Posted at the Cohort by Ian Campbell
Cohort Wordless Outtake: The Falcon’s Squinting Eye
– Posted on May 3, 2017
Posted at the Cohort by Ian Campbell
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XT model here with those taillights 68, I dont remember the matic badge it would read Falcon 500 so this is likely the US version.
I don’t recall a Cruisomatic badge either, but the US never used that taillight design.
I’d concur – the US spec Falcon did not have amber lights – typically they would have a white reflector in the center.
My guess – this is a Latin American version.
Could be – they did get our 188 and 221 sixes.
XT Falcon from Australia
Looks like an older NSW number plate.
Oops never noticed the yellow NSW/WA plate and I dont remember seeing many of these in auto.
I had to go back and look at the pic to see that there even was a license plate in frame. You folks never cease to amaze me sometimes.
There really was no “Latin American” version. Mexico and Venezuela had “simplified” (read delete many gov required safety items, and in Mexico’s case a heater) offerings that were almost the same as US models year-for-year. The Argentine one was most off-the-wall. It used the original 60-63 body shell all the way up to 1991.
This is definitely an Australian edition.
I don’t remember the badge (not that I was alive in the 1960s!) but the Aussie XT on Wikipedia has the same badge – see below. I’ll have a look through my Wheels mags of the time and see if the badge features.
Automatic, systematic, cruisomatic?
Yes, but is it…Greased Lightning?
I’m thinking XT Australian Falcon too. I do remember badges but not with the auto and Falcon names in the same plate. Anyway, the rest really looks like an Australian XT and that yellow number plate could suggest NSW (state of New South Wales) registration. Also looking to the top right of that fender I think I can see the profile of the chrome strip that ran the full length of XT Falcon 500 and Fairmont models, along the top of the front fender, under the side windows and onto the rear fender. This was a distinctive feature of XT’s in Australia – perhaps in other markets too? I remember my father, on taking delivery of his brand new XT, saying that this strip looked nice but was useless – he thought it should lower along the body to protect panels from door dings.
Bumper over-riders were an unpopular item in Australia but were available for years on Australian Falcon’s as dealer-fitted accessories.
Well spotted Ashley!
My ’68 had the square tailights.
Yup.
The U.S. 1968 Falcon switched to square tail lamps (except for the wagon).
I detect a NSW yellow plate there. That car was made in Broadmeadowslandia!
Wasn’t the name Cruisomatic used in the mid 60s, even in the U.S.? After Ford FINALLY ditched their 2 speed automatic….about 1962-1963, didn’t they name their 3 speed automatic transmission Cruisomatic?
But as noted by numerous posters, it was USUALLY a stand alone badge.
And spelled differently too, Howard. With hyphens: Cruise-O-Matic
Just so :
‘ Ford-O-Matic ‘ = two speed basic sluchbox .
‘ Cruise-O-Matic ‘ = three speed, maybe the C4 ? .
I like these taillights .
-Nate
A handsome and definitely non-US taillight. But I’m more a fan of the Dodge Veg-o-matic (with hyphens).