Queensland P76 Owners Club - Austalian Newspaper Article

By Anthony Pancia
: The Australian Newspaper June 16, 2003
: IT roared out of a Sydney production plant in 1973 with the aim of being anything but average. And indeed it was. The Leyland P76 the nation's first locally designed and manufactured vehicle - and perhaps the only car in the world designed with a 44-gallon-drum and a hay bale in mind - is once again set to be recognised as a national icon. In the next two weeks, collectors of the vehicles around Australia will be preparing to celebrate its 30th anniversary on June 26 with City displays.
: "The P76 has survived so well over the years," says 30-year-old aficionado James Mentiplay. "It's been the butt of hundreds of jokes, and a called a lemon. But if they were as bad as everyone makes out, there wouldn't be so many around today - and that's worth celebrating." After buying his first P76 when he was 18, Mr Mentiplay has expanded his fleet to 10, which he houses in a Perth storage shed.
: "I'm not selling them either," he says. "People are becoming better-educated about the P76, and their value is definitely increasing."
: Three models of the P76, the Deluxe, Super and Executive rolled off the production line ahead of the beefed-up Targa Florio. All four models featured forward hinging hoods, hidden windscreen wipers, and of course the signature large rear storage unit, capable of holding a 44-gallon drum or a bale of hay. But by 1974, the looming energy crisis coupled with mechanical and design problems, signalled the end of the P76 and production ceased. "It was a glorious failure," says Sean Young, editor of Australian Classic Car Monthly. "But the P76 has stood the test of time. "You'd be shocked by the amount of cars that have come and gone over the years, sunk without a trace. But the P76 has something about it people liked."
: Hal Maloney author of Leyland P76, agrees. "They're a bit like the Titanic - the interest in them has never really died," he says. "You mention Leyland P76 to anyone, and they'll either say 'I had one' or 'My Uncle Jack had one' or 'It was the biggest bomb I ever owned'." Maloney, who was washing his P76 as he spoke, said: "You really wouldn't buy one for the looks, but they're a great car to drive. It really gets up and Boogies."

Queensland P76 Owners Club Inc. 2003

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From the "The Australian Newspaper"