Anyone from Goonellabah or Lismore?

[disco]

Gidday Fellas,

Need some help.

As per the subject title wondering if there were any Ford enthusiasts here that live up in Goonellabah or the Lismore region. Wish to hear from anyone who has lived in that area for many years or was around there in the late 80’s or early 90's.

Just trying to trace some history on a car I own which lived in that area in the late 80’s early 90’s (till 1994). I know it’s a long shot but enthusiasts have a habit of remembering old cars, and a red XY GT in the area may jog some memories.

I tried Freedom of Info via RTA but unfortunately the owner at the time recently passed away and they could not find a next of kin or tell me a name (privacy reasons). Just that the car was rego’d there for some years. It marries up with a brake service sticker on my booster from a local business in Lismore back at that time. Unfortunately that business has changed hands and the new owners don’t remember the car.

If anyone has any tips or may know any long established businesses up there that could help, that would be great. Just trying and fill in a gap in this car’s ownership history.

The car is a genuine Track Red XY GT Falcon with gold stripes and wore plates PJS-024 at the time.

Cheers,
Dave.

P.S Feel free to Pm me if you rather deal direct.

[sprint347dave]

I moved up to ballina 12 years ago,,,pretty sure if you ask around any of the spare parts places like repco and the like you will get a lead or some of the local car shows,,im pretty sure there is a ford club in casino,,,good luck with finding the missing links

[danthefordman]

I'm from Lismore Dave,
The Northern Rivers Ford Owners Club would be a good place to start, I am not a member and dont know the man but but i have an application form here and the president at the time was Sean Cosgrove, number is 0402824646.
You would have to think he would be able to provide you with some contacts, if the car was well known.
Good luck,
Dan

[Electric XY]

Gday dave, once again i love your work a true enthusiast.

Good luck with the search.

[I reckon]

try trevans in lismore they have been around since adam was a boy.

they would know the car.

[disco]

Originally Posted by piggsy

try trevans in lismore they have been around since adam was a boy.

they would know the car.

This was a good lead! Just as a follow-up guys I unraveled some 15 years of my XY GT’s history thru this lead.

Warning – long story! Lol!

I called Trevan Ford Parts in Lismore and spoke to David Trevan in Sales, does not recall anything but says I’ll give you my uncle’s number. Uncle Bob Trevan was a car enthusiast and was part of the business back when XY GT’s were sold.

Called Bob Trevan – quiet old guy who listened to me for 15 mins without saying a word. Gives me a Gary McGrath’s number who used to sell XY GT’s new and in the car business (till this day) in Casino - said try him and good luck son!!!!

Called Gary McGrath who once owned 1 Track Red XY GT with gold stripes in the mid 80’s. Asked me if it drives real nice - cause his track red car was stock as a rock and drove the best out 6 XY GT’s and PH3’s he once owned. I told him sounds like the same car. Gary owned it for 4 years and sold it and bought a Phase 3 afterwards. Told me he bought the car off a Steve Holzhauzer who owned a white PH3, XR GT and this track car – Steve bought the track red XY GT out of Sydney (my car was a Sydney Ford Dealer delivery).

Gary sold his track red car circa 1985, he believes it was the only one going around in that combo (there was one other track red XY GT but it had saddle trim). He sold it to a Peter Smidt who lived in Goonellbah. Now the RTA confirmed my car was once owned by a gentleman in Goonellabah with personal plates PJS-024. Unfortunately this owner has passed away and it’s hard to get hold of any next of kin / family members. Gary confirmed Peter Smidt had passed away some time back. Gary was most helpful and told me he had a large pic of the car that’d he’d copy and mail to me (gotta love country folk!)

My next port of call was Steve Holzhauser who confirmed he bought this car from Sydney from Barry Thomson Performance Cars Homebush circa 1979. Ironically at the time he worked in the same inner west suburb that I live in now! So the car has pretty much done a full circle. Steve owned the car for some 3 odd years and rarely used it only adding 1000 odd miles before selling it to Gary McGrath to funds some exotic birds. I asked Steve if he remembers the car when Peter Smidt owned it and he confirmed yes, that Peter had fitted a tow bar (my car still has the tow wiring in the boot) and that Peter had personalised plates – PJS-024!!!

I found my car!!

I had great conversations with these owners who filled me on the car and it seems it lived a pretty quiet unremarkable life with little meddling (some touch ups here and there).

One interesting story was that Steve had to move the car out of shed as his bird feed attracted mice to his shed – the result – a little rascal mice getting into the car and damaging part of the roof lining! It still has a small tear and hole above the drivers side in the lining, this was early 80’s.

I was lucky enough to eventually obtain that pic of the car from 82/83 from Gary McGrath. The car looked very much the same as it does today, except my wipers seemed to have copped an 80’s colour coding in black! Curiosity got the better of me as I was sure the wipers are the correct original items on the car - low and behold sanding scuff marks all over them and clear remnants of black paint underneath the wipers arms!

In the end a good story and not bad going for a week’s work!

Thanks again guys.

[sprint347dave]

6 degrees of separation,,,,,,,well done

[I reckon]

Originally Posted by disco

This was a good lead! Just as a follow-up guys I unraveled some 15 years of my XY GT’s history thru this lead.

Warning – long story! Lol!

I called Trevan Ford Parts in Lismore and spoke to David Trevan in Sales, does not recall anything but says I’ll give you my uncle’s number. Uncle Bob Trevan was a car enthusiast and was part of the business back when XY GT’s were sold.

Called Bob Trevan – quiet old guy who listened to me for 15 mins without saying a word. Gives me a Gary McGrath’s number who used to sell XY GT’s new and in the car business (till this day) in Casino - said try him and good luck son!!!!

Called Gary McGrath who once owned 1 Track Red XY GT with gold stripes in the mid 80’s. Asked me if it drives real nice - cause his track red car was stock as a rock and drove the best out 6 XY GT’s and PH3’s he once owned. I told him sounds like the same car. Gary owned it for 4 years and sold it and bought a Phase 3 afterwards. Told me he bought the car off a Steve Holzhauzer who owned a white PH3, XR GT and this track car – Steve bought the track red XY GT out of Sydney (my car was a Sydney Ford Dealer delivery).

Gary sold his track red car circa 1985, he believes it was the only one going around in that combo (there was one other track red XY GT but it had saddle trim). He sold it to a Peter Smidt who lived in Goonellbah. Now the RTA confirmed my car was once owned by a gentleman in Goonellabah with personal plates PJS-024. Unfortunately this owner has passed away and it’s hard to get hold of any next of kin / family members. Gary confirmed Peter Smidt had passed away some time back. Gary was most helpful and told me he had a large pic of the car that’d he’d copy and mail to me (gotta love country folk!)

My next port of call was Steve Holzhauser who confirmed he bought this car from Sydney from Barry Thomson Performance Cars Homebush circa 1979. Ironically at the time he worked in the same inner west suburb that I live in now! So the car has pretty much done a full circle. Steve owned the car for some 3 odd years and rarely used it only adding 1000 odd miles before selling it to Gary McGrath to funds some exotic birds. I asked Steve if he remembers the car when Peter Smidt owned it and he confirmed yes, that Peter had fitted a tow bar (my car still has the tow wiring in the boot) and that Peter had personalised plates – PJS-024!!!

I found my car!!

I had great conversations with these owners who filled me on the car and it seems it lived a pretty quiet unremarkable life with little meddling (some touch ups here and there).

One interesting story was that Steve had to move the car out of shed as his bird feed attracted mice to his shed – the result – a little rascal mice getting into the car and damaging part of the roof lining! It still has a small tear and hole above the drivers side in the lining, this was early 80’s.

I was lucky enough to eventually obtain that pic of the car from 82/83 from Gary McGrath. The car looked very much the same as it does today, except my wipers seemed to have copped an 80’s colour coding in black! Curiosity got the better of me as I was sure the wipers are the correct original items on the car - low and behold sanding scuff marks all over them and clear remnants of black paint underneath the wipers arms!

In the end a good story and not bad going for a week’s work!

Thanks again guys.

Glad to help ..... And they all lived happily ever after lol