A CHANCE meeting in a supermarket aisle landed 19-year-old Maddy Potter behind the wheel of a classic Ford Mustang.
What started as a conversation in the supermarket between her father Bruce and an old friend soon escalated into the purchase of a red-hot 1965 Ford Mustang Coupe for the teenager.
It was two years ago that Mr Potter bumped into the vehicle’s former owner while collecting the weekly groceries.
“We were just having a chat about cars and he said he recently just sold a car he had,” he said.
“I knew he had another one so I asked him about it while he bent down to pick his cereal.
“Maddy was with me at the time and she immediately knew she wanted it as soon as she found out it was a Mustang.”
Mr Potter negotiated with the owner to purchase the vehicle that day.
“We agreed on a price and I told him we would be at his place in 30 minutes for a test drive,” he said.
“If Maddy liked it and it all cleared out we would get it.
“He kept asking me whether I was serious or not, but I was.”
After a long stint predominantly in storage, times have changed for the Mustang under Maddy’s ownership.
“All of Maddy’s friends and her brother Mitchell and his friends have learnt to drive in the Mustang,” Mr Potter said.
“We thought it was something to be shared and something to be enjoyed and it is exactly the way we have treated since we have had it.”
Maddy is also the proud owner of a 1966 XR Ford Falcon 500 station wagon, which Mr Potter believes was inspired by the Mustang in some ways.
“When you look at both of them it is pretty easy to see, the hips, the bonnet and everything is very similar,” he said.
“They go quite well together.”
Mr Potter said the Mustang was not often driven outside the Limestone Coast.
“Another funny thing, Maddy’s mum loves to drive it every chance she gets,” he said.
“Before we had this car, she had shown no interest in cars whatsoever, but after the slightest indication of a car run she wants to drive it.”
Previously only owning Holdens and Chevrolets, Mr Potter said he never knew how great Ford was until Maddy convinced him to purchase one.
“I have barely owned a Ford my whole life but now our driveway is full of them,” he said.
Mr Potter said he had worked with his children Mitchell and Maddy on cars together for many years.
Although unsure why the Mustang appealed to her, Maddy said it was still a popular car.
“I do not particularly just like Ford, I like Holden as well,” she said.
“It is like a luxury to drive.”
SPECIFICATIONS:
Converted to right-hand drive
ENGINE: Originally fitted with a 289 Ford Small Block V8. Now fitted with a Ford 5.0 302 Windsor. Complemented by twin exhaust system.
TRANSMISSION: Ford C4 three-speed, medium-duty automatic transmission
COLOUR: Nissan code c red
INTERIOR: Original Mustang pony parchment vinyl interior
WHEELS: Australian-designed 15-inch
