Warwick's AU series 1 Falcon TS50

Part of the NSW Tickford Owners Club (formerly the NSW XR Club) you can imagine Warwick's surprise when he discovered that the TS50 he had just bought (second hand) was none other than Geoff Polites' old car! Now TS50's are rare at the best of times (with this car being No.47 of only 54 produced for AU1 - and with one already having been written off!) but with a history like this one, it's got to be one of a kind... Adding to this car's curiosity factory is the colour - Venom Red - and very un-available in the AU series 1 TS50! Most of you will know by now that it was introduced towards the end of the TE50's model run (AU1) but never made it to the more expensive sibling. That is - not until Geoff got on the job and ordered a very special one off build which is given credence by the build plate - featuring a " * " instead of the usual paint number! With a history like this and 220kW ensuring power output exceeds both the EB & EL GT's, this special TS50 is ensured a very special place in history...

Warwick first saw the TS50 at the Sydney Motor show - although not this exact car - and tells "I've bought a lot of cars down the track after seeing them at Motor Shows." Upgrading from a NF Fairlane, our man tells that the new AU shape was just too American for his liking and so the new T-series came along just in the nick of time! "Cars are always too dear at Motor Shows first cab off the rank and all" relates Warwick - so he duly forced himself to wait until this TS finally turned up. "Considering my history, for me to spend more than five minutes looking at a Car Show is dangerous!" Purchased even before hitting the show room floor, Warwick was hooked the moment the dealer brought it around for a test drive...

So Warwick put a deposit on the beast just before Christmas 2001 and then flew off to New Zealand for two weeks thinking all the way "Ooooh, my God - what have I done!" Anyway, it didn't take long for the financial shock to wear off and all there was left to do was convincing the "better half that the ride wasn't so hard". Apparently, this approach works much better when she is driving... And what about the boost factor? "Scares the daylights out of me when you get into it with the power." - So it seems having 'only' 220kW ain't too bad after all!

Since purchasing the car Warwick has left it pretty much well alone except for the AU2 TS50 decals on the side skirts and an extra Tickford badge on the boot lid. And for the future? "When my XR6 Ute gets retired in two years, I'll take the TS off Jayne and let her buy whatever she likes - as she has been claiming that I have been buying my cars for her for years...I didn't know that I had been doing that!" It's ok Warwick - we know how it feels! But still, she can't be too bad for letting you get this far - after all she is the one who drives the TS50!

Warwick's AU1 TS50: