Talk:Ford Falcon (XC)

Detailed info on special GS Falcons cut from the main Ford Falcon (Australia) article

I've cut the following text from the above main Falcon article, because so much detail on just 13 cars doesn't really belong in an general article covering all 56 years and 3 million plus cars of the Australian Falcon model run. The information would be better placed in this article, but appears to at least partially conflict with a summary already on this page about a special build of 12 GS Falcons in the Limited Edition Model section of the XC Falcon page. No references have been cited for either the following text, or the text on the current page, which makes it hard to try and determine the veracity of either set of details. 203.221.111.117 (talk) 07:48, 26 May 2024 (UTC)

In December 1977, Ford built 13 special-order XC Falcon GS Hardtops. These vehicles carried chassis numbers commencing with JG65TE (verified by Ford). These cars were specially modified in the "parts and accessories" workshop at Ford's Campbellfield factory. They were all modified and fitted with the body and mechanical specifications approved in the September 1977 and October 1977 evolution race homologations; these changes were mostly designed to enhance race durability. The vehicles, often referred to as "Pre-Cobras" formed the basis to the special build of 30 Bathurst Cobras (build numbers 02-31) that were built six months later in July 1978. Due to the small production numbers of these homologated GS Falcon Hardtops and the timing of manufacture, the batch of 13 cars is believed to have been built as a one-off special order specifically for Ford and privateer race teams which planned to race them in the 1978 Australian Touring Car Championship season. They were also needed to satisfy the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport regulators for minimum production numbers to allow the modifications to be legal for racing. Seven are thought to have been raced and six were sold off to dealers that marketed them as "Homologation Packs". The GS Homologation Pack included:

• New front spoiler
• New rear spoiler
• Reverse bonnet scoop
• Spring tower brace or K bar
• Spring tower reinforcement bracket
• Steering idler arm support bracket
• Twin-row water pump pulley with additional drive belt to crankshaft pulley
• Transmission oil cooler with braided lines and pump
• Long-range tank with larger filler
• 25 mm larger rear wheel housing
• Twin Thermatic fans each consisting of 10 blades

XC½

Adding details of the XC½ update would be nice. I think changes included the return of the 'Blue Oval' Ford badge replacing discrete letters (apparently requested by Edsel Ford II on his visit although the rest of the Ford empire made the same change around the same time) and some suspension revisions to counter Holden's RTS with the HZ introduction. Someone must have the details. 58.108.55.84 (talk) 10:40, 28 March 2023 (UTC)