Kris's Landau - Never Restored:

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Ford Landau's don't come much more original than this one sent in by owner Kris all the way from sunny New South Wales. Bought by his Grandfather second hand in 1976 from a dealer who was a friend of the family's at the time, it was then sold to Kris's Mother for the hefty sum of $2000 way back in 1989 (it doesn't seem all that long ago does it?)

"I first remember it when [my Grandfather] rolled up to my parents place in it and I was amazed by the amount of knobs, levers and buttons it had all through it, and then there was the pop up headlights!" Yep - all amazing stuff for a little tacker! "We had never seen the likes of such a car in our then home town of Tamworth and no one else really knew what to make of it except Bill (my Grandfather) who had bought 'himself some kind of new V8 again'. He'd caused a real stir some years before by owning the first V8 Holden panelvan in such a way, yup - a real wild boy on the road!"

It was no surprise then that Kris has inherited some of his Grandfather's zeal then - and while the Landy now sits on blocks rust free and straight as a die (Kris' father still starts the old beast religiously every week end to make sure she still ticks over) Kris now motors around in a privately "imported 220kw Nissan S13 Silvia K's turbo that weighs about half what the Ford did, with all and more the features but has no boot space!" Ahhh, but back to the story...

Originally purchased when Kris' Grandfather was out looking for "an expensive luxo-barge to carry him and my Nan around" the Landy had eventually became too cumbersome to handle in their old age so the necessary exchange was made at least keeping this old beast as part of the family. Following that a period was spent doing shopping duties - when it wasn't cruising the 60km between home (a service station) and the nearest town that is! Next Kris moved to Sydney taking the Landy with him for a time - until he got sick of it's thirst (being used as an every day car) and sat the old girl up on blocks...where it still sits today!

"There's not many of these old beasts still running [in unrestored original condition that is] and I'd probably bet that mine's gotta be amongst the best still running in Australia. Its got all original fittings, engine, paint, straight as a die and with no rust." Kris adds "I couldn't really sell it to just anybody as I've seen some real chop-jobs done to these cars that just look bloody awful. If there ever was a genuine collector or older person wanting to care for her I'd probably sell it but you know how it is. They'd have to be the right sort of person - I'm old fashioned like that."

It's ok Kris - we understand - especially when the vehicle's as rare and prized as this one!

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