'Mortal Engines' shows us what would happen if you could drive the city of London
The first non-teaser trailer for 'Mortal Engines' has been released, and it's something else.
8 June 2018
This museum-quality Galaxy is a reminder of Ford's golden age
By 
The year was 1964 and with the Australian economy in high gear. Ford stood poised with a range designed to match every buyer aspiration. From entry level Anglias and Cortinas to new Certified Gold Quality Falcons, a revised Fairlane and even the English Zephyr for those with the taste for the exotic. Ford shoppers for '64 were literally spoilt for choice. Ford had another ace up its sleeve that year, which was a return to form for a company whose reputation was forged on the back of big comfy cruisers with lazy V8 engines under hood. It was the glamorous new Galaxie.
When Len Nalder got wind of Ford's newcomer he made a bee-line to Bulok's Garage the local Ford agency in Beaudesert, just south of his native Brisbane. After all it had been a long time between drinks since the 'Tank' Fairlane departed the scene three years earlier, and with Len's Star model Customline up for renewal and business at his butcher shop ticking over nicely, Len was in the market for something special.
Thus, on the 22nd of January that year, Len received the keys to a brand spanking new Galaxie registered number NSN-426, making the return trip in the magnificent black beauty you see here. It was the beginning of a unique relationship between man and machine that today accounts for one of the nations true automotive survivors.
At $7,400 (or 3,700 quid in the old money), it was easily Ford's priciest offering and cost wise, on par with Mercs and Jags of the day, while the 390cid 'Big Block' Thunderbird mill Len ordered over the standard small block 289cid job gave this Galaxie the legs to outrun all but the most expensive European exotics, a fact no doubt lost on Len as he cruised the undulating environs of his Brisbane home.
Not that its likely Len did much of that judging by the 21,400 miles accumulated under his watch. Of course, with Len's butcher shop just a stones throw from home, the Galaxie's mileage was guaranteed to stay low. Even so the above figure equates to roughly 1,300 miles per year, the amount most cars cover in a month, confirming Henk's observation that Len reserved the car for special occasions.
In 1980 with his health now failing, Len sold the Galaxie to his old mate Henk, secure in the knowledge that his baby was in safe hands. Henk informs us that he had tried to buy the Galaxie some years earlier when the Brouwers were on the verge of buying a new Premier only to be told by Len's wife, Helan, that the Galaxie was not for sale. One small consolation was that Henk was welcome to use the Galaxie as a wedding car should he decide to tie the knot. It was an offer Henk had no qualms about taking up and indeed on 15th May, 1965 Henk and his beautiful bride marched down the aisle and out into the sunshine to be carried away on their journey together in this much cherished Ford.
Shortly after acquiring his dear friend's car, Len sadly passed away. Aware of the car's significance to both families and to generations to come, Henk established a journal chronicling the Galaxie and the lives and loves of all that came within its orbit. And what a fascinating document it is, an exhaustive compendium of names, places, occasions, of weddings and car shows with no occasion it seems having been omitted no matter how small.
There's a time line from day one written in Henk's neat hand with a photo of every event that the car attended plus a dossier of receipts for every dime spent on her. “This was done by Henk,” John tells us, “and I have continued it on.”
If you thought Len used the Galaxie frugally, Henk soon made his old mates conservatorial efforts seem downright reckless. Despite being the longest serving custodian, at 26 years, more than half the car's life, Henk covered barely 4,000 miles with most of them according to his handy journal being to family occasions such as weddings and maybe the occasional christening, but more likely to one of the myriad of car shows on the busy Queensland scene.
In 2006, feeling it was now time to hang up his driving gloves, Henk reluctantly advertised the Galaxie in Unique Cars magazine where it soon caught the eye of John McDonald from Traralgon, Victoria, who'd been scoping for a project Galaxie of the period to restore to new.
One look at the tiny ad in Unique Cars and any plans of a project soon went out the window. Wasting no time in putting his interest forward, John acquired the time warp Galaxie shortly afterwards but not before enduring a grueling cross-examination to ensure his 'suitability'. Having been approached by other philistine parties intent on 'rodding' the irreplaceable beauty, it seems Henk had no intentions of letting the Galaxie fall into the wrong hands and put John through the wringer before finally giving him the nod.
A Ford man from the year dot, John has proved a worthy custodian as the car's current mileage and condition will attest. Since its acquisition on 2nd May 2006, a scant 1,400 miles have been added, most of these being to shows of some kind or other where the Galaxie routinely walks away with best original or best un-restored, for which John has amassed yet another bag of trophies to the ones that came with the sale.
Gazing today upon the Galaxie's gleaming flanks one can only (which Henk attributes to a regular buffing with O-Cedar furniture polish) wonder at the loving devotion that has been lavished upon this cream puff over the decades. Everywhere you look simply reeks originality. For example, one little Survivor car gem, the 'Paint OK' stamped on the inner fender, succinctly understates the situation.
Opening the driver's door reveals a vision in red vinyl accompanied by a heady waft of new car aroma. The bench pews front and rear with their woven nylon fabric inserts picked out in silver piping, so evocative of early sixties Fords and here so exquisitely preserved, it's enough to take one's breath away. Even the keys with their matching Galaxie 500 fob are like new!
Under the bonnet and inside the boot appear as if they were just built yesterday with all the markings and associated details also in breathtaking nick. John points out that being a Queensland car, she was ordered without a heater or a radio for that matter, while seat belts were another modern convenience that have never been fitted.
More than a mere Survivor, John McDonald's Galaxie is a museum piece to be preserved at all cost. And nobody we can think of knows this more than John who tells us with great conviction that in an effort to preserve the car, he tries not to use her a lot. At the rate he is going, John's ride looks set for life. Who knows, perhaps in another 50 years there'll be a devoted Galaxie fan somewhere checking the mailbox and he, or she may have a little surprise in store.
Source: www.SurvivorCarAustralia.com.au
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