Should this ORIGINAL SURVIVOR car stay POVO SPEC or get an upgrade?

Uncle Leos Ep3 - Apologies for the break in the uploads. I have to say, miniscule viewing numbers does get a little tiring after a while. What is it I need to do you think to at least get my subscribers to watch?
Anyway, this time I'm back to see Illias at his Port Melbourne workshop where he does the day to day stuff alongside working on classic cars, both his own and others. In this video he's found himself a 1982 XE Ford Falcon that looks the same as the one he had as a first car. This is an original survivor car that's showing his age but Illias has a dilemma on his hands. Does he restore it to replicate his Fairmont or leave it original as a poverty spec GL.
Dave's Classic Garage Tours visits to classic auto workshops featuring cars from the veteran to RADwood eras & including car restoration, rebuilds, repairs and restomods to anything from Aussie V8s, American muscle cars, Euro exotics, JDM, your coveted everyday runabout and more. If it's built before 1999, there's every chance I'll film it.
My name is Dave and I simply l love old cars and visiting workshops to chat to the people working on them. Added to that, I devour car content on youtube so I thought I'd join in and make some myself.
Hopefully you might like to come along for the journey as well.
Dave's Classic Garage Tours (DCGT) is on many of the socials
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Thanks to the Illias as always for letting me pop by and have a nose about

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

The channel would really appreciate your comments guys - good or bad. KZbin works by promoting videos that are appreciated and they do that by looking at your watch time, likes and comments. The more there are the more KZbin will think others might like it and promote it to them. So please, give us a 👍 and drop a comment. Many many thanks

[@GODEES77]

Good content will always generate chatter (comments). Not a fan of some of the cars you show, but I find them interesting all the same. Like I tell my kids “don’t hate something you’ve never tried or seen”

[@allanpower8041]

Brings back good memories. My girst car was a 79 XD Falcon.

[@nicholasgamble7475]

Keep it GL. It's nostalgia!

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@GrandThriftAuto]

I'm with you Dave - another vote for keeping it as a Falcon GL. What a great example! On the viewing numbers - if I knew the answer I'd be doing it. Keep the faith though.

[@pgilb70]

Had an XE on gas 300000km . Was awesome-never had much work on it. Bulletproof.

[@chrisF351]

Beautiful XE you have there mate👍

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

He sure does.

[@chrisF351]

@@davesclassicgaragetours also that ZK sportsman or classic in front of the 55 caddy is also beautiful 👍

[@bossesp351xe8]

Upgrade everything from GL to Fairmont level. Build it back to your first car you have good memories and an emotional connection too. Even if you decide the XE to remain as a GL, still swap it up to 4.1 inline six, especially if you have an EFI version already in waiting. Nice find and I will be following this build too. Good and interesting content on your channel.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

Thanks for your comments. Hope you continue to enjoy watching the channel

[@johnkirkilis34]

What an amaizing surviving XE GL FORD. That's what you call a true survivor. Glad it's gone to the right owner to preserve the car and keep original the way it left the factory ❤.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

We’ll see. Up in the air at the moment

[@daniellebcooper7160]

Theyre only original once. Nice find.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@robbanks3891]

Keep it original!

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@SuperDolemite1]

you got my interest 😃Im enjoy watching them but wondering Are you sick of doing vlogs on old falcons yet.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

There's over a hundred videos on the channel, most aren't Falcons. Just wish my Aussie viewers would watch Alfas and Austins so the algorithm didn't think the content was crap and therefore not promote it more.

[@kimbo167]

Keep as original GL. Great find. Well done 👍

[@michaelgaraway5532]

I have a 1984 xe falcon 4.1 auto iam the 3rd owner it power steer but ac it was in near perfect condition with no rust it was owned by an old man for 29 years then a young guy then I bought it .I have had it for 10 years

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

Oooh is it povo spec as well? Might need to get these two beauties together.

[@GODEES77]

Do the Fairmont upgrade. As he said it’s rust free, where as if he was to do a Fairmont with another one there will be rust to fix. He wants to relive a time in his life so I say go for it

[@denisovanhybrid9610]

Exactly. It needs the Fairmont power steering! The manual steering in those base models was hideous..

[@GODEES77]

@@denisovanhybrid9610 turning circle of the queen mary

[@NathanNostaw]

And down the line it could be returned to original if the value leads that way.

[@douglasamills]

You would wanna fix the rust growing between the bootlid frame glue and skin in some spots before it comes out the other side. Very lucky find of a xe.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

Did you see some coming through?

[@douglasamills]

@@davesclassicgaragetours look around the glue spots under the skins a common spot .

[@elitecol69]

The batteries never used to explode because of the small earth lmao that's total nonsense. They did swell and leak when used as a taxi running all day and boiling the acid out of the cells though, that was common, battery trays always rusted out.

[@GODEES77]

I’ve seen a lot of them leak too, but I have seen one arc out and explode too. I remember a taxi coming into my battery shop and it was almost round haha. Over the years I’ve seen a lot of batteries explode in vehicles, but generally because of extreme conditions or neglect

[@vincentfitzpatrick6500]

Keep it GL original.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@danielbrown4133]

Keep it original!! The only thing I'd do is a crank and rods swap to 4.1. The 3.3 is rather gutless (my brother had a 3.3 and you could get out and walk faster).

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

This I like the sound of. Plus power steering. Who’s to know?

[@danielbrown4133]

@@davesclassicgaragetours Not a hard thing to do on them.

[@CD-gu6kf]

Keep it original GL although swap out the 3.3 for a 393 Cleveland to really get it going

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

Leave it a GL but add power steering.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@graemeburr6463]

I'd leave it original but perhaps install power steer. For example look at all the Xa's that have been GT cloned so it's now a real pleasure to see a bone stock poverty model and it will turn more heads than some tricked up car at car shows in the future. Same goes for HQ's that have been "Chevy v8'd. Then again it's his car and I understand his reasoning for wanting to "Fairmont it".

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

Power steering is definitely happening. It's just a question of whether it gets an upgrade to Fairmont spec.

[@NathanNostaw]

Makes me wish I kept my folks old XD LTD. We got it in the 90s from family friends in mint condition and low KMs. Had so many fancy details like electric windows and sunroof. Us kids/teens felt like VIPs in the back seat with the reading lights, cig lighters, huge legroom, plush velour seats and electric windows. I think we even had the Venetian back window shade. I doubt the folks would have gotten more than $500 when we sold it mid 90s. If only we could have stored it, though no-one thought they would ever be worth anything, much like my dad's old worthless rust free good paint and panel HQ and HR Holden's. :)

[@Nocabishanienty75]

You know he’s going Fairmont 100%

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

He might be swayed

[@phil4977]

Keep it original

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@TheTigerQuoll]

You can tell by the square box designs all around the world like the Falcon XD,Fox body Mustangs etc when early computer aided design programs were taken up by Ford divisions.

[@chrisF351]

Its a GL, I'd keep it as a GL but most likely put a clevo in it

[@glennhamnett627]

Leave it as a falcon GL

[@GRIFF351]

when are you doing an update on the red xe esp at grand tourer

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

Back at GT with a fresh lick of paint before Xmas I’m told

[@clayauslewis4236]

Definitely keep it as original as possible. Bang for buck is important, spend where you'll get the greatest increase in value. $5K max It'll probably appreciate at better than inflation. It's not a top pf the range or high spec unit. Can't make a silk purse etc etc! Pouring big money would be a total waste.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

As Illias points out, he’s either got the bits or he’ll get them off a Fairmont donar car coming his way in the next fortnight. It’s his decision of course but I suspect a lot more people would connect with a lowly survivor GL at a show or cars and coffee than a faked Fairmont.

[@rogeralbans4082]

Wouldn't there be a spec below the GL in that XE Falcons came out as fleet/taxi with vinyl seats, rubber floor mat.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

Thank you Roger, my thoughts exactly, that’s why I asked if there was an L or something similar.

[@rogeralbans4082]

@@davesclassicgaragetours I believe base spec is just Falcon.

[@benni727]

if ya find a decent way to restore the factory wheels can you do a video. I have a 393 xe gl wagon but I want to run factory gl wheels

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

I'll get onto Illias and find out but I reckon a template will be made up using the surviving spray on squares and then replicate it to each quarter.

[@johndouglas1848]

Fairmont or S Pack look a like with power steer and nice wheels.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

Plenty of Fairmonts and S Paks doing the rounds of car shows but when was the last time you saw a mint GL?

[@darrelgarard7014]

they are only original once.to alter that would do that lovely original vehicle a disservice.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

As Illias says, bumpers definitely need seeing to but I reckon the best buff n polish will Brian’s that paint back to near factory with a couple of touch ups here and there.

[@vigilante351]

Yeah - look i think you might need to research the car you're showcasing a bit more before doing interviews. The Ford Falcon never had a V-style motor (as a 6cyl) , and there was never an L-series here in Australia. Love the cars - just need more accuracy when producing a video.

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

Umm thanks for that. The idea is for me, and hopefully overseas viewers, to learn from the experts. Also, I don’t know what I’m about to encounter. I’m just told, Dave, I’ve got something interesting in that you might like and I skiddaddle along. This ain’t Top Gear

[@scotthunterwebster6974]

Original

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@SuperDolemite1]

I would leave the car as a survivor

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@benni727]

don't fairmont or s pack it, leave it povo spec

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@jb7591]

Foulcan

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

Holden lover?

[@jb7591]

focus on the quality of your videos@@davesclassicgaragetours

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

What do you suggest is wrong with them? I'm genuinely interested to hear your thoughts@@jb7591

[@GRIFF351]

leave it original

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@ehm179]

Keep it original

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go

[@lukeduke3001]

Original

[@davesclassicgaragetours]

That's the way I'd go