My first car

My first car wasa 1964 XM Ford Falcon Deluxe 170 Pursuit. The 1964 XM was an important vehicle in Australia as it was the first to benefit from Australian engineering input after the original American-designed Falcon proved too fragile. This began an engineering tradition until Ford Australia ceased car manufacturing in 2016.

Significant changes were made to the Ford Falcon models between 1960 XK and 1964 XM. The new design included a stronger front end with heavy-duty suspension, improved rear leaf sprints and mounts, upgraded shock absorbers, stronger rear axles, additional noise insulation for both the engine and body, and self-adjusting hydraulic drum brakes. The engines were also upgraded to higher power with bigger carburettors. Additionally, a smoother and more durable three-speed manual transmission was developed. However, my car had a two-speed automatic transmission.

I bought my car in 1980 for $300, which was a lot of money for a poor student like me at that time. A year later, I sold it for $180, and now I wonder how much it might be worth today.