Now here’s something you wouldn’t likely see in the US: a comparable Torino GT with bull bars. But down under, everything is upside down. Hugo90 posted this 1974-era pic at the Cohort, and I couldn’t resist. Never mind the rest of the vintage cars and trams.
I’m trying to figure out what the writing on the door is. They almost look like cab fare rates.
It’s another great picture from Hugh90 aka Mr. Lloyd. His Flickr page is a real treasure trove. And the writing on the door DOES make it look like a taxi. I wish the picture was just a little bit clearer. There’s an explanation for this car, somewhere. I wouldn’t say a LOGICAL explanation, but there’s an explanation.
Definitely not a taxi – they have to have a dome light and would normally have a company shield on the front doors. I’d find it hard to believe a taxi driver would choose a coupe like this too!
It looks like a company logo on the rear quarter, and the lettering could accompany that, for example the company name and list of office or depot locations. The bull bar and driving lights indicate lots of rural travel.
From other pictures I’ve seen, “roo bars” are actually fairly common on cars driven a lot in rural areas to limit the damage from frequent collisions with fauna, although errant sheep are almost as likely as suicidal kangaroos.
No idea what the writing signifies.
Interesting – another chance to play “Guess what spec level that Falcon is?”, my favourite game! In this case it’s an XA series Falcon. The grille could be genuine GT -but depends if the spotlights closest to the headlights are built in or not. Bonnet has GT warpaint, but isn’t a GT as it lacks the scoops. Appears to be wearing enormous rear tyres, so hopefully it is a V8!
Bullbars are pretty common here in NZ too – usually on farmers’ utes like the Toyota Hilux/Nissan Navara/Ford Ranger etc, and frequently on forward-control vans like the Toyota Hiace/Mitsubishi L200/Ford Econovan. Loads of large trucks have them, and there’s the occasional car/wagon too. In fact Ford offered an integrated factory-fitted bullbar option on the AU series Falcon. It was airbag-safe, the interwebs show this pic of one fitted to a 2001 Futura wagon:
The driving lights in the GT position don’t appear to be set into the grille with a surround ring. As well as the hood scoops it also doesn’t have the intakes in the front fenders behind the turn signals. I think it is a pretty safe bet it is a V8!
Ford had airbag-compatible bull bars available earlier too, my ute has one as standard fitment.
Rats! I forgot about the GT fender intakes on the XA. Well, no GT bonnet or guards pretty much guarantees this one’s not a GT. Still fun working it out though! I was sure Ford did factory bullbars earlier than the AU, but didn’t find any mention in my quick net search – so thanks for confirming that.
The first ones were on the XG ute and the EF sedan range, which were airbag compatible. The 60th anniversary XG had a bullbar standard, as did the Outbacks until the last update when it reverted to an option.
“Mr and Mrs Mad Max head into town for a day of shopping”
I would want a pair of Hellas to go along with the Roo Bar!
Photo taken in downtown Melbourne with streetcars and a nice 64 Dodge
Also another Falcon sedan and a Valiant Charger driving along the street. Those W-class trams are still in use but only on limited routes such as tourist services – trouble is access is quite difficult with tall & narrow steps for entry.
I was about to guess it was Melbourne because of the trams, and yes, I noticed the ’64 Dodge – which made me wonder if it was in North America – but the traffic patterns and license tags say Oz.
Okay, it’s not that unusual down under to stick bull bars or ‘roo bars or sheep discouragers on the front of your muscle car? I used to think the Mad Max movies were works of fiction… I learn so much here at CC.
`Sheep discouragers.’ I love it.
Thats not a bullbar on the XA far too feeble remenber you talking of hitting something weighing 150lb at 65mph and driving away the spots arent built in so thats likely a base 2door they used to be a dime a dozen not now as most were thrashed into the ground I dont see a V8 badge on the front guard so it could be as lowly as a 200cube
Looks like Elizabeth St Melbourne, with Collins cross street in the background.
Well spotted! Ironically the distinctive building on the (south-west) corner has been demolished, but the square box on the (north-west) corner remains.
The more I look at that XA the more mysterious it appears to be. It has the big wheels and the GT front spoiler, GT grille and GT wiper arms but no V8 badges. The bonnet is painted the same as a GT but is missing the scoops and the front guard has a weird contour above the front wheel, almost like it was modified to allow for larger tyres which could suggest some sort of racing history.
The “bullbar” is an unexpected feature and along with the driving lights would suggest that the car was based somewhere in the country and was used for long distance trips.
The writing on the door doesn’t offer any clues nor does the symbol on the rear quarter although if you squint a bit it could look like a map of the UK.
My guess is that it could be a bit of a “Hillbilly Special”
The only thing that makes sense is that it is raining in Melbourne, which is perfectly normal
I noticed that front guard too, very puzzling. Forgot to mention the spoiler in my post above, d’oh. But I’m more intrigued by the wiper arms – I didn’t know the GT’s were different. But it’s another thing I can add to my “what spec-level is that Falcon?” game, so how do I tell the difference between GT/non-GT wiper arms?
The XA GT wiper arms had small airfoils riveted to the wiper arms, presumably to stop them lifting at high speed. If you zoom into the photo they can be seen… just.
Many years later one could buy those black plastic airfoils that clipped onto the wiper arm which implied the driver frequently indulged in high speed wet weather driving…. even more amusing was the fact that most of them were put on backwards.
Forgot about those my XB GS had them fitted didnt realize they were a GT option
That bulge in the front fender is curious. I’m betting on “Hillbilly Special”.
Looks like they have pumped the guards to fit wide wheels. My guess is that it was someone’s company car liberally fitted out with goodies for lots of country miles – back in the day when there was technically a speed limit but lots of free rein.
Considering this as close as we might get to having an XA GT on CC I thought I might share a story from a long long time ago.
Around the corner from where I lived a Falcon XA GT was parked on the side of the road and never seemed to be driven. It was dark green and had the coveted Bathurst Globe wheels but it hadn’t seen a wash in a long time, the twin exhaust was hanging down and it hadn’t been registered for years. Although the car was only ten years old at the time it was obvious it wasn’t being cared for
So I did the honorable thing and asked to buy it from its equally unkempt owner.
Two days later I was the proud owner of a genuine XA GT!
So that night, myself and my best mate and our girlfriends drove it 50 miles down to the nearest town to buy some burgers, as we came up to the only major intersection in the town, about five lanes wide despite being a small country town, there was a cop car in the far right hand lane. I put the clutch in and drifted as quietly as the wrecked exhaust would allow into the far left hand lane. No use, the cop spotted us and did a truly impressive burnout in his XD 351 Intercepter to cut us off before the lights turned green.
The cops gave us a really hard time and searched the the car thoroughly, even the girls handbags and then simply drove off.
No mention of the exhaust or ownership papers, or tyres, they didn’t even notice it was unregistered
The next day I drove it to work still bewildered at the turn of events. As I sat in the car sorting my gear I noticed a lad who lived in the same town we visited the night before walking over.
His first words were… Where the f*** did you buy this car?
Apparently the dodgy guy I brought it from was the stuff of mystery.
Story goes he lived out of town and every now and then he would come into town, get hammered at the pub, and then do do burnouts in the main street until he got the attention of the police and then he would race them out on the country roads.
Best part was he did this for years and the cops never once caught him and they had no idea where he lived because the car had no rego.
Unknowing I had brought a ghost car and a local legend.
Great story! As you were describing the search etc of the newly-purchased car I was guessing it had some history.
i’ve seen then described as ‘Ro bar aka kangaroo bar.
or here may call them Moo bar aka moose bar
I have been using these deer whistle, sold for a buck at dollar store, it does save lives!
one dude has a merc installed one from radio shack it screams like a muted cop siren.
also told by truckers the turbo whine do warn the animals away.
if u have dogs then these whistle will drive them krazy so be warn.
cheers
from northern bc