OUT OF ACTION
Some muscle cars are bought by loving owners who pamper them like members of the family. Other muscle cars, though, aren’t so lucky. Some get stolen, smashed or thrashed. Some get parked and lost under a layer of dust in an old shed, others get left outside to brave the elements and slowly rust away. Sad, but true.
We eyeball plenty of beautifully maintained and/or fully restored muscle classics in AMC, but as serious car pervs we have to admit there’s few things more intriguing – or exciting – than spotting an old classic in a paddock, or a shed, or under a shady tree, that’s seen better days and in need of some TLC. Some are beyond saving, but they all have a story to tell.
So, get out your cameras and start snapping some old muscle cars you come across in your travels that are definitely Out of Action, or close to it. We don’t want to know where they are and we won’t be publishing locations, because above all we must respect people’s privacy. We just want to see some good, clean pics of these forgotten cars and short personal stories to go with them (see contact details below).
So get to it and let’s see what hidden treasures we can find! For this edition our intrepid readers have stumbled across some more little gems to share with us. Hello (Out of Action), I was reading about the NRMA HT Belmont Panel van restoration (Back on the Road) in issue #79. This story reminded me of the three ex-RACV HR Holden Panelvan service units that I discovered last year. My job as a firefighter in Victoria often gives me access to the rear of properties – we carry out inspections of premises from time to time as part of our duties. On one such inspection, at the rear of an industrial complex, I was amazed to see amongst about a dozen other golden oldies, three identical HR Holden Panelvan ex-RACV Service units. They looked to be never raided for parts, as they were in very original condition. Sadly, mother nature has taken its toll and the tin-worm looked to have them past the point of no return. Amongst the dozen or so vehicles there was a HG Panelvan, and HK and HG sedans that were in restorable cndition with rego stickers indicating they were on the road in the last five years. If only a bloke had a bigger shed... Keep up the great magazine. Danny I have an XB Falcon, my mate has just bought an XC Ford. He was looking for a set of wipers and a few other trim pieces. His girlfriend’s relation had an XC GXL he drove and parked up in the 1980s because it had a miss. This is what 30+ years of neglect looks like. It’s only five minutes away from me in the NSW Hunter Valley. Cheers, Julian