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Magnificent Classic Cars

March 30, 2021 by David Herd

Magnificent Classic Cars starting with the E-Type Jaguar

Magnificent Classic Cars

Magnificent Classic Cars that I guarantee will put a smile on your face. I count myself extremely lucky to have actually owned a 1971 4.2 E-Type, this fabulous vehicle was once called “the most beautiful car ever made” by Enzo Ferrari.

The photo in the header features the fabulous 1974 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible.

1968 Chevrolet Corvette

Magnificent Classic Cars

Certainly the most collected vehicle in America.

1959 Buick Electra 225

Magnificent Classic Cars

 The 1959 Buicks were introduced to the public on September 16, 1958, and the years production was 285,089 units.

1957 Jag XK140

Magnificent Cars

The rarest of all XK versions : the XK140 DHC. In total only 2789 units were made, and that makes it today the most sought after XK for collectors.

Magnificent Classic Cars, Mercedes SL 300 Gullwing

Magnificent Cars

 The company introduced the 300 SL in February 1954 at the International Motor Sports Show in New York City instead of in Europe to get it into U.S. buyers’ hands sooner.

1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster Replica

Magnificent Classic Cars

The Auburn Speedster Replicas would achieve fame as the hero car in various movies including the 1990 movie Dick Tracy starring Warren Beatty and Madonna, and the 1980s TV hit Remington Steel featuring future James Bond star Pierce Brosnan.

1939 Bugatti Type 57C Cabriolet by Vanvooren

Magnificent Classic Cars

During the Great Depression sales of luxury automobiles dwindled as you can imagine. Consequently Ettore Bugatti and his brilliant son Jean understood that a special model was imperative to help their company survive. The resulting new Type 57’s styling was at once contemporary and affordable, with custom coachwork available for the very wealthy.

1959 Cadillac Series Sixty-Two Convertible

Magnificent Classic Cars

The 1959 Cadillacs wore the tallest tail fins in the industry. They make this model year the most memorable and identifiable Cadillac in history.

1958 Chevy Impala convertible

Magnificent Classic Cars

The Impala was Chevrolet’s popular flagship passenger car and was among the better selling American-made automobiles in the United States.

1960 STAINLESS STEEL Ford Thunderbird (one of just 2)

Magnificent Classic Cars

They are among some of the rarest Ford’s you will ever find and now they have been put up for auction.

1967 Camaro

Magnificent Classic Cars

The 1967 model had the same body lines as the 1968 model.

1952 Chevy Styeline Deluxe Convertible

Magnificent Cars

 The Chevrolet Special and Deluxe were introduced for the 1949 model year. Built on the GM ‘A’ body, the Chevrolet Special and Deluxe were a series of full size cars, available as sedans, coupes, convertibles, and station wagons.

1971 Mercedes 350 SL

2007 Golf at The Villa 001

This beautiful scores a place in this blog because I was the proud owner of this yellow one for 17 years back in the 90s. In the 70s I also owned a white one for several years. When it was new back in 1971, this Mercedes-Benz 350SL cost twice as much as a Jaguar E-Type.

1960 Ford Thunderbird

1960 Ford Thunderbird

The country was aghast when the new-for’58 Thunderbird was stretched into a four-seater. Everyone, it seemed, loved the cute, cozy styling of the small T-Birds that preceded it. For the era, they were sensational-looking cars–they still are today–but not everyone who lusted after a 1955-’57 Thunderbird could justify buying one due to their limited seating capacity. And so, many didn’t.
 
Adding those two extra seats in the back changed everything. Sales skyrocketed, and the all-new, bigger, roomier and more practical Thunderbird became the must-see car in Ford showrooms that year. It was the talk of the town, and Americans everywhere wanted to be seen driving one.
Magnificent Classic Cars 1956 Monarch Richelieu Convertible

Magnificent Classic Cars

Monarch Richelieu Phaeton. In 1956 the Monarch Richelieu Phaeton was the top of line Monarch.

1953 Cadillac Eldorado

Magnificent Classic Cars

The Eldorado model was part of the Cadillac line from 1953 to 2002. The Cadillac Eldorado was the longest running American personal luxury car as it was the only one sold after the 1998 model year.

1930 Mercedes SSK Roadster

Classic Cars

One of the most revered sports cars in the world is the SSK and this one features the most dramatic body of them all. It’s nicknamed after Carlo Trossi who was its first owner and had close connections to the industry. In fact, he had the foresight to be an initial investor of Scuderia Ferrari and later became the team’s President.

1938 Bantam Roadster

Magnificent Classic Cars

The American Austin Car Company was founded in 1929 in Butler, Pennsylvania, with the goal of creating a market for small-car enthusiasts in the United States. The company, later renamed American Bantam, produced vehicles licensed from the British Austin Motor Company. They had a blistering top speed of 50 MPH. 🙂

1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Convertible

Magnificent Classic Cars

As competition to the best that Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Isotta-Fraschini could offer, the J12 in many respects was the superior design.

The centerpiece of every J12 was its locomotive-like 60˚ V12 which could produce 250 bhp no a good day. The 10-liter engine used a 70 lbs crankshaft held in seven main bearings. Spark was provided by 2 Scintilla magnetos and many ancillary pieces were cast from aluminum with very low tolerances.

Much of the chassis was over-engineered to achieve a near-silent operation noise ease of use. It had fully adjustable servo-assisted brakes and the transmission was geared for the extreme torque made by the engine.

The J12 was one of the most expensive pre-war chassis, costing $10,150.

1954 Packard Caribbean Convertible

Magnificent Classic Cars

This Packard is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 13.1 sec, from 0 to 100 km/h in 14.1 sec, from 0 to 160 km/h (100 mph) in 57 sec and the quarter mile drag time is 19.2 sec.

1957 Borgward Isabella Coupé

1957 Borgward Isabella Coupé aa

The Borgward Isabella is a medium sized two door saloon that was manufactured by the Bremen based auto-manufacturer Carl F. W. Borgward GmbH between 1954 and 1962.

1958 Cadillac Fleetwood Series Sixty-Special

Magnificent Classic Cars

The eminent Fleetwood Series Sixty-Special was the “Standard of the World” in magnificence and dignity. It was the most distinguished name in motorcars. Every Fleetwood model was truly a masterpiece.

1938 Delahaye 165 Cabriolet

Magnificent Classic Cars

Basically built on a production-version of the V12 145 race car chassis, it received accolades for both radical performance and world class elegance. Furthermore, it is one of only a handful of cars to receive Delahaye’s rare V12 engine.

Of all the cabriolet bodies that Figoni et Falaschi made, this sweeping design is their most harmonious. Dashes help split up the profile and conceal the engine bay vents as well as the door handles. Chrome brightwork runs along the sills and neatly wraps around the rear end brake lights.

1964 Aston Martin DB5

1964-Aston-Martin-DB5-main

 The Aston Martin DB5 is a British luxury grand tourer (GT) that was made by Aston Martin. Although not the first in the DB series, the DB5 is the best-known cinematic James Bond car, first appearing in the James Bond film Goldfinger (1964).

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Boys must have toys

August 7, 2019 by David Herd

Boys must have toys

Boys must have toys

Boys must have toys, it’s ingrained in our DNA. I have searched through my photos to find nearly all of the cars & boats I have had the pleasure of owning throughout my life.

They don’t come much prettier than my yellow canary shown above, I owned this beautiful Mercedes 350SL for 17 years from 1990 till 2007.

Here’s what you do with a beautiful carYou fill it up with pretty girls of course. 🙂

When you own a beautiful Mercedes….

Boys must have toys

Naturally you need a Porsche to keep it company. 🙂

When you drove a Porsche on the Gold Coast……..

Boys must have toys

Good things seemed to happen.

My first Mercedes 350 SL

Boys must have toys

I purchased this classic in 1980, it was the ultimate chick magnet. 🙂

When you have a Mercedes & a Porsche…..

Boys must have toys
Naturally you need a boat. 🙂 This is a 22′ Fraser with a 200 HP Yamaha.

Next you need a crash test dummy

Boys must have toys

This keeps the birds away when the covers are off. 🙂

My previous boat.

Boys must have toys 

19 foot long with a 150 HP Suzuki. 

Life is hard, then you die.

Boys must have toys

Joking of course, life is wonderful, when you die you can take a rest. 🙂

26 foot Williams bay cruiser

Boys must have toys

This was my boat when I lived in Newport in Sydney in the 80s.

Also at Newport

Boys must have toys 

A little runabout to get me around Pittwater & Scotland Island. Do you like the name?

Here is my Bertram 25

Boys must have toys

A terrific flybridge cruiser with twin 165 HP Mercury inboards. It was moored outside my Drummoyne apartment in the early 80s & spent most of the time visiting Doyles at Watsons Bay.

When you own a boat…..

Boys must have toys 

Good things seem to happen. 🙂 🙂 🙂 

Loading the team on board

Boys must have toys 

Off to Doyles again.

Gluttony at it’s very best. 🙂

Boys must have toys 

So many memories of long lazy lunches at Doyles.

A typical Sunday at Doyles

Boys must have toys

Huge crowd at Doyles & the Watson’s Bay hotel next door.

Back to the cars

Boys must have toys

Early 80s I drove a Ford Marquis for a while.

You gotta love a Benz. 🙂

Boys must have toys

This was my Mercedes 280 E in 1989.

My beautiful Jaguar XJ 6.

Boys must have toys 

It came with 2 petrol tanks & 2 gorgeous girls.

My first car

Boys must have toys

Sorry about the photo quality most of my photos were damaged when my home in Melbourne was firebombed in September 1977. But that’s another story, it & others are on THIS LINK.

Next car was an iconic FJ Holden.

Boys must have toys

My girlfriend Beth washing my FJ Holden outside my home at 58 Kihilla Rd Auburn. 

I was lucky to survive some of the things I did in this car. Looking back, I was a typical teenager in the 60s who knew no fear.

Then came the Volkswagen

Boys must have toys 

I can remember floating it on the flooded highway at Ballina in the floods. I just pushed it 50 metres to the dry road.

When you owned a VW in the 60s……

Boys must have toys

Good things happened, for example “Veronica Crocker”.

EH Holden station wagon.

Boys must have toys

This was my next car after arriving home in 1965 after 18 months in England & Europe, including a 4 month stint as an officer on the La Maria.

A 1970 MGB, my first new car.

Boys must have toys

It set me back just under $3000, worth every cent. Purchased in Melbourne, relocated to Sydney for 2 years then moved to Adelaide in 1972.

A 1971 E Type Jaguar

Boys must have toys 

Forget the photo quality the car was magnificent. I remember driving from Adelaide to Melbourne in the middle of the night in 5 hours 45 minutes.

When you drove an E type good things happened.

Boys must have toys

Meet Jan Seagars & my Doberman Ziggy, this was Lexton Grove Windsor in 1974. Three thoroughbreds together.

My two sports cars

Boys must have toys

One was a little faster than the other, but I loved them both. Madison was guarding the fleet.

The work horse

Boys must have toys

My Commodore station wagon initially was my 2nd car, in 2003 I took 3 Japanese students on a road trip which started in Surfers Paradise & went through Broken Hill  NSW to Coober Pedy in South Australia. The next leg took us to Uluru aka Ayers Rock. 

Boys must have toys

Boys must have toys 

You may think this Lexus is a little out of character, I owned it for 3 years prior to moving to Thailand in 2011. Without a doubt it was the best value out of all the vehicles I ever owned. Paid $7,500 in 2008 & sold it for $7,000, it was as smooth as silk.

Well, that’s all folks.

Boys must have toys

Many thanks for visiting my Boys must have toys photo blog & indulging me in truck loads of nostalgia. 

 Here are some more posts to check out

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  Adelaide 1972                 Iron Bar Freddy               Sydney 2006

417091_10150704751043594_62315468_n          Susies home Newport 1 (1)        April24FreewayHotel-33 (1)

Thailand 2008                Gold Coast Babes               World trip 2003

Fun in Pattaya-116         92bfa275-a122-4078-9970-1e24188a5917        CopacabanabeachNov2003-124

             Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book
                  through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
Free Cancellation. 
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 That’s all folks
 
 
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A-One hotel on Beach Road

Seven deadly Songkran days

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

 

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Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

July 24, 2014 by David Herd

Interesting times for the FiveStarVagabond

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

Melbourne danger drama romance in the mid 70s, it turned out to be a period of change & exceptional drama. I transferred from Adelaide to Melbourne with Sanyo, in 1973, lived there 2 years & met many new & interesting people, got engaged to a beautiful lady and narrowly escaped an attempt on my life.

Please note this is not part of my travel blog, it is my online photo album.

When an underworld gangster threatens your life it certainly gets your attention, but it couldn’t have been further from my mind as I turned my red E-type Jaguar into my street at 11pm on Saturday September 27 1975.  My best friend Wolf Wottke and I had been at the piano bar at the Old Melbourne Hotel since 2pm discussing my predicament and trying to work out if the threat was real or imagined. That nine hour drinking session included my other best friend “Jim Beam” who in later years was replaced by “Jack Daniels”.

Not much gets past me, so the question was answered fairly quickly when I saw the three fire engines and two police cars parked outside of my smoldering home at 10 Wood St North Melbourne.

My first thought was “the house next door has had a fire”, my second thought was “Houston, we have a problem.”

My worst fears were confirmed when a detective opened the door of the Jag and I fell out onto the road, he looked down at me and asked “are you Mr Herd”?

“I certainly am” I slurred, and he said “well I have some bad news for you; there has been a fire in your home”.

So how did it get to this? Well it all started three years ago when I met a beautiful dizzy blonde at a party in Avalon in Sydney, my story about this meeting was told in another post, more details about how and why my house was firebombed can be found here.

Looking back all those years ago I could have lived without the Melbourne drama & focused more on the romance. 🙂

Wood St North Melbourne just off Abbotsford St

I sold my Adelaide home in Torrens Park

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

I had only lived in my lovely sandstone home at Lochwinoch Ave Torrens Park in Adelaide for seven months in 1973 when Ross Radford my boss at Sanyo Office Machines decided to transfer me to Melbourne as his State Manager. In many ways I was sad to leave Adelaide and all the friends I had made but it was a promotion with more money and prestige so how could I refuse?

You will laugh at the prices in those days, I paid $24,000 and sold it 7 months for $31,000. I also remember buying new cars for my sales reps, Holdens were $3,200 and my salary was $6,000 per year.

I still consider the two years I spent in Adelaide from 1972 were perhaps the most fun I have ever had in my entire life. 🙂 Arriving in Melbourne drama & romance were the last thing I expected, then again I guess the romance was not a surprise but the drama was.

Same house 40 years later in 2014

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

The house had not changed in all those years, seeing it certainly brought back some wonderful memories.

Lexton Grove Windsor

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

One of my lovely Adelaide girlfriends Jan Seegars came to visit me in Melbourne. I was renting a house in 15 Lexton Grove Windsor, just off Dandenong road & two blocks from Orrong Rd.

Here is Jan 50 years later in 2014.

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

Still looking very good. 🙂

Here we both are October 2014

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

We crossed paths again in Dromana in Victoria in October 2014 & shared lots of laughs about the great times we had in the 70s.

Lovely Lee Gregory.

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

I mentioned romance in my opening paragraph, and here is my most serious attempt at it. I met Lee in Adelaide and was thrilled to find she had moved to Melbourne. After a very short period when became engaged, after what seemed an even shorter period it came to an abrupt end. Her ex boyfriend from Adelaide was always lurking in the background and his influence won the prize, c’est la vie. 🙂

Lee & Baxter

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

Fiancée number 2, it would take 10 years before fiancée number 3 would appear.

Lee & I in Singapore in 1974

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

We went out for 2 months before being engaged for 3 months, in that time we had a terrific holiday in Singapore & Bali.

Melbourne Cup 1975

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

John Lawless & Ray Dodd at the Melbourne cup in 1975. Ray has owned the Keilor Hotel since he acquired it from his father in 1974.

George Dodd established the first school in Keilor, several years later Mathew Goudie opened a school in the Keilor Hotel. Mathew was a Scottish baker fro Ayr who had previously run a bakers shop in Bourke St. Mathew purchased the Keilor Hotel in 1862 for the sum of 1000 pounds, it had been built in 1849, succeeding a timber building erected in 1842 by the Hunter brothers. Georges son, John, married Mathews daughter, Mary, they had five children and established a farm called Brimbank (because the house was on the brim of the river bank). Today the areas of Keilor and Sunshire are the City of Brimbank.

After Mathew passed away another of his daughters, Jane, ran the Hotel to 1907 when the family decided to lease the Hotel out. Tough times followed with World war 1 and the Great Depression, John & Mary’s son Harry could remember collecting the money from the leasee and picking up 1 keg of beer from Bouverie St in his fathers horse drawn wagon, the keg could last 2 weeks before they had to make another delivery.

Post World War 2 prosperity returned to Keilor and to the only surviving hotel in the area (there were a dozen during the Gold Rush). Now the older generations of the Dodd and Goudie families had passed away, Harry preferred to remain a market gardener and it wasn’t until 1974 that Harry’s son Ray leased the Hotel from the family.

Melbourne Cup 1975, check the haircut. 🙂

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

After all it is nearly 40 years ago.

Think Big won the cup that year for the 2nd time in a row, think big was obviously also what the guy above was thinking when he combed his hair.

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance Xmas 1975

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

 Angella Savic, Hank Wottke (RIP), Di Parkinson & Trevor Beach (RIP) in Adelaide.

Parko looking fabulous

https://fivestarvagabond.com/melbourne danger romanceWhat a knockout. 🙂

Beechworth Victoria 1975

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

An absolute classic photo, check out the bell bottom jeans and my beautiful E-Type Jaguar. Di Parkinson, Phil Parkinson, Paula, Wolf Wottke & Angella Savic.

Beechworth Victoria 1975

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

A red E-Type & a great looking chick, what more could a fellow want? A haircut maybe. 🙂

Dianne Parkinson, great lady but a little bit crazy.

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

She was a terrific looking girl, totally crazy and a lot of fun. There is no doubt that no other woman in my life caused me more drama than Di. From the moment we met in 1971 and for the next 5 or 6 years she at times turned my world upside down. 🙂

Max was my service manager at Sanyo

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

Max also worked for MacDougalls LTD when I was transferred to Melbourne from Sydney in 1969, he worked for me when I returned to Melbourne with Sanyo in 1974. Looking back my Melbourne drama was one of the most dangerous events in my life, however apart than that, life in Melbourne was very good to me. I had a great job earning good money, a nice car and some interesting friends.

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

Not quite Melbourne, in fact it happened in Adelaide. The Photo below was taken in Melbourne, now 40 years later in October 2014 I paid a visit to John in an Adelaide jail where he has spent the last 24 years.

John, Rosalyn & I

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

Taken at my home at 15 Lexton Grove Armidale, what do you think about my classy shirt? This photo was taken 40 years ago in Melbourne in 1974. John Farquhar & Roslyn were friends of mine, John received the 2nd longest sentence in South Australia’s history, 3 weeks ago I paid him a visit in the Adelaide prison where he has resided for the last 24 years. Believe me when I say he looks nothing like he does in this photo, I guess I don’t either. I have no idea what happened to Roslyn.   John was very good company, polite and interesting. However he had a wild streak and a total disregard for the law. He was also clever enough to have a solicitor for a girlfriend, her name is Natalie Dunford. She bought my E-Type Jag in 1979 & still owns it today.   This may sound strange but in the 70s he was a very nice guy, but sadly an habitual criminal. Here is one very funny story I recall, he used his own white E-Type Jag as a getaway car after pulling a robbery. With the cops in pursuit he is firing bullets at them from the car. Now in Adelaide in 1974 there were only about 6 E-Type Jaguars in the city, John’s, my red one, my best friend’s green one an 3 others. Naturally the police tracked him down in no time at all.                                                                                

Brian Roberts RIP.

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

I have just found out an old friend passed away in August 2016, one of Melbourne’s great characters, on many occasions I did enjoy “an ale with the Whale”.

Greetings from Thailand

Melbourne Danger Drama Romance

It’s 2023 and I have been living in Thailand for 12 years.  I was planning to return to Oz in 2024 & find a little bolthole somewhere on the NSW coast close to the beach or Chevron Island on the Gold Coast. However recent trips to Australia have changed my opinion, I think I’m in Thailand for the long haul.  Thanks for visiting my Melbourne Danger Drama Romance photo blog.           

   Here are some more posts to check out

         Life 2015                     Family history                   Life 1982

2835141a-02cf-4cda-a909-2a8408a99f47        6a173a01-9744-404a-a45f-87a975ec90fa          d5436828-abbc-4da1-a638-7f90436c6417

  Adelaide 1972                 Iron Bar Freddy               Sydney 2006

417091_10150704751043594_62315468_n          Susies home Newport 1 (1)        April24FreewayHotel-33 (1)

Thailand 2008                Gold Coast Babes               World trip 2003

Fun in Pattaya-116         92bfa275-a122-4078-9970-1e24188a5917        CopacabanabeachNov2003-124

             Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book
                  through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
Free Cancellation. 
                              Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
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 That’s all folks
1g Duck
Pattaya live webcam 
 
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A-One hotel on Beach Road

Seven deadly Songkran days

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.               

 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 

  Click here for my post on Dromana in 2014.

 

Gold Coast in November 2014

 

Gold Coast in 2004

 

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Adelaide 1972 exciting life

June 9, 2014 by David Herd

Please note, this is not part of my Travel Blog. It’s part of my personal history.

Adelaide 1972 exciting life for me, it seemed all the planets were perfectly in line to produce perhaps two of the best years of my life.

Planet one, I was 29 years old and in my prime.

Planet two, I was sent there by Sanyo Office Equipment to be State manager on a Sydney wage package, which was around 50% better than an equivalent Adelaide salary.

Planet three, there was an excess number of gorgeous single women waiting to be swept off their feet,  and most motivated talented young Adelaide businessmen had headed to the Eastern capital cities to work, because that’s where all the head offices were with most of  the top work opportunities.

Mid 70s in Adelaide

All my planets were aligned in Adelaide 1972

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

So here I was, the new boy in town with loads of money, motivation and truck loads of confidence. It was a similar situation to my arrival in Melbourne four years earlier except I felt decades wiser and totally bulletproof.

I remember the drive from Sydney in my blue MGB, flashing along the highway with the number one tune at the time playing over and over, American Pie by Don McLean. In some way the lyrics seemed to me to symbolize a new beginning, I was excited by the thought of new horizons to conquer, new people to meet and of course new ladies to pursue.

A long, long time ago…
I can still remember
how that music used to make me smile.
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And  maybe, they’d be happy for a while.

Anzac Highway Plympton

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

The first thing I did was rent a luxury Penthouse on Anzac Highway Plymton in the most prestigious  residential building in Adelaide, it was known as “the Spanish Flats” and before too long I turned my apartment into “Party Central”.

The only Adelaide people I knew were Joyce Weir and Vera Lukic, two fun girls I had met a couple of months before while they were holidaying in Sydney. They were both very social out and about types who happily introduced me to many of “the right’ people, party animals like myself.

Another early contact was Charlie Bradley, and neighbour on the ground floor, a good style of a guy who like myself dedicated most of his spare time pursuing the fairer sex. The following year Charlie banned everyone from using that name and insisted on being referred to as Charles, obviously much more refined.

Vera Lukic & Joyce Weir

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Two great ladies, sadly Vera passed away around 2012, Joyce lives in Sydney and I still often see on Facebook.

Drinks with friends at Plympton

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

My circle of friends started to swell exponentially due to these early contacts, and soon ten minutes on the phone was all it took to arrange the next party at my Penthouse. Along came a host of new friends, Wolf Wottke, Graham & John Farquhar, Mike Poulter, Dave Brooker, Dick Wilkins, Ronny Walsh from Broken Hill, Steve Rado, Jan Seagars, Dianne Butson and many others, but more about them later.

Old friend Steve Rado

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Steve was my flatmate in the Penthouse and was I think often quite shocked by the constant shenanigans. A great guy who now in 2015 lives on the Sunshine coast I think. We stay in touch on Facebook, this photo was from 1979 in Sydney.

I finally caught up with Steve again in Brisbane August 2016. We had a great lunch at the Regatta Hotel.

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

The big patch of plaster on my nose was the result of a skin cancer removal.

Graham & Flo Farquhar in Adelaide October 2014

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

How time flies when you are having fun, 41 years have past between the previous 2 photos.

This shot was actually in 1975

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Taken at Dick Wilkins home in 1975, I thought it was worth including as all the people were close friends when I lived in Adelaide. Angella Savic, Hank Wottke, Di Parkinson & Trevor Beech.

Richard (Dick) Wilkins Adelaide 1972 life

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Dick Wilkins was a terrific guy who lived one kilometre away on Cross road Edwardstown, probably the only guy I knew who threw more parties than I, (a lot more) so between the two of us it was nonstop hedonistic heaven.

Angella Savic & Wolf Wottke

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Wolf became my best friend while I was living in Adelaide 1972, he eventually left Adelaide and  moved into my apartment in Sydney around 1983. Angella also moved to Sydney and became a Qantas hostess, a job I believe she still does to this day. Wolf & Angie were an item for a few years then he hooked up with Jenny, another Greek girl in Sydney. They are still together today.

My favourite Adelaide girl Adelaide 1972 amazing life

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Di Butson was a beautiful girl with a lovely nature,  if I ever should have married a lady it would have been Di. However at that time of my life in Adelaide 1972 I was just too wild & committed to being single to change my status. Over the years however I sometimes think of Di & how different my life could have been.

Perhaps Glenn Frey can help me here

 

Dianne’s 21st birthday

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Di was one of the nicest ladies I ever knew, I often wonder how life turned out for her.

Did I mention Di was a dancer?

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Di was also a teacher with Arthur Murray dance studio in Adelaide.

Jan Seagars & Baxter

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Here are three of my favourite memories from when I lived in Adelaide 1972, Jan Seagars, Baxter my red Doberman & my wonderful E-Type Jaguar. Baxter & the Jag came with me to Melbourne in 1974 then on to Sydney in 1976, sadly Jan did not. 🙂

My apartment block and the ones on either side became our own self contained fun park; I could write a book just based on the events that took place there. Six or seven of my friends all ended up living in the complex. One great looking 18 year old was living in the block next door, her name was Jan Seagars and her boyfriend was a well known Norwood football player named Des Flavel.

Jan & I had a nice arrangement going, Des would leave for work at 8 am, and if my bedroom blind was open 50%, it would mean I was alone and she was welcome to visit. Which she did on many occasions, this gave me just enough time for a “quickie” before opening the Sanyo office in Grote St at 9am. Jan had recently won the title of Miss South Australian Beach Girl and at 18 years of age was as close to perfect as a girl could get.

Here is Jan 40 years later in October 2014

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Here we are at my friends Droama vineyard 40 years later. Now known as Jan Klain she is still the life of the party.

Check out the red outfit, what was I thinking?

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Here I am at Darwin airport with Arch Wilkey & the Ansett hosties from my flight. On the right is Sue, Leah is in the middle & I forget the name of the blonde on the left. Arch was a well know footballer with North Adelaide. Now you can laugh all you want at my crazy red outfit, but I soon got rid of it as you will see in the next photo taken a couple of hours later. 🙂

R.I.P Arch

North Adelaide premiership player Arch Wilkey died on the 29 th September 2007 at the age of 61 after a long battle with an inoperable brain tumour. Arch played 73 games for North Adelaide between 1966 and 1974 and was a member of the 1971 premiership side. He was a mercurial footballer who epitomised the North Adelaide style of the late 1960s.

North were renowned as a high marking, long kicking side full of brilliant players and Arch fitted the mould perfectly. It is contended that Arch was the first player to make the number 23 as famous as it is today – being followed by the likes of Michael Jordan, Dermott Brereton, Shane Warne, David Wildy and Andrew McLeod. No doubt each was inspired by Arch’s brilliance as an athlete and chose to wear “his” number.

In his early career he played mainly at half forward but when Mike Patterson came to the club Arch played more as a defender. Injury curtailed his career. He missed the complete 1972 season with a knee injury, and after playing in the 1973 preliminary final missed the Grand Final with injury.

He retired in 1974 and moved to Darwin to live. As much as Arch was remembered as a brilliant player, he was also known as a wonderful and happy character. Soon after he moved to Darwin, Cyclone Tracey hit. When asked what it was like, Arch replied that it was almost as scary as playing Port at Alberton.

On the way to Manton Dam

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Adelaide 1972 exciting life with Leah & Sue

Manton Dam 70 Kms south of Darwin

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Leah & Sue at Manton dam

Lets see more of Leah 🙂

Adelaide 1972 exciting amazing life

Those were the days my friend we thought they would never end.

Bob (Fatty) Francis

Adelaide 1972 exciting life

Another old friend of mine was well know DJ Bob Francis, he retired in 2013 after 57 years in Radio. This photo was from 1997, sadly I just received the news in November 2016 that Bob has passed away peacefully in his sleep, RIP old mate.

Thanks for visiting my Adelaide 1972 exciting life photo blog.

 

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   Here are some more posts to check out

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Click here to jump forward 10 years & check out how my life has changed since Adelaide 1972.

 

Here is my post in 2003

 

Surfers Paradise in 2014

 

Counter only started June 16 2020.

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