SOLD! LOT 123 – 1978 XC GS FORD FALCON HARDTOP
1978 Ford XC Falcon Hardtop
HIGHLIGHTS: – Fully rebuild XC Hardtop into tough custom – Factory T Code 351ci V8 car – Professionally repainted in Ford Onyx Black – Fully retrimmed interior – Tough built 393ci V8 stroker – FMX Automatic transmission with shift kit – 9” diff with 3.7 gears – Integrated air conditioning – Power steering, central locking
This 1978 Ford Falcon XC Hardtop has been fully restored and upgraded into a tough street car. The car was built in February 1978 and left the factory as a T-code 5.8L V8, 3 speed T-bar automatic in Sno White with Saddle trim before being sold new by Peter Warren Ford in Sydney, NSW.
Nearly all XC Hardtops sold at that time in Sno White with these specifications went to NSW Police Highway Patrol. The vehicle was factory fitted with the single left hand tramp rod that was only ever fitted to manual 351 XC’s and police automatic 351’s. The welded tramp rod bracket is still on the chassis and the rod setup comes with the car but is not currently fitted. Police ownership is not verified, but likely. The car has since been built into a period correct resto-mod.
Starting with the body which was mostly stripped to metal and refinished in Ford Onyx Black. The interior and underside were finished in rust inhibiting epoxy and the interior lined in soundmat. The bumpers were acid dipped to strip the chrome and colour coded. All body bolts were either zinc plated or replaced with new. All stainless trim was either polished or replace with reproduction items. Every external light lens is new. Grill was refinished to better than new. 70’s race style reverse cowl was fitted to allow raised induction. There is a new front windscreen screen while the rest of the glass is factory including working demister rear screen. Completing the look outside is a set of Simmons V51 wheels measuring 15×8” Simmons V51 up front and 15×10” in the rear.
Inside, the dash and console were restored with best parts that could be found. New carpet, headlining, door cards were fitted. Seat frames were restored and trimmed in customised W2 style. All new seat belts were fitted along with a child seat anchor. Retrofitted factory integrated air-condition which was fully restored with new heater core, hoses and seals. Retrofitted factory power windows along with aftermarket central locking and remote boot release. Digital oil & coolant temp, voltage gauges are concealed in ashtray along with a 6000rpm shift light integrated into factory tacho. Voltage control and tach modules to work with ICE ignition. There is a concealed 8 speaker stereo system with head unit in centre console, 6” splits in front, custom rear parcel shelf with 6×9’s and twin 12” sub box with 3 amplifiers.
Under the bonnet is a fully built 393 Stroker. Starting with a non-matching factory block, the engine was built with Scat stroker crank and rods, forged flat top pistons, ACL race bearings, ARP main bolts, high volume oil pump, winged sump, 11:1 compression, Comp Cams retrofit hydraulic roller cam (304HR), comp roller lifters, MLS head gaskets, AFD Alloy 2V heads fitted with Comp cams valves and springs, ARP head bolts, Scorpion Blue roller rockers, Edelbrock Airgap intake manifold, 2” sucker spacer, Holley billet 850 double pumper with auto choke & AC idle up solenoid, custom raised & sealed airfilter. Spark is supplied by an ICE digital ignition with timing and voltage booster module mounted in glove box. The car is set up to run with full synthetic oil and on 98 octane pump fuel. The fuel tank is factory item that was acid dipped and refinished in epoxy. Supply is thanks to an Edelbrock electronic fuel pump. Gasses are expelled thanks to 4 into 1 extractors, x-pipe, straight pass mufflers and unique quad tips. Keeping everything cool is a new alloy radiator with twin thermos. Other upgrades include an Aeroflow 140amp alternator, custom fabricated gilmer/V belt setup for alternator and air conditioning.
The engine is paired to an FMX automatic transmission with stage 2 shift kit and 3000 rpm Taipan stall convertor. Custom Trans cooler behind front bumper. Tail shaft built by Hardy Spicer. Power is fed to the rear wheels via a 9” diff with factory housing, Motive 3.7 gearset, Truetrac LSD and billet 28 spline axles. Helping to stop all that HP is a reconditioned booster with aftermarket vacuum tank and new master cylinder. All four wheels use disc brakes with slotted and dimpled rotors, rebuilt XF alloy calipers, QDB race pads and all new hoses. The front suspension uses 2” lowered king springs, HD shocks with 27mm sway bar while all bushes are whiteline poly and there is all new joints and ends. The factory power steering box has been reconditioned, as has the factory C2 power pump. The rear uses 2” low king 5 leaf springs with 1” blocks plus pinion spacers, a 20mm sway bar with factory body mounts, Whiteline poly bushes. Again shocks are HD with RCE traction bar set up.
The car was built to be driven with approx. 10,000 km travelled since first returned to the road. The car has not been on the dyno’d but has run an 11.7 sec quarter so is certainly fairly rapid.
IMPORTANT: Vehicle information is provided to us by the consignee. We do everything we can to qualify the best cars in the Australian market to represent on consignment for private sellers however, they are still old cars and we can’t capture everything in the photos, we don’t drive them any significant distance and can’t know everything about them. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the vehicle, and to have satisfied themselves as to the condition and value and to purchase based upon that judgement solely. Vehicles may have been sitting for some time and it is suggested that to protect your investment, you allow to change fuel, oil, fluids, filters and inspect brakes prior to use. All vehicles are sold under standard auction conditions, consignment and auction vehicles are sold as is, without registration unless otherwise stated and there is no cooling off period or warranty expressed, written or implied. All sales are final. Independent inspections are welcome and strongly encouraged to help with your decision making.
PLEASE CALL LOCKY MCCANN WITH SALES ENQUIRIES ON 0403 935 488
Located at 2 Palings Court, Nerang on the Gold Coast. Inspections by appointment during auction and public openings/viewing as advertised. 
