XY Falcon GTHO Phase III

[Smitty]

Smitty, no argument that to drive nowadays they must suck, BUT, they're still an absolute legend in Aus motoring history and still a better investment than real estate, assuming you can handle the 600k initial outlay....

can't argue with that Mick

mind you..no way is Aussie Home loans
gunna give ya $600 large for a taxi with a big engine

cheers

[mick_dundee]

You'd have that in your wallet anwyays Smitty so no need for Aussie!!!

[Neka79]

In perspective..the current range of Aussie fast cars
are so much better than the 70s supercars
better braked, better suspended and handling
and FASTER...my SS goes faster than a HO ever will


cheers
Smitty

smitty..theres 30 odd years bloody engineering there!!

i spose next ur gunna tell us a 1957 BSA wont stand up to a 1980 z900???....

NO SHIT...

i agree with Stace..its a historic icon is the AUSSIE muscle car..Tory's, Kingers, and even falcons... shit i grew up ina time where they were rare (in good nick)... but u just cant beat em...

u seen "the fast & the furious" ?? ..the ONLY decent car is that hemi?? at the end..boy that shit all over modern cars (especially rice machines)

Yes and the Mona Lisa is only a piece of old canvass with some paint on it. The value is in the exclusive ownership and history. It is no longer about how great the car is.

invalid comparison
the Mona Lisa (or the Last Supper or Blue Poles)
is there so all who want to see it can

I have no doubt our sub-$700k HO
will NOT drive daily on the roads, will not race
at Bathurst but will be tucked in someone's
locked and secured garage

How is it invalid? It still has a market value and is no comparison to a photo as far as quality goes.
There are still very rare paintings that are in private collections worth millions of dollars.

i agree..totally acceptable comparison.... its not what its made of, or who created it that is important...wot is most important, is what it means to people!!

[Jonno]

there ARE 2 Fords worth money
an original GT40
and an original Shelby cobra

You left off a GTHO Phase 4. Yes, they exist. I know someone who has one, and has been repeatedly offered 6 figures by Ford America for it, and turned them down.

Oh how I would love a Shelby Cobra, even a decent replica would do
Or perhaps a Mustang 500 import with the 428CI or 429? that had the dbl overhead cams (600+HP)

From memory 4 of these GTHO Phase 4's were made and sold off because of the super car scare killed off the muscle car production of the early 70's. 2 were wrecked and 1 has dissapeared, your friend has possibly the only one in existance IMO and it should be worth quite a bit more than 7 figures going on the stated prices on current historic aussie muscle cars.
There was also rumoured to be an XU2 308CI torana, but the media scare and the goverment clamped down as mentioned above on powerful cars being made? Smitty?

Wouldnt be nice to come accross the missing one in a farmers hayshed and pick it up for say $500 because they don't know what their ancestors had purchased. It happens

[Smitty]

there ARE 2 Fords worth money
an original GT40
and an original Shelby cobra

You left off a GTHO Phase 4. Yes, they exist. I know someone who has one, and has been repeatedly offered 6 figures by Ford America for it, and turned them down.

Oh how I would love a Shelby Cobra, even a decent replica would do
Or perhaps a Mustang 500 import with the 428CI or 429? that had the dbl overhead cams (600+HP)

From memory 4 of these GTHO Phase 4's were made and sold off because of the super car scare killed off the muscle car production of the early 70's. 2 were wrecked and 1 has dissapeared, your friend has possibly the only one in existance IMO and it should be worth quite a bit more than 7 figures going on the stated prices on current historic aussie muscle cars.
There was also rumoured to be an XU2 308CI torana, but the media scare and the goverment clamped down as mentioned above on powerful cars being made? Smitty?

Wouldnt be nice to come accross the missing one in a farmers hayshed and pick it up for say $500 because they don't know what their ancestors had purchased. It happens

for what its worth
(and this is according to FoMoCo Australia and a few specialist mags)
there is only one remaining Ford Falcon GTHO Ph4
and that is in the Bowden Family race car collection in Qld
(will post up a pic tonite
or have a look here- http://www.bowdensown.com.au/cars/phase4.html )

There were 4 shells completed..3 were started for race cars
and never completed (wrecked eventually)and the last?
ended up being completed ..and is how it is today
but (....always a but!)

All the bits that Ford Australia had for Ph4 Falcons had to be got rid
of..and it is estimated that around 100 normal XA GT falcons
got bits meant for the Ph4..but none a complete set
so there are XAs running around with a Ph4 engine
or gearbox or suspension

and GMH?
for the record there NEVER was an LJ Torana with the 308
called an XU2...it was always called
GTRXU1 V8 ( I saw the engineering drawings while at GMH)

XU2?...was the original name for what became the LH Torana
SLR5000 but the original drawings and pre-production pilot
cars did have an XU2 sticker on them ( I actually saw one
of these pilot cars with XU2 on it while at GMH)

and Jonno
you are right..the media killed the Australian Supercar...dead
The headline said-
160mph Supercars for learners..or something as inflammatory
it was a beat up by of all people.... Evan Green
who was an ex racer and was to become PR manager
for GMH after that

The Feds shook their heads (so did the states 'coz the road toll
back then was higher than today)..and the cars?
killed off stone dead

which did 2 things!
CAMS changed the motor racing from 'Improved Production'
to Group C rules..lots of mods based on a standard road car
so no reason to build the road cars to base the racing on,
as was required for the previous Improved Production category
(thank goodness coz it makes building mine easier)

and the manufacturers set out to build better cars, not faster
safer too becoz the Feds starting introducing lots of ADRs
for safety

hth

cheers

Smitty

[Stereo]

Our neighbour has one like that....... Not sure if it is a Phase III though... but it looks just like that... except sky blue...

[mohawk miss]

there is only one remaining Ford Falcon GTHO Ph4
and that is in the Bowden Family race car collection in Qld

Not true!

There were 2 privately owned phase 4's, one was in Qld, that one was written off.
Rest assured that this is a genuine Phase 4, currently owned by a car nut in western sydney, and kept in an uber-secure garage with his Ferraris and other collectable cars.

I will check, but I think it is the only "production" Phase 4 that exists.

If you have ever seen a doco i think called "50 Years of Ford" (sometimes on Boxtel) it is mentioned, along with its "western sydney orthodontist" owner, in the part on muscle cars, along with the fate of the others, and the reasons behind cessation of production.

[Smitty]

Not true!

There were 2 privately owned phase 4's, one was in Qld, that one was written off.
Rest assured that this is a genuine Phase 4, currently owned by a car nut in western sydney, and kept in an uber-secure garage with his Ferraris and other collectable cars.

I will check, but I think it is the only "production" Phase 4 that exists.

If you have ever seen a doco i think called "50 Years of Ford" (sometimes on Boxtel) it is mentioned, along with its "western sydney orthodontist" owner, in the part on muscle cars, along with the fate of the others, and the reasons behind cessation of production.

I know the car you are talking about
its the green one with white trim and sunroof
..that was the Ford pre-production car that was used to test the production line for the assembly of the Ph4
its reputed to be FoMoCo Oz SIDO 648 771
Chassis No JG33MC83054K built June 1972
and supposedly never got the Ph4 engine and zorst
its supposed to only! have a Ph3 engine and gearbox
(so many don't consider it the real deal)
maybe you can check

cheers
Smitty

[mohawk miss]

I will check Smitty, but it is a "production" Phase 4, stamped No.1 ; it was made for all the media, photos,etc and the owner has actually been offered a blank cheque by Ford America for it at least 4 times. Its started very occasionally but not driven.

This guy's everyday driving car was (I think) an immaculate, original HJ ute.

[Stereo]

You guys are crzy for forgetting the best muscle car ever.......

the 105e Ford Anglia!

With their flat 4, naturally asperated engine, and their lightweight frames these cars pleased millions of muscle car fanatics when they were first released. Even now a well restored Anglia can set my pulse racing and my temperature skyrocketing..... Hell.... I need a cold shower just thinking about them...

[mfzx6r]

You guys are crzy for forgetting the best muscle car ever.......

the 105e Ford Anglia!

With their flat 4, naturally asperated engine, and their lightweight frames these cars pleased millions of muscle car fanatics when they were first released. Even now a well restored Anglia can set my pulse racing and my temperature skyrocketing..... Hell.... I need a cold shower just thinking about them...

stop taking whatever your on my friend !

[mohawk miss]

At least its not a Ford Escort

Smitty, its NOT green, its the orangey-red and black scheme.

[Stereo]

At least its not a Ford Escort

Smitty, its NOT green, its the orangey-red and black scheme.

My first ever car was a Green Escort, 1972 2 door, mags and a 2L cortina engine....... Worst car I ever owned...

[Aussie Ninja]

All the bits that Ford Australia had for Ph4 Falcons had to be got rid
of..and it is estimated that around 100 normal XA GT falcons
got bits meant for the Ph4..but none a complete set
so there are XAs running around with a Ph4 engine
or gearbox or suspension.

Those were designated RPO83 (regular production option) and sell for just under the $100k mark.