Shane Jenkins
Car: XW Falcon 500 Hometown: Finley, NSW
“It’s a 1969 XW Falcon 500 stationwagon with the matching numbers 221ci six-cylinder and matching numbers three-on-the-tree transmission. It’s all original with the Polar White paint showing dints and marks from the original owner!
When did you buy it?
“I bought it in late October/early November after nding it on Facebook for sale.”
Why did you buy it?
“It all started with me winning a local motor museum’s car raffle for a 1994 Pontiac Firebird, tted with an LS1 and Turbo 400 – which we found out was one of two imported by GM to test the LS1 engines before the Commodores got them. Long story short, the Pontiac couldn’t get registered due to a couple issues dating back to its import days. So they bought the car back off me and with the money I put half away into a bank account to kick-start saving for a home down the track and the rest went into nding a car I could proudly show off for my winnings. Being a diehard Ford man it had to be something with a Blue Oval badge. Then I stumbled across the wagon on Facebook for sale and fell in love with it.”
What do you know about its history?
“The XW was sold brand new from Gundagai Motors on Christmas Eve 1969 to a Mr G.P. Last [ED: Great name, except for a F1 driver]. Mr Last enjoyed the car for lots of years until the second owner bought the car. This second owner had the wagon for around 15 years, taking it on a few holidays and getting the most out of the old girl up until late last year when his collection of old Fords was getting too big for the shed and the wagon had to go. This is where I purchased the car. So I’m the XW’s third owner and I plan on keeping it forever! The original owner’s manual is still in the glovebox with the last couple pages being lled up anywhere there was space with all the things that had been done to the car when the rst owner had it.”
What is it?
How does it go? “Well, as Dick Johnson would say, ‘It wouldn’t pull the skin off a rice pudding!’ But it’s the nicest car to drive; it just cruises along. It’s like a brand new car! I’m always getting comments on how original she is and that it’s good to see a young bloke who appreciates the classics.” “When I rst purchased the wagon, I messaged my girlfriend asking what should I call the XW and all I got back was the name ‘Betty’ which has stuck ever since. I’m hoping in the next few months to drive the old girl back to Gundagai to check out what’s left of the original Gundagai Motors and maybe track down a bit more history!” Anything you’d like to add?