Thursday, May 19, 2011

She’s left home!

Isnt it amazing how fast they grow up and leave home?
After many years together my baby finally left home today.
When we first got together she was a little worse for wear…even though she’d only ever had one person in her life before me.
There was several months of intensive care before we could even be seen together in public with lots of new things to do and many old things to repair, but since then we’ve been inseparable and no one else has lit her fires since those trying days.

But today…with little fanfare, she up and left home with someone else.

I guess it was always going happen this way…but of course I’m feeling the pain just now.
She was born early in 1975 and that makes her a true classic now, and that will ensure she lives on, highly polished and much cared for.
She was in damn fine shape when I got her but I replaced everything that could be bolted on including a new motor and new gearbox and even had to hand build panels where none could be sourced, she’s 100% rust free and a fine example of Mr Fords best work.
Next week she will have her 185hp straight six and auto removed and replaced with a genuine GT351 with 450hp, four speed TopLoader and Locker diff. In a few weeks she will have a new look with bright red paint (Red Pepper) and black stripes, her tags will be replaced and her chassis number will be changed to reflect her pure breeding. Yes, she’s becoming a Genuine XB GT 351…and I couldn’t be more proud!



9 comments:

Mags118 said...

Hi Tempo,
I have a friend that just can't bring herself to rid of her little VW. It's orange in colour and she loves it, she got a new car about a year ago now, but the little orange beetle is still sitting in her garage, and I don't think it will be going anywhere soon. :)

Sarah said...

Most of that engine stuff is greek to me but I love the look of a classic Ford. My grandpa worked for Ford for 30 years and he's restored a '69 Galaxy to beautiful condition.

Windsmoke. said...

There's nothing like driving a Ford like i do but my favourite one is the classic 1972 XY GTHO, V8, painted red, mag wheels, lowered suspension and stripes :-).

Tempo said...

@Mags, I dont blame her...the VW is a classic and a lovely little car. My very first car was a new sky blue VW Beetle my folks bought for me.
@Sarah, The motor stuff is for the car heads among us, this one was perfect except for the colour which I always hated. Ahh the Galaxy is an awesome car, though calling it a 'car' feels somehow to be selling it short.
Hi Windsmoke, of course the XYGTHO is the rare one to have but theyre selling for around a million bucks these days, those that have them are too scared to drive them. There are still a few genuine GT's here in Whyalla and a few still being driven on sunny spring days. (drool)

Anonymous said...

I had an old '56 De Soto which I felt about like that, talk about more tit than a V8... hey she was a V8, all 380 cubes of her.

AV

Tempo said...

Awesome motor... Like most of the old motors though they sound fantastic but get left in the dust by newer motors. I put an alloy, injected 4.1 litre (250 cubic)into my Falcon and it left most V8's for dead. Didn't sound anything like an old school V8 though

Anonymous said...

It wasn't the speed, it was the lazy power of the V8, the other motors had to struggle for their power the V8 was different, it was just there, awesome.

AV

Jen said...

I never pictured you with an American car. I don't even have an American car. I should be ashamed of myself, I know.

Tempo said...

Hi Jen..Ford Australia is a subsidiary of Ford America, this car was made here in OZ..Im now driving a ...(Gasp)Toyota!