Enterprising Aussie.

[Boomyal]

<br /><br />I was driving up Interstate 5 yesterday and came upon a strange looking car.(not the one pictured) At first it appeared to be a 60's Chrysler product. (stationwagon)<br /><br />As I got closer it had elements of a Ford and I couldn't read the logo on the tailgate. As I pulled up beside it, I looked up and lo and behold the driver is on the wrong side of the vehicle. It immediately pegged it as Australian.<br /><br />I dropped back behind so I could look get a look for any markings and I found a Falcon 500 logo. The driver got off the freeway just ahead of me and pulled into a convenience store. Out stepped a brawny mate with accent to match. He gave me the tour and told me he imports them. He was surprised I new it to be Australian.<br /><br />It was a '71 model with a 302 Windsor in it. It was fun to see something that was so similar yet so different. I guess, kinda like Yanks and Aussies. <br /><br />Are the Falcons still rear wheel drive? If so we need to import then. I'm tired of all these intermediate fwd models.

 

[sue5878]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

Are the Falcons still rear wheel drive?

Allways have been always will be.<br /><br />Mel Gibson (mad max to us), Road warrior in US drove one of these a few years ago.<br /><br />Good to see there still kickin'<br /><br />Neil

 

[Ross J]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

Owned a Falcon for a few years and yes the rear wheel drive was something todays kids wouldn't know about eh!<br />Aussie muscle cars they are and they're great to drive too!<br />Just don't expect all the finess and electronic finishes the japs or european cars come with. Nothing wrong having just said that, I prefer not to have a lot of those things anyway.<br />Ross

 

[achris]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

The latest models have some really nice stuff, including all the fancy fruit the japs are putting in. The new XR6 Turbo and XR8 have a six speed sequential shift gearbox. If you're interested, have a look at the website.<br /><br /> Click on Falcon <br /><br />Chris....

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

That Falcon XR* is a killer car,thats one thing about Australia I would like to see here for sure. Thanks for the website Achris.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

We Americans really get the shaft from our own brands! Ford is spreading kickass cars across the World and we get the taurus.

 

[ae708]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

I think that the Pontiac GTO that GM came out with last year is an Australian Pontiac. V8 and rear wheel drive... killer.

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

What amazes me when I go to Aussie (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane mainly) is that every 2nd car on the road seems to be a Falcon - and of those that aren't Falcons, it seems like most of them are Holdens (Aussie GM Competitor).<br /><br />You hardly ever see a taxi cab that's not a Falcon or a Holden Commodore. The same cars in upgraded form, slug it out at races like Bathhurst (Google on "Bathhurst V8" for details).<br /><br />Edit: They're good boat towing cars too. I had a couple ('93 Fairmont and '98 XR6) before getting the '00 Explorer that I'm still using these days.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

The one in your picture boom is a falcon intercepter, rare as hens teeth now. Originally built for the cops as a highway pursuit vehicle. As Neil pointed out, it was featured in the "road warrior". It was the last of our raw muscle cars before the oil crisis put a stop to gas gussling monsters - but their back now. <br /><br />Aldo

 

[McGR]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

So that's what the Road Warrior car was. I always thought it was some sort of modified AMC Javelin or AMX. It's good to hear you guys down under appreciate these sort of vehicle. Often Europeans are not so complimentary towards traditional U.S. style vehicles. (We know the truth... they're just envious)

 

[ewenm]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

hey send me a 1971 trans am i would almost trane my boat for a mint example<br /><br />Ewen

 

[ewenm]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

actually that should have read TRADE<br />my boat

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

You'd have an trans-am over an intercepter?

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

Originally posted by ae708:<br /> I think that the Pontiac GTO that GM came out with last year is an Australian Pontiac. V8 and rear wheel drive... killer.

A classic case of badge engineering. In Aus it's know as a Holden Manaro, probably the single most recognisable muscle car in the country. Went the way of the dinosaurs in the seventies but has been recently re-released due to public demand. The latest basic version is 470BHP six speed manual - oh yeah!! Right now ford and holden are in a HP war, it's only gunna get better from here.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[Tinkerer]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

Originally posted by Dunaruna:<br /> You'd have an trans-am over an intercepter?

I'd have any GTHO III over both of them.<br /><br />For our American cousins, Ford probably didn't tell you in the early 70's that it made the fastest four door sedan in the world at the time right here in Australia. It didn't sell them in the US either. Here are some of the classic early '70's Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III <br /> http://www.fouronthefloor.com.au/garage/garage.html <br /><br />You can have this one for AU$190,000 = US$145,000, plus freight: http://carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/DesktopDefault.aspx?UsedCarID=798407&TabID=3328&Alias=carpointau <br /><br />Chrysler probably didn't tell you that around the same time it was making its own version of the hemi six cylinder in Australia, which was the quickest normally aspirated six cylinder production car ever made anywhere. It didn't sell them in the US either.<br /><br /> http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/featuredvehicles/45318/ <br /><br />GM was also pumping out the Monaro to keep up with the others<br /> http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/jsp/chooseavehicle/popups/monarohistory/hk.jsp

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

Hey tink, could you please e-mail me<br /><br />aldek@nex.net.au<br /><br />Aldo

 

[Link]

Re: Enterprising Aussie.

Man they get the cool stuff and we get the transaxle crap? Good post Boomyal. Thanks for tellin on them