OT - Tasmanian Auto Museum

[Des]

Paid a visit today to the Tasmanian auto museum, located in Launceston, Tasmania, about 200k's out of Hobart, have been there before but really enjoy their changing array of cars and bikes on display. I snapped some pictures, thought you guys here would like a look, even if there was only one MB on show, they probably have about 200 bikes on display as well that I didn't photograph, BSA's, BMW's, Harley's etc..



















































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[Brian Crump]

BRILLIANT Des - great pics.
Many thanks,
BC

[gregdeklerk]

Thanks Des that was very interesting. Great pics.

[oscar]

Gee there's some real gems in there.  Is this a government owned museum or private?

[Des]

Not really sure Oscar, they mention on their website that they have a board of trustees so sounds like it may be a non profit org

http://www.namt.com.au

[WGB]

I think I went there about three years ago.

Is it near the ?Gasworks and Brewery at the base of the hill?

My Mothers favourite Grandmother was born in Longford (20 km out of Launceston ) in the 1860's and her family stayed in the district for 20 years or so before emigrating to NZ.

My parents flew over from NZ and My wife and I toured Tassie with them on a find the family history Holiday 3 years ago.

We found out that the family had paid their own way out (Subsidised by The Royal Caledonia Society in 1855) - which was a relief.

Aussies might be hard on Kiwis and sheep - but Kiwis are even worse about Aussies and Convicts.

Apparently Great Grandma had always had aspersions cast about her probable convict background all her life in NZ.

Bill

[Des]

Bill yes that's the place, I think if I had my pick out of the cars there I would have taken the 1948 Rolls (in the first picture I posted) What a car!

I love Benzes but I think the day may come where I am seduced into buying a Roller.
They have such presence

I think the last pic is a Silver Cloud, probably more realistic for my budget.

[WGB]

As a keeper I always like the 50's Silver Cloud with the F Head 6 Cylinder Engine and relatively simple mechanicals.

I have a Lawyer friend who put his series one Silver Spirit in for what he believed was routine servicing in 1988 and was presented with a Bill for $13,000 as the Cylinder Liners had come loose ( I think this is a common problem with the V8's).

I have another present day friend who put his in for an engine overhaul and was told there was a new engine available if he wanted it. He said yes without enquiring the cost (He's a wealthy ex-Englishman) and was given the Bill for $45,000. When he drove it he noticed the transmission was much crisper and when he asked what they'd done to it  was told they'd put a new transmission in as well (at their own expense) as they had dropped the engine and transmission when lifting it from the car and bent the output housing and shaft.

It still failed to proceed reasonably often with  a myriad of electrical and fuel pump glitches.

Enjoy your 6.9 - I reckon you've got the best - still would like ABS though.

Bill

[Brian Crump]

What is the cream coupe, fourth one from the top? Love its lines.
BC

[Andrew280SEL]

Yeah I been there (of course! I'm tasmanian!)

My dad's GTHO Falcon (which he sold about 10 years before I was born) used to be in there not to long ago, but I never got to see it. 
Wrong timing unfortunately. got sold to some guy.

[oscar]

Gee Andrew, I bet you wish he still had it.  If my dad had one then left it to me, I'd hammer it for a week then sell it and buy a top 6.9 or two.

Talking of keeping an old car, not a GTHO, but do you Tassies or Aussies remember when that bridge was struck in Hobart by a ship and collapsed in the middle (names escape me sorry).  I saw on one those "remember when" type shows, the newsreel showed that memorable image of the two cars precariously hanging off the edge.  One was a Monaro owned by a young couple.  The footage then cut to the couple now - almost 30 yrs older perhaps with the same Monaro parked behind them in beautiful condition.  I don't think I could sell it either after an experience like that.

[Des]

Young Oscar, what you refer to is the Tasman Bridge, when some bright spark decided to crash a boat into it.

I know the shot you mean, this is a crappy low res version, I've seen it somewhere before in high res, think it was a green and gold monaro.



I've mentioned my feelings on this strip of road in the "how much traffic is in your area" thread.

some more pictures and info here

http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/history/brd1.htm

[Des]

I don't think anyone, unless they have been through the same situation could imagine how horrifying and traumatic that would be....hanging off the edge of a bridge that was supposed to be there.

[oscar]

Absolutely.  From memory, the couple's doctor drove past them or was driving in front of them and went down with the bridge span.  Very sad.

I remember the pic in your thread now but it didn't register whilst typing.  And that pic there you posted is the one.  How lucky or unlucky?  I have a DVD I got off one of the kids that has Channel9 footage of it.  It came with a book, I'll try and find it over the next few days and capture some bigger pics.

Oh BTW, I'm glad you mentioned green and gold, that's what I remembered the Monaro to be but wasn't 100% sure.