Although there were notable differences, the American and Australian muscle car scenes featured some interesting parallels. Cars like the Mustang Boss 302 and Camaro Z28 were produced as homologation specials for Trans Am competition. Holden and Ford Down Under rolled out the Torana XU1 and A9X, and the Falcon GT and GTHO, focusing purely on success in the annual Bathurst 1000. A political storm erupted in 1973, bringing to an end a golden era in Australian motoring history, but Ford still managed to sneak through a special Falcon that brought it wins at Bathurst for two consecutive years. This 1973 XA Falcon GT Hardtop was one of those vehicles, and we will get to discussing what makes it special shortly. This pristine gem is set to find a new home, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Aussie Dave for spotting it. The seller has listed the GT here at Chicane Auctions, and it is set to go under the hammer on May 6th with an auction reserve guide price of A$250,000 – A$280,000.

Ford Australia introduced the Falcon as its local model foundation in 1960. It adopted largely locally engineered versions of cars offered in North America until 1972, when it released the XA Falcon range. Available as a four-door Sedan, a two-door Hardtop, a Station Wagon, a Ute, and a Panel Van, it was the first model that featured local styling. I know that there was some input from the USA, and I can see a touch of Torino in the Hardtop from some angles. Our feature Falcon is a GT Hardtop that left the Broadmeadows factory in 1973. The first owner ordered it in Walnut Glow Metallic with, what was slightly unusual, a Black vinyl top. The GT package was offered on both the Sedan and Hardtop, bringing hood scoops, faux fender scoops, external hood locks, a special grille with integrated driving lights, and sports steel wheels to the party. The first owner also selected a hood blackout treatment, dual exterior mirrors, and tinted glass to create a distinctive look. The seller confirms that this GT underwent a bare-metal restoration in 2005, with the builder focused on the fine details befitting a desirable classic. Therefore, it is unsurprising that it is presented so beautifully. The paint holds a wonderful depth of color and shine, the panels are laser-straight, and there are no rust issues. It retains all of its distinctive GT features and wouldn’t look out of place on a showroom floor in its current form.

Readers outside Australia may have no idea what the “Supercar Scare” is, but it forever changed the Australian automotive landscape. Ford, Holden, and Chrysler had been producing ever-more potent Special Edition vehicles since the first Falcon GT appeared in 1967, focused on success in the annual Bathurst race. Bathurst is to Australians as the Daytona 500 is to Americans, with victory bringing great prestige and showroom success due to the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” mindset. The sticking point was that the prevailing racing rules demanded that competing vehicles be production models that could be bought off the showroom floor. These cars featured ever-increasing engine performance but with handling and braking upgrades to compensate. Many believe that the ultimate version of a car from this period was the Ford Falcon GTHO Phase 3. Its 351ci Cleveland V8 produced an “official” 300hp and was capable of touching 141mph in production form. The company had a Phase IV version set to hit showroom floors in 1973, based on the new XA model. However, one well-meaning journalist got wind of the Phase IV and corresponding models from Holden and Chrysler, running a newspaper article revealing how we would suddenly find 160mph Supercars on the nation’s roads. The State and Federal Governments ran with the story, promising to cancel lucrative contracts to supply Government vehicles if these cars were produced. The whole fiasco took under a week to unfold, but by the end, the companies had all axed their new high-performance models. However, that wasn’t entirely true because those “in the know” could order something special when they handed over the money for an XA GT. It became known as RPO 83 and was offered on 120 Hardtops and 130 Sedans. RPO 83 added a 780cfm Holley carburetor, HM Headers, and a heat shield for the clutch slave cylinder line. The factory quoted power and torque figures of 330hp and 380 ft/lbs for the 351ci Cleveland, and with this car also featuring a four-speed Top Loader manual transmission and a 9″ limited-slip rear end, it really was as close as a buyer could come to owning a road-bound Bathurst winner. And win it did, because the XA GT RPO 83 scored victories at Bathurst in 1973 and 1974. The seller states that this car is numbers-matching, having undergone a complete mechanical rebuild during its 2005 restoration. It is in excellent mechanical health and is ready to hit the road with its new owner behind the wheel.

There is nothing inside this Falcon that separates a regular GT from its RPO 83 sibling. Buyers received Falcon’s sports gauge cluster with a factory tachometer, bucket seats, a console, a stubby shifter for the four-speed, and a rimblow wheel. This Falcon also features a remote driver’s mirror and an AM radio. As with the exterior, this GT’s interior is seemingly perfect. Many of the trim pieces are original, with any replacement parts high-quality reproductions in the correct Parchment vinyl. There is no evidence of wear or other issues, and the only modification is to the radio, which had AM/FM internals installed during the restoration. Otherwise, this GT is as it left the factory.

Ford produced its final Falcon in October 2016, retiring a badge that had been an Australian staple since 1960. The company was a shadow of its former self by the time the ax fell, with its model range unable to compete with imports. It was a sad end for a company that had given us cars like the legendary Falcon GTHO Phase 3 and this 1973 Falcon GT Hardtop RPO 83. With the manufacturing facilities dismantled and Holden now also little but a distant memory, there will never be another Aussie muscle car. That means that preserving classics like this Falcon is critically important, particularly for those Down Under. I suspect that the auction reserve estimate for this GT is very conservative, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the hammer falls at double that figure. I love my Aussie classics, and I won’t miss this auction to see what happens.