There is a tendency to assume that anything made by Ford or GM is, or was, a domestic model. It’s a logical thought progression, it’s just not accurate. Both companies had a significant presence in Australia and produced desirable models there, both during, and long after the “fun” factor of domestic versions had dissipated. A case in point is this 1972 (not a ’71 as the ad states) Ford Falcon XA. Imported to the U.S. back in 2009, it has some interesting features that warrant a closer look. It is located in Sun City, Arizona and is available, here on Autotrader for $120,000 (gulp!). Thanks to Larry D for this most unusual find!
Ford manufactured the Falcon in Australia from 1960 to 2016 and for years, it followed the compact nature of the U.S. version. Things changed after the Falcon was discontinued in the U.S. The half-year only, 1970.5 domestic Falcon, and the ’70 Torino, gave rise to a similar design that manifested itself in Australia starting with the Falcon XA model, such as our subject car, in 1972. If you think there is a resemblance between this Falcon and the ’70-’71 Ford Torino (or that previously mentioned 1970.5 domestic Falcon), you would be correct as both used the same floor stampings and similar styling cues. The XA was only offered for two years before its successor, the XB, went into production. Body styles for the XA abounded with two-door hardtops, coupe utilities (like a Ranchero), vans, a four-door sedan, and a station wagon. From a performance perspective, a GT version was available with a 300 HP, 351 CI V8 engine. The XA was definitely popular with almost 130K copies being produced over the ’72 and ’73 model years.
This Falcon, with its silver-violet finish, presents well though the seller does not elaborate on the physical or aesthetic condition of this 119K mile example. Nevertheless, the images do it justice and nothing seems disturbed or out of place. Enhancing this Falcon’s performance attitude are the Daytona wheels, Cobra-Jet hood scoop, rear window louvers, considerable chin/tail spoilers, and a rear-up stance. With its under-car, blue LED accent lights, this Falcon is hardly a stealthy car!
Power is provided by a 302 CI, “Windsor” V8 engine that has been enhanced with nitrous injection. The original power rating was 240 gross HP; in modified form the rating is unknown. Both of the accompanying engine images are blurry so it’s hard to get a good look at the engine’s details. Behind the engine is a three-speed, automatic C-4 transmission with a rather long-legged 2.75:1 limited-slip differential putting the power to the pavement. It would have been nice to have included a few words about this Falcon’s operating prowess.
The interior is not photographed in snippets and there is no reference to it in the listing other than to state that it has an AM/FM/CD radio/player and power door locks. Obviously, it’s right-hand drive and there is a cloth/vinyl upholstery combination that appears to be in good shape. An undersized, after-market steering wheel has been installed too. And the blue LED accent light treatment continues with under-dash mountings.
I have often wondered about the wisdom of purchasing an Australian vehicle (Chevrolet SS, Pontiac G8, and GTO), primarily due to the availability of non-mechanical parts – and that’s something to consider. This Falcon definitely has a Mad Max vibe about it, though it’s in a bit better shape than most of what was featured in that dystopian flick. And while it’s pretty cool in that respect, I’m having a tough time seeing the logic of dropping 120 large on this Falcon when I can buy a very significant ’70-’71 Torino, in full ginned-up mode, for a lot less. How about you?
These are cool cars……until you see a whole row of them.
When I was at the Ford 100th celebration in Dearborn,Michigan
in 2003,there were at least a dozen of them.
Think of the multiple cars you could buy for that money.I also
noticed that it’s in Arizona,but registered in Oregon – flipper?
GOOD CATCH. . .no telling what the real story is, but one thing I’ve learned from watching the TV repair shows, ( the ones that rebuild a car from the ground up), never buy anything you can’t inspect for damage.
Who says you can’t inspect it ? I never did.
They could be snowbirds
Uhhh, no. I live here full time.
I live here full time.
No, full time AMERICAN resident.
Steering wheel on the wrong side. Nova-Camaro looking front end to me! Still nice
No, it’s on the right side….Hahaha !
Needs repainted in black on black.
They also look great in Red.
Needs a supercharger sticking out of the hood too 😎
Based on the asking price the seller is mighty proud of this car. If it were mine I’d try to sell it too.
AFA as the NO2 the ad states ‘New ZEX Nitrous system NIB.’
And no one’s said Mad Max yet. Hmmm…
” …needs repainted in black on black…”
is, I believe, a Mad Max reference?
And I could be wrong, but if cars built and exclusively sold in a country are ” domestic market ” cars, this is an Australian DOMESTIC MARKET Ford.
Love Australian Domestic market cars, but Mad Max notwithstanding, this model of Falcon, or at least this body style looks too similar to the U.S. Ford Torino. I prefer the U.S. version.
I was going to say that the long-legged rear axle is a must when running at “max” speed…
Since they made these after this car’s model year, this is *not* the last of the V8 interceptors…
Every vintage picture I’ve ever seen of these showed a Mustang style shaker scoop, this has a Torino style shaker, one would also come to expect a 351c. There is something fishy about this car. Hopefully some Australian readers will chime in. Regardless, for that much money, potential buyers should be well enough versed in this models intricacies that they know exactly what they are purchasing.
Steve R
On the money Steve. Ford Oz never offered the XA to XC coupes with a shaker. All of the ones you see with it have been fitted by owners using a replica of the XY GT shaker which is very similar to the 69 Mustang version. The XA GT and GS came with two recessed hood scoops and recessed bonnet locking pins. This car is odd in some other ways too. Tranny and diff are correct for plain jane models, but all T-bar autos came with a centre console which is missing. They were only offered with a cleveland v8 (302/351) and the tail lights on this one are from an XB/XC. XA tail lights were recessed on a slope with the top of the lens at a 45 degree angle.
Thank you for the pointers.
Steve R
This car appears to be assembled from some Mustang and aftermarket parts. It appears to be a Falcon 500. The 302 engines were listed as Australian built “Cleveland” engines. Research indicates none were built with rear spoilers, or “Shaker” hoods. The Falcon GT coupes, and sedans did have hoods with two “NACA” ducts. There were no “Cobra” models built by the factory.
A right hand Low Rider !
If I have to live with RHD from down under it better be a Nissan GTR or some other Japanese car that was never imported.
Looks like a chevelle, nova Camaro , also looks like an AMX. Weird, I really see nothing Ford. That price with a 302. Forget it.
Back in my hoodlum days between court and my Valiant Chargers I owned quite a few of these, including a limited edition Superbird(to this day I think was basically more money, a GT dash, a sticker and rear louvre).They were really cool cars and fetching the dollars these days in Australia. I know it is only photos but I can hear that front suspension squeaking from all the way over here, I miss it. I don’t recall them having a factory rear spoiler until the 78 XC Cobra, then every 2nd car had an aftermarket spoiler bolted on it.
“cobra”. Someone’s playing games, cobra was not really an Australian thing… GS, GT, and the ridiculously rare RPO packages fills this exosystm. Locally these are notoriously rusty around the pillars, we once chopped a friend’s Fairmont rather than try to fix the rust, so that (and not the quarters or the frame rails) is the first place I’d look for rust.. scoop is wrong wrong wrong for any Australian produced example. This shiz is, as we say mutton dressed as lamb and the sheer amount of americanization jammed on to it would certainly devalue it innthe local market. More of a hoon car and a burnout machine for Summernats, less of a preserved example, there’s not a hope in hell it would get that sort of price locally.
Correct there were no XA or XB Cobra’s, there were a few prototype XC’s built for Bathurst and then a production run of 400 units which was mainly to use up the remaining body shells before the release of the new XD body shape. All the other gear tacked on this car featured is just bling. I think you could consider most cars built around then up to the release of RustRid as rust buckets, all with their own areas of demise.
Yeah, but this is hooned and seppoed, and I can’t immagine anyone in my car group (HBMS FTW) wanting an XA dressed as a yank tank, unless it was to rip the cobras off and do it properly. Grotesquely overpriced given howmfar from stock it’s strayed from original considering that much inaud would get you a fully restored GT Manual.
Context: a basic parts car (which is all this is) will run you about 13k in American dollars. 65 K will get you a nice fully restored driver. He’s asking top show prices for a completely unauthenticate restomod.
Final weigh in before i shut it… here’s a local restomod, 42 K american, with the original hood and air intakes so you can convert it back to a daily driver, minor rust. You could buy it and ship it to the states for less than this bozo wants
This is WAY over priced. Mechanical parts- RHD excepted- should be no problem, since Ford Australia went running to daddy in Dearborn for most things mechanical.
Last of the V8 Interceptors.
Nice…but not $120,000.00 nice.
I love superbirds but this car is over priced! It’s not the 351C and not a manual so yeah I would be looking for a talladega thanks!
We are blessed to have a good portion of the American muscle here, I’m not sure what the barn find ratio is when you compare finds from the USA to other places. I think this car is really great, not only for what it is, but also for what it isn’t . Remember the 4 door 351 race car that sold for over 1/2 a mill? This car looks like a Cuda/challenger/68 chevelle from the side? Amx from the back ,Nova from the front?
These are cool but, buyer beware…Aussie cars are usually very rusty. The pumped up prices on these cars (and any variant of them, it seems) is the hidden urge we all have to drive a Mad Max car. The original Mad Max, not one of the cheesy sequel Mad Max cars. I’ve always wanted one too but, I would imagine, it wouldn’t be all I have dreamt of. The fact that the cars in the movie, with it’s sped up film speed, were actually pretty lame so, I think it’s probably better to just keep imagining.
It looks more like a mustang than a Torino, to me anyway.
These are sort after here and even very ordinary examples are bring a respectable return so this would be an excellent investment, I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up back in Australia
As an Aussie this particular example looks awful. In USD price terms to quote Darryl from the Aussie movie “The Castle” tell him (the vendor) “he’s dreaming”
These 2 door Falcons were not that popular or valuable when new but in Aussie properly restored ones are worth seriously big money.
Back around 1990 I had an Aussie 6 Pack Valiant Charger. With the factory triple Weber’s, 35 gallon tank (for Bathurst 500 mile race for which these were built and homoglated). My car had had a really tough life but was like Vanishing point on an open country road. 280bhp, about a 14.4 sec quarter mile, pretty hot stuff back in 1971. Today one of these even in rough condition is probably AUD100,000 plus if you could find one. A good one probably double that plus. Later had a Porsche 928S4. On an open road the Charger felt more charismatic than the Porsche.
“Remember the Nightrider !” ….. “Toecutter” died last December ….. Man, “Mad Max” was such a cool movie , I remember a whole bunch of us lined up in the Indi “Nickelodeon Theatre” in Santa Cruz when this first came out , and we were treated to the real cut, the one where Mel Gibson’s Aussie accent was not dubbed over ….. Still get a kick out of watching that movie, the cars were great , the bikes were wonderful ( a whole bunch of us had Kawasaki Bikes) ….. good times . Nice car , but a whole lot of $$$$$$$.
It’s a put together one from all sorts of odds and ends. If it was a proper GT it would have the 4V 351C and toploader. andnot the measly 302W with an auto. The interior is all wrong. The rear is all wrong. There is a version called a Phase IV but very few of them exist. The proper GT is worth the money but this is not even a close imitation.
I live in Australia and love these cars, the owner obviously thinks the world of this one.
These things are all just cheaply manufactured passenger carrying vehicles produced to a price for the domestic australian market. When this thing was near new every australian guy would climb over the next to gdt his hands on a real american muscle car properly produced. You could pick these things up anywhere in australia before 2000 for five thousand aud. Virtually noone wanted them. So just forget all about it youve got better built cars from the era and better offering in your own market today
68,69 torino hood, scoop, bumper ,signal housings…, grille looks like customized from 68 cyclone grille , looks good to me cept the color and stupid lights, seems like it must of had 30 inch wheels at one time!! 120G,… not worth that, unless you want to just stare at it,…I will build u a custom model of one and save you $119,000+ …then you buy a torino and drive it, still got lots of$ left over. I will be surprised if it sells.
Windsor motor is incorrect. V8’s in Australia in the XA should have been a 351 Cleveland or locally done 302 Cleveland. Missing centre console also. A decent one sells here in Australia for anything from $50k & up Ozzie dollars. Would not pay the asking price for that pink pig.
I’m an Australian looking at this, and I can tell you this car, in this state, is nothing special, an average street car, tired interior trim, engine bay looks like it still has tired original paint. A bunch of American, and God knows what other odd aftermarket parts tacked onto it. It was cobbled up from a base model Falcon coupe, single headlight grille, no sports (GT) instruments. From the limited pics the body looks good, and it would be a good base for a project. It is something I would certainly consider, for a sensible price…. .
These cars are highly sought after in Australia, and command big dollars, particularly GT’s or Cobra’s, but this is neither, I’d say it’s worth about $60k US tops.
As someone who has been exporting these to the US from Australia for the last 20 years, I can confirm the comments above in regards to price are true, ridiculously overpriced (and I’ve had this conversation with the owner a number of times as it’s been for sale for about 4 years so far). Realistically this car is worth around US$60-65k tops. It’s possibly the ugliest Falcon hardtop I’ve ever seen, anyone buying it would essentially be buying a project (I could supply a more original condition project hardtop for under US$40k).
Cam Hardtop Hub, Your contact info if you please!!!
I love these cars. They have a reverse Torino floor pan. The 1970-71 Torino is about the same size as the 1971 Mustang, so yes it sort of was the Mustang for Australia. Ford AU used this architecture through the XD series through 1986. So while we were having to drive Mustang II, American Fairmont, Taurus and GM/Chrysler’s horrible front wheel drive cars of the time period. Australians could walk into their car dealers and buy a new car with a 351C, toploader four speed and 9-inch with rear disc brakes, which were available down there since 1970. Everytime I watch the movie, Fargo, I get pissed off at all the bullfeathers of GM. Front wheel drive crap boxes. The G-body and F-body were the only game at GM. It was an anomaly that let the Buick Grand National exist, much to the chagrin of the Corvette team. Lazy ass GM. I am sure you can go to Australia, buy a 351C car and ship it to the good old USA for under $120,000. If the seller thinks it’s gold he should make jewelry out of it and leave us alone. Goofy Motherf……
Jim ODonnell, What do you mean buy non-mechanical parts? I know that Lucas wiring sucks. Australians claim that their cars are and have to be more robust than USA cars, because the roads down there are very harsh once you drive away from the coastline towards the Outback. That’s why you can get four wheel disc brakes and thicker door frames around the window glass.
The color of this car is the same color you see with your eyes closed while vomiting.
Some people just seem to have all the answers.
XA GT Coupes here sell for around $350,000 up to $750,000 and depending on it,s pedigree are in great demand. I had an XB coupe and sold it for a paltry $10,000. Wish I still had it
Considering there are less than 10 XA Fairmont coupes in the U.S. and only 1636 were made in ’72 anyways, many being destroyed by rust or idiots that can’t drive, I would say that makes it pretty rare in it’s own right.
I bet all you haters are wishing you bought this when it was only $75K. Also, it has had alot of work done to fix and eliminate the unreliability issues these came with from the factory. And finally, go shopping for one in the U.S. and see what you come up with. Importing one of these is neither easy or cheap.So the price reflects the market.