Australia For Everyone
Motoring: Ford Falcon GT - 1967
The 1967 Ford Falcon GT was the car that started the Australian Falcon GT legend. Developed from the special Police Interceptor Pack Falcon, the GT was the brainchild of dynamic Ford Australia Managing Director, Bill Bourke. The experts told Ford that a GT came only with 2 doors but Ford went ahead anyway with the definitive Aussie 4-door GT based on the XR series, resplendent in its own exclusive colour, GT Gold. Its unique charcoal interior featured the sportier ZA Fairlane bucket seats, wood-grained steering wheel, dash and matching gear knob and special Stewart-Warner full instrumentation. Appointments were a cut above the XR Fairmont. Following the example set by the old Model-T, the XR Falcon GT came in any colour you wanted, provided it was gold.
The new GT was also the first full-size Australian family car variation to offer a total performance and appearance package with extra safety including the Mustang 289 V8 with Australias first four barrel carburettor, 4-speed manual gearbox, sports suspension with radial tyres on 5.5 inch rims and steering wheel impact pad, all standard. Its GT stripes down the sides and across the boot, distinctive GT medallions and grille blackouts caused a sensation when the first GT was released in May 1967 as a limited edition model late in the XR series. In October, the real reason for its creation became apparent as the new GT Falcon took the 'King of the Mountain' title at Bathurst thereby establishing the foundations for V8 Supercars into the 21st Century.
The success of the XR GT saw rapid development of the XT version released in April 1968 as an ongoing model. It gained the more powerful 302 V8, a beefy new three-speed auto transmission option, wider 6-inch rims, lower suspension and heavier shockers. It was the first Aussie performance car to offer headlights to match its extra performance with new grille-mounted driving lights, a four-eyes performance tradition that would be revived in later Tickford models.
The XT's greatest claim to fame was the Teams Prize in the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon where the Ford team finished 3rd, 5th and 8th well ahead of many more fancied rally cars. It was extremely popular and sales doubled that of the XR. Compared to the XR GT's exclusive exterior combination of GT Gold with black stripes, the XT was available in several colours with black-outs and colour-keyed side stripes.
In August of 1969 a homologation version of the Falcon GT appeared - the Ford Falcon GT-HO Phase I. It featured a Holley 600CFM 4-Barrel carburettor which rasied the engine to 300 hp. The first two hundred examples featured the Windsor 351 while the last fifty used a Cleveland 351 V8. The 1969 GT-HO Phase 2 was the second evolution of the homogated Ford Falcon. It was specifically homologated for the Austrailian touring car champoinship.
The 1969 XW GT ushered in the era of the real muscle car GTs, the first with the big 351 engines combined with powerful, aggressive styling and large bonnet scoop. Again, it was the first Australian car to feature standard bonnet locking pins, racing exterior mirror, anti-glare bonnet rally panels, styled fuel cap, separate dual exhausts exiting at each corner, styled 12-slot sports wheels, baggy 70-series radial tyres, long distance fuel tank and large ventilated front disc brakes. The XW also saw the introduction of the Phase I and II GT-HO homologation models, which were the first local performance cars to feature a full-width front spoiler.
The earlier 351 Windsor V8 was replaced by the famed 351 Cleveland engine during the XW model life. The standard XW GT, launched in June 1969, was joined by the Windsor-engined Phase I GT-HO in August and, one year later by the Cleveland-powered Phase II GT-HO. The XW GT also introduced the Super Roo as performance was what the four barrel 351 was all about while the HOs were out-and-out race homologation specials developed for the Touring Car Championship. Engine power jumped dramatically, braking and handling were also greatly improved and racing fans soon had heroes like Moffat and the Geoghegans to cheer for.
The GT-HO Phase III was the third evolution of the GT-HO series, and was the greatest Australian supercar of its time. It was specifically homologated for the Austrailian touring car championship with 300 examples being produced.
One of the most sought-after GT models is the XY 'shaker' and one of the most collectible of all Australian performance cars is the Phase III GT-HO version. The XY GT extended the tradition of the true Aussie muscle car by being the first and only model to feature an exposed centre bonnet air-scoop that was attached to the air cleaner of its Cleveland 351 engine, hence the 'shaker' name. The Phase III was to be the ultimate expression of the art with a fully functional 'shaker' air' intake and front and rear spoilers.
The 1971 Bathurst 1000 saw a field that seemed to be dominated by Falcon GT-HOs. The first several rows were entirely Falcons and, at the finish, so were the first three places. Even though the XY GT had long been replaced by the XA, the GT-HO Phase III had to soldier on for another season in 1972 after the supercar controversy killed off its XA replacement.
One of the most sought-after GT models is the XY 'shaker' and one of the most collectible of all Australian performance cars is the Phase III GT-HO version. The XY GT extended the tradition of the true Aussie muscle car by being the first and only model to feature an exposed centre bonnet air-scoop that was attached to the air cleaner of its Cleveland 351 engine, hence the 'shaker' name. The Phase III was to be the ultimate expression of the art with a fully functional 'shaker' air' intake and front and rear spoilers. The 1971 Bathurst 1000 saw a field that seemed to be dominated by Falcon GT-HOs. The first several rows were entirely Falcons and, at the finish, so were the first three places. Even though the XY GT had long been replaced by the XA, the GT-HO Phase III had to soldier on for another season in 1972 after the supercar controversy killed off its XA replacement.
The 1972 XA Falcon saw the return of a two-door hardtop, which allowed the new XA GT to appear in two-and four-door body styles for the first time. Media controversy over race homologation specials hitting the streets killed the XA Phase IV at birth. Ford had to quickly find a home for 200 sets of the Phase IV's 15 inch Globe Bathurst wheel and Australia's first 60 series radial tyre amongst previous Phase III owners so that the Phase III could continue racing in 1972 on the latest 15 inch racing rubber. The XA series was the first all-Australian Falcon design and the sleek new GT looked the part with twin bonnet NART scoops, side vents on the front guards, blacked-out bonnet, wheel arches and door sills, and driving lights integrated into the blacked-out grille. Upgraded suspension and extra refinement made it even more of a Grand Tourer. The XA GT marked a return to the popular 12-slot sports wheel. From the end of the XY series, the GT's Cleveland V8 was locally assembled from imported parts before they were manufactured here. The Windsor 302 V8 was replaced by a 302 version of the locally-built V8. The hardtop eventually became even more famous as the basis for the Mad Max super car for the film of the same name.
The XA GT continued the race-winning tradition set by the earlier models culminating in the Moffat/Geoghegan Bathurst victory in 1973 followed by the 1974 Goss/Bartlett win in pouring rain making the XA GT the single most successful GT at Bathurst. Almost one third of the XA GT models were hardtops out of a total of 2,759 units sold. Three prototypes (all supplied to race and rally teams) and one actual production model of the Phase IV were built. Legends, lies and rumours of these four cars persist to this day but they are the most collectible of all GTs. The XA GT was also available with Regular Production Option 83' essentially a Phase IV in most respects except for the name! A special edition, the XA Falcon Superbird Hardtop was produced from March 1972 to September 1973. Only 750 were produces, and they were available in just 3 color schemes - Yellow Fire with walnut trim; white with blue trim; Lime Glaze with black trim. The car had a 302 Cleveland engine and FMX transmission.
Ford Falcon GT XB hardtop
Introduced in September, 1973 the XB offered a minor but successful restyling of the XA, with its colour keyed bumpers and recessed grille offering a cleaner and tidier presentation. The XB ran out the GT line, existing until June 1976 after which there were no more GT's. John Goss became famous racing with Kevin Bartlett around Mount Panorama at Bathurst in the 1970's. Alongside "KB", he won the James Hardie 1000 at Mount Panorama in 1974 in a very close race, and in August, 1975 Ford released a run of XB based John Goss Special limited edition hardtops. Powered by the 302ci V8 with either an automatic or manual transmission, the car was available in two different paint schemes, blue and white, or green and white.
While it is true to say that today the XA/XB/XC hardtops are classically desirable cars, at the time they proved to be hard sales for Ford, as the Australian motorist has always preferred four door cars to coupes, even when it is a high performance car. When they decided that the XD Falcon would be a four door model only, Ford found themselves near the end of the XC production run with 400 unsold hardtop body shells.
To sell them, to create maximum marketing exposure and to end the line on a glorious high note, they created the Cobra, and in so doing created an instant classic. The Cobra allowed Ford to create an above standard road car that passed the homologation regulations for racing, while catering for the enthusiast that wanted a coupe just like the one Allan Moffat was racing.
Ford Falcon GT XA
