Fletch travels to Crookwell near Goulbourn in NSW and meets with three passionate Ford enthusiasts.
First is Tracey with her original 1964 XM Ford Falcon Hardtop; this vehicle is true to the sales line of the time ‘Trim, Taut & Terrific’. Introduced in February of 1964, 47,000 XM cars (all models) were sold before the XP was introduced in 1965. The XM was a vast improvement on the earlier XL model, with 1,500 improvements. Tracey had been keen to acquire an XM Coupe for some time and had missed out on 12 vehicles before she found her beloved "Big Boy," as she affectionately calls it. Fletch describes it as “straight as an arrow” and in excellent original condition, as though it had just come straight out of the factory. Tracey loves to drive her cars and says that the XM is a joy to drive.
Another Ford classic that Fletch enjoyed seeing is Phil's 1979 351 Mach 1 Ford Mustang. Phil bought the car sight unseen in 2009 but understood that it had been previously restored and had retained lots of its original parts. Sporting the famous Cleveland 351 motor and converted to RHD, Phil has only had to maintain the car since purchasing. Being a member of the Crookwell Car Club is one of the great things about having a classic car, as Phil gets to meet heaps of people and make great friends. When asked how the Mustang drives, Phil replied, “It’s a lot of fun”.
Finally, Fletch met with Derek, a local Crookwell resident and the proud owner of a 1981 XD Ford Fairlane fitted with a 5.8 litre 351 engine with the full LTD option pack. This car caught Fletch’s eye, and he claims that it’s the best example of this model he has ever seen. The Fairlane is beautifully presented and in original condition except for the wheels, but Derek still has the original rims. Some people travel enormous distances to find the classic car they have always wanted, but Derek only had to walk ten metres to his next-door neighbour to acquire the vehicle which has travelled only 65,000 km, and Derek is only the second owner.
It was clear to Fletch that these three Ford enthusiasts had put a lot of time and effort into maintaining their classic cars. It was a pleasure to meet them and learn about their cars and passion for classic Ford vehicles.
