“Mate, I’ve got an XR Gallaher and I reckon you need to come and take a look at it,” was all it took to get my attention.
On the other end of the line was a very animated character who had a story to tell, and as I listened I realised that it included some history on a very intriguing episode in Australian motor sport.
For a start I had to confess that I’d never heard of Gallaher XR GTs, so I had to do some research on the model and what I came up with only served to make me even more keen to catch up with the owner of this very special 1967 Ford Falcon, which actually began life as a Fairmont.
Sam is your classic Aussie car tragic. He’s passionate about the 1960s in particular, and get him talking about the cars he’s owned and loved and you better cancel your other appointments. He loves nothing more than talking about all of the ’60s Australian classics that have taken spots in his garage; cars that he’s personally rebuilt and cherished. And especially XR Fords.
Originally from the northern Melbourne suburb of Thomastown, he’s now based on the Gold Coast and has a thriving specialist upholstery business. But when he’s not stitching and stuffing leather, he’s either talking about, working on, polishing or driving his beautiful 1967 XR Ford Gallaher tribute.
Prior to embarking on his Gallaher project, his list of cars owned gives you some idea of where his allegiance lies. His first car was a GTR XU-1 Torana, followed soon after by various model XR Fords and Fairlanes, and similarly he’s owned a few ’60s Holdens along the way. And parked next to the Gallaher during our shoot is another relic from the ’60s – a Bedford bus that Sam is well on the way to turning in to a resto-mod.
While he’s the first to admit that even he had no inkling of the Gallaher story until a mate told him about their place in Australian car folklore, once he’d done a bit of research he determined that he would build the faithful tribute you see on these pages.
Long story short, Gallaher was a Pom tobacco company that wanted to break in to the Australian cigarette market back in the day when you could still splash fag advertising over everything. And that included the 1967 Bathurst Gallaher 500 race, which the company sponsored as part of its marketing campaign.
This quickly led it to decide that it would capitalise on its racing-focused marketing by producing a total of eight 289 XR GT rep cars painted in its own distinctive livery, as faithfully recreated by Sam.
The cars were not only a hit with the reps – the whole fleet turned out at the 1967 Gallaher 500 and did a lap of the track to the cheers of the crowd prior to the race.
Unfortunately, all the flag and brand waving failed to ignite the public’s interest in the company’s products and by mid-1968 the brand had departed our shores forever. At least they left the Gallaher GTs behind, Sam noting that he knows of at least four surviving examples.
Sam’s Gallaher tribute began life as a green XR Fairmont, which he found in parts, the owner intending to restore it – until Sam came along with a better idea.
“So I rebuilt it from the ground up,” says Sam. “Redid everything, including the interior, which is now in black leather
instead of vinyl.” He says the Gallaher theme came about when a mate suggested the silver livery.
“I’ve been an XR fan my whole life, but I’d never heard about the Gallahers. Then I did a bit of research and saw some photos and really liked the look of them.”
That was 10 years ago. While he was at it, he decided to undertake a thorough mechanical overhaul, including warming up the 289 with a set of reworked
and ported heads, fitted with roller rockers. A four-barrel carbie keeps the juices flowing, along with a performance camshaft and extractors that give the XR its throaty idle.
The fundamental difference between Sam’s car and the rep versions is that they came with an extra pedal on the floor and a four-speed manual ’box, as opposed to Sam’s now rebuilt C4 auto. The only other departure from strictly standard Gallaher spec is the orange striping, which Sam liked better than the original red.
As far as presentation and attention to detail goes, Sam’s Gallaher is immaculate. He’s a self-confessed detail freak when it comes to all of his vehicles, which also includes a ’60s era Bedford resto-mod camper for the occasional road trip when time permits.
When the weather and spare time do allow, he likes nothing better than hitting the road to share his example of classic Aussie muscle with other enthusiasts.
“It’s really great to be able to talk to people about the Gallahers, because so many people have no idea about them. They are a really special part of Australian car history and I really enjoy telling people about their background.”
The time has now come for his silver steed to move on, so Sam is reluctantly offering it for sale. Anyone who can see a Gallaher XR Falcon GT in their future can contact him at: comfortpluscushions@gmail.com