My other Interests

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Check out this amazing private collection of former race cars, my personal favourite car is the Falcon XA GTHO Phase 4 sitting on the lift at the back, one of only four built before Ford pulled the pin on these cars (because of Government pressure), one was a pre production car and three were being built as the works race cars, this car was the only one that was completed as a race car before they got the chop, note the panhard rod and the large winged sump that the production Phase 4 would have received as standard.  The famous Globe wheels  were also originally designed for the Phase 4.

The Bowden Car Collection Pt 1 - Gasolene TV

The Bowden Car Collection Pt 2 - Gasolene TV

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Bathurst 1977 Moffat Ford Dealer Team did the very famous 1-2 finish.
Take a listen (you will need to turn up your speakers for maximum effect) to the second placed XC Falcons engine that was driven by Colin Bond and Alan Hamilton.
This car started out as a lightweight XB Falcon racing body shell supplied to the Moffat team by Ford in 1977.
During the year the car was upgraded to the new XC specs. On the XC the front guards have horizontal indicators while on the back guards this car still retain the XB vertical side indicators.
This racing lightweight shell was one of two made by Ford using thinner gauge outer panels, This car was probably also fitted with thinner gauge doors and bumpers as these items were also available to other Ford racing teams.
This racing body shell also received twice the number of spot welds on the production floor for strength, it was not fitted with any under floor sealer or sound deadener and was personally walked down the assembly line to ensure the chassis was made to exact measurements.
This body shell was also made with extra wide rear wheel tubs to fit the 10” racing wheels under. The large tubs were homologated in the XC Cobra Bathurst special.
By 1977 the mighty 351 Cleveland racing engine was producing 480 hp.

Bowden's Colin Bond Falcon Hardtop #2 Car

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Something for the Avenger fans, I believe Bernard Unett won the BTTC in 1977 driving an Avenger, the dash top mounted tachometer looks familiar.

Bernard Unett - Avon Tour of Britain 1975

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Even today these cars are still a very beautiful to look at, the XC Falcon Cobra was just a way to get rid of the last remaining coupé body shells before the launch of the XD falcon.
In reality they were just a stock 5.O or 5.8 V8 based on a GS (Ford were no longer making GT models), but Ford made 30 homologation specials (option 97) to enable the Ford teams to get a few more goodies into there cars for Bathurst.
The 30 Bathurst specials were all 5.8 manual, no power steer, no electric windows, no air-con and came with these extras.
Thirty of the cars - 00002 to 00031 - were built as Bathurst specials with Option 97. ( The car in the video is number 19 )
These cars had the following modifications;
" Reworked rear wheel inside housings to accommodate the larger wheels; (inner half of each wheel tub was moved 25 mm inboard )
" Front spring tower reinforcement; ( Plate welded at the base of the spring tower )
" Modified No2 suspension cross member;
" Fibreglass front spoiler sourced from Bob McWilliams;
" Scheel KBA90018 front seats trimmed in black cloth;
" Rear seats trimmed in black corduroy/cashmere cloth;
" Transmission oil cooler; (pump was apparently an electric bilge pump from a small boat)
" Front strut braces;
" Idler arm brace,
" Electric radiator fan;
" Heavy duty radiator
" Hood scoop. (it seems almost every Cobra has been retro fitted with one of these )

The title says it is a XB but it is a XC falcon, the 128 lt fuel tank he mentions on the video is just an optional standard fuel tank that Ford offered, he also mentions the strut brace looking nothing like what race teams used, I don't think it applies to all teams as I have only ever seen the standard Ford brace being used in photos.

Ford XB coupe - race edition
 

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TWR, Tom Wilkinshaw Racing built 5 XJS V12 Jaguars for Group A, TWR kept one when they were retired and sold the other four.
I saw these cars racing at the Wellington street races, something I have never forgotten is the sound, take a listen.
The tank that sits in the passengers foot well is a water tank that sprays a fine mist of water onto the brakes.

Martin Brundle 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed (TWR XJS)

TWR Jaguar XJS V12 engine warm-up