I found this on another site..... I really hope he makes it huh.
When I was a little Kid,
I thought that my Dad
was something like Superman.
I knew that he couldn’t fly or run faster than a train, but I honestly believed that nothing could hurt him.
My Dad was that straight up,
1970/80’s Aussie Dad.
That lawn mowing, fix anything, hard working family man, plain and simple.
Working all week as a civvy for the Army and on the farm each night and every weekend at the local Esso servo make end meet
After saving everything he could, for what I’m sure seemed like forever.
My Dad was finally able to afford his Dream car...
A beautiful white 1972 four door HQ GTS Monaro, with 2 big black stripes on the bonnet and boot and what I thought were black shark gills on the guards...
It was Dad’s Monaro, his Pride & Joy...
But it was still our family car.
For years it was the car that Dad drove to us to school in and took to work every day.
The car towed the trailer to the tip on the weekends and what Mum took to go food shopping every week.
When I was around 8 years old,
I remember being at home
for school holidays and after doing, whatever, all day, I was sitting in the lounge watching the afternoon cartoons.
I remember Mum wondering why
‘Dad’s not home from work yet...?’
Not long after, Out the lounge room window, I saw Dad walk up the driveway.
As he walked in the front door, Mum asked him “Where’s the car..?”
Without saying a word, Dad dropped his work bag and fell to his knees...
Then, for the first time
in my young life,
I saw My Dad break...!!!
My Superman, had just found his Kryptonite.
With more tears rolling down his cheeks than I ever thought possible, he explain to Mum how he was driving home from work when he got to the roundabout in the middle of town.
A lady entering the roundabout from Dad’s right hand side, brakes had failed in her little black Celica.
Unable to slow down or stop, she
T-Bone the Monaro and both cars were complete Write-offs but
“Thankfully, No-one was Hurt badly”
I don’t recall much after that moment, I was probably in shock after finding out that Superman can be beaten.
I do remember being very upset and vowing to walk everywhere I needed to go, when Dad came home a week later with a piece of crap,
atomic orange, four door VH Valiant saying “it’s all we could afford”.
About 10 years ago I had found a photo online of the exact same type of white 1972 four door HQ GTS Monaro, with 2 big black stripes on the bonnet and boot, and saved it on my phone.
Not long after, I was scrolling through the photos on my phone, trying to show something to Dad.
As I scrolled past the photo of the Monaro on my phone, Dad yelled
“Hey, go back”
“That’s my Car..!!!”
I knew at that moment that it was on loss he had never gotten over.
It was my plan from that moment, to do what every I had to, to fill the hole in his heart.
The plan was to get it done for his 75th birthday, and at 67, I still had plenty of time to get it done...
Then comes two weeks ago,
when we find out that
My Superman has another weakness,
Stage 4 Pancreatic and Liver Cancer.
The Doctors have give us between
2 and 10 months before we lose him.
So, the 8 years I had to build and give my Dad back a replica of his Monaro, has just reduced to 8 weeks at worst, or possibly 8 months, if we’re lucky.
In the past 2 weeks, I have managed to get a shell but, I have a lot of work ahead and no time to do it...
Although a pile of cash laying around to get all the bit and pieces that I’m going to need would be perfect, sadly it’s something I do not have.
I am only able to work 3 days a week at the moment after my amazing little 3yo son was diagnosed with Autism so cash is tight to say the least...
That said, I will do whatever is needed to get this done before Christmas...
I have to...!!!
My hope is that there may be some of you out there, that might have some bits a pieces laying around that might be able to help me out with...!?!
I will pay what I can when I can but donations would mean the world...
I’m not looking to build a ShowCar by any stretch, just need to make it look like My Dad’s car.
I am happy with buying RareSpares flutes, and quarters repair panels, happy to use old parts not good enough for full resto use, anything is going to help.
I’m so scared,
I’m living with a constant feeling that my time is so short, that I should just cut flutes in the guards with a grinder and paint straight over the rust to get it done yesterday,
but I will just keep going as hard as I can, to make it a good as possible by Christmas.
So........
If you are out there and can see it in your heart to help me make the dream come true, Please, PLEASE,
shoot me a message.
Any help would be greatly received, parts, labour, services, anything that would help...
Already got a GTS interment cluster, grill badge and Going to pick up a replacement floor from HOLDENT tomorrow.
Planning a trip to Mansfield over the weekend to hopefully sort out a couple of doors, a boot lid, bonnet, wishbones, stub axles, plus some other odds & ends from a couple of half stripped shells I have tracked down.
As well as buy the quarter repair bits and flutes from RARESPARES...
Got a friend that is willing to loan me a pair of Monaro buckets and a set of GTS wheels until after Dad leaves us but from there, I’m short everything else...
If you can help me in any way, please let me know...
And if not, please at least,
wish me luck, I’m going to need it.
Than x for taking the time to read this...
Best wishes for the silly season to all and Stay safe.
Joel Farrall
Ps. F#€K YOU CANCER...!!!
