New Zealand has seen its first case of “where in the country is my 1965 Ford Falcon” and, thanks to our notorious two degrees of separation, several car-mad Kiwis have banded together to find it.

A resident at a rest home in the township of Ōpōtiki was talking to one of the rest home cooks, Stephen Henderson, last week about his beloved Ford Falcon XP Hardtop.

Henderson took to Facebook on August 17 and asked Facebook group “NZ car related street scenes 1950s-1980s” if they had come across the hot white ride.

“Hi all, I work in a rest home and one of the residents used to own this car back in the 70s would love to know if it is still out there somewhere ....cheers,” he posted.

Still in pristine condition, check out the red leather interior of the 1965 Ford Falcon XP Hardtop. Photo: Stuff.

“It’s actually just recently come back into use. No WOFs between 2011 to 2019, but it’s got a current WOF. The current owner has had it since 1992,” says one researcher.

“That car has been in the hands of a friend of mine for many years and I just wofed it,” says mechanic Almo Briggs.

Finally, the owner and self-confessed West Auckland “petrol head” Duncan Blakley claimed the car was at home in his garage.

“Thanks Almo for the call re my 1965 XP Falcon Hardtop. Fantastic track down. It has been in the family for over 30 years and loved even in the difficult times. She really turns heads then and now.”

Blakley loves his Falcon and says he was more than happy to take a cruise to Ōpōtiki to meet the original owner. He plans to take a trip in spring, as she’s a fine-weather vehicle, he says.

The 1965 Ford Falcon XP Hardtop saved Blakely’s life 10 years ago, now he’s planning a trip to reconnect his pride and joy with its original owner. Photo: Stuff.

“I bought it in 1991. I am a bit of a petrol head myself. I grew up in the 70s and 80s scene where everyone had a V8. But mine is a little different to everyone else’s.”

Blakley’s Falcon is an Australian model, different to many of the United States imports of the same vintage often collected in New Zealand.

“It’s a pretty rare car, to be honest.I’ve had it over 30 years and have pulled it apart a few times.”

Blakley has used the car for drag races over the years, but the most surprising twist came one decade ago when the 1965 Ford Falcon saved his life.

He was working under the car one day when he was hit on the head by one of the loose ends.

“I was modifying the car underneath it and took one side of it off and put the arm under the car. It swung around and hit me in the head.”

Blakley used the 1965 Ford Falcon for drag races over the years. Photo: Stuff.

His son Ben found him almost knocked out and unwell on the garage floor.

Luckily for Blakley, he was taken to hospital where he underwent a scan, which found a life-threatening brain aneurysm.

“They scanned my head and couldn't work out what’s wrong with me. Turned out there was an aneurysm on my artery, an aneurysm with a daughter they call it.”

The vertigo was so bad he couldn’t stand up without a walking stick at the time and was often seen to be “drunk walking” the pavements because of his vertigo.

Kiwi classic car enthusiasts banded together to find this classic 1965 Ford Falcon XP Hardtop.

The doctors gave him six months to live, and operated on Blakley’s brain. Ten years later, he is nearly 60 and loves his Ford Falcon for more reasons than the pretty paint job and red leather interior.

“I would be dead, if it weren’t for the car. There’s a pretty good chance it [aneurysm] would have got me.

“The car saved my life, I’ve got nine more years since, anyway. I would say it’s a miracle”

And just as the car was a miracle to him 10 years ago, it is still bringing joy, with next month’s hoon to Ōpōtiki for a reunion with its first owner.

“It does feel great,” Blakley says. “We would be more than happy to go down, the car is immaculate.”

- Olivia Caldwell/Stuff.