It was specifically homologated for the Austrailian touring car champoinship. The 1969 GT-HO Phase 2 was the second evolution of the homogated Ford Falcon. The first two hundred examples featured the Windsor 351 while the last fifty used a Cleveland 351 V8. It featured a Holley 600CFM 4-Barrel carburettor which rasied the engine to 300 hp. In August of 1969 a homologation version of the Falcon GT appeared - the Ford Falcon GT-HO Phase I. Compared to the XR GT's exclusive exterior combination of GT Gold with black stripes, the XT was available in several colours with black-outs and colour-keyed side stripes. It was extremely popular and sales doubled that of the XR. The XT's greatest claim to fame was the Teams Prize in the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon where the Ford team finished 3rd, 5th and 8th well ahead of many more fancied rally cars. It was the first Aussie performance car to offer headlights to match its extra performance with new grille-mounted driving lights, a four-eyes performance tradition that would be revived in later Tickford models.
It gained the more powerful 302 V8, a beefy new three-speed auto transmission option, wider 6-inch rims, lower suspension and heavier shockers. The success of the XR GT saw rapid development of the XT version released in April 1968 as an ongoing model. In October, the real reason for its creation became apparent as the new GT Falcon took the 'King of the Mountain' title at Bathurst thereby establishing the foundations for V8 Supercars into the 21st Century. Its GT stripes down the sides and across the boot, distinctive GT medallions and grille blackouts caused a sensation when the first GT was released in May 1967 as a limited edition model late in the XR series.
#1967 FORD FALCON MANUAL#
The new GT was also the first full-size Australian family car variation to offer a total performance and appearance package with extra safety including the Mustang 289 V8 with Australias first four barrel carburettor, 4-speed manual gearbox, sports suspension with radial tyres on 5.5 inch rims and steering wheel impact pad, all standard. Following the example set by the old Model-T, the XR Falcon GT came in any colour you wanted, provided it was gold. Appointments were a cut above the XR Fairmont.
#1967 FORD FALCON FULL#
Its unique charcoal interior featured the sportier ZA Fairlane bucket seats, wood-grained steering wheel, dash and matching gear knob and special Stewart-Warner full instrumentation. The experts told Ford that a GT came only with 2 doors but Ford went ahead anyway with the definitive Aussie 4-door GT based on the XR series, resplendent in its own exclusive colour, GT Gold. Developed from the special Police Interceptor Pack Falcon, the GT was the brainchild of dynamic Ford Australia Managing Director, Bill Bourke. If the guy is truthful about the power output, for the cost I’d take it all day long.The 1967 Ford Falcon GT was the car that started the Australian Falcon GT legend.
The seller is claiming 400 horses out of the 302, it has power disc brakes up front, and I can look past parking lot dents and a missing headliner. Unabashedly upright, capable of some genuinely frightening performance in the right hands, and with plenty of options for making the drive exhilarating thanks to it’s Mustang connection, this 1967 Falcon is tempting. It probably has a lot to do with the strong infusion of Ford Mustang that wasn’t as present in the earlier generations, but they also have this aggressive small-car vibe that I get heavily from late 1960s Dodge Darts as well. I was never one for Ford Falcons in the past, but the 1966-early 1970 bodystyle is growing on me fast. Meanwhile, while forums are being held, photos are being taken and parts are being displayed, I’m over here at BangShift Mid-West digging through Craigslist for something in Indianapolis that might be worth taking home. Lots of friends are roaming the halls of the Indiana Convention Center learning about the current forefront in the racing scene, from parts to promotion. At least it’s not snowing there this year…yet. I love the PRI Show, but after last year’s fun involving the Angry Grandpa Chrysler, a failed oil pressure sensor, and the closest thing to a heart attack I’ve ever had after finding zero oil on the dipstick in the parking lot of the hotel at a very frozen early hour, I could use the break from Indy. Everybody’s in Indianapolis for the PRI Show and I’m…not.
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