Detail of the Month · November 2025
1982 XE Fairmont Ghia ESP
The XE Fairmont Ghia ESP — European Sports Pack — represented the top of Ford Australia's lineup, and marked the final chapter of Ford's original V8 Falcon era. This one's a genuine 351 cubic-inch V8, four-speed manual, one of only 178 examples built.
In the studio
A genuine one-family car
What makes this car significant isn't just the rarity — it's the provenance. The same family has owned it continuously since new. After a full restoration around eight years ago, it took out a top-60 award at Summernats, among the best cars in the country.
Restraint as the skill
With a car like this, the job isn't transformation — it's preservation. We addressed light paint imperfections left over from the refinish with careful, conservative machine polishing, removing isolated defects without pushing the finish any harder than it needed.
Work performed
- Paint refinement through careful machine polishing
- Ceramic coating applied to all interior and exterior surfaces
- A preservation-focused approach throughout
Ceramic coating sealed every surface to protect the restoration investment for the long term — the goal was to protect what's already exceptional, not chase perfection at the expense of originality.