The Falcon XB was sold by Ford Australia from 1973 to 1976 and was the second iteration of the third generation of this Australian made model.

This much sort after GT version of this model Falcon is owned by Milton Ulladulla Vintage and Classic Car Club members Julie and Greg Hoy.

Greg has been a Falcon GT enthusiast since his early days watching the annual battle of the titans at the Bathurst tin-top car races.

It became an obsession 45-years-ago when he saw Goss and Bartlett snatch victory from the pursuing Holden Torana SL/R5000 L34 as they crossed the finish line in their blue Ford XA GT Falcon - that someday he'd own a GT Falcon of the XA, B or C genre.

It was 42-years on, in September 2016, that his dream finally came true, unexpectantly and by chance.

Julie's son Brett heard about an XB GT from a workmate that was in a collection and for sale.

Knowing of Greg's quest for the holy grail - the chase was on.

They tracked the car down on a property in suburban Merrylands - it was a manual four-speed, Greg's ultimate spec, and had been sitting waiting for Greg to find it for 20 odd years.

The original Ford operator's manual was sitting in the glove box and disclosed the purchase by the original owner from Finnie Ford Sylvania on April 24 1975 - to J. Favalore, also of Sylvania.

However, nothing is known of its whereabouts in the intervening years before it came to rest at Merrylands.

Upon close inspection, the compliance plate read it was a GT manufactured in April 1975.

However, it wasn't running and there was a mountain of work to be undertaken, there was obviously some of the usual sections where the metal white ants had been feeding, but in all it was a 'solid' car that hadn't been scalped for parts.

Julie had always been a Holden Torana fan, a petrol-head and a lover of Australia's own, with a bias towards the red team, but also had a soft-spot for Henry's GTs, plus she also wanted Greg to fulfil his dream.

So, after some negotiations with the owner on a good figure, they consummated a satisfactory deal.

The GT was now sitting in the Hoy's garage and the next step was, where to start?

Greg thought it essential to see if the engine would turn over and upon motor mechanic son Brett's advice - the sparkplugs were removed, enabling a mixture of light-grade oil and turps to be squirted into the cylinders - the sump drained and refilled with the same cocktail.

Greg was then able to put a spanner on the front of the crankshaft pulley bolt, and then with much trepidation, the engine turned freely.

During the next couple of weeks, the sump was filled with Penrite oil, new plugs and leads installed, water pump and belts replaced, the four-barrel Holley carburettor back from being overhauled was fitted, the radiator flushed before a dose of Liquid Intelligence - then with a turn of the ignition key sparking the new battery, the engine awoke like Sleeping Beauty from its 20-year slumber.

Yes, that V8 exhaust burble was like music to Greg's and Julie's ears.

It was November 2017 and the bodywork was next, on the to-do list.

A new rear dog-leg and sill-panel grafted on and repainted original yellow haze as well as some other body panels' paintwork freshened up. It was a long wait, as the panel beater/painter was fitting their job in between other bigger jobs in order to keep the cost down.

It was March 2018 before they bailed the GT out of the panel shop, and wheels were next on the menu.

It came with 14x7-inch 12-slot wheels, but the duo, knowing 15x7-inch Bathurst Globe alloys were a factory option, thought they would complement the look, style and era of their GT.

Ford only ever offered the Bathurst Globes from the factory or through its dealers in 15x7-inch as fitment to several Falcon models.

The first batch went on XYs. The second batch were obtainable as an option (Factory Option 54) for fitment to XBs.

They were fitted as standard equipment to all of the 400 XC Cobras and also as standard on XD ESP models.

Globe products originally named them Daytona because they looked like the wheels fitted on a Ferrari Daytona - from where the design was 'inspired'.

However, with their introduction to the Australian motoring public and association with, the 1972 Bathurst race on Allan Moffat's XY GTHO Phase-3 Falcon, they became almost universally known as 'Bathurst Globes' - with the Daytona association largely forgotten.

The 44-year old still has some work in order to complete a full restoration but it's now registered and they can finally enjoy the ride on club runs.