What the XE Fairmont Ghia ESP was
The XE Fairmont Ghia ESP — European Sports Pack — sat at the very top of Ford Australia's range, and this one is the car enthusiasts dream about: a genuine 351 cubic-inch V8 paired with a four-speed manual. It marks the final chapter of Ford's original V8 Falcon era and a genuine turning point in Australian motoring history. With only 178 ever built, surviving examples in this condition are exceptionally rare.
The car's history
What makes this one extraordinary isn't just the spec — it's the story. It has been owned by the same family since new. After decades of use it sat untouched on blocks for more than 20 years, before being brought back to life through a full restoration about eight years ago. That work paid off: it earned a place in the top 60 at Summernats, no small feat among the country's best-presented cars.
Why detailing a collector's car is different
A daily driver is about managing wear. A collector's car is about preservation. The brief isn't to make it shiny for a season — it's to protect originality, document condition and lock in the result of a restoration that took years and serious money. Every decision is more conservative, every surface treated as irreplaceable, because in this case it genuinely is.
The responsibility of a Summernats top 60 car
When a car has already been judged among the best in the country, the bar is set by people who scrutinise every panel. Working on a vehicle like this means there's no room for shortcuts and no hiding a rushed result. It's a privilege and a pressure in equal measure — and exactly the kind of work the team lives for.
What "refining paint defects" means on a restored car
Even an immaculate, freshly restored car carries minor imperfections — light swirls from washing, the odd isolated defect in the refinish. Refining the paint means carefully machine polishing only what needs it, removing those defects to lift clarity and depth without aggressively cutting into a finish that's already excellent. On a restored car you take the least invasive path that gets the result. From there we ceramic coated every surface, inside and out, sealing the paint, trim and interior so the work that went into this icon is protected for the long haul.
The takeaway: with a collector's car, restraint is the skill. The job is to enhance and preserve what's already there — never to over-correct a finish that took years to achieve.