NEVILLE Maver's immaculately restored 1951 Holden FX - complete with camper trailer crafted from a Holden FJ ute - is a head-turner.
He brings it out for various car shows, including last month's Historic Winton, Australia's longest-running, all-historic motor race meeting at Winton Motor Raceway, near Benalla.
And it always gets a lot of attention.
"Everyone looks at it, people love to talk to me about it - my wife Margaret likes it and the attention it gets," said Neville, from inner-western Melbourne.
"Every time I go to a car show there's a hell of a lot of photos taken."
The FX was a seven-year restoration project, with Neville, who was an electroplater for 52 years, doing the lot - apart from re-boring the engine.
"It drives beautifully. It's 90 per cent original - it's got a brake booster and after-market telescopic shock absorbers on the front.
"The head and block have been shaved, it's got oversized pistons and valves and the head's been done to run on unleaded petrol.
"And it's been changed from six volt to 12."
Neville also had the FJ ute waiting for restoration and one day decided its fate.
"I got sick of looking at it and thought I might as well make it into a camper.
"It's insulated and has got an eight-track stereo cartridge player, CB radio, two cupboards, a 70-litre water tank, pack rack and big esky on the front.
"I throw a mattress in the back - I love camping but don't use it much now, although I slept in it overnight at Winton."
Neville belongs to the Melbourne chapter of the FX/FJ Holden Club and has won more than a dozen trophies in different shows over the years.
He's always loved his Holdens. In fact, an FX was his very first car 58 years ago - when he was 11 years old.
Back then he lived in Braybrook in the city's western suburbs and used to drive to school.
"I got picked up by the police - they kicked me up the backside and took the rotor button, but I don't think they knew I had spare rotor buttons at home!"
"It'd be a bit different these days.
"I've had FXs and FJs all my life - I swapped one for a boat once - worst decision I ever made."
