GTX Series - Falcon XAGTs

[Steve Emson]

John, you will get me banned from this site for getting way, way off topic. This car was an icon in Queensland, firstly with the driver that built it Lloyd Bax. I bought it off Lloyd and everyone built various cars including Lloyd (E49 Charger) to try and beat it when I owned it. Lloyd became one of my best mates, but we lost him to cancer. That and Queensland Raceway (they closed Lakeside) being a silly circuit were you do not need a lot of ability (IMHO) made me put it in the shed for years. I sold it to Russell Wright- a long story,....................no one could believe i sold it, not even my family.
Amazing car to drive, 429hp at the rear wheels, 143mph (232KPH)through the left hand kink at Lakeside, and full power slides in 3rd up out of of hungry corner. I am getting goosebumps writing this! It had quite a reputation this car. You even got standing ovations sometimes at the trophy presentations.( from the Wayne Wakefield fan club)
To put it in perceptive (maybe) it was several seconds a lap quicker around Lakeside than Moffatts GTHO with Moffatt and Kevin Bartlet driving in group C specs. Lloyd used to work on all the Bowdens cars in their extensive collection. These times come from Lloyd.The one that won everything over here. Also quicker than Big Pete Geogahans super falcon which had 600hp+ and fuel injection etc etc.
Some say it was amazing to watch, and it was the only car that I drove that scared my Wife to death.(around Lakeside). Anyway I am all excited now after talking about it.
The V8 thing,............I had a choice at one stage, buy the formula Pacific, ( not a good car) or Jimmy Richards Sidchrome Mustang. Jimmy said if I went to Australia with the Mustang, i would not win but I would get noticed. My crew all said they would move to Aussie with me. That would have been interesting.

[kiwi285]

A photo of the Phil Schubert car at Pukekohe in 2011. That is one mean looking machine and Phil really drives it hard. Looks and sounds great.

[Steve Emson]

Oh, and I had forgotten about this car. This is the ex Dick Johnson XC coupe. It was found and restored by John Harris who used to own Bryan Byrt Ford at the time.
I was asked to drive it for him in some Historic races. It has only had a couple of drivers, Dick and his co-drivers and me.
I guess this is slightly more appropriate considering the thread.

[John McKechnie]

Hi Steve Em-you just keep writing boy.This site has taken a lot more hits since you have been here.
Pretend this thread is hungry corner-JUST DONT BACK OFF.
In just one week we have passed 1063 visits, thats the interest in these Fords.
Great restoration there of the blue XC
Any video links to see you running in it.
Any more wheels like that sitting there ?-my HMC XA Coupe would look great on those.
Paul Newman once wrote...When you are not racing , you are just waiting to race.....
You know what you want to do.
Until you do , keep your blood hot here.

[kiwi285]

Oh, and I had forgotten about this car. This is the ex Dick Johnson XC coupe. It was found and restored by John Harris who used to own Bryan Byrt Ford at the time.
I was asked to drive it for him in some Historic races. It has only had a couple of drivers, Dick and his co-drivers and me.
I guess this is slightly more appropriate considering the thread.

Steve that is one amazing car and I would give my eye teeth to see it driven with a bit anger.

[John McKechnie]

Great pix kiwi285. It is amazing that so many of these coupes are XA.
Hope to add mine soon.

[Steve Emson]

Yeah it was driven in anger, But I was told,......................do not bend it. I hate to think what this car is worth. Big money these days! This photo was taken on a different day, (demo run not me driving) I raced it at Queensland Raceway and Morgan Park in Warrick. It was a little strange as it turned up in a V8 supercar transporter etc. Now I know how the other half live.
I stayed back at the track one night while everyone else went to a function and pulled those 2 piece wheels apart to change the tyres by hand. That was fun as well.

[Haga]

Hey Haga, can you flick me an email please: enquiries@monsterracewear.co.nz I emailed you yesterday about this pic, not sure if you got it or not. Thanks.

Hi Steve.... As per email photo owner happy to publish photo here for info....but not to be published commercially without his permission. cheers Haga

[kiwi285]

some more for the collection. A couple of Aussie ones included

[kiwi285]

[John McKechnie]

This is a great way to wake up on a wet Tuesday morning and see these pix.Thanks to you kiwi285, I for one will have a happier face on.I love the Simmons gold wheels that many are wearing.The black no 35 is that Ellis car before an upgrade? The John Goss car looks brilliant in the light blue. Anybody know what has happened to the Gary Raiti car-was a strong regular but havent seen it for a while.The Willmington car-what track is that at-looks like HD?
Steve Em-so why didnt you go for the Richards Sidchrome Mustang then? Be great to have in the lounge now as a conversation piece.

[Steve Holmes]

The Wilmington XC is probably at Eastern Creek. I'm pretty sure Wilmington still owns that car.

That John Goss XA is said to have been built from a spare body shell Goss had at his workshop when he was racing his original XA which no longer exists.

The Gary Raiti XA is still owned by Gary. That is such a beautiful car, a real credit to Gary. I think he might be a member on here? Either way, you'll be racing against him in HMC when you get your car finished John!

Re the Vern Muller XC, yes, Vern crashed that car heavily at Whenuapai. It began life as an XA GS, not a GT. After the crash Vern decided to rebuild it as an XC Cobra replica. The racing group he was with at the time (Production Muscle???) was strict on bodywork modifications, and if Vern converted it to an XC he could run the rear facing hood scoop which he couldn't run as an XA.

[Steve Holmes]

Another Kiwi GT is the Daryl Lucas/Pete Jacobs XA hardtop. That car is a genuine GT which Daryl ended up with when he owned a wreckers yard in Palmerston North in the '80s. It came in as a write-off, so he rebuilt it as a race car for classic racing. It was originally red, but was repainted similar to the third Ford works Group C car (the test mule) from 1973 that Pete Geoghegan raced at Sandown after a big crash at the Wellington street race. Daryl still owns the car, Pete has been doing a bit of work on it lately to race with HMC at some stage in the future.

[Habu]

This is a great way to wake up on a wet Tuesday morning and see these pix.Thanks to you kiwi285, I for one will have a happier face on.I love the Simmons gold wheels that many are wearing.The black no 35 is that Ellis car before an upgrade? The John Goss car looks brilliant in the light blue. Anybody know what has happened to the Gary Raiti car-was a strong regular but havent seen it for a while.The Willmington car-what track is that at-looks like HD?
Steve Em-so why didnt you go for the Richards Sidchrome Mustang then? Be great to have in the lounge now as a conversation piece.

Isnt the 35 car Tony van Tiels?

[John McKechnie]

Hi Steve, any pics of Petes car- Looks like survival rate of these Coupes in NZ is better than in Aus- no RPO Coupes left. Looks like almost all ex racers are still going here.Still dont know what happened to Falcon Engineering XA Coupe-understand owner sadly passed away.Also the red XA Coupe that I raced with at Hamilton street race and Baypark. Any leads here
I heard a rumour that someone bought an ex racing Coupe , chopped it up.Offered me the rear guards for $2k.
A friend in the SI said that there was a black XB Coupe running at the Skope meeting and he has been running it for years.And of course who can forget Kirk Benge in his yellow Coupe.
Have been focusing on Coupes-lets have some on sedans as well guys- Attila ran XB in Muscle Cars. Kirk Benge stared off in a yellow XB sedan.

[John McKechnie]

Is it still running like this, what class does it run in.?
Great to hear Garrys coming out to play again.
Have been absolutely reassured that new Falcon Coupes will NOT have gleaming rear quarters christened as a welcome to HMC

[kiwi285]

Isnt the 35 car Tony van Tiels?

Yes it is Tony Van Tiels car.

[kiwi285]

Is it still running like this, what class does it run in.?
Great to hear Garrys coming out to play again.
Have been absolutely reassured that new Falcon Coupes will NOT have gleaming rear quarters christened as a welcome to HMC

John I have sent you a P. Cheers Mike

[John McKechnie]

Hi Mike, Thanks mate.
Hi Wayne, this is your thread-lets have some more of your history of XAGTs.
Look at what we have going here thanks to you-we are getting 100 views a day-we need to keep feeding them.

[Steve Holmes]

As per the original title of this thread, here are some Castrol GTX racing XA GT Falcons. These pics are all posted elsewhere on The Roaring Season, these ones being from The Peter Hanna Collection: