2025 AFD Highlight - 1978 XC Fairmont ‘Melford Special’

With 2025 marking 100 years since the foundation of Ford Australia, this year’s edition of the annual All Ford Day in Geelong was the biggest in the event’s 34-year history.

Ford owners and fans came from as far away as Queensland to be a part of a show that featured Aussie-made Falcons, Fairlanes and FPVs in abundance, along with plenty of American Fords, English Fords, and Ford-based hot rods.

Even with more than 1,600 cars on display, this year’s All Ford Day featured one-off cars, like this XC Fairmont sedan.

Introduced in July, 1976, the XC Falcon was the second and final update of the XA platform that had been launched four years earlier. Front end changes defined the XC against the XB, with square headlights introduced for the Fairmont, giving it an immediate point of difference over the Falcon.

Doors taken from the ZH Fairlane flattened out the “hip” over the rear, with less chrome and more painted exterior parts.

Fairmonts were available in sedan, wagon and hardtop body styles, as well as standard or GXL form; the latter being a watered down replacement - of sorts - for the Falcon GT.

In May, 1978, a mid-cycle upgrade saw some minor changes made, suspension improved, and the ‘Blue Oval’ Ford badge added to the grille – a first for the Falcon and the first for any Australian Ford since 1940.

Late in 1978, with the all-new XD Falcon only a few months away, the XC range was getting harder to sell. That may explain why some dealerships dressed up cars to generate more showroom traffic. Notable examples of this include several XC sedans that were mocked up to look like XC Cobra hardtops, but the dealer special pictured here is believed to be unique.

Created by Melford Ford, a Melbourne-based dealership that was one of the biggest in the country, the XC Fairmont shown here left the Broadmeadows factory finished in Desert Gold metallic and Ochre/Saddle trim, with the 4.1-litre six and three-speed console automatic.

Melford’s additions included a half vinyl roof with faux landau bars, a sunvisor trimmed in the same brown vinyl, bumper overriders, headlight protectors, a passenger-side mirror, driver’s side weathershield and a set of Hotwire mags. Sports suspension and a heavy-duty towbar were also fitted, while inside, this Fairmont gained a cassette deck, air conditioning, power steering, a rear venetian blind and high-mount stoplight.

Loading the Fairmont with dealer-fitted accessories and unique exterior detailing worked – it sold and remained with the original owner for 27 years. It’s passed through a few owners since and is now on the market again.

Purchased by the current owner in June, 2021, this unique XC Fairmont still presents in very good condition, with 207,193km on the odometer at time of writing.

For sale at the All Ford Day, this unique classic Fairmont sedan was still available at time of writting. The asking price is $38,000 ono. For more details, call Mick on 0412 192 430.

To see JUST CARS’ report from the 2025 All Ford Day, click HERE.