Mark as a boy on his Dad’s XK wagon.

I remember once sitting in the wagon in one of those car seats like Maggie in the Simpsons has. Dad and his brother bought their XK’s at the same time. Dad washed his every weekend and his brother didn’t - both rusted!

I once saw a canary yellow van in Yarraville when I was about ten and thought I’ve got to get one of those one day. Some years later at 32 and marrying a lovely lady named Barbara, I was sitting at home on a Saturday morning bored poopless. Barb said, “why don’t you go and get yourself a copy of that car buyers guide?” and I said, “what for?”. Barb’s reply was to get yourself a project car. I was gone!

I only had an XD sedan and being a chippy I needed a van and I knew which one. The mag. had nothing except one in the back section. I rang the fellow but got a lead on another one. After a long checklist of the car’s condition I asked him for some photos. The photos arrived and I decided I had to start somewhere and now was the time. The price was $1500 delivered from its home in Wodonga to the beautiful western suburbs and she was mine. It took six months of mucking about and tidying up before Mark and Danny had the pleasure of sorting out some Mexican heritage and the usual for a roadworthy. Thanks to boys work a rego sticker and plates were gained. In went the tools of the trade. One of the guys at work was quite annoyed, as his newly painted Holden one tonner fell off the interest list rather sharply. The van was a manual and I was not used to the slop and after many times changing from first to reverse at the lights - the lights went out big time on the gearbox. In went an auto. Now I could drive AND eat!

I have had the van four years now and clocked up 10,000 miles. It starts first time and has not stopped once in that time. It's about time for a going over and touch up shortly, nothing fancy, just stock and some rust, as living by the sea takes its toll.

Keep on Falconing,
Mark Winfer