Frequently Asked Questions:
Do you own any GTHOs?
I'd love to say yes, but I'd be lying. Of course, like every other muscle car fanatic, I've lusted after a Phase 3, but even in the late 90s when I started collecting they were ridiculous money ($60,000 plus). I thought I'd take the strategy of waiting for the market to drop, then pick one up for $30,000 to $40,000. Good strategy - NOT!
I did come close, however, to buying an original XW GTHO Phase 1 automatic, believed to be just one of three built. Apparently 3 of the Ford top brass were each given one in 1969. All cars were Starlite Blue with black interior and featured air and power steering. This car was supposedly the one built for Edsel Ford Jr. A panel beater in Redcliffe north of Brisbane needed to raise some cash in a hurry, and learning of my collection, tracked me down and offered it to me. It was in a fairly sad state, but complete and was the real deal. I ummed and ahhed a lot.
Meanwhile, Jim Donovan, a member of the Falcon GT Owners' Club of Qld and GT historian was also offered the car. We looked at it together and ummed and ahhed some more. I ran into him the following Friday night at the local rev-head hangout Harry's Diner and he said he wasn't going to buy it, and I said I wouldn't worry about it either. Then the following morning, unbeknown to one another, we both decided it was such a collectible car, we'd be mad to pass it up, and both drove separately to buy it - the &^%$/@ beat me to the car by 4 minutes and bought it! I believe he has since sold the car at a windfall profit. One of the very rare 'ones that got away'.
Of course, I had to get back at him, so the following week I bought a very quick high hp XW GT on the southside of Brisbane, which is now part of the collection. I still wish I'd bought the Phase 1 though. I did however recently buy an XY GT from Ipswich that is basically a Phase 3 without a tag. It's the one I'm sitting in on the "about Jeff" page. Beautiful car.
Are you going to start collecting American Muscle Cars?
No. I never originally intended to get more than about 12 to 15 cars, and now I have 73. I'm told I have a compulsive nature. I can't just buy one model, I have to buy all of them. Originally, it was going to be 1 early GT (XR - XY), 1 series 2 GT (XA/XB), then an 'anniversary' GT (EB/EL), then it became one of each model, then I had to include hardtops, then a Cobra, then ESPs, then.... (and that's just the Falcons!!!)
Do you know how many makes and models of American Muscle Car there are?!!!!!
It's almost cost me my relationship, so I'm going to be sensible now.
How did you find so many rare cars in such a short time?
I ask myself the same question all the time. To be truthful, I'm not sure. I just focussed intensely on each of the cars that I wanted, put pictures up on the walls, put out the word as to what I was looking for, bought all of the specialty car 'for sale' magazines and just started buying whenever stuff became available. I just worked harder and harder to keep the money up to it. Even today I pinch myself when I think about what I've done. I teach that the mind is a powerful instrument when used effectively to bring into your life what you focus it upon. Having said that, I wouldn't attempt the same feat today, because a lot of the supply has just dried up, it's harder to prise some of these cars away from their owners, and asking prices have gone silly.
What is your favourite car in the collection and why?
That's a hard one. Australia has made some magnificent muscle cars over the years and every one of them has an individual personality. I absolutely adore my Wild Violet XA GT sedan and just love to open her up when I get the opportunity, even though people keep offering me insane money to part with her. I don't even know what's done to the motor, but stock it ain't.
My Mercury Silver E38 Charger actually had 5 months' rego when I bought it, and it became an everyday car briefly. It was an unbelievable car to drive. But I couldn't idle down the shops without someone trying to (a) drag race me (b) buy it from me (c) attempt to steal it , or (d) give me the 20 questions routine. So I retired it and added it to the museum.
My other favourite is my VL Group A Commodore. For some reason I didn't even get to drive the thing before I bought it, and had it towed home. I recently took it for a run, and discovered this absolute ANIMAL 5.6 stroker fitted from The Brock Shop. The thing is LOUD and FAST, pulling 120km/h in second gear. It's a great thing to throw around and is just right in every area. Brock just knew had to put the whole package together.
What made you start the collection in the first place?
No one had ever done it in this country, so I thought 'why not?' I've been into these kinds of cars since I was 6 or 7. Though my parents had absolutely no leaning towards anything performance oriented (our family car was a 1959 FC Holden station wagon which dad always insisted on driving well below the speed limit, while my mum fanged around in a Hillman Hunter), my brother's first serious car was a Wild Violet XY GS with a worked 302 Windsor, toploader and wide 5 slots. My sister also had a Wild Violet XA GS 302 with a toploader and 12 slots that I learned to drive in (now you know why I have a Wild Violet XA GT sedan that I won't part with). My first car was a very rusty Torana LC GTR that I paid $600 for in 1982, so I guess we all rebelled against our old man.
I don't know why, but I just fell in love with the things from an early age, and just had to get my hands on as many as possible.
It's a good feeling knowing that you're helping keep our heritage alive too.
Are any of the cars for sale?
Since the appearance of the magazine articles, I am forever receiving emails "do you want to sell your Charger? How much for the Purr-pull 350 HQ? I'd really love to buy the Jamaican Lime Torana L34. Have you thought about selling? Is the Cobra for sale?" And the answer is always a polite but firm NO.
The only muscle cars I have for sale are GT replicas and 'duplicates' (ie. 2 of the same model). I have a few other non-muscle cars for sale that I advertise in the specialty magazines from time to time, but that's it. (I do however have a few cars for sale on the 'carsforsale' page on this website). I'm a collector, not a dealer. Maybe one day when I'm old and crusty (that's still awhile away, I'm only 38) I'll give the whole game away, but I'd probably auction everything as one lot to another car collector. In my will it says that my partner will inherit the cars and must keep the collection intact.
What condition are the cars in when you buy them?
I generally set a reasonably low budget and stick to that. I want cars that are mostly original, not restored, mostly complete and going, sound but requiring cosmetics and/ or basic mechanical repairs. I also try to find motivated vendors! I tell people that I want the car to be a part of my collection, and exhibited in a museum but also driven frequently - they are often so relieved to know their car is going to a good home, not about to be wrapped around a light pole or turned into a drag car.
Using the Unique Cars value guides as an example, I often pay somewhere between their condition 1 and condition 2 valuations, and want the finished cars to owe less than the condition 3 value.
You don't have to go very far to find better examples of the cars I collect. People think I must be a total fanatic and perfectionist, and that I want the very best examples, but I don't. My cars are tidy, original, regular drivers. None of them would win a car show (although I have won a few trophies around the place). I do not do concourse restorations, bare metal last nut and bolt rebuilds or anything like that. It's just not me. It upsets a few of the car club purists, but it's just not practical for me.
I'm one person, working with a limited budget and resources, and having to be sensible about the whole thing, so I rarely pay full retail price for anything.
Recently a guy offered me a 88,000 km 2 owner HZ GTS for $35,000! I mean, don't get me wrong, the car is stunning, but $35,000?! None of my GTs (except the new one) even owes me that. I said thanks but no thanks, then flew to Melbourne and bought a 2 owner example for $3,850. It has 166,000km on the clock, new GMH built 308 ($3,500 worth), reco Turbo 400 and all the options including the Dunlop wire wheels. The car needed paint, drivers side seat repair and carpet to be immaculate. Now that that's done, the car looks stunning and no-one's any the wiser.
Do you do the restoration work yourself?
No way. I realised early in life that as a mechanic or spray painter, I make a great business coach!! I do basic assembly and like to tinker occasionally, but I make great use of my full time mechanic Grant's talents, and my panel beater is also a dab hand at mechanics and electrical work. I also have a motor trimmer virtually on staff, and happily accept volunteer help whenever offered.
I do source the cars myself and make all transportation arrangements, overview all work done, and generally keep the production line moving. I'm like the foreman.
Do you ever get to drive the cars?
Yes, but not as often as I'd like to. Cars don't like sitting around doing nothing, so I've had to get a bit of a roster happening to keep all the juices flowing. For a while there I was forever fixing flat tyres and jump starting flat batteries and unsticking seized brakes, but I seem to have gotten on top of it. Chris Bowden, son of David Bowden has given lots of useful preventative maintenance tips they use on their own collection and I appreciate his input.
I've recently aquired a trade plate and put it to good use, 'road testing' cars between my storage facility and home. I've been pulled over more times than I care to mention (the cars do attract more than their share of attention), but I'm not doing anything illegal, so the Police just wave me on - after they spend half an hour drooling and asking me absolutely everything about the car. I'm a very private person, so don't actually seek out the attention, but am happy to talk to anyone seriously interested in the cars. It's also an exhilarating feeling blasting down the freeway (at the speed limit of course) being given the thumbs up by other motorists.
How did you end up with 3 Build #191 GTs?
It kind of happened by accident. I bought the EB GT first, wanting a fully optioned black manual 1993 model. It just happened to be build #191. Two years later a mate of mine pointed out an ad for an EL GT, which was also build #191. I had no intention of buying it, and said to my mate, "It'd better be a Sparkling Burgundy manual, or forget it". It was. 2 issues later the car was back in the magazine $10,000 cheaper. The owner had ordered a new Mustang, was offered nothing for the EL from the dealer and had to get out of it urgently. He accepted my offer and my mate and I flew to Sydney and drove it home.
2 years later I heard rumours that Ford is reintroducing the GT, so I went to the Brisbane Motor Show (February 2002), walked through all the AUs on show and started asking people about the new "AV" GT. Everyone put on the dumb act, then I said "that's a shame, I was prepared to order one". That changed their tune real quick.
I got the silver service treatment, was taken out the back, and soon handed over a $2,000 cheque for a car that didn't exist, no idea what it would look like, no idea what it would cost, no idea when it would be released. Mine became the first BA GT ordered in the country. I told the salesman, it MUST be build #191 and a manual or NO DEAL, and made him write that on the order form.
Later, when I got all the specifications, I chose the colour and other options. The poor salesman, Wayne Bennett of Southside Ford went through hell and back to build the car I wanted around the 191 build plate. It just totally stuffed up their production schedules and everyone knew about the car. Ford swore they would never do it again! I took delivery on the 1st of June 2003.
The cars were shown together at the All Ford Day in Brisbane in 2003 and created a lot of interest, in their matching OGT.191, PGT.191 and NGT.191 plates.
What's this new DVD you're promoting?
'The Aussie Musclecar Story' is the definitive Australian musclecar guide for collectors and enthusiasts. It tells the chronological story from inception to the present day, features my entire collection (plus other featured cars not owned by me), includes a buyers' guide, restoration tips, motor racing legends, merchandising guide and more.
It is currently in production for release later in 2005. As more developments occur, they will be featured on this site.
How do I get to visit the museum?
You need to be a member of a car club or social group with 5 or more attending.
AMCM is open by appointment selected Saturdays when I am available. Register your interest on line, by stating your car club/social group name, number of attendees and available dates, and nominate a representative and contact no. We'll be in touch to organise the rest. Admission is $15 adults, $10 children under 14 and pensioners, and includes a full tour of the vehicles. Drinks and souvenirs are available for purchase, and all proceeds are used to help cover maintenance, storage and restoration of the vehicles. Note: attendees must sign a public liability insurance disclaimer before entry.
It's a relaxing, easy drive about halfway between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, or about 20 minutes from Brisbane Airport. Allow about three hours for the tour.
Are there any other cars you don't currently have that you're looking for?
As a matter of fact, there is. I've pretty much got everything I want, but one car has managed to elude me. It's a VH/J Charger SE E55 770, you know the ones with the factory 340 and 727 auto, with the vacuum cleaner exhaust and the two tone seats. Just lovely. If you know where I can find one, well you've got my number... . I'm always looking in the Trading Post, Just Cars, Unique Cars and on the 'net and eBay to see what else is around, sometimes just to enjoy it for a month or two then move it on.
It's probably more just habit than anything else. I'm very happy with the collection as it stands. If a better colour or condition car comes up at the right price, I'll always trade up, then sell off the original example. That's how I've ended up with 'doubles' for some of the cars.
Believe it or not, the hardest car for me so far to track down has been a Hillman Hustler. I've already got a Hunter GT and Royal 660, but I really dig the Hustlers because they've got the lairiest paint jobs, full GT running gear and absolutely no creature comforts. But do you think I can find one anywhere?? They were released to celebrate Andrew Cowan's 1968 London to Sydney marathon win (in a Hillman Arrow), but no one bought them and most were trashed in the 80s. I reckon one in Magenta or Go Green with polished Cheviot Hustler mags would be the ducks guts. (Footnote: I did track down a Hustler in February 2005!)
I'd love to cut a deal with a HSV collector and arrange temporary displays of cars I don't have, but it's already looking a bit crowded in there, and there are just so many HSVs to choose from. Maybe John Crennan will open up his collection for display?
A Force 7V P76 would be great to buy, but only 10 were ever completed, only 9 are in Australia, and none is for sale. But if a Force 7V owner said "Hey, Jeff, I'm happy to put my car on display" I wouldn't say no (you have my email address!) Ditto owners of a Bolwell Mk 7 or Nagari, or Statesman Magnum, HDT VK Group A/3, or VL Director, or a Giocattolo Group B. I'll wait by the phone!