AUII Fairlane Sportsman - BIG AL

[Cav]

The colour is Organza, or something like that.

[Cav]

Nice interior, practically unmarked.

[Cav]

Do these rust resistant gadgets really work?



I don't think so.

This is the only rust I could find which was in the boot.

[Cav]

And talking about the boot - it is mint as well.

[Cav]

The owner of the last 14 years (a sheila in her 70s) put two new tyres on the car just before I picked it up on the outskirts of Sydney at Narellan.

I have done the clay bar and waxed the car. The first picture of this thread was taken before that, so it is in really good nick.

I had my mechanic go over it....

1) Will need full transmission flush. Oil is really dirty, he showed me a sample. I will get it done in Wagga about 100kms away. A service is $175, a service and flush is $275. Getting it done next Friday. The transmission works OK.

2) Both boots on the steering rack are damaged and need replacing.

3) Brake pads and discs on the front will need replacing soon

4) Only leak was from the transmission sump.

That's it!

Stuff I need to organise...

1) A couple of small dents on the bonnet need repair. I phoned a bloke in Wagga and I hope to get it done on Friday as well.

2) The stereo lacks clarity in the front. The head unit has been overhauled, so first off I'll try new tweeters in the A pillar, and new speakers in the front doors.

And finally, there is no Sportsman decal on the driver's door (gasp!)

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Cav

1) Will need full transmission flush. Oil is really dirty, he showed me a sample. I will get it done in Wagga about 100kms away. A service is $175, a service and flush is $275. Getting it done next Friday. The transmission works OK.

Not at Bulits I hope
(misspelt on purpose)

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by Cav

And talking about the boot - it is mint as well.

image

image

And a real spare

[Silver Ghia]

Nice photo by the lake Cav. Looks like its from the sales brochure. Immaculate.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Needs centre caps. Standard Ford ones should work (doubt you will find Fairlane ones now, but BA / BF ones will fit too!).

Nice rig!

[Cav]

You mean like these?

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by Cav

You mean like these?

image

I have a mint set of those rims in the car hold as spares. I never knew anyone was interested in them. They look crap on fgs but suit the older cars to the ground

[falcon_bandit]

are the extra woodgrain bits from an LTD, or aftermarket vinyl wrapped?

[Cav]

I dunno what the wood stuff is made of but it was standard on the Sportsman

[auIILTD]

Awesome pickup Cav. I love the black Howe Leather seats! These seats are such an improvement over the standard Fairlane/Farimont Leather seats. the look mint too!

Hopefully get to see it one day as I am just over the hill from Tumut!

Originally Posted by falcon_bandit

are the extra woodgrain bits from an LTD, or aftermarket vinyl wrapped?

As far as I can tell Bandit, that is all standard Fairlane woodgrain trim. It is actually plastic, but hey it looks good!

The LTD's woodgrain is darker than the Fairlane/Fairmont woodgrain, has is in a few more places like the rear of the centre console, window switches & headlight switch. - Pic showing the difference in woodgrain colours.


Nice ride Cav.

Cheers
Stu

[Cav]

Yes your's does look darker.

I've wanted one of these Sportsman for years, in white though. I think the first batch that do not have the two colours looks much better.

I was all set to make an offer on another car when I managed to spot the add for this car. The car was at Winmalee which I thought was a suburb of Sydney and I asked them if they could meet me at Sydney airport.

Little did I know it was in the mountains.

I rang the owner and we hit it off straight away. (On my text message is my picture and she is only a woman after all) She was very direct and mentioned the things that were wrong with the car.

The car was advertised at $6,200. I suggested $5,000 and she replied that I could have the car for $5,500. So the deal was done.

We met at Maccas at Narellan and we hit it off really well, both she and her husband. It was as if we had known each other for a long time. That's what I like about car people.

[olfella]

Originally Posted by Cav

We met at Maccas at Narellan and we hit it off really well, both she and her husband. It was as if we had known each other for a long time. That's what I like about car people.

image

If that is a shelia in her 70's then there is hope for me yet! Good pickup Cav.

[falcon_bandit]

Originally Posted by auIILTD

As far as I can tell Bandit, that is all standard Fairlane woodgrain trim. It is actually plastic, but hey it looks good!

The LTD's woodgrain is darker than the Fairlane/Fairmont woodgrain, has is in a few more places like the rear of the centre console, window switches & headlight switch. - Pic showing the difference in woodgrain colours.
image
Stu

the woodgrain strip above the stereo isnt found in anything. Looks custom made, and looks good i reckon.

i see what you mean about the ltd being darker, from the small pic, it sort of looks like cav's has the ltd headlight switch panel.

[falcon_bandit]

headlight & traction control panels im talking about. Not standard, but looks good.

[Mechan1k]

Really clean and well looked after for it's age.
Bugger all to attend to as well ... auto flush is normal really.
brakes are wear and tear .. and torn boots can happen.

Nice pick up ... will be nice comfy cruiser.

How much did you get it for if you don't mind me asking?

[Cav]

I paid $5,500 for the car

[Ken_AUXR8]

Beautiful ride Cav, great find too. Always amazes me how many of the LWB cars don't get looked after well. How's it drive?

[Cav]

Drives really nice Ken. I have to keep reminding myself that this is a 15 year old car!

What I really like about the AUs are the comfy seats and the legroom.

I dunno why car makers have such fat centre consoles. Are they trying to make the car seem like a cockpit of a small plane?

Even in our Territory there is not much room for the left leg which is usually up against the centre console.

Not so the AUs, plenty of room for us fat *****.

[Dauphin]

That Sportsman is in such top condition! Thanks for sharing.

[Cav]

All my problems is solved!



I bought this thingy on ebay for about $23.

Plugged in a USB of country music, turned the dodad on, tuned into 88.0 FM and the Fairlane was swamped in crystal clear country.

Man it doesn't get any better than this.

I was so impressed with the clarity of the sound coming out of those standard Ford speakers. My first impressions of the stereo system was that the front speakers may need replacing, but having listened to the music from the USB, I won't be doing it in hurry.

This dodad has in addition to the USB, another USB thingy to charge your phone, it will take aux in, an SD card; and it even has bluetooth which I'll have get one of the grandkids to show me how to handshake or whatever they call it.

[PridenJoy]

Fairlane antenna's in good working nick aren't cheap. I think I have one somehwere.

Nice Sportsman Cav.

There was a silver V8 sportsman with 140k kms around the corner from me with sunroof, satnav and FR simmons for sale for $3k, i rang and spoke to the owner who didn't seem to know what he had, stupidly i told him exactly what he had and how special it is and was told he's think about my offer, he sold the car two days later for $6k i was kicking myself for weeks

[Blue Shadow]

Cav, is the fairy a 185 kw?

[auIILTD]

Originally Posted by Blue Shadow

Cav, is the fairy a 185 kw?

Blue, Cav's is a VCT 6, not an 8. I think they where 168kw iirc. I may be corrected.

Cheers
Stu

[Cav]

As RR would say, it has adequate horsepower.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this elsewhere but my wife is overseas and she returns this week.

She doesn't know anything about the Fairlane and I have form about buying cars when she is away.

That'll teach her.

I have it locked in the garage now, but unfortunately I should have retracted the aerial before driving it into the garage. The result, one bent aerial

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by Cav

As RR would say, it has adequate horsepower.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this elsewhere but my wife is overseas and she returns this week.

She doesn't know anything about the Fairlane and I have form about buying cars when she is away.

That'll teach her.

I have it locked in the garage now, but unfortunately I should have retracted the aerial before driving it into the garage. The result, one bent aerial

image

It has heaps, i have a VCT ute as well, never missed a beat

[Cav]

Originally Posted by Blue Shadow

Cav, is the fairy a 185 kw?

I'd say about 149 by now with over 200,000kms

BTW fuel consumption has hit 18L/100kms