Ford Falcon GTHO Phase 4 (Part 2)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- On this episode of Grassroots Garage we have part 2 of our special series with Paul; aka; "The Dentist" and his one-of-one Phase four GTHO Falcon.
We were overwhelmed by the response to part one of this series. We hope this will become an ongoing conversation about the history of this amazing car. A lot of great comments came in, showing just how loved the Phase Four is. There were a lot of comments ranging from the car should be driven more, to the car shouldn’t even be towed uncovered … so we’re sure you’re all happy to know that the phase four is home safe, dry
This vehicle has been resprayed twice and undergone some extensive restoration work, so one road trip isn’t the worst thing given it does get street driven and has done laps of eastern creek.
On this episode we hear some history of the car and Paul tells us how he came to own it, including phone call to Ford, confirming it's authenticity... then the Ford representative enquiring as to the location of the car, insinuation that if Paul wasn't quick, Ford Australia might be keen to beat him to the purchase.
As we go we would love to address any new information that comes to light. We're calling this a one-of-one car, as many commented Ford Australia did produce three racecars that they called Phase four examples, but as we understand it, Paul's is the only vehicle to go down the production line and get the GTHO compliance plate as a road car.
The three racecars were tagged GT. They were then turned into GTHOs in the Ford Special Vehicles (FSV) workshop known as “Lot 6”.
So; why did ford send Paul's GTHO down the assembly line? To answer that we have to take you back to the golden age of motorsport.... and one word... homologation. Back in the good old days, to race a car at Bathurst, the manufacturers had to produce at least 200 road going examples. That meant punters like us had a chance to own the same cars they raced at Bathurst. If you want to fix motorsport, bring back homologation, and carburettors, and grid girls in rollerskates….
One special Saturday, Ford Australia sent Paul's GTHO Phase 4 down the production line as part of a Time & motion study; in preparation for the next one hundred and ninety something to go down the line. This Time & Motions study was separate to the three racecars being assembled here.
How many cars went down the assembly line on that Saturday? Where are they now? Sorry no answers to these questions… yet.
The dream is that we find more people with first hand knowledge, and as it comes up, we’ll share it with you.
Ford Australia had likely ordered the parts to produce the GTHO’s, most of these parts were used on the RPO83 cars. (We think)
The most pressing question we'll be hovering over the comments section for an answer to is exactly how this one-off vehicle ended up at Jack Brabham ford and subsequently sold to John Hemphill. Given Jack Brabham's standing in the motorsport community and close relationship with Ford's leadership it's fair to assume he had the required pull to land this car, or was it slightly more cloak and dagger than that? Was this car essentially snuck out and handed over to Jack Brabham Ford? Again, this will be an ongoing conversation so we'd love to hear from people with a deeper understanding of exactly what happened.
For now, please enjoy Paul giving us a deep dive into his history with the car. If you enjoy this episode please leave a comment so Paul invites us back for Part 3!
We hope you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment so Paul invites us back for Part 3!
![[ TEASER ] เงาะป่า - วงL.กฮ. | TMG RECORD](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/M4ObdFfcPww/mqdefault.jpg)
Good old days when this car was around the family.
Quick how time flys.
Main thing it’s with the perfect owner that appreciates like we did.
Thanks Anthony,
The Lahood name will always be part of the cars history.
I understand Paul is in contact with the family for later episodes.
Cheers
Pete
As a child we would visit the Hemphill’s at their farm at Burradoo NSW. We took the southern aurora train from Melbourne to Moss Vale . John and Barbie Hemphill would pick us up in his HO phase 4. He would tell us - me and his 3 boys- of daring do in his HO . Your video says he drove it hard and I can give first hand accounts of that . One day he took me down the Mittagong Expressway with a smoke in his mouth at 110mph! I was thrilled . It started a life long love of cars. He painted it what he referred to as British racing green ( I think because he loved Aston’s ) I think he found the calypso to loud . He told me he once dragged off another Gt and when days later the driver of the other GT saw him in the street in Bowral he wanted to know about the car . John told him about it and the guy said that he was a off duty policeman ! I believe he sold it as it was a difficult car to drive in Sydney where he frequently went with his importing business . My mother drove it to Bundanoon one day with me and John. I loved the car . It had electric windows a sunroof and a multi track stereo . We have photos somewhere with us all in it . He drove everywhere , melbourne long country drives etc as my mother said he didn’t like to fly . He had a phase 3 and maybe even a phase 1 . Also a white de tomaso longchamp Many great stories with his boys and uncle john and Aunty Barb sitting by the fire talking about cars !
What a classic piece of the puzzle!
Please email us at grassrootsgarage@gmail.com, we'd love to quote this in the next ep if you're ok with that 👍
What a magnificent car! There is so much mystique around the Phase IV that it's good to have some of it cleared up by the owner. Paul seems like the perfect custodian of such a rare car as well.
I could relate to his story of getting up early to get the papers and plot the day's car looking. I used to go down to the news agent before they opened early on a Wednesday morning to get the Trading Post (remember those days?), leave the money for the paper on his door step, then scan through the car adds to see what was there. We were so much more dedicated before the internet came along!
Yes I was lucky enough to catch the end of the Trading post days in the 90's
Agreed Paul is the best custodian for these cars
Paul is correct ..about the phase 4 at Lahoods ...I was going to buy that car back in 83 ...but it was a lot of money $ $20000 ...I was told it was a very rare XA GT ...but it was still a lot of money...I might be mistaken but I think I met Paul at or one of his colleagues at a caravan park in Penrith the day before the Bathurst all ford day this year ...all the best to the man ...he was a true gentleman ..a real ford bloke ...
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Great story telling Paul. In this day and age with Facebook Marketplace and not so much Gumtree its dog eat dog when it comes to locating a score. The classifieds were another era where if you were in the right place at the right time you went home with the goodies. Even day tripping on the water, smashing back a few brews with mates and still coming home with the gold makes me laugh!! Only in the 80s haha!!!
Hahah thanks XBGTFella, yes classic 80's antics 😂
A story on how the RPO83s relate to this car would be good... the similarities and differences
Thank heavens you have cleared up the one of one! I've had numerous arguments with idiots (even some Auction Houses) who claim the three red cars were GTHO's. As we all know they are NOT!! Paul you are one lucky man to have this car and the car is so fortunate to have you as its owner. Great to see you have spent a lot of money on the car, it looks great.
Agreed. One of the 3 is being passed off as something its not. Even its builder, john wynne, has said that it didnt leave LOT6 as its being presented now.
100%!! If the 3 protypes have a compliance plate installed, (which they do) why wouldn't Ford put a 'HO' compliance plate on them if they were HOs?
They actually wernt prototypes. They were standard XA GT's ordered by the race team. Who then stripped the standard running gear out of then, and rebuilt them into race cars. @@TonyPap-t6m
OMG.What a magnificent beast.
Paul's car is a national treasure and he is so lucky to be the caretaker of it.I have been hanging out for part 2 of this amazing story and thankyou for sharing it with us.
Thanks Luke, Yes Paul is a true Aussie legend for sure 🤙
Thanks for the kind words
Such a unique car and I was also lucky enough to be a client of Paul’s and got invited to look at the car and his collection at the time still got a picture of me sitting in the car
Thanks so much, Paul, for preserving and sharing what must be Ford Australia’s most significant ever car.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Classic ... not plastic ... be proud of our motoring history and heritage!!
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
What an amazing story about a true masterpiece of Australian automotive history. We car nuts must thank Paul for sharing this car with the general public.
Thank you Paul for sharing
I've been an XA fan the majority of my life . Dad had an XA from the time I was 6 years old until I was 15 . He used it to tow a 40 ft caravan to take mum and us 4 kids on holiday every school holidays . It never let us down and I never remember the Falcon ever miss a beat and it never even struggled to tow it . I started my driving experience also in an XA , a Falcon standard sedan with a 200 ci 6 cylinder with 3 on the tree , and 4 wheel drum brakes . My car philosophy is very simple XA's RULE.
So happy for Paul, and I am even happier that he is the custodian of this rare beauty. Imagine if Ford got hold of it, where would it be now, no Ford Australia, 😊!
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Best Wishes to you, Mr. Tobin.
😊
Thank you Paul for sharing your wonderful memories. You are a great custodian of these national treasures. 😊
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I appreciate your support.
A GREAT piece of Aussie muscle car history, told "FISRT HAND" makes all the difference ....EXCELLENT video.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
I love the story around this car and its just so great that Paul is willing to share it with us. I would be intersted to know more about his other cars and the stories behind them. Do a bit of a Jay Leno style series on The Dentist's Garage.
I tike your thinking, hopefully some E49 goodness this week! 👍
Hopefully you caught the E49 Ep, some more to follow from "Paul's Garage"
Awesome car and a great story. I have been a real fan of this car and have got all the magazines that have stories on it. I love GT's and have owned many GT's over many years. I have to correct you about something you said in this story in regards to left over phase 4 parts. They didn't all end up on the RPO 83's. They actually ended up going into Falcons, Fairlanes and F100's that went down the line after Ford pulled the pin in 1972. RPO's came off the line in August and September 1973. Some had a few left over items others didn't. Cheers!!
correct my mates father worked for ford's in the research and development in geelong as a engineer he did the time and motion tests (how long it should take to build and install and replace parts) ford had built up a lot of parts for the phase 4 but when it was canned a lot of this parts were put into falcons, fairlanes not sure about the f 100's but the research and development department did keep a lot of these as spare parts and some for use at the proving ground i know of several cases where these parts ended up on friends and family's cars of the engineer's that worked there, i ended up working for ford's from 1983 -2016 (stamping plant and toolroom) i herd several other stories from other engineer's who worked in that department at the time
Thanks @@trevorjohnston9504 great info 👍
Thanks Ronnie, yes good to hear parts were spread around. imagine owing an old Fairlane full of GHTO parts!!! lol
Well if you were lucky enough, when buying a new Fairlane at the time , you got one with some HO parts.@@GrassRootsGarage
My Dad used to service Paul’s cars and I even had the pleasure of spending a uni holiday detailing Paul’s collection.
The best part of knowing Paul is that he always showed interest in you, made you feel special and demonstrated the value of being humble.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I appreciate your support.
Amazing car and so good to see it being cared for the way it should be by Paul, Loved listening to him explaining the history of the Phase 4 & how he ended up owning it. Great videos, thanks for bringing them to us... looking forward to the next.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I appreciate your support.
Really enjoy listening about the phrase 4gtho The X a falcon, its self will be the next ones people be looking for. I know it won’t be a phase 4 , but they’ll be proud to have one that resembles them.
Paul thank you very much for sharing this national treasure with the rest of us. And to Grassroots Garage, you have a new subscriber here. I loved the first part so much, and was hanging out for the second part. Thank you to all concerned.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I appreciate your support.
My absolute pleasure@@GrassRootsGarage
Fantastic, it's so good hearing from the owner himself
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Great content and how could you not love a HOee. Especially one that should not have existed. At school in the mid 80's it was the HOee talked about, it's out there somewhere... Awesome of Brabham, Ford and the Dentist for making sure this gem is around today and to prove those school boys from the 80's it was real, real. And hearing the name Lahood again now that takes me back. Keep up the great work boys, really enjoyed the 2 videos.
Thanks for the kind words, we'll hopefully have lots more to follow
Not sure if this has been mentioned by anyone, but Paul is an excellent orthodontist too! I've been going to see him nearly 30 years. We spend 2 minutes checking my teeth and the rest talking about cars! What an absolute gentleman and I have been privileged to see his cars up close.
Thanks for the second episode. Been waiting on it to pop up and what a cool story. Thanks Paul for being such a good human and to all the people involved.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I appreciate your support.
Wow!!! What a fantastic documentary on a unique time in motor racing history. I remember that period of time when the super cars were outlawed by the NSW government. What people don't realise that just prior to that, there were 4 young people killed in a Valiant Pacer 225. The cause of the accident was speed. Myself, I wish that these cars were developed more the future but safety was a prime consideration at the time. Thank you Paul for preserving a very special part of Australia's automotive history.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Awesome story mate. Was talking to Paul at the 2018 AFD. Top bloke & keen to talk about the car. Told him I was at the AFD at Warrick Farm in 1985 ( I thik) when the scumbag father & son tried to pry the compliance plate off with a screwdriver. Have photos. Think they are in storage. Gotta find them. It still has the damage. Top right corner I think. And after 33 years in hibernation he took it to the 2018 AFD. And a huge Thnx to Roy Velardi, Sash Ninovic & all involved in the restoration of this Unicorn of Australian Muscle Cars. And I think I have photos of it from Lahood Motors on Parramatta Rd.
Thanks Rhett,
if you manage to dig up Pics we'd love to give them to Paul, please email to grassrootsgarage@gmail.com. We run not-for-profit so happy to pass along. Thanks
@@GrassRootsGarage Ok. Will do.
What a story ,such a beautifully presented, unique piece of Australian automotive/ motorshort history. I have always been a G.M. man ,I purchased a '72 August Bathurst GTR XU1. My biggest regret was selling the vehicle in the early '90s with 50,000 miles on the clock. How I wish Evan Green hadn't written that article and the GTHO phase 4 & the GTR XU2 could have gone head to head, especially when Conrod Straight was just that ,a straight!!. Paul is such a humble guy, and there couldn't be a better custodian for this fantastic priceless vehicle.
One of the very best cars ever made🤓🤓
Agreed! Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Love to see a part 3 of this story.
Hopefully coming soon 🤙
True survivor. I worked on the XF Falcon GT. It had a USA sourced fuel injected 5.0 and originally a 4 spd but we changed it out for a 5spd. We had a lot of problems with the breaks. They kept overheating and had such bad break fade it was almost impossible to stop. USA bosses didn't like it and the project was scrapped. We took the compliance plate off, pulled the engine, body kit removed except the front spoiler and debadged. It then got a re-compliance as a Fairmont with a highly worked 4.1, painted beige, steal wheels and Fairmont interior and sold to the Australian Government in 1987. It fell into private hands in 1994 till 1999 when it was traded and presumed scrapped as that's the last record of it.
Really enjoyed the live history of past that will never be repeated or matched today....
love the cedorol slacks :)
Great job guys,well put together. Thanks to you Paul for letting the rest of us enjoy your wonderful car’s history, so great that is in such great care👏👍
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I appreciate your support.
And who had the last laugh 😂😂 he was so right well done 👍👍
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
There's something about coming across such an amazing a car like this 'by accident'. It's a great story in an of itself, irrespective of being a Ford or Holden fan - it is just a great piece of automotive history. When the history of the car unfolds it feels like winning the lottery. These are the stories that we all remember as 'car people' and which inspire us. I doubt there will be any more stories like this being created now as the days of such specials are long gone. It is the stuff of legend.
A couple of decades ago I was looking for a BMW 635CSi with a manual transmission. I came across one advertised in country NSW that was said to be Australian Delivered, so I negotiated a price and bought it sight unseen due to the location. The seller delivered it to a relative's place near Lithgow. When I finally got to see it the 635 was Euro 'lightweight' spec (no power seats etc) and I was a bit annoyed, thinking I had been had. Still, it was in excellent condition so I wasn't too upset after thoroughly going over the car. Confusingly it had a genuine BMW Aus compliance plate and all the correct factory documentation which matched the seller's claim it was Australian delivered. The 635 had a very unusual chassis number though that started with E24 RA2 - then just a two digit number, rather than the usual VIN. These chassis numbers were usually reserved for the shells destined to become 635 race cars. After much research it turned out the vehicle was brought into Aus by BMW as an R&D vehicle that had been built up on one of those shells, after which it was driven by a BMW exec. It somehow then 'escaped' onto the open market rather than being sent back or crushed. A friend now has the car in his collection of BMWs that includes some other rare cars.
The story of the 635 is nothing compared to this Phase IV, but I'll never forget the excitement of uncovering the 635s history so I can imagine how owning the XA must feel.
Cracker story, that 635 was certainly a lucky find!
We love each and every person's pride & joy & the story behind them
I'm a Holden man myself. But have a huge regard for the Ausi Falcons. Some of the models were and still are just something else. My second boss as an apprentice restored an XY V8 Fairmont. As a 351 4sp GT tribute car.i still have some photos today..
Love your phase 1V story....!!!!
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
When i was a teenager a 72 gtho 351, was around my neighbourhood. Desperately wanted one, then a year later i saw a jaguar xj6 4.2. With dunlop aquajet radials. Which was my first ever car. Still haven't owned a Ford lol. Great car. Probably worth a zillion
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
You're such a gentleman!
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
My first car was an XA hotted up beast, not a GT. But it was admired by all my friends and impressed the ladies. My name is very close to Paul's so this story gives me goose bumps and good memories.
Such a great story. I really like the original colour and hood from the pics tho. But everyone is different and it is still a beautiful car!
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
If I could turn back time!
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Thank You so much! for showing this masterpiece of Australian automotive history! So happy!
Thanks for the kind words mate!
Enough to bring a happy tear to the eyes for any car & especially FORD fan. Keep preserving the history mate...thanks!!!
Amazing. Great car and great show.
A stunning Australian Muscle Car. Congratulations.❤❤
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Thank you so much Paul, I always heard one came off the production line and for you to now show it means a lot to Australian motor racing. My Dad drove a Mini Cooper S for NSW highway patrol and he had a lot of stories about chasing Ford GT-HO cars.
A great storey of an iconic car shrouded in mystic. Thanks for sharing Paul.
Thanks for watching and commenting
Great videos. So lucky that the car is owned by this man and maintained in pristine condition. Thanks to all for sharing this special car.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Thankyou grassroots garage for the upload and thanks Paul for letting grassroots do a story on ur xagtho
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Great story, thanks for preserving it and sharing it
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Love seeing this. I was fortunate enough to see this car at Lahood,s. I realised the significance of the car but being a young fella could not afford to buy. Glad to see it has gone to a good home
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
It's great to see these classic cars loved 😍
This is so amazing, so happy to hear the story behind the legend, great work guys and he is indeed the perfect person to be looking after this rare marvel.
FANTASTIC...Thanks for Sharing
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
How amazing this bloke and his collection ford forever we are all envious mate great stuff
THANKYOU for showing us the real deal Always loved the GT Falcons Brings back memeories of peering throught the showroom windows wanting to get one when I get my licence !!! Cheers
Thanks for watching and the comment mate!!! It really helps us out.
Love your diplomacy Paul - “There’s a lot of cars that have got a lot of ah.. sort of bodg.. oh well, doubtful history to them” 😂
He ain’t lying 😂
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
I was there and they just wouldn't have it. Then came John Howard. And the rest is history.
amazing, best looking gt ford ever built i reckon
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
What a beautiful Machine thanks for a great story.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
What a generous man Paul is.
I had seen this car for sale at Lahoods on the stands for sale in 1978 ! for 20k I was a first year apprentice earning $50 a week then I clearly remember going down the road to another car yard to look at a Wild violet XA GT for $2700. How time goes by.🤔
For Sure, if only we could go back in a time machine! lol
Amazon piece of motoring history! Loved this pt 1 & 2.
Hi Paul thank you for sharing your beautiful car to us.I have a 1.18 scale of your car from classic collectables and totally love it ,thank you for sharing your stories cheers Marc
Thanks Marc for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
i can relate going to darlinghurst at midnight, just to get the morning papers, not for the reasons others may think.. 👍
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
great to see someone keeping the history of that time alive she is a beautiful car i had a XA superbird coupe wish i could of kept it such good cars solid can't wait for next instalment
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Very enjoyable to hear the car's story, supported by paperwork too. Awesome stuff.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Well done Paul, very nice and thanks for sharing it with us all.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Always an informative ep and the Custodians of these cars should get a pat on the back
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
love the history want to see more . thankyou guys much appreciated ...
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Another enjoyable episode. Thank you for sharing the cars story. Please look into those front guards, regarding whether theyve been either pumped out, or the inner lip has been turned up.(from the factory)
Thanks Again.
Filming again next week I'll have an answer soon 🤙
Awesome Ep guys I’m spewing it ended could watch Paul talk all day thanks.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Great story we are very lucky this man has the time money and the passion Wow
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I'd give my left nut to own this car! I have owned a Collipso green Gt for the last 32 years. Currently pulled down for the 2nd resto i've done, i need this phase 4 to remember how to put my XA GT back together lol.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Wow thanks for sharing what a great story. Love your work..
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
This is such a cool story
There was footage many years ago of a red GT with a BP sticker on the doors said at the time to be a phase 4 rallying in a very dusty road looking like back of NSW somewhere. Allegedly rallied into the ground, two were written off and one remained somewhere.
That’s what I recall back some 30 years ago. Any truth?
Apparently not but try find the chooky flapn around the dirt road it is a very memorable sound and something some of us use to do.
Regards Ken
Hi Ken yes the 3rd of the 3 "race car GTHO's" was a rally car
Thank you for sharing. Incredible car and Incredible story.
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Bloody fantastic! Thanks!
Great stuff really looking forward to the next episode
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Love it from new Zealand
Thanks for watching mate!!! Team GRG
yeah paul i'm in a simalar position with my car it's a 2009 xr6 with paper work from ford saying it's one of one that fpv done the engine the suspension and fpv 19 inch rims appricate the content as i'm a ford man myself cheers paul for showing us your cars derrick
thanks so much for the comment mate!!!!!
Stunning. Thankyou for sharing
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Such a great car!
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Great show
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Just wonderful. Thank you for a wonderful interview & doco to date.
Thanks for watching mate
Killer episode, as always!
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Am I the only one that's just as impressed by his Phase 3??
It was rumoured that surplus HO engines ended up in ZF or ZG Fairlanes...Sold off to the public...Shame the XY GTHO Prototype before the phase 4 has never been seen in public...But thats another story...
Complete with detuned factory 2 barrel haha!! What a waste!!
Never let the truth get in the way off a good story
Always 👍👍
this is cool!
I am told Bruce Hodgson used to run a GTHO in the ARC. I never saw it in the bush but it would have been a hoot.
When I was making the exhaust system on this car , I was thinking how lucky I was too to working on the most iconic car in Australian history.
You did awesome work
Great story
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Brilliant ❤❤❤
Thanks for the kind words, Paul & I Appreciate your support.
Please include some specs in the next installment. Include not just performance specs but how it differed from the Phase 3.
Hi mate had a chat to Paul this week and your comment is the one that really resonated. hopefully much more on this soon 👍
Wild how you say GT HO and Bathurst