Another Aussie wagon fan...

Nice car, HT. Looks like really nice property, too.

 

Interesting shrubs and trees...look a little SPOOKY! Car looks real cool

 

Ha ha! You've been watching waaay too much TV... You should see it when there's a full moon, and you can see deep into the forest at 10pm at night in a strange blue light. Some people can't hack it, as when it gets dark out here - it really gets dark! Really, it's great out here and peaceful - which compared with the constant franetic pace of the city day in day out, really freaks some people out...

Thanks also for the kind comments - considering we bought the car primarily as a shopping trolley, I am really pleased at how enjoyable it is to drive / look at. I'm over having a car that costs mega bucks to repair, so having a car that has the standard bumper / headlights / bonnet is a real relief despite the temptation to install the exy 'sports' items.

We had the previous Falcon from new, and every little scratch just about made me cry - so it is almost a relief to be able to buy a 7 YO car at less than 1/3 new car price, already with a few scratches here and there. It's not that I don't care - I guess it's more about accepting it for what it is.

- And that's why my plans for the HT are heading in the direction of a semi-gloss paint job with practical touches to allow it to look good, but be driven every day if need be. We already have one car - a 1962 Holden sedan - that is restored from the ground up, and although I love it, having to drive it slow over unsealed roads (10-15mph so you don't chip the paint - including the underside which is also restored back to original) is a pain to say the least...

We installed a XR6 nosecone on the previous wagon, which took repair costs to $1500 for the XR bar, vs. less than $200 for the standard one. I loved the look of it, but it's a relief not to have to worry about it so much, as replacement bumpers are relatively cheap. Besides, as you all know, new cars just depreciate to be worth nothing - meaning that anything you invest in customising them will be worth nothing in a few years time. Conversely, by the time a car has reached 40 YO it at least is holding it's value - even climbing slowly, protecting any investment you might choose to make into it. Hence, my focus on the 1969 model, and I will not be spending any time customising the 2002.