The sad reason this old Ford has been left in a busy carpark for over a decade

Imagine going to your local shopping centre and seeing the same car in the same spot for more than a decade.

That’s the case with this Ford ZL Fairlane, which – as reported by 9 News Melbourne – has sat unmoved in the carpark of Northcote Plaza for at least 10 years.

Mystery surrounded who owned it and, more importantly, why it had been seemingly abandoned, until now.

According to management of Northcote Plaza, the ZL Fairlane’s previous owner passed away more than 15 years ago.

However, this isn’t simply a case of no one being bothered to move it. Instead, the former owner’s son reportedly asked for the Fairlane to be left in the carpark in memory of his father.

Despite being at risk of damage from other motorists parking near it, the Fairlane looks to be in reasonable condition, save for the lack of passenger side mirror glass, an absent boot lock and other mild patination.

Unique Cars reported in 2019 that approximately 26,000 ZL Fairlanes were built between 1984 and 1988, with all powered by either a carbureted or fuel-injected 4.1-litre six-cylinder engine, as production of V8-powered Fairlanes and Falcons had wrapped up in 1982.