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Interesting Cars of Perth Archive
In December 2018 Paul Blank set up a Facebook group called Interesting Cars of Perth. The idea was to cover a broad spectrum of Western Australian motoring, from current to way back in the past.
There's plenty of good material out there... Not a catalogue of 20 year old customised Holdens like lots of other local Facebook "classic car" pages, this group's aim is to record details of interesting cars.
The uptake has been excellent from the start, with some fantastic material being added. This page is set up as an easy go-to location for some of the more interesting, particularly historic material which has appeared. This is less about interesting cars spotted in the street, but more about historical information.
Thanks to all whose material has been published. Names with photos below are of who published them on the Facebook page, not necessarily the photographer.
The images are in four sections:
Interesting Cars (below) Old advertising Current Photos When they were New
Unknown WA special - any ideas anyone? - Terry McGrath
Unknown WA special, apparently Holden-powered - Ken Devine
Unknown WA special. Last known with Graham Miller, Tambellup - Terry McGrath
Unknown WA special, apparently on a Pontiac chassis, photo 1962 - Paul Blank
De Havilland Moth Minor in a car yard, Walcott St, North Perth 1954 - Geoff Goodall collection
Holden Sports - Terry McGrath
Holden 2-door custom belonged to Neil McCrudden. It was built in Victoria, brought to WA, couldn't get it registered in WA - whereabouts unknown today. - Neil McCrudden
The Coxon Holden sports special, built by a father and son - Paul Blank
John Bertina's racing Holden - Barry Currie
Home-built sports car - Paul Blank
Byfield Jaguar - Barry Currie
Byfield Citroen, coachbuilt by Cliff Byfield on Citroen Traction Avant 1950s - Paul Blank
The boy in this car is 91 years old in 2019 - Max Bevilaqua's father built this for him in Perth. Sadly it no longer exists. - Paul Blank
1968 Westcott Terranaught, made in WA - Paul Blank
1933 Perth-built 3 wheeler, Sunday Times article - Paul Blank
1950 Perth-built 3-wheeler, Daily News - Paul Blank
Fibreglass car under construction - Terry McGrath
Chapron bodied Delahaye imported by Jim Harwood doing a parade lap prior to the 1957 Australian Grand Prix. Later owned by Wilson Tuckey - Ken Devine
1933 MG J2, with local body. Alan Tomlinson & Clem Dwyer, about to cross Australia - Robert Dethridge
This glamorous Ferrari 250GT Cabrio was in Perth briefly in the late 1960s. Seen here at the Contacio Hotel, Scarborough - Paul Blank
Terry Emmerson's grandfather's certificate, First Prize for Motor Car Driving, 1917 Perth Royal Show - Terry Emmerson
Tisco Austin Van - Paul Blank
Tisco Mini Van - James Long
1925 this Fiat was used in a hill climbing publicity exercise, Mount Street, Perth - well before the road was cut by the freeway - Paul Blank
Empire Games fleet, Perry Lakes Stadium - Neil Ferns
Holden EJs lined up at the Games Village - Chris Kennedy
Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing at Perth Motor Show, the car was visiting WA - Ken Devine
Ferrari Daytona in Bernies carpark next door to Chellingworth Motors, Ferrari dealer - Trent Chellingworth
PMG Ditch Digger, early 1970s - Peter Olsen
"My dads 1963 Aston Martin DB5 circa 1970 on his property in the Swan Valley. Bought from Taylor's Speed Shop in Adelaide in 1969 put it on the train back to WA, lived here until it was stolen in 1975!" - Richard King
Olympian Herb Elliott's welcome parade - Paul Blank
From the DNA Tower, Kings Park, 1975 - Ross Morgan
Mercedes Taxi, Perth mid 1920s - Paul Blank
Lamborghini Countach at Wanneroo Raceway - Murray Thomas
Fiat distributor Arthur Andersen with a Fiat 509 Sport, Perth early 1920s - Paul Blank
Minerva in East Perth, 1950s - Paul Blank
Commonwealth Games Opening 1962 - Chris Kennedy
American Roy Parr with his DKW Roadster at Kings Park in 1942 - Paul Blank
Roy Parr and his wife Joan on board their 1932 BSA Scout in Perth, 1943 - Paul Blank
Ferrari Boxer BB512 at Chellingworth Motors, Mounts Bay Rd, late 1970s - Trent Chellingworth
Cortina Mk2 at Meckering, 1968, following the earthquake - Ross Morgan
Maserati Bora, Wanneroo Raceway, mid 1970s - Paul Blank
Austin 7 moving to a new home, late 1970s - Simon McGrath
Vanguard drops in to Sivyer's photographic studio in Hay Street Subiaco - Paul Blank
Riley Pathfinder seen in 1995 - Tim Avarettz
Lamborghini Espada, Mt Hawthorn 1979 - Paul Blank
Ferrari 330GT owned in the 1970s by the late Bob Hadaway - Paul Blank
Swan Taxis line-up, 1938 - Paul Blank
This 1929 MG Midget belonged to racer Neil Baird, who had a body built locally by Bolton. Seen below many years later before restoration. - Robert Dethridge/Molly Baird
Ferrari 365GT 2+2, about 1968
Wakefield Castrol Motor Oil sign, Angove St, North Perth 2019 - Paul Blank
Tram No 87 on Hay Street, East Perth, 1958 - Terry McGrath
Citroen half-track being demonstrated by the Old Observatory in West Perth, 1925 - Paul Blank
1954 De Soto - Murray Thomas
Ford V8 gas producer, Monarch Laundry, 1940s - Murray Thomas
Percy Markham had Perth's first car museum - here is his veteran Renault and everyday Pontiac - Ken Devine
Bugatti of Cyril Poole, without its hardtop roof - Ken Devine
Cyril Poole's Bugatti with the roof fitted, Perth Esplanade, first Veteran Car Club run - Paul Blank
Photo and caption from The Truth, December 20 1929 - Paul Blank
The ex-Cyril Poole Bugatti today, in South Australia - Rod Quinn
Alfa 33 makes an appearance at Wanneroo Raceway - Paul Blank
Vintage cars displayed at Perth Motor Show, at the Zoo in South Perth, probably 1960 - Ken Devine
Dodge Phoenix, 1960 model belonged to Wayne Coles' grandfather - Wayne Coles
Perth CBD - Ken Devine
Riverside Drive near the the University of WA late 1930s - Ken Devine
About 1950 - Ken Devine
Lamborghini Countach at Sotheby's auction of Paul Terry collection, UWA - Murray Thomas
Rambler and Nash at Kings Park - Ken Devine
Simca Aronde at Performance Cars, Jim Harwood's second car business - Murray Thomas
Line of parked cars, Esplanade, Perth around 1950 - Ken Devine
Lord Mayor's Bentley - Ken Devine
Group of old Fords, about 1960 - Ken Devine
A pair of Messerschmitt KR201 Roadsters in the late 1960s, photo courtesy Rob Lefroy - Paul Blank
Traffic in Nedlands near corner Hackett Drive and Stirling Highway (which has changed layout since) - Ken Devine
Hillman Californian at the Perth Motor Show, Cottesloe Civic Centre. Dealer Skipper Bailey became John Hughes' Skippers - Ken Devine
De Soto, Perth Motor Show, Cottesloe Civic Centre about 1955 - Ken Devine
Prewar SS Jaguar line-up, 1999. Largest ever gathering in Australia - Murray Thomas
Fiat 500 Topolino - Ken Devine
Hispano Suiza in 1950, when owned by Vin Smith - Ken Devine
Doug Green had some exotic racing cars and bought this Jaguar XK120 new in 1953 - used it as a tow car for racers - and rolled it once...- Paul Blank
Maserati Merak, late 1970s - Paul Blank
Iso Rivolta Fidia in the late 1970s. Where is it now? - Paul Blank
Peugeot 305 Break spotted (a few years ago) at Perth Airport. It was left-had drive and had European (Belgian or French?) plates still visible under standard WA plates - Aaron Hillsdon
Cross-country Hispano Suiza, West Australian, 1952 - Paul Blank
Jaguar crash, West Australian 1954 - Paul Blank
WA winner of the "Tunisian Grand Prix", Sunday Times, June 20, 1943 - Paul Blank