Mildura's HTA reunion to feature David Croser's Ford Falcon 500 XA

The retiree from Portland, Victoria, bought it from John Murdock Motors, in his hometown of Minlaton, on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula. He paid $2984 above the $880 trade-in of his 1964 XM Falcon coupe, which he had owned for six years.

The XA model of the Ford Falcon was the nameplate's first iteration of its third generation in Australia. It has a 250 cubic inch six-cylinder motor and three-speed column shift automatic transmission.

"Over the years, I have made it look a bit like a GT, with some GT Gold accents along the bottom sides and across the rear and under the front bumper, plus driving lights in the grille," David said.

Initially, he had a tan vinyl roof fitted but got rid of it when the car had its first repaint in 1985, as some rust had developed under it.

"There were a few other rust spots and minor dents repaired, as l also used it a lot on the family farm and didn't treasure it as much as l should have (but that has thankfully changed!)," David said.

In 1990, as a reminder of his first car, he fitted a 1960 Falcon bonnet emblem. A few years later he installed an under-dash Selectaire air conditioner and cruise control.

He's had to do some work on it. The original motor developed severe heating problems so in 1996 he refitted it with a reconditioned one.

"I decided to stay with a 250 cubic inch motor, as l am not a 'revhead' and the 250 unit had done all l wanted it to do. But of course, this mucks up the matching numbers ideal," David said.

That first restoration took the coupe off the road for 18 months, but then it became his daily drive for 12 years, before he retired it in 1999.

However, he still treasured it, and restored it a second time over a much longer period, from 2007-17. Towards the end, he gave it a wriggle on so it could be part of the Hardtop Anniversary (HTA) in Bathurst.

The event marked 40 years since the famous Moffat/Bond one-two finish at the Bathurst 1000 in 1977.

Earlier that year, David drove the coupe to Yorketown to show it to John Murdock, who he bought it from.

"By this time he was 90 years old, and he was very pleased to see it looking as good, or better, than new," he said.

"About three months later, John died, so this made me even happier l had been able to show him the car, 45 years after he sold it to me."

David says he belongs to two car clubs in Portland, so his beloved car still gets out and about now and then. He has entered it in the 2022 HTA reunion in Mildura from November 19-21.

After 50 years of ownership, he says it still makes him proud to drive it.