428 Cobra Jet-powered 1969 F100

We caught up with Tim Kemp and his custom big-block F100 at the recent Showcars Acland Street Father’s Day spectacular

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Photographers: Chris Thorogood

We fell in love with this 80s custom-style ’69 F100 as it pulled up to the Showcars Melbourne Acland Street Father’s Day spectacular. Owner Tim Kemp jumped out, gave it a quick detail and headed off to check out everything else on show in St Kilda. Luckily, he was pretty hard to miss, so we plucked him from the crowd later in the day for a chat.

This is a bad-arse truck, Tim! How long have you owned it?

I’ve only had this one for six or eight months. I’ve always liked the F100s, especially the 50s models, and I’d always wanted a big-block. This one came up, and I really loved the colour and the graphics. It’s got a big-block in it – a 428 Cobra Jet!

I’m not sure if it was imported like this, or who did the interior and the rest. The cloth on the seats, doors and headliner have been done with the same design, so it looks pretty cool. It’s got a custom fuel filler on the cab, which is pretty sexy, and even the tail-lights are all inset into the guards.

So, you bought it basically as-is?

I’ve done a little bit of work with it, namely replacing the headlights – the switch would get hot and they’d cut out. When you’re going around the corner in the dark, it’s a bit scary! I was going to muck around with installing relays and all that until a mate said, “Why not just put LEDs in it?” So, I did that, and we haven’t had a problem since. I do have to repair the heater core, as it’s leaking, but it drives nice. It gets 13 miles per gallon – right now, that’s about $42 per 100km.

And it’s up for sale now?

Yep. I’ve got seven cars, so I just go to a show, stick a ‘for sale’ sign on it, and if somebody wants it, I’ll move it on. Otherwise, I’ll just enjoy it! I do need to make some room in the shed, because right now the cars are encroaching into my man cave.

Have American cars always been your thing?

I’ve had a bit of everything. I had an XW GTHO Falcon for 21 years; that was a well-optioned, one-off car with a factory sunroof and so on. That was my pride and joy. I’ve also got a pink 1960 Plymouth Fury station wagon with a 318, push-button auto and electric tailgate. It’s all-original with 70,000 miles and came out of a museum in the States; I’ve never seen another one in Australia.

I’ve had an AC Cobra replica for 10 or 12 years; it’s a 5.0-litre with a Tremec five-speed manual and nine-inch diff. It’s a DRB kit out of Queensland, which runs a Torana front end. The motor’s out at the minute, because I’m putting a 347 stroker in; that’ll get it moving!

Is this your usual car show uniform?

The shorts are a new thing since I met my partner, Vicki; she crocheted them. The hat is an eBay one, and they work together well. You’ll always see me with some sort of strange hat on – when I’m in the Cobra, I wear a propeller hat, so when I drive along it spins!

Any other cars you’ve got your eye on, if the F100 sells?

I’d like a Studebaker GT Hawk and a 50s ‘baby bird’ T-bird. I’ve never had the money to get them; if I sold some of these, then maybe. I’ve always wanted a 70s Rolls-Royce, and I was lucky enough to pick one up recently. It’s a Corniche two-door. I always wanted a four-door but with a supercharged engine hanging out of the bonnet, but this one is so nice that I can’t molest it. It’s a beautiful thing to drive. It cost me $100 to fly to Sydney and collect it, and $400 in fuel to drive it home! I maxed out my mortgage, but it was one of my dream cars, so I’m lucky to have it.

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