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  1. #1
    FEP Super Member NAVYCAT's Avatar
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    Default My 1969 Falcon XW/Y GTHO Aussie replica I built

    2017 Ford Explorer Sport (DD) 1986 Capri 5.0 Silver/Red
    1969 Falcon XW GTHO coupe (SOLD) went to Australia
    Past 4 eyes-
    4th. 1981 Capri "White" Black Magic I6
    3rd. 1984 Capri RS V8 Black/grey
    2nd. 1984 Capri RS V8 White/red
    1st. 1984 SVO Grey/grey (traded it for a worn out 1970 BOSS 302)
    Both '84 Capri's vin# were 10 away from each other
    U.S. NAVY 1980-2009

  2. #2
    FEP Power Member Fearnot's Avatar
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    Very cool! Let's hear some more details.
    88 Turbo Coupe auto
    88 Turbo Coupe 5spd
    79 Fairmont Futura 4.6
    79 Capri RS - 2.3/5spd restomod
    80 Capri 5.0/5spd project
    79 Zephyr Z7 factory 5.0 sunroof
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    85 LTD LX factory 5spd?(not documented)
    86 GT conv 5.0/5spd
    79 Pace Car 2.3/4spd - needs new home

  3. #3

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    LOVE this car!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  4. #4
    FEP Senior Member roadkill's Avatar
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    That's just ridiculously cool!!!
    1985 Mercury Marquis LTS... "The Unicorn"
    1978 Fairmont... 306 and a C4.

  5. #5

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    That looks awesome! Did you import the body panels and trim from Australia? Great job.
    Mike
    85 GT - owned since 87

  6. #6
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    Joe, the Falcon looks AWESOME!!!
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
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  7. #7
    FEP Member Foxy Capri's Avatar
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    Sensational Joe but you forgot to mention that your replica is a 'special, special' it being a 2-door version, which was never available back here in Australia! When released, these 'beasts' were said to be one of the fastest 4-door sedans in the world! Aussie muscle in LHD, very impressive mate!
    aka Terry M Walsh
    Downunder in Melbourne, Australia

    1981 Mercury Capri, 'White' Black Magic, 200-2V/C4
    1983 Ford Capri, 2.8i, 5-spd

  8. #8
    FEP Senior Member roadkill's Avatar
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    Now ya gotta do a Falcon GT/HO wagon...
    1985 Mercury Marquis LTS... "The Unicorn"
    1978 Fairmont... 306 and a C4.

  9. #9
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    What it very special is that the Aussies skipped that bodyshell because the Rounbody 63 to 65 Futura Two doors didn't sell that well. They did the 72-79 Two doors (sold about 8000), and outside coachbuilders like Spanmore did about 9 and the Hillier Bros did two in 1982 and 1999, and Bob Roman and Streetmachine in 1988 and 1998.

    An example is this.




    Unlike the US, big two door cars don't sell well down unless they have a tray in the back that you can put a trail bike, a dead kangaroo or perhaps 44 Imperial gallon drum in...they call 'em "utes" (think unittray 67 Ranchero, ElCamino etc)....and they used to outsell coupes five to one.




    The 1969 GT Falcon was originally planned as a mild executive "Tourer", like the 1968 XT GT car was...basically a Fairmont on steriods, or a shortened Fairlane GT. But every year, the Aussie Falcon showed up with new US model year American firepower under the hood, bigger and badder than the previous year. In 67, it was the US A code 225 HP 289. For 68, it was the late addition of the US 1968 model year 302 Windsor US J code 230hp@4800rpm and 310lb/ft@2800rpm. For 69, it was the US M code 351 Windsor 4V, a normally 290 bhp @ 4,800 and 385 lb·ft @ 3,200290 hp engine before it got demoted to a 2V for the rest of its life. The HO version of the US 351W 4V got a special camshaft and Holley upgrade, and some extra work. It should have gotten the Cobra Jet 428 Shaker Hood, but that was slated for 1971, but was seen on the Australian managers Stratosphere grey sunroofed 428 Fairmont in 1969.


    The GT option was normally wrapped into a plain Jane Falcon aedan body, but with more "More Mustang" under the hood. For 69, the (Ford Australia) suddenly changed ideas, Canadian Bill Bouke, the Aussie Managing Director of Ford Australia, got right into the Bunkie Knudson factor, and out came the blatant brutishness of what you see before you. The entry GT Falcon for 1969, which was plenty tough, got a special option, the fortified HO Handling Option package, which asside from the sport suspension with rear anti roll bar, Cow Catcher and rear whale tail, also packed something of a Howitzer under the hood. Unlike the base model 351 W 4V, the M code engine taken from the first US 351 4V Windsor engine plant (made only for one year with the Buddy Bar alloy 4V intake), got a radical cam even the US engines didn't have, a Holley 600 cfm 4-bbl vac sec carb, and some other work. Its power step up from the stock 290 hp gross engine wasn't reported. What it did with its Windsor engine was fry tires, and sound WAY sweeter than any of other more powerfull Clevelands ever did. And more importantly, took the santised 66 Falcon based body, and amped it up with a proper Mustang like nose/grille rather than the Remington Mircoscreen grille that endowed the 67 to 70 US Falc's.

    And it looks so hammed, d@mned and slammed, that red blooded Aussies and Kiws hanker for the Tri Fords unlike any other model year. Every bit 55/56/57 Chev. The early X shells are quite a strange mix of US hardlines, but with the baddest US engine options. The HO variants only sold in 200 or 300 car batches to homologate the car for series production racing. Best way to decribe them is that like a Nova SS396 is a Nova that slept with a Camaro RS/SS 396, the Falcon GTHO is a Falcon that slept with the Boss....

    And there was only ever one two door Australian Falcon for those 66-71 Falcons in Australia

    It was the 1968 Ford XT Falcon GT Coupe Concept Car....shown at the Melbourne Motor Show.






    So NAVYCAT's is kinda special...the best engine, the nicests body style, and just plain bitchin'.

    Well done!

  10. #10
    FEP Super Member NAVYCAT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JKengineering View Post
    That looks awesome! Did you import the body panels and trim from Australia? Great job.
    Mike
    well i grew up in sydney so i had a reason to go back 2 times to get parts
    2017 Ford Explorer Sport (DD) 1986 Capri 5.0 Silver/Red
    1969 Falcon XW GTHO coupe (SOLD) went to Australia
    Past 4 eyes-
    4th. 1981 Capri "White" Black Magic I6
    3rd. 1984 Capri RS V8 Black/grey
    2nd. 1984 Capri RS V8 White/red
    1st. 1984 SVO Grey/grey (traded it for a worn out 1970 BOSS 302)
    Both '84 Capri's vin# were 10 away from each other
    U.S. NAVY 1980-2009

  11. #11
    FEP Super Member NAVYCAT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xctasy View Post
    What it very special is that the Aussies skipped that bodyshell because the Rounbody 63 to 65 Futura Two doors didn't sell that well. They did the 72-79 Two doors (sold about 8000), and outside coachbuilders like Spanmore did about 9 and the Hillier Bros did two in 1982 and 1999, and Bob Roman and Streetmachine in 1988 and 1998.

    An example is this.




    Unlike the US, big two door cars don't sell well down unless they have a tray in the back that you can put a trail bike, a dead kangaroo or perhaps 44 Imperial gallon drum in...they call 'em "utes" (think unittray 67 Ranchero, ElCamino etc)....and they used to outsell coupes five to one.




    The 1969 GT Falcon was originally planned as a mild executive "Tourer", like the 1968 XT GT car was...basically a Fairmont on steriods, or a shortened Fairlane GT. But every year, the Aussie Falcon showed up with new US model year American firepower under the hood, bigger and badder than the previous year. In 67, it was the US A code 225 HP 289. For 68, it was the late addition of the US 1968 model year 302 Windsor US J code 230hp@4800rpm and 310lb/ft@2800rpm. For 69, it was the US M code 351 Windsor 4V, a normally 290 bhp @ 4,800 and 385 lb·ft @ 3,200290 hp engine before it got demoted to a 2V for the rest of its life. The HO version of the US 351W 4V got a special camshaft and Holley upgrade, and some extra work. It should have gotten the Cobra Jet 428 Shaker Hood, but that was slated for 1971, but was seen on the Australian managers Stratosphere grey sunroofed 428 Fairmont in 1969.


    The GT option was normally wrapped into a plain Jane Falcon aedan body, but with more "More Mustang" under the hood. For 69, the (Ford Australia) suddenly changed ideas, Canadian Bill Bouke, the Aussie Managing Director of Ford Australia, got right into the Bunkie Knudson factor, and out came the blatant brutishness of what you see before you. The entry GT Falcon for 1969, which was plenty tough, got a special option, the fortified HO Handling Option package, which asside from the sport suspension with rear anti roll bar, Cow Catcher and rear whale tail, also packed something of a Howitzer under the hood. Unlike the base model 351 W 4V, the M code engine taken from the first US 351 4V Windsor engine plant (made only for one year with the Buddy Bar alloy 4V intake), got a radical cam even the US engines didn't have, a Holley 600 cfm 4-bbl vac sec carb, and some other work. Its power step up from the stock 290 hp gross engine wasn't reported. What it did with its Windsor engine was fry tires, and sound WAY sweeter than any of other more powerfull Clevelands ever did. And more importantly, took the santised 66 Falcon based body, and amped it up with a proper Mustang like nose/grille rather than the Remington Mircoscreen grille that endowed the 67 to 70 US Falc's.

    And it looks so hammed, d@mned and slammed, that red blooded Aussies and Kiws hanker for the Tri Fords unlike any other model year. Every bit 55/56/57 Chev. The early X shells are quite a strange mix of US hardlines, but with the baddest US engine options. The HO variants only sold in 200 or 300 car batches to homologate the car for series production racing. Best way to decribe them is that like a Nova SS396 is a Nova that slept with a Camaro RS/SS 396, the Falcon GTHO is a Falcon that slept with the Boss....

    And there was only ever one two door Australian Falcon for those 66-71 Falcons in Australia

    It was the 1968 Ford XT Falcon GT Coupe Concept Car....shown at the Melbourne Motor Show.






    So NAVYCAT's is kinda special...the best engine, the nicests body style, and just plain bitchin'.

    Well done!
    thanks for those kind words, those pictures were my inspiration but i wanted to do more
    2017 Ford Explorer Sport (DD) 1986 Capri 5.0 Silver/Red
    1969 Falcon XW GTHO coupe (SOLD) went to Australia
    Past 4 eyes-
    4th. 1981 Capri "White" Black Magic I6
    3rd. 1984 Capri RS V8 Black/grey
    2nd. 1984 Capri RS V8 White/red
    1st. 1984 SVO Grey/grey (traded it for a worn out 1970 BOSS 302)
    Both '84 Capri's vin# were 10 away from each other
    U.S. NAVY 1980-2009

  12. #12
    FEP Super Member NAVYCAT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Foxy Capri View Post
    Sensational Joe but you forgot to mention that your replica is a 'special, special' it being a 2-door version, which was never available back here in Australia! When released, these 'beasts' were said to be one of the fastest 4-door sedans in the world! Aussie muscle in LHD, very impressive mate!
    well terry i wanted to do something that would be different lol...... so how is my ex-white cat doing down under? she is looking good
    2017 Ford Explorer Sport (DD) 1986 Capri 5.0 Silver/Red
    1969 Falcon XW GTHO coupe (SOLD) went to Australia
    Past 4 eyes-
    4th. 1981 Capri "White" Black Magic I6
    3rd. 1984 Capri RS V8 Black/grey
    2nd. 1984 Capri RS V8 White/red
    1st. 1984 SVO Grey/grey (traded it for a worn out 1970 BOSS 302)
    Both '84 Capri's vin# were 10 away from each other
    U.S. NAVY 1980-2009

  13. #13
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    I've gotten fairly intimate with all the J code 230 hp 302's, the 290 hp M code, the 225 hp A code 289, and the same year Torino's and Montego MX/Cougar XR7 Mercury's. And then the G code 290 302 Boss (so called 290, that is)

    http://vid1215.photobucket.com/album...6/MVI_0786.mp4

    http://vid1215.photobucket.com/album...6/MVI_0771.mp4

    http://vid1215.photobucket.com/album...6/MVI_9392.mp4

    While the bigger X shells certainly packed some great features, the sub 3000 pound Fox like weight of the Falcon wasn't one of them.

    The little Falcon was stiffer, shorter, and a heck of a lot punchier with the Windsor 351 engine. You can see why Ford US said no to a Falcon GT...what would be left for a Mustang or Torino if they let that little crocadile into the waterway?

    The Windsor 351 4v was found in the Torino GTA.

    http://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbs...-intermediate/





    Take off 600 pounds, and call it a Falcon. After having driven Foxes (a really well sorted car, hugely underrated, and a landmark of noise, vibration and harshness reduction), you may find the X shell a little bit random, and with filler joint impact harhness, but you sure as heck won't find another car that will stir up the locals than that little Falcon GT of yours will.

  14. #14

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    Actually, IIRC, Ford put "Falcon" nomenclature on this '68-'69 Fairlane/Torino body for a year or so, here in the US.


    Dunno if they used it on the beautiful fastbacks or not though.
    '88 Mustang GT convertible, T5, 3.08:1 gears. 5.0 Explobra Jet: A9L Mass Air conversion, Fenderwell Mac cold air intake, 70mm MAF meter = 4.6 T-Bird/Cougar housing + '95 Mustang F2VF-12B579-A1A sensor, aftermarket 70mm throttle body and spacer, Explorer intakes, GT40P heads with Alex's Parts springs and drilled for thermactor, Crane F3ZE-6529-AB 1.7 "Cobra" roller rockers, Ford Racing P50 headers, Mac H-pipe, Magnaflow catback, Walbro 190 LPH fuel pump, UPR firewall adjuster and quadrant with Ford OEM cable, 3G conversion ('95 Mustang V6), Taurus fan, rolled on Rustoleum gloss white paint...
    Past Four Eyes: Red well optioned '82 GT 5.0, Black T-top '81 Capri Black Magic 3.3L 4 speed, Black T-top '84 Capri RS 5.0 5 speed.Over 200,000 miles driven in Four Eyes, and over 350,000 in Fox Body cars.

  15. #15
    FEP Power Member SchoolBoy's Avatar
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    Looks great Joe!
    If you blink at the end of the straight away you'll miss the twisties and what fun would that be!
    1982 Capri RS 5.0L
    Suspension Build http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...tion-and-Build
    1985 SVO 2A & leather. Stolen & Destroyed 2022
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    Electronic boost controller and bypass valve
    http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...d-Bypass-Valve
    Opperation SVO Tunes http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...51#post1148551

  16. #16
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grabbergreen84 View Post
    Actually, IIRC, Ford put "Falcon" nomenclature on this '68-'69 Fairlane/Torino body for a year or so, here in the US.


    Dunno if they used it on the beautiful fastbacks or not though.
    http://hooniverse.com/2013/07/26/hoo...429-cobra-jet/






    Joe made the right choice.

    Any time I see the bubble back Capri, or the two door Falcon with a hot engine, I remember the Redback and Black Widow spiders similarity in genus.

  17. #17

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    There you go!

    Those vent windows are a dead give-away too, an accomplice of those B pillars.
    Even the '68-'69 Fairlane/Torino didn't have vent windows, but Ford bothered to fit them to the '70-'71 doors in order to keep the Falcon nameplate going, just in case...
    '88 Mustang GT convertible, T5, 3.08:1 gears. 5.0 Explobra Jet: A9L Mass Air conversion, Fenderwell Mac cold air intake, 70mm MAF meter = 4.6 T-Bird/Cougar housing + '95 Mustang F2VF-12B579-A1A sensor, aftermarket 70mm throttle body and spacer, Explorer intakes, GT40P heads with Alex's Parts springs and drilled for thermactor, Crane F3ZE-6529-AB 1.7 "Cobra" roller rockers, Ford Racing P50 headers, Mac H-pipe, Magnaflow catback, Walbro 190 LPH fuel pump, UPR firewall adjuster and quadrant with Ford OEM cable, 3G conversion ('95 Mustang V6), Taurus fan, rolled on Rustoleum gloss white paint...
    Past Four Eyes: Red well optioned '82 GT 5.0, Black T-top '81 Capri Black Magic 3.3L 4 speed, Black T-top '84 Capri RS 5.0 5 speed.Over 200,000 miles driven in Four Eyes, and over 350,000 in Fox Body cars.

  18. #18
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Every thing got a lot hotter from 1968 to about 1970...then things got cooler with DirectAire.

    The 1968 Federal reulations required brightwork dullness and interior porrusion restrictions, so they all got sombre vinal based crash padding which made them a lot hotter inside that the painted dash 60 to 67 Falcons. Hide-away lights and window wipers were becomeing postive features. In cabin heat was not. Emissions engines use vast extra amounts of fuel to give less horsepower, so they also made more heat, and the difference between, say a painted metal 1967 Falcon XR GT 289 and, say, a cushioned up 68 MX Mercury or Torino for inside temperature was just huge. So extra weight for safety features beget more engine capacity, the extra needed capacity, more fuel, more fuel, more heat, more air conditioning options, automatics, power steering...viscous circle of ever increasing appointments and more cooling required.


    Fords 1962 Cortina was the first car with through flow ventilation, tumble home side glass, the Valiant based A and B bodies missed out on it for many years...air conditioning alone doesn't create non stffy face level air flow. In Australia, the lack of through flow ventilation killed the Charger, Valiant and Regal more than anything else. Ford was integrating the technology world wide into the X shell platform, I think the 1970 Torino was the first X shell with DirectAire. The non through flow Fords with 1968 on wards safety dashes and door pads needed a York air conditiong pump and A/C, even with "ventipanes."



  19. #19
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    And on a related note....

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news...burnout-appeal
    Dunedin owner of seized 72 Ford Falcon GT 'gutted' after losing burnout appeal




    The former owner of a Ford GT is "gutted" his boys have lost a family heirloom.

    Authorities confiscated Donald John McLean's 1972 Ford Falcon/Fairmont XY GT for sustained loss of traction. It sold at auction for more than $60,000.

    The vehicle was the subject of a High Court decision after McLean appealed his conviction and sentence, arguing he momentarily lost control of the vehicle.

    He lost the appeal, and his car.

  20. #20

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    At least he gets the proceeds, minus his fines and court costs. I was getting ready to lambast the court, but if I am correct about the owner receiving proceeds, I'd say that that court is not as bad as some of them...
    '88 Mustang GT convertible, T5, 3.08:1 gears. 5.0 Explobra Jet: A9L Mass Air conversion, Fenderwell Mac cold air intake, 70mm MAF meter = 4.6 T-Bird/Cougar housing + '95 Mustang F2VF-12B579-A1A sensor, aftermarket 70mm throttle body and spacer, Explorer intakes, GT40P heads with Alex's Parts springs and drilled for thermactor, Crane F3ZE-6529-AB 1.7 "Cobra" roller rockers, Ford Racing P50 headers, Mac H-pipe, Magnaflow catback, Walbro 190 LPH fuel pump, UPR firewall adjuster and quadrant with Ford OEM cable, 3G conversion ('95 Mustang V6), Taurus fan, rolled on Rustoleum gloss white paint...
    Past Four Eyes: Red well optioned '82 GT 5.0, Black T-top '81 Capri Black Magic 3.3L 4 speed, Black T-top '84 Capri RS 5.0 5 speed.Over 200,000 miles driven in Four Eyes, and over 350,000 in Fox Body cars.

  21. #21
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Probably right, although the Fairmont GT is one ULTRA rare son of a gun, one of a now only 19 in existance South African market export model, previously exported to the republic as a "re-coded" Falcon GT with Fairmont apointments as well as a pretty stout 300 hp SAE Gross 351c 4V 285 hp M code cam . A prety hard animal to tame. Manual cars were hydraulic lifter 15.5 second quarter milers with a 130 mph top whack, with that years 1971 GTHO, you got 200 degree solid lifter 350 hp SAE net engine with 14.6 second quarter mile capabilty, 13.9 secs with drag racing gears. Okay for 144 mph on the overun past where the 6150 rpm rev limiter kicked in.




    Again we chewed up the miles and spat them out. In remarkably short time we were striking the long straights of the Hume about 140 miles north of Melbourne, and with the speedo steady on 125 mph I squeezed down still farther on the accelerator as the ribbon of road speared straight ahead.

    The shaker heaved in the bonnet, the car sort of shrugged and the nose rose up even further from the road. It might have been a tiger kicked awake; the noise alone said that. The speedo needle went determinedly around the dial, and soon it was showing 144 mph. A true 141 mph.

    But whoa! The engine started missing; fluffing and farting. For God's sake - the rev-limiter! we'd run right up to it. In top gear. A full 6150 rpm (the tachometer actually said 6700rpm; it was optimistic).

    And if I kept my foot hard down that hoary great V8 just kept thumping away against the cutout, straining for even more. So once Uwe had shot some pictures over my shoulder, to prove it really was happening, I lifted off a fraction to back it off from the limiter at a neat 140 mph.
    They picked up around 40 net horsepower over what Mick Webb dynoed in 1972, that was 350 hp. The 1972 RPO83 Phase Four made it to 170 mph at 6800 rpm claimed by Bill Santuccione or the similar 170 mph top speed Howard Marsden and David Bowden have claimed at 7200 rpm...that car, could do 140 mph at 7200 rpm in 3rd gear with the 6200 rpm rev limiter un hitched.




  22. #22
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    NavyCats homage car was rated as the 5th greatest Australian car of all time.

    https://www.carthrottle.com/post/the...ilt-cars-ever/

    Arguably the most iconic Aussie car ever built, the Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III was Australia’s fastest production car when it rolled off the assembly line back in 1971.

    Powered by a 351 Cleveland V8, Ford said power output was at 300bhp but in reality, figures were somewhere between 350bhp and 380bhp, giving the Aussie rear-drive sedan a 0-60mph sprint time of 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 142mph.

    Plans for a successor were ditched at the last minute thanks to the ‘Supercar Scare’ of the 70s, with news outlets reporting on the fear of having 160mph cars roaming public streets. This cemented the legendary status of the GTHO Phase III, with prime examples selling in the past for $750,000AUD.

    They ment 6.4 seconds for 0-60 mph...

  23. #23
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    For NAVYCAT and all lovers of the car that begat the Mustang....Falcon production in Australia ends next month, after 56 years, and 91 years of locally made Fords since the Model T.

    To celebrate (?), read this July 1977 artical.





    The whole reason why I love big old X body 4 speed Muscle V8 Falcons is the abilty of every one, since the first 289 GT to the last 351, to do 100 mph in third gear .

    See https://www.wheelsmag.com.au/feature...ydney-to-perth


    Enjoy!

  24. #24
    FEP Super Member NAVYCAT's Avatar
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    Great story, I was still living down there when that issue came out. Yes its sad news about the falcon production it could have been saved.....BUT!
    2017 Ford Explorer Sport (DD) 1986 Capri 5.0 Silver/Red
    1969 Falcon XW GTHO coupe (SOLD) went to Australia
    Past 4 eyes-
    4th. 1981 Capri "White" Black Magic I6
    3rd. 1984 Capri RS V8 Black/grey
    2nd. 1984 Capri RS V8 White/red
    1st. 1984 SVO Grey/grey (traded it for a worn out 1970 BOSS 302)
    Both '84 Capri's vin# were 10 away from each other
    U.S. NAVY 1980-2009

  25. #25
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NAVYCAT View Post
    Great story, I was still living down there when that issue came out. Yes its sad news about the falcon production it could have been saved.....BUT!
    https://www.motoring.com.au/mick-web...failed-103791/




    Oh well. You gotten the best of the best. 69 was a great year for US Windsor engines....the best!

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