First published in the February 2005 issue of Street Machine

David Bowden is one of Australia’s most significant motoring collectors, with a penchant for muscle cars. A fact you’re left in little doubt of when you spy the highly prized 1955 Mercedes Benz SL300 Gullwing, ultra-rare Le Mans 427 Tunnel Port engine and legendary 427 SOHC that adorn his office entrance.

Some time ago, David had a vision of resurrecting the heritage of Australian Touring Car racing. This vision has seen him amass Australia’s most prestigious collection of historically significant racecars and muscle cars, along with other worldwide collectables. We had a chat with him to see how it all started and what makes him tick.

Was the Phase IV the car that kicked all this off for you?

No, not really. The Phase IV came into my possession much later — I got it from Keith Goodhall in Townsville, 1974. I’m basically a hot rodder. Back in 1960, Rod Foote and I built twin ’32 Ford Roadsters. I was only an apprentice mechanic and although mine ran a supercharged engine, magneto and all that, Rod’s car was much better. It was a very famous car, winning Best Hot Rod in Australia. I acquired Rod’s car (pictured below) in 1990 it and it’s undergoing a full restoration to debut at the 2005 Hot Rod Nationals.

What happed to your rod?

When I was living in Sydney, selling trucks, my parents sold the car because they thought it was the right thing to do — it broke my heart, I’ve never got over that. It ended up basically getting wrecked and sold off in parts. So I’ve never been able to get it back.

So you’ve been into Fords from the beginning?

Even before the Phase IV, I’d owned a number of HOs and been playing with Fords for 15 years. From hot rods I got into Zephyrs, which I started to drag race. A friend, Peter Drainey, and I were heavily involved in Brisbane’s illegal street drags. We used to like foxing with other competitors: we’d let them beat us a few times, then we’d race them for money and take the dough off ’em!

You’ve owned a few HO Falcons, then?

I used to buy Phase IIIs for the caravan yard, then I’d resell them as car and caravan packages. It was bloody terrible with the close-ratio ’box — a lot of people used to burn out the clutches in no time. But people loved doing it. When Ford released the Bathurst Globes, I ordered 20 sets for my customers. We’d put the Globes on the cars and the five-slots onto the ’vans.

How many HOs do you reckon have passed through your hands?

Ohhh, I’ve probably had around six Phase IIs and I’ve bought and sold about 28 Phase IIIs. I loved the Phase III because they’re one of the few cars whose resale value has never dropped below the sticker price. I’d never owned a Phase I until I bought Moffat’s car [61D, SM, Dec ’04] five years ago.

When did you start thinking about Fords in terms of their heritage?

When you’re young, you’re really not thinking that far forward; you’re simply not that smart. But I really loved them as cars with a soul. And when I got the Phase IV it was virtually straight from the Ford factory. The gearbox used to snick beautifully and the motor was gorgeous, and I thought: ‘How good is this?’ It changed my opinion. I dropped out of hot rods and bombed-up things. I thought I just had to have good stuff.

You must be happy that your boys have decided to follow in your footsteps?

Oh, yes it’s fantastic. It would have been easy for them to have gone either way. But we’re a very committed family; even our dogs are named Shelby and Cobra. Both boys are just as passionate and knowledgeable as myself. Dan [31] races a 1973 Carrera RS Porsche in the local Queensland Porsche club series, while Chris [28] runs a 1963 American Falcon Sprint in a class designed for pre-’73 touring cars. Both boys have developed their own side of the business in the form of the Bowden’s Own range of car care products.

Do you think there are still plenty of muscle cars out there?

Absolutely. By and large people are looking after them more, it’s just that you don’t see them like you used to. Over time, new cars have become so good to drive, the old ones get left at home more often. Another element is that at times many were not worth a hell of a lot of money second-hand, so from time to time quite a few would have been wrecked for parts.

Was it hard financing the collection?

I’ve worked bloody hard over the years but I’ve also had a hell of a lot of fun along the way. Luckily, being a successful commodity trader has allowed me to make enough money to buy and maintain a number of very special cars. There are 80 in the collection now — we haven’t sold one in 15 years. Don’t have to: we don’t owe anything on anything.

Favourite cars, drive cars?

The longer you’ve had something the more you become attached to it and I respect them for different reasons. The hot rod, Phase IV and the Gullwing mean a lot to me, while I also recognise how good Moffat’s Trans Am Mustang is. But if I had to nominate one car I’d say I’m a little more attached to Pete Geoghegan’s Super Falcon. I still own my two drive cars; SO TUFF [a green, genuine XY GT] and a ’65 Mustang convertible. Although not a Phase III, SO TUFF is a ripper of a car with its wide guards, angry engine and Detroit Locker that goes bang, bang, bang! I also love my black EB GT. I even enjoy driving the RS Carrera — probably the most serious of all the road-registered vehicles in the collection. Pauline [David’s wife of 34 years] has always driven 911 Porsches.

Jumping forward, what do you see as being the collectible cars in 20 years’ time?

You’d think these GT Falcons and HSVs they’re putting out; the best of them, that is. The trouble is, they go backwards for about 20 years — it takes this long for them to begin to appreciate. I definitely feel the 993 Turbo Porsche and the MkI Mazda MX5 will be collectables in the future.