Jessica’s mission to own a slick Ford GT became a family affair as we found out in the Reader Rides section of Issue 511 of Unique Cars, proudly sponsored by Shannon’s Insurance.
The story goes back to 2015.
We were in Adelaide and I went to look at an XY Ford. The guy started it. It was white and a bit of a barn find, and then he wanted about 30 for it. Dad suggested I might find something else.
I came back and jumped online and saw this car as a rolling shell XW with plenty of parts as part of the package.
He was selling it for 12-and-a-half and didn’t want to sell it to a “wheeler-dealer” as he called it. We told him the story about Dad’s XY (which he has owned since 1977) and a little about myself. So we ended up getting the car for $9000.
There were heaps of parts, about 80 per cent there. I had to buy an engine, transmission, and the gentleman ended up being from Gosford in NSW.
I was overseas and couldn’t go to collect it, so Mum and Dad ended up going with my elder sister Michelle along for the ride. They hired a trailer and dropped it with a relative in Wollongong.
They put all the parts inside and the guy tried to buy back those rims. He was prepared to pay a lot of money for them, but I said no as they weren’t being made any more.
We ended up doing a seven-to-eight-year restoration, and it’s only been running for about three years.
The bodywork had largely been done, with the rust removed. It had been primed and high-filled. A lot of work that we didn’t need to worry about. We painted it in acrylic.
It’s exactly as I wanted it. The guy was going to paint it cherry apple red with the gold. I decided I didn’t want that and ended up going GT spec electric blue with the black stripe.
The gentleman who sold it to me already had another GT and was happy to let this one go at a good price. He would text me now and then to ask how it was going. He was really quite invested. So we sent him photos when it was finished – it was a really nice story.
The only thing I wasn’t happy with is the seats I got are from an XR and I went to get them redone, but couldn’t. So I ended up selling them and buying some XY seats. I bought the seats brand new – so it was old out and fresh in.
I put an aftermarket air-conditioner in. The mechanic I had – the poor thing – had a major accident as he was launching his boat. He had an air-conditioning unit for me, from a ’69 Mustang. He was going to put it under the dash so we would not be messing with the fascia. His accident put him in a coma for a while, which led to some memory loss and he forgot where he put it. We sourced another unit which fits the period.
There is no power steering. When it’s dead weight, it’s quite a handful, but you get used to it.
The driveline is a Windsor 351 with C10 transmission and a 9-inch diff. Brakes are discs on the front and drums on the back.
Because it took so long, the first time we started it, it hadn’t been tuned. I went omigod! It was over COVID and the gentleman who was doing much of the work was in rural Victoria. So you needed letters to get in and out. It was really difficult to source parts and get them to him. There was a feeling of relief when it was finally finished.
I seemed to spend much of my life collecting little parts such as a piece of chrome trim.
As you start to build, you tend to learn the terminology. I used to get Dad to help me with certain things, explain what I needed. By the end I could respond to questions and rattle off what was needed. It’s like learning a new language: mechanic talk!
What was the hardest bit to find? Definitely the back panel trim – there are about 12 pieces around areas such as the tail-lights. That was so difficult.
Up front, I was just about to get on to the freeway and a piece of chrome flung off and disappeared. What was that? I had a look and a piece of the trim above a headlight had come off. I thought, ‘okay, I’ll just source one.’ I had to buy an entire pack, which was five pieces. Another $2000!
I am pleased I did it. It’s a nice time around the family dinner table when you’re taking about how the car
is going and what you’ve been up to.
What’s it like to drive? It’s beautiful.
There are couple of Ford GTs in the family. When Mike (my brother) and I drive them together it’s special and we’re both Collingwood supporters! It’s nice that we have that common ground as a family.
The cars are sometimes used for weddings.
Next project, I’m probably interested in an old Mercedes or a Jag. Dad is more of Jag person, so that might be where we end up. Perhaps an XJS. We’ve always loved them – they’re a nice timeless car.