Ford FairmontXC Fairmont1 Aug 1976 It only took Ford 17 years for its Falcon to become Australia’s best-selling car at last – a feat the XC achieved during 1977 against the frankly hopeless HX Kingswood. Part of the reason why was that Ford’s response to July 1 1976’s mandatory ADR 27A anti-pollution laws was to redevelop the Falcon engines with a cross-flow head for greater efficiency and better driveability – especially compared to the rough-running HX. The revised 3.3 now produced 80kW/220Nm, the 4.1 low-compression 85kW/272Nm and the 4.1 high-compression 92kW/289Nm, while the 4.9 and 5.8 V8s developed 151kW/364Nm and 162kW/429Nm respectively. Ford also fettled with the steering and suspension, to create what it advertised as “The Great Australian Road Car.” In top-line Fairmont GXL guise, with its four-wheel disc brakes, lowered suspension and well-equipped interior, it was. Ford also addressed the XA/XB vision problems by expensively redesigning larger-windowed rear doors and installing an all-new dash with higher seats. Better flow through ventilation was also incorporated. A less aggressive nose incorporating the model’s first-ever square headlights gives the XC Fairmont away. All XCs boasted redesigned taillights with new separate reverse lights, and large (and unsightly) American-style chrome bumpers. In April ’78 Ford responded to Holden’s successful “Radial Tuned Suspension” package that revitalised HZ Kingswood sales with the “XC 1/2”, with firmer suspension settings, more standard features and repositioned Ford badges. This was the last of the overtly American design-influence Falcons. In all 171,082 XCs were built, before the completely rebodied, European-style XD Falcon took over in early 1979. |
Ford modelsFairmont XF Fairmont AU III Fairmont BA Fairmont MkII ED Fairmont Ghia EA Fairmont Ghia BF Fairmont EB Fairmont Ghia XC Fairmont BF Fairmont Ghia ED Fairmont AU Fairmont XC Fairmont GXL XB Fairmont XF Fairmont Ghia EF II Fairmont AU III Fairmont Ghia XE Fairmont Ghia EB II Fairmont Ghia BA Fairmont BF Farmont Ghia MkII AU Fairmont Ghia AU II Fairmont EF Fairmont Ghia XP Fairmont EA II Fairmont EB II Fairmont XF ��� Fairmont EB Fairmont XR Fairmont EA Fairmont EL Fairmont BF Fairmont MkII XF ��� Fairmont Ghia BA Fairmont Ghia MkII XY Fairmont EL Fairmont Ghia EF II Fairmont Ghia BA Fairmont Ghia XE Fairmont XD Fairmont XD Fairmont Ghia XD ��� Fairmont XW Fairmont XD ��� Fairmont Ghia XA Fairmont EF Fairmont BA MkII Fairmont Ghia AU II Fairmont Ghia EA II Fairmont Ghia XT Fairmont |