Joe and Heather Geue's 1965 Ford XP Falcon utility - the honeymoon express
I purchased my Kurrajong Green XP Falcon utility from Eclipse Motors in Franklin Street, Adelaide on 29 November 1965. I was 17 years old and it had done 13 miles when salesman Frank Bowen handed me the keys.
Nicknamed it ‘Nellie’, and I courted my wife Heather in the utility, ticking over 100,000 miles on our wedding day! We drove it to Alice Springs for our honeymoon, but it’s been a work vehicle its whole life; from 1965 right through to 19 March 2005, when I retired it to a farm shed for ten years.
Someone told us that the 2015 Birdwood Classic was to feature 50 years of the XP Falcon, so we thought we should do it up. I had the body fixed by Wade’s Automotive Refinishing and rebuilt the motor myself, but Nellie is generally very original; the interior hasn’t been touched.
Both our children learned to drive in it, helping us feed the sheep on the farm and the like. My son has expressed interest in retaining the car in the family, I’m glad as it’s very precious; I’ve had it my whole life.
Young people just can’t believe we’ve owned the car so long!
Valuation guide: One owner and original – $30,000-plus seems likely.