![]() Holden offered the LE Monaro, as well as the G-Pak and Plus 4 Toranas, while Chrysler was trying to shift Sportsman Chargers. These reached plague proportions among the Big Three by the mid-70s. Helping to keep the sales figures strong were a number of special editions. It wasn’t a massive lead but it was a triumph for Ford Australia, which had battled against Holden’s total dominance in the 1950s and had to overcome the gremlins that beset the early Falcons. These cars can be identified by the addition of the traditional Blue Oval badge to the centre of the grille - the first time the iconic logo had been used on a Falcon.įord’s efforts with the XC paid off when it saw the Falcon pull ahead of the HX Holden in the sales race in September ’76, in front by 4.8 per cent. Similar to Holden’s Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS), the package added an anti-sway bar at the rear, beefed up the front sway bar and also brought revised spring rates. The XC also received a suspension revision to suit steel-belted radial tyres when the XC½ or Series II upgrade arrived in May 1978. MORE Danny Papa’s time-capsule XC Fairmont coupe Starting with the visuals, the most obvious updates were a full-width slat grille in black, square headlights for the Fairmont and GXL, beefed-up bumper bars and a smooth new tail-light treatment. A couple of special editions helped inject some much needed flair into the range, but more on them later.Īs far as model upgrades go, the XC was quite comprehensive. The GXL offered four-wheel discs, limited-slip diff, power steering and the usual GS goodies, though with staid styling and no extra horsepower, it was pitched as more of a businessman’s express than a true muscle car. The nominal replacement for the GT - when optioned with the 5.8-litre V8 - was the Fairmont GXL. ![]() Such buyers could add a GS Rally Pack to any 500 or Fairmont except the coupe, which was only available as either a GS or Fairmont. Nevertheless, there were still sporty variants to be had for those who weren’t satisfied with the regular Falcon, Falcon 500 or Fairmont.įirst published in the December 2010 issue of Street Machine But by the time the XC Falcon was launched in July 1976, the line-up no longer included a GT it was killed off by prohibitive insurance premiums, falling sales and the energy crisis. Ford had worked hard to build up a reputation on big muscle cars.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |