End of an Era..

[Alitis007]

Sad to see it come to an end, they might have had a chance if they tried to export the falcon instead of import crap cars like the focus. Holden on the other hand has been exporting cars since the VB commo, badging them Vauxhal in the UK and Opel in Europe i remember seeing a 4cyl vb wagon in Greece when i was around 11 lol.

Heres a Question , Did FORD actually make a shaker XYGT ute or was it a sub division company.??

Ford never made GT utes till the BA mate, all the utes you see with GT options where slapped together by the owners.

Heres a fact for you, all GT spoilers and shakers where made from stainless steel and the bonnet flutes and lock down pins from hi quality alloys! And all Ford shells made upto the EA where left in bare metal in the weather until they where put back onto the production line to be sprayed and assembled hence why they are all full of rust!!

[threedogs]

I know all that as I contracted to them for years, But a few utes were made by the Ford Exects ,same as colour a few black with white stripe were made, mate ordered one but it was in Darwin, couldn't wait so bought the Vermillion fire one .Mate brought a brand new XYGT $4300, Alloy shaker and spoiler as stated,
Radio antenna had square base as they were Mustang antenna, my era loved it, fuel only 15cent a ltre I would think
took us 36 hrs driving time to Perth nulla was dirt then
@ Alitis other way around George Pin for bonnet etc were Stainless I know as Lifted mates bonnet heaps of time and 100% certain shaker and rear spoiler were Alloy
cowcatcher very poor quality and broke all the time, especially hitting rabbits on way to the Flinders Range

[Alitis007]

Thats just optioned TD or specially ordered like the Phase 4 or more commonly known as the XA RPO, 3 of which where made and badged RPO and 1 HO all made with left over XY GT HO parts.

I'm not a Ford man but my brother is
ImageUploadedByTapatalk 21369353646.528190.jpg
His project XB Fairmont with GT/GS options but is 1 of 6 made in Banana blush. Not as valuable as a HO but still 1 of 6 in that color!!!

[Alitis007]

@ Alitis other way around George Pin for bonnet etc were Stainless I know as Lifted mates bonnet heaps of time and 100% certain shaker and rear spoiler were Alloy
cowcatcher very poor quality and broke all the time, especially hitting rabbits on way to the Flinders Range

On the XB was the way i said mate, my bro has 2 sets of pins 4 flutes, a original GT bonnet with the cups for the pin moulded into the bonnet and a GS bonnet ( no pins). XW and XY never where factory fitted with bonnet pins!!

He also has an original front plastic 3 piece spoiler aswell...

[Lonicus]

I believe Ford had arranged to export the Territory to Indonesia, I think, and as soon as the ink was dry an 80% import tariff was slapped on, killing the market.

Australia has more different brands of cars than both the US and EU. It seems we can really only have one of two things here, a local car manufacturing industry OR cheap imported cars (not cheap brands, but imports sold cheaply), we can't afford both indefinitely.

It's much the same as everything at the moment, even housing. You can buy an older, well built house or a shiny new one made using sub-standard materials and slapped together well enough to, hopefully, last until the 12 month warranty runs out. People generally go for the shiny new one.

[threedogs]

Dropped off GTs after the XY , think after that they stopped the sell 500 rule for Bathurst, never ever heard of the term RPO
Same like the Johnnie Goss and Cobra specials just Speced up Fairmonts IMO, but I'm a Ford man.
Was at Bathurst on the hill under Castrol tower when Brownie rolled his HO along the Armco. was also there at the 1-2 finish be it over lubricated at the time.
My hero was Murray Carter, Alan Moffat, Frenchie, but fan of all the racers of that era, even a little up start called Peter Brock in his XU1.
Win on Sunday buy on monday

@ Lonicas I believe you can get 3 Navara D40 , Spanish?, mexico? and China/japan?, all chassis are slightly different as I get calls all the time over it
Start collecting Fords

[PMC]

G'day folk's,

It was only over 70 years ago that world war 2 broke out and the terrible carnage that was bought onto our world by the Germany and Japanese forces. If must be remembered that these two enemies had state of the art manufacturing industries before declaring war on the world.

If Australia loses it' manufacturing capabilities over the next 20 years, i really do fear for Australia's security and the safety of its people in the next 50 years.

Regards,

RLI

[patrolmq]

When my Dad was a young man it took many years income to buy a new car, now you can buy a new car for $15k some earn that in 3 months or less.

I know its not comparing a Falcon to a Hyundai / Mitsi / Toyota etc but the foriegn manufactured item is so competitive with great warrantees, fuel economy, style, comfort, features etc.

Do you mean a car back then cost many times his annual income or it took years to save his disposable income for a new car? Because even earning $15k in 3 months now, most of that will go on living costs.

The strong dollar means importers can import foreign cars cheaper and make them more competitive.

[jack]

Always been a Ford fan, have owned heaps of Cortinas and Falcons and sad to see them close down. Last three cars have been NISSANs.
Have a quick think, how many can quickly recall the last 10 Australian made products they have purchased? Don't include foodstuffs etc. and don't name them here - don't want to hijack the thread.

[macca]

Do you mean a car back then cost many times his annual income or it took years to save his disposable income for a new car? Because even earning $15k in 3 months now, most of that will go on living costs.

The strong dollar means importers can import foreign cars cheaper and make them more competitive.

He might have earnt 1000 pound a year and a car was 2000 pound thats what he meant, today if someone was on $60000 a year a quater years pay could see them in a new car. Only camparing to annual income.