The memory of their meeting has faded with time, but that day may have been the most important moment of Mark Brown and Elio Giunco's lives.
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The pair were just 16 years old when they first met, an encounter which sparked a 50-year friendship and led them to open a business that would eventually become G&B Associate Panels.
Working together as apprentices, Mr Giunco describes the decision to strike out on their own in 1980 as "only natural".
"We worked a lot together, often after hours, and we thought, may as well give it a go on our own," Mr Giunco said.
Together, as a spray-painter and a panel beater, the pair have managed to keep their business afloat for four decades.
"People are surprised we've done it for so long, they say, 'marriages don't even last 40 years'," Mr Giunco said.
"We've pushed each other, but we've always known we had to get the work done and there was never an option to close."
It is an achievement they both thank their "loyal and wonderful customers" for.
"Every car that's come through I've loved. We've had customers with us from the start that keep coming back," Mr Giunco said.
"One comes all the way from Urana, another bloke came out from Junee. He brought us his first car when he was just a teen about 27 years ago, and it's still looking good."
Now aged in their mid-60s, the team are ready to move onto to retirement, with next Tuesday to be their final day of operation.
The freedom of retirement will be an adjustment for them though, having had very few days off work in the past 40 years of business.
"When you work for yourself, you've got to keep going every day," Mr Brown said.
"We'd have about 10 days off a year over Christmas, but that was about it.
"I'm looking forward to doing nothing for a while."
Once the COVID-19 restrictions have eased enough to do so, Mr Brown plans to travel to Western Australia and the Northern Territory, exploring the country in his caravan.
But Mr Giunco expects he will spend a lot more time at home.
"I'll probably still get up early and get things done. I've got five acres and I can't wait to start organising that," he said.
"There are heaps I want to do at home, I've got my own cars to fix up too."