The P6 LTD as Prime Ministerial transport in the mid to late 1970's

[Ford17]

ABC ran a doco on Bob Hawke the other night, and while it covered many things, it was interesting to see pre-PM Bob fire up, then drive off to work in a P6 LTD:



The iView link is here:
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/hawke-...and-the-leader

The footage starts at the 38:30 mark, and at this point there is also an XA-XC wagon and a Valliant wagon parked out the front of his home.


The P6 was also associated with then-PM Malcolm Fraser, as Wheels Magazine took one to the Lodge for Fraser to test drive.



A link to that article here:
https://www.whichcar.com.au/features...erial-material

[ford71V8]

I saw this too.
I was impressed it was the wife that pointed out the car! ha

Footage throughout the episode showed some great old Aussie cars. I definitely spotto'ed a XY Fairmont at one point.

Looks like there are more episodes to come going by the Fox linky thing

[Ford17]

Originally Posted by ford71V8

I saw this too.
I was impressed it was the wife that pointed out the car! ha

Footage throughout the episode showed some great old Aussie cars. I definitely spotto'ed a XY Fairmont at one point.

Looks like there are more episodes to come going by the Fox linky thing

There's a servo full of Aussie Fords at around the 27:19 mark:

Originally Posted by paule11

Liked the car saw it just after they said Bob was an alcoholic wondered if he was drunk driving that day

Wondered that too - they said he was drinking around 20 beers a day; but also said he pulled up fine the next morning.

[paule11]

Liked the car saw it just after they said Bob was an alcoholic wondered if he was drunk driving that day

[78xcgxl]

Best PM ever!

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by 78xcgxl

Best PM ever!

Agree, until the pilots dispute.
I watched this too and wondered if that was his own personal car and not a parliamentary one due to no red Z number plates.

Onya Bob.

[Swordie]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Agree, until the pilots dispute.
I watched this too and wondered if that was his own personal car and not a parliamentary one due to no red Z number plates.

Onya Bob.

Hawke was elected in 1983. Parliamentary cars would of been LTDs and Fairlanes from this time. For example ZK / FD and ZL / FE.

[jaydee]

Originally Posted by 78xcgxl

Best PM ever!

He was the greatest, gave us 17.5% interest rates.

[stock1991]

Originally Posted by jaydee

He was the greatest, gave us 17.5% interest rates.

in fairness there was 15% on savings too

[snap0964]

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by jaydee

He was the greatest, gave us 17.5% interest rates.

I've kept a loan contract from back than.. Interest rate is 21% .....& I knew people paying up to 24%...

Sorry, back to the fugly Yank Tank..

[Bushbasher]

What color is that first car, I'm color blind so it's a bit hard for me to tell.


The reason I ask is that car reminds me of the P6 old man had. It was a limited edition Town Car, burgundy with gold pin striping and with a lower diff ratio than the regular P6 or Silver Monarch. I remember it used to run out of steam at about 170, so it wasn't fast, and I still got out dragged one night by an XC 4 dr 4.1 auto with a cheap farty twin system.

[kcodezd]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

What color is that first car, I'm color blind so it's a bit hard for me to tell.

Yes it is burgundy, with black vinyl top. Can’t tell the pin strip colour though. Possibly silver.

[ford71V8]

Maybe I'm colour blind too then, because it looks brown to me

[kcodezd]

Originally Posted by ford71V8

Maybe I'm colour blind too then, because it looks brown to me

Now I’m confused, you are probably right.

[Swordie]

I remember seeing Hawke's LTD when he was President of the ACTU. I was a very impressed with his car. This was a time when LTDs and Fairlanes were seen as cars of prestige.