn't mean he has completely finished this one yet. “Once I've finished the house, I'm planning to strip it and do the underneath, make it a full proper showroom car. I want to go that little bit extra.”While he's a Holden man, Kahila is one of those rare fans who doesn't mind Fords as well. But when it comes to V8 Supercars and the car he loves to own, he always has his Holden hat on.Over in the other corner is Bob Pupovac.There's no sitting on the fence at any time for this self-described “Ford freak”.“I've always loved them, always, the shape of them, and they're quicker,” he says.Pupovac became a Ford fan at a young age, and says it's a bit of a mystery as to why he fell in love with the blue oval. “One of my uncles has always been into drag racing,” he says.However, Pupovac says his father always drove a Ford, although wasn't really a big car enthusiast. And like Kahila, he's turned his dream car into a reality. His is in the guise of a 1981 Ford Fairmont XE ESP — the very first car he purchased 11 years ago, at just 18 years old.He says he paid $5500 for it and spent the first five years cruising around in it as his daily driver.But Pupovac knew it had a lot more potential.“About seven, eight years ago I pulled the car down to a bare shell,” he says. “I've added a supercharger, fuel injection, airbags, suspension, a roll cage, 20-inch wheels, I could keep going on forever but that's probably the main ones.”Pupovac, who co-owns a Bridgestone Tyre Centre, completed the restoration in stages with his business partner. He still plans to spend another $10,000 on brakes and suspension.“I love doing it, it's like a hobby,” Pupovac says.He gets a similar reaction to Kahila when he takes the car out. “People freak out, they can't believe the size of the engine and wheels.“I plan to drive it a bit more about and I'm going to race it as well,” he adds. FAST FACTS1986 VK COMMODOREEngine: 355 cubic inch with supercharger, 500kW at the motor 328kW at rear wheelsValue: $50,000-$60,000 1981 FORD FAIRMONT XE ESPOwner: Bob PupovacEngine: 408 cubic-inch Cleveland, 395kW at the wheelsValue: $60,000-$80,000 WHERE TO SEE THEMWhere:  MotorExWhen: next weekend June 30 - July 1Where: Sydney Olympic Park, HomebushMore than 50 Ford and Holdens, plus more than 500 hot rods, street machines, performance and classic cars, exceeding $60 million in value.  

In the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) results this week, the Toyota Aurion, Toyota Camry and Holden Commodore all received a four-star safety rating, adding to the previously tested four-star performers, the Ford Falcon and Mitsubishi 380.NRMA Motoring and Services Vehicle Safety Expert, Jack Haley says most of these cars failed to reach a top rating because of the lack of side curtain airbags.The Toyota Aurion is the only car equipped with side head protection as standard, but Haley says Toyota chose not to proceed with an optional pole test. This meant they were unable to score five stars in the overall testing. The testing involved the top-selling version of each model and Haley says the other large cars offered curtain airbags as an option, but not as a standard feature in the models tested.“Obviously our aim is to get all cars up to a five-star safety rating,” Haley says. “We'd like to see curtain airbags in all vehicles and we would also like to see stability control as standard.”The Toyota Aurion and Holden Commodore have stability control as standard, but it is only an option in various other family cars. But Haley says stability control didn't contribute to the ANCAP testing, as the results show how a car performs in a crash, whereas stability control is an active accident-prevention device.Each car underwent three main areas of testing under ANCAP.They included frontal, side impact and pedestrian tests.Many Japanese and European cars have already received a five-star rating in the European version of testing, known as the EuroNCAP.They include the Toyota Corolla, Peugeot 207, Ford Focus XR5, Land Rover Freelander 2, Citroen Picasso, Mitsubishi Outlander, Volvo C30, VW Passat and Mini Cooper.Most of these models were tested as top-of-the-range, whereas in Australia the extra airbags are optional on some models. ANCAP advises motorists to buy vehicles with a full six-airbag package, including side head protection and electronic stability control.The Toyota Tarago and Mitsubishi Triton also scored a four-star rating in the recent testing, an improvement for the Triton, which is up from a previously low two-star rating.The Hyundai Accent scored three stars and the Mitsubishi Express van scored poorly with just one star. STAR RATINGS  Source: ANCAP 2007 

The Mazda3 diesel will join the Mazda6 and is expected to arrive in September. It will be available in both sedan and hatchback form and will have the same engine as the current Mazda6 diesel.The 2.0-litre common-rail turbo diesel produces 105kW and 360Nm and has a claimed fuel consumption of 6L/100km.It will only be available in the one Maxx Sport trim level and will feature a rear spoiler, 16-inch wheels and, unlike the petrol models, Direct Stability Control will be a standard feature.Mazda spokesman Alistair Doak says the company expects to sell more than 100 Mazda3 diesels a month, but says it will be a reasonably small percentage of overall Mazda3 sales. Mazda sold 2758 Mazda3s last month, the second-most popular small car, behind the Toyota Corolla.When the Mazda6 diesel went on sale, Mazda originally forecast 50 sales a month, but Doak says it has been closer to 100 models a month.He says there are no plans to expand the diesel range further in Australia.“They will be our two diesel passenger cars, the ones that sell the most in Europe,” he says. None of our Japanese competitors have any diesel and we're introducing a second.”Doak says there are no plans for diesel engines in the larger CX-7 and yet-to-arrive CX-9 because these cars are primarily for the North American market, where diesel isn't in demand.The Mazda3 diesel will be followed by the new generation of the Mazda2. The smaller Mazda will go on sale in October and is expected remain at about $16,000 for the entry model.Doak says buyers can expect the new Mazda2 to be comparable in price to the current car, which starts at $16,335 for the Neo and rises to $20,290 for the top-line Genki model. But unlike some of its rivals, which offer 1.3-litre entry models, Doak says the Mazda2 would be available only with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine.“I don't think there is a lot of benefit going to a 1.3. Certainly there isn't that much difference on cost,” he says.Doak says the Mazda2 is a vital part of the overall line-up, with the light car running in third sales spot behind Mazda3 and Mazda6.The current car has been on sale since December 2002. So far this year Mazda has sold 3045, up 30 per cent on last year's figures.The car's styling brings it into line with the rest of the Mazda line-up, he says.“Mazda has always established a reputation as being a style leader and the Mazda2 should do so in the light-car segment,” Doak says.Mazda is also expected to carry over the existing three model names; Neo, Maxx and Genki.Safety has been at the forefront of the car's appeal, with the option of curtain and side airbags and ABS in the current model. The newcomer is expected to add dynamic stability control to the safety kit. It sheds about 100kg in weight over its predecessor.Using high-tensile steel, Mazda says it has been able to slice out weight without compromising safety, body rigidity and noise, vibration and harshness. This has benefits for fuel economy, with Mazda saying it has improved up to 15 per cent over the current car. The 60/40 split rear-fold seat carries over, but luggage space is down from 280 to 250 litres.The 1.5-litre develops 76kW at 6000 revs and 136Nm at 4000 revs, down from 82kW at 6000 revs and 141Nm at 4000 revs.

When most people buy a car, they think of a simple equation; practicality plus enjoyment equals a good decision. They look for space, comfort, storage compartments and features that will make them feel like they're getting a better deal than the next car buyer. But with a Lotus that equation is thrown straight out the window, as we discovered with our trial in the entry-level model, the Elise S.There's little storage space, it's squishy inside and you'll pull nearly every single muscle in your legs, back and neck when getting in and out of the car. If you're over 50, you'll moan and groan when attempting this near impossible feat. Because the Lotus is everything but practical.With its insect-like looks, the Elise S has an aggressive “I mean business” stance. The sweeping front is complemented by the more muscular rear. And it's a real boys' toy, proof of which comes when hitting the road.On three different driving days, the Lotus attracted the “thumbs up” from three types of boys; a 10-year-old, a 20-year-old and a more mature — but still kid at heart — 40-year-old. But don't fret girls, it's also one we can have plenty of fun in.At $69,990, the Elise S is the more affordable Lotus. But our test car was more expensive with the $8000 Touring Plus option pack. This added features such as leather touches to the interior, gear knob, and handbrake lever gaiter, noise-insulation panelling in the cabin and soft-top.As well as the impractical size, there are a few other things that aren't strong selling points, including the extra muscle required in cornering because there is no power steering. And with very few smooth roads in Sydney, you'll feel every single pothole.Safety equipment such as ABS and driver and passenger airbags make you feel more comfortable about your easily disguised position on the road. But it's still rather daunting as it's easy for other drivers to miss you, especially the ubiquitous city SUVs.But despite these downfalls, after a week in the car there was still something quite humorous about it which managed to bring a smile to the face.Crawl inside and the cabin appears to be almost stripped bare. There is a CD system, but the engine is so loud you really have to crank up it to hear anything.The Touring-plus pack offers an upgraded Alpine stereo with iPod connection, cupholder and embroidered mats, but without the pack, the Elise S has minimal features.There's no storage space, not even a glovebox, and it has a tiny boot. There is even a lack of carpet on parts of the interior, which gives the Elise S the real racing feel by adding aluminium as decoration instead.By excluding features, as well as using an aluminium chassis with a lightweight steel rear subframe, the car weighs just 860kg. To put that into perspective, a Barina is 1120kg.The Elise S is one of the lightest cars in the world, the weight advantage providing better acceleration, handling and braking. This all equates to better performance for the little Lotus.Powering the Elise S is a 1.8-litre 100kW Toyota engine which may sound small in print, but takes into account it's a car that looks somewhat like a go-kart and weighs a lot less than your average runabout.It races to 100km/h in just 6.1 seconds, which also feels faster than it might sound.In terms of performance, the Elise S produces 100kW at 6200rpm, although it's hard to push the revs to the top end of the tacho, as it urges you to shift up a gear earlier. In terms of torque, the Elise S produces 172Nm at 4200rpm.Performance is delivered through a lightweight five-speed manual transmission, which sounds rather clunky as you shift your way through the gears.But all the downsides are quickly forgotten when you let it off the leash.Throw it into a corner and the Elise S handles well, gripping tightly as you cling to the small racing-like steering wheel.Slipping into topless mode is an effort. Unlike other sports cars, this requires manual exertion to remove the soft-top.Getting it off was easy, but putting it back on took close to 15 minutes and drew a crowd.And while the car inspires lots of smiling, that disappeared when it wouldn't start, especially when one of the places it decided to stop was on an incline in a car park.A Lotus technician later said it could have been because the accelerator was pressed too early — you're suppose to wait 10 seconds between turning the engine on and accelerating, to let the car settle. The catalytic converter apparently needs the time to warm to operating temperature to comply with emission law requirements.An instruction on that quirk would have come in handy a lot earlier.The Elise S is fun, but hardly your average car. Having it as your daily driver could send you crazy and put your body into spasms.But if you have the money, it's the type of car you can take to the track a couple of times a month, show off in traffic occasionally or go for a longer cruise.Because there's no doubting the fun and attractive elements of the Lotus Elise S.

Racing legend Peter Brock drove many race cars in his long and successful career. And with his passing late last year, the value of his classics increased dramatically. So it's not surprising that what could be the most important car of his life, where he first began his racing passion, has been valued at a massive $400,000. Or is it surprising?It's not a vehicle from the muscle car family and there's no V8 power under the bonnet. The only race track it's been on was a self-made dirt course on the Brock family farm.It has no brakes and has been sitting in pieces for more than 50 years.But now, the 1929 Austin 7, the car where the racing legend learned to drive at the age of 12, is driveable once again.After six months of hard work, restorer Peter Denman has returned the car from Brock's childhood to its original form.As a friend of Brock's and with his wife as the director of the Peter Brock Foundation, Denman put his hand up for the job.He used four photographs that were taken at the time by Brock's older brother Neil, to help in the restoration process.The photographs of the engine, chassis and rear end allowed him to recreate the car as closely as possible.“The car was remarkably complete except for a few items,” he says.“The original engine was on it and the chassis was the original. It needed quite a bit of cutting rust out and so forth.”Denman says that despite its small size, there was considerable work involved, including a rebuild on the front and rear ends, the gearbox and repairing the engine.The engine was in a poor state and was split in half, so Denman had to call on the Austin 7 club to help weld it together so the original engine could remain in the car.Another obstacle Denman faced was the flooring. As the original had rotted away, he used wood Peter had collected to make his own furniture in recent years.Brock's younger brother, Lewis Brock, last weekend re-enacted the image of Brock racing around the family farm in his first car.He says the image of Peter and his dad working on the car is etched in his memory.“I won't forget it, all the boys were involved in varying degrees, but it was Peter's car. He did the work on it,” he says.Lewis fondly recalls Peter getting into trouble from their mother for cutting the body of the car with an axe. He says she was more concerned about the damage to the axe.Lewis believes he and Peter were the only two to have driven the car as youngsters and the one time he got behind the wheel, he ended up in a palm tree.“I was struggling to get my legs down to the pedals,” he says.Lewis says his brother had to fine-tune his skills of going down through the gears and putting it into a slide in order to stop.Brock drove the car until he was 16. Although many decades have passed, Lewis says the noise of the engine is still identical from their childhood.“It's fabulous,” he says. “When we started the engine, my uncle Sandy was there ... we looked at each other when the car fired up and said that's the same noise.”Both Lewis and Denman describe it as interesting to drive, Denman claiming it feels like a “rocket ship”. “It only weighs probably 200kg.“It's very, very low to the ground, it's something that you couldn't describe,” he says.Lewis is concerned over the lack of brakes and says he won't be driving it again until brakes are installed.The previous owner bought the car from Sandy Brock 45 years ago and had it sitting in the roof of his factory for most of that time. About 10 years ago he discovered it was Brock's first car.Lewis says Brock knew about the car, but didn't have any plans to reclaim it. But after Brock's death last year, the owner decided to sell it and it was purchased and donated to the Peter Brock Foundation by a supporter.“Peter would be rapt,” Lewis says. “He would think it was a hoot and he was probably sitting on the back axle watching me drive it. That's what it felt like.”If Brock's history was taken out of the picture, Denman says the car would be worth a lot less.“The car itself is probably worth $2000 if you wanted to buy one, for the chassis, the engine, that's what you'd pay,” he says. “It's the history of the car, the car is complete.”The Peter Brock Foundation will now display the car at different shows and racetracks around the country and it's likely to end up in a museum.“When Peter signed signatures he'd put on posters `follow your dreams',” Lewis says.“That's where it started for him, he turned it into something to hone his skills in.”And Lewis says Peter would want everyone to see it. While this might have been his first, there are many more cars where Brock mastered his driving skills. According to the fans and collectors, Brock would have raced more than 100 cars during his time on the track. The most valued and important of those would have been his victories at Bathurst.Queenslander Peter Champion has a collection of 32 Brock cars, both ones he raced and road registered models.He's collected the cars over the past 15 years and believes they would be worth between $6 million and $7 million.The collection includes a replica of the Austin A30 Brock raced in 1967, a project Brock's step-son James Brock completed for Champion. The first Bathurst car Brock raced, the 1969 Monaro is also in the collection, as well as the 1974 L34 Torana and the 1982, 1983 and 1984 Bathurst-winning Commodores.He also has the Ford Sierra and the 2002 Motorola-sponsored Commodore that he raced at Bathurst. And Champion this week said he and his team are currently rebuilding the car that claimed Brock's life.“I'm guessing they're worth from half a million to a million each, that's what people say. I don't get involved, they're not for sale.”As Brock's friend, navigator and competitor, Champion wants to share his collection from Brock's career with the public.“I'm building a museum which I have been doing for a number of years. Peter was involved in with me for quite a few years. A lot of the personal stuff, he gave to it,” Champion says.“The reason he was an icon was because he always had time for people, he always stood there and signed autographs, he stayed well after dark.”Champion says the museum should be opened in Queensland by the end of the year.Fellow Queenslander, David Bowden, has his own slice of Brock history. He owns the Bathurst-winning A9X Torana's from 1978 and 1979, as well as Brock's 1987 VL Commodore. He says that although the value of the cars has increased with Brock's passing, Bowden's not comfortable talking about what they're worth.“It's so hard, he was such a good mate to everyone, that I hate talking about things like that,” he says.The value is not important, Bowden says, as he wouldn't consider selling them at this stage. He says he's spent too much money building up his collection to sell them.“I don't expect to jump on for a quick profit,” says Bowden, who often sends his cars to Bathurst so the public can see them.“Brocky” did his last hot lap at Bathurst in the 1979 A9X Torana. Where are they now? Brock's classic cars 1967 Austin A30 original lost, replica owned by Peter Champion1969 Monaro (Bathurst third place) owned by Peter Champion1972 XU-1 Torana (Bathurst winner) owned by Glen Amos1973-74 XU-1 Torana sold last year for $500,000 to an anonymous Melbourne buyer1974 L34 Torana owned by Peter Champion1975 Torana (Bathurst winner) lost1978 A9X Torana (Bathurst winner) owned by David Bowden1979 A9X Torana (Bathurst winner) owned by David Bowden1979 Commodore (Round Australia trial winner) owned by Holden1980 Commodore (Bathurst winner) claimed to be owned by Rowan Harmon1982-83 VH Commodore (Bathurst winner) owned by Peter Champion1983 VH Commodore (Bathurst car) owned by Peter Champion1984 VK Commodores (Bathurst winner and third) owned by Peter Champion and the Bathurst Museum1986 Commodore Spa 24-Hour Race owned by Peter Champion1987 VL Commodore (Bathurst winner) owned by David Bowden1988 BMW (Bathurst car) unknown1989-1990 Ford Sierra owned by Peter Champion2003 Monaro 24-hour race winner owned by Rob Sherrard2006 Daytona Coupe owned by Peter Champion 

There are the surfies, the hippies, the nostalgic and the families who have all fallen in love with the many sides of the Kombi. Appealing aspects include the size and space they offer, the old-school look and, most importantly, the character. Kombi expert Steve Muller says the beauty of the design is that it's very versatile. “They were always used by government departments, the army, navy and air force,” he says. “They were used as school buses; bakers, builders, and plumbers used them, and they were used for leisure and pleasure as well.” Muller is a man who knows his Kombi history. His father began selling and working on the VW vans in the 1950s. Muller then took over the business in the '70s and continues his Kombi passion with the business Kombi Rescue. He says he's now the point of contact for Volkswagen when history is needed. “They represent some sort of romance, freedom,” he says. Muller says the Kombis were affordable in the early days, selling for around pound stg. 899. Volkswagen sold 299 Kombis in their first year in Australia, he says. Restored models now sell for as much as $20,000. Scott France is one of the many big fans of the Volkswagen van. The 39-year-old has owned two Kombis, both slipping into the role of the family car. “I've been interested in the Kombi since we started to have a family,” he says. France previously owned a 1976 Kombi camper. And as the France family grew, they decided the family car had to grow with it. “We had the other one for about three years, but we ran out of room when we had our third child, we needed room for five,” he says. They now own a 1970 Kombi Microbus, which has eight seats and does the job well. France lists the positives as the space for the children and “being able to load lots of gear to take away on holidays”. And it was a success on a long road trip. “My most memorable moment with the Kombi was probably when I first bought this one up in Queensland,” France says. “I took my oldest daughter, she would have been about five at the time.” The pair drove it back together, all the way from Queensland to Blacktown, without a problem. And it was given the thumbs up from his daughter. But the Kombi isn't your usual car when it comes to getting behind the wheel. “At first you don't think you'll be able to drive one, but you quickly get used to it,” France says. “It's like nothing else you've driven.” He compares it to a bus, especially with the big steering wheel. And as far as problems go, France's VW has only needed general maintenance — which is not bad for a 37-year-old car. France uses the Kombi as his daily drive, and says he wouldn't even consider upgrading to a newer car. While his wife owns a more modern Kia, he says the family would much prefer to travel and go on holidays in the Kombi. That is despite the lack of airconditioning, although France has compensated for that somewhat by installing sliding windows and rear opening windows. The France family often return the Kombi to its earlier roots with their beach trips up the coast. And they especially enjoy trips with other Kombi fans. “The most we have had at any one place was 160 (Kombis) over a long weekend ... often groups of a dozen or so,” France says. Muller and France say they enjoy the culture and community that has developed around the Kombi since its introduction to Australia in 1954. “Every time you drive past another Kombi, more than likely they'll wave to you ... it's an unwritten rule,” France says. “You do get a lot of people (who used to own one) coming up and talking to you. They tell you about the adventures they used to have.” And Muller says he's noticed a recent trend among older people, especially baby boomers, who owned a Kombi when they were in their 20s, and are now trying to reclaim their youth by once more jumping into a Kombi. Fast facts 1970 Kombi Microbus Value when new: about $1800 Value four years ago: $8000 Value now: Insured for $16,000 Verdict: Attracting a whole range of followers. The Kombi is still a practical, desirable and trendy car today and has developed a legion of new fans.

But as the owners of two 1962 Fairlane models, Don Skinner and his wife Lorraine say they're not giving theirs up any time soon.For the Skinners, it's not all about the monetary value. As the saying goes, “Like father, like son”. Don knows it all too well and has not only adopted his late father's passion for cars, especially Fords, but has his own way of remembering his dad.For two decades Don has treasured the Ford Fairlane his father proudly owned for 10 years. “Dad had always really been a bit of a Ford fan, I suppose it rubbed off on to me,” he says.Don's father worked for Ford for 19 years, assembling cars at the Homebush factory. “I still class it as my dad's car,” he says. “Since I got it from my mum in 1980, I have had it re-sprayed. She was quite happy. She passed away in 1987 and was happy it had been done up and put away.”Don's father paid $1245 for the second-hand Fairlane in 1970. The car is now insured for $15,000 but Don says it is worth far more. “It's my dad's car, I still like it because of that. It has a lot of sentimental value, I learnt a lot from him,” he says.One of the things Don learnt from his father, along with an appreciation for Fairlanes and V8 engines, was how to drive. It was in the 1962 Fairlane that the lessons were held and where he eventually gained his licence at 17.The sentimental Fairlane isn't alone in the Don's garage. It sits alongside another 1962 Fairlane, which the 52-year-old bought in 1983.“I paid $300 for it,” he says. “It was in pieces, the motor was in the boot. I had to put a motor in it and I've spent about $5000 fixing it.”The restored Fairlane made a cameo appearance in the American film Dark City, which was shot in Australia. Lorraine says you can see the car “for about 10 seconds”.It is rare for either car to be taken out these days and when they are, it's mainly on club runs.“It's a nice car to drive, everybody looks at you,” Don says. “The older ones still have a lot of prestige, but you have to drive them different to the ones now.”His wife agrees.“It was luxury in its era, but not so much now. It was top of the range, but it's only very basic when compared to modern cars,” she says.Lorraine points out that even basic cars today are equipped with many features, which is why she believes Ford has now phased out the luxury model.“There's no airconditioning in the 1962 Fairlane, they had no heaters, you had to order a radio, but there's a clock in it, standard,” she says. “It doesn't even have seatbelts. They didn't come out until 1963.”But the lack of features doesn't seem to be much of a concern for envious passers-by.Don says they attract plenty of honks and thumbs-up during their travels. And some people are even keen on striking up conversations about the car with the couple, especially older people for whom the car brings back a lot of memories.During the 1980s, Skinner was a member of a Victorian Fairlane club, but found it was too far to travel. So he established his own Fairlane club in NSW, in 1988.He and Lorraine are still actively involved in the club. Skinner is the president and they have developed friendships all over Australia with people who share a similar passion for the big car.Indeed, it was the Fairlane that converted Lorraine to the joys of the automobile. “I wasn't a car person until I came into the family,” she says. “I know a little bit more about cars now.”And while Skinner acknowledges demand may now increase he doesn't plan to sell and still has some work to do on one. “My dad's Fairlane stays as it is. I have to change the doors on the other one as a bit of rust got in.” Fast facts1962 Ford FairlanePrice new: about pound stg. 1500Price bought in 1970: $1245Price now: insured for $15,000Verdict: Luxury in the 1960s and '70s had a very different definition to today. The Fairlane may lack modern day features, but its classic styling and design still make it a head-turner.

Holden began production of the FX (which was known at the time as the 48-215) in 1948, with 163 existing in total and only 112 of those released to dealers as demonstrator models.An FX didn't reach a private buyer until January 1949 and they were then produced right up to 1953 when the FJ took over.And while you may be able to find FX models from the later years, you'll struggle to find one of the originals.Of the models released to dealers in 1948, perhaps only nine still exist.Holden collector, Phil Munday, recently snapped up his own little piece of history.The owner of a smash repair shop in Melbourne bought one of the remaining 1948 FX models last Christmas.It is the oldest continually registered FX model and Munday says it's also the second oldest Holden production car in Australia, with Holden owning the oldest.And it now joins his collection of about40 models, all Holdens except one lonely Ford, a classic Mustang muscle car.“From a very young age, maybe as young as nine, we use to wreck these cars in the backyard,” he says. “It became a passion when I was 13, the rest is history.”Munday says while there are probably about nine models remaining, he's only aware of the whereabouts of three desirable '48s.He has one, Holden has the number six model made and fellow Holden fan Charlie McCarron has the number 46.Others are believed to be either in pieces or undriveable, sitting in workshops.Canowindra resident McCarron has owned his FX since 1970 when he paid about $800 for it. While it may not seem much, McCarron says it was still quite a lot of money for the time. But not as much as they're worth now.Neither owners were willing to put a price on their cars, claiming they are worth whatever someone will pay for them.Some have been known to go for $60,000, but they would be later models. And with few originals, the price tag is likely to rise.Both Munday and McCarron are hoping to see it reach close to the $1 million mark in the next 10 years or so, especially with muscle cars recently attracting huge bids.But 74-year-old McCarron already wants to let go of his prized possession. As with Munday, McCarron is a collector. He owns about 45 cars, some of which he has on display in his car yard, Canowindra Motors.“What I want to do is sell the whole business and about 44 cars altogether,” he says.But with such a connection to his cars and his shop, McCarron says he would like the majority to be sold together, including his FX which has done only 21,000 miles (33,800km) during its nearly 60 years on the road.After becoming a Holden dealer in 1959, McCarron began looking for the oldest Holden car he could find.He had been inspired by a trip to the Ford Museum in Michigan, where he saw the first and last T-model Fords displayed in glass cases. He decided to do the same.He has owned this FX ever since and says it's in original condition having only had a new paint job in the 47 years he's owned it. Munday's model is also in original condition.The FX was built almost entirely in Australia, although it was adapted from an American design. It featured a 2.15-litre,in-line six-cylinder engine.Munday says many Holden fans are often shocked to see the classic at car shows.“A lot of people who look at this car think `That's another FX Holden', they don't realise it's a 1948-built car,” he says.“People who have a bit of understanding of these cars look and say, `I've never seen another 1948 FX Holden'. There are less than 10 of them around.”And Munday and McCarron say although they love their cars, they rarely drive them.“It's certainly a driveable car, but it's too much of a special car to drive it all the time. If it was ever written off or stolen you could never replace it,” Munday says.Fast facts1948 FX Holden (48-215)Price when new: around pound stg. 733 ($1466)Price now: more than $60,000Verdict: Holden's first production model harks back to the beginnings of the company and the automotive industry in Australia. With only a handful of these originals remaining, they are a very special model. 

Keith Bowman is one owner who has taken a liking to the now seven-year-old model. He has a 2006 convertible PT Cruiser, which he bought seven months ago. And he believes it's the only one in the Linen Gold colour in manual form in Australia.“I always had a love for the convertibles,” he says. “It's great driving around with the roof down. The sun and wind in your hair.”This isn't Bowman's first PT Cruiser.“I saw it on the road in November 2000,” he says. “At first I thought it was a hot rod. I had to do some investigations about what it was and in February 2001 I bought my first one.”Bowman says he enjoys driving a car that looks different to others on the road.“With new modern cars, when you've seen one, you've seen them all ... but the Cruiser, it's eye-catching,” he says.And it gets the thumbs up from his two grown-up children. “They love it,” he says. “Whether they'd own one's a different thing, but they love its individuality.”Bowman individualised his previous PT with an airbrushed surfing theme. But he doesn't plan on making any external alterations on his present model.“I don't know if this one will see a mural,” he says. “With the top down, you don't need anything on it to catch any eyes.”And it attracts some curious fans.“People ask us where we got it chopped. They don't realise they're out there as a production car as a convertible. There aren't that many out there right now,” he says.Bowman has carried out some exhaust and engine modifications on his convertible Chrysler but he doesn't really have any plans for more changes.The PT Cruisers were introduced in Australia in July 2000, with many people instantly taking a liking to the design and adopting Bowman's interest of airbrushing and modifying. By March last year, Chrysler had built a million PT Cruisers in its manufacturing plant in Mexico.“PT” stands for Personal Transportation, but the initials also indicate the car's platform. While the Neon was based on the Chrysler PL platform, or Platform Low, the Cruiser was based on the Chrysler PT platform, for Platform Tall. The cabrio version was launched overseas in 2005 and made its way to Australia last June. And Bowman says he had to have one.But that meant upgrading from the model he had at the time. Bowman bought his first PT in 2001 for $42,000. `I traded that one in, I think it's still on the road somewhere in the Northern Beaches,” he says.The cabrio models today retail for about $35,000, but with trade-in, Bowman says he paid $11,000 for his car.“Considering I bought it (his original Cruiser) when our dollar was at the rock bottom ... I had to pay for everything, I believe it held its value OK. It had 186,000km on the clock, and I had it for five years.”And the Bowman family seem to have an interest in the Chrysler brand.“When I was first married, I owned an old 1965 Valiant AP6 station wagon,” Bowman says. “We also have a Chrysler Neon, which the PT was formed from.”And as the “cruise controller” for the PT Cruiser Down Under club, which means Bowman plans all the club runs, he knows many people who have jumped aboard the Cruiser bandwagon.“You either like them or you don't, they're just different to the other cars,” he says. “With Holdens and Fords, you have to have a close look before you know which one's going past you. But you always know the difference with a Cruiser.”And while the 50-year-old clocked up a lot of kilometres on his old model, he says he's taking better care of his topless version.“I'm actually looking after this one and keeping the mileage down,” he says.“My wife drives it to and from work, five minutes down the road. I drive it mainly on the weekend.”