ChatterBox
The Ford Falcon Cobra 4.9 litre auto is one serpent whose hiss is worse than its bite.Article by Aaron Lofts.
Think of the XC Falcon Cobra and images of Bathurst 1978's early laps immediately spring to mind.The big white and blue Falcon hardtops that hurtled around Mount Panorama in the hands of Allan Moffat and Colin Bond were arguably the flashiest of Ford's many works supported Bathurst efforts.
The Cobras were also the last Aussie built factory backed production based blue oval homologation specials.While a batch of Cobras were built to give the Moffat Ford dealers team a fighting chance against the Torana A9Xs at Bathurst,the vast majority of those produced served a very different purpose.
With the all-new 'European-look' XD Falcon due for public release in early 1979,Ford was keen to clear the dealer floors of the XC model,including the slow-selling XC hardtop.This included the final 400 hardtop body shells back at Broadmeadows.
Based on a suggestion from the then assistant managing director Edsel Ford II(the grandson of Henry Ford),using the famous styling first seen on the American Shelby Mustang in the mid 1960's,an instantly recognisable classic was created to move that metal.
The limited edition (July 1978) build of 400 cars was a fitting last hurrah for the Falcon Hardtop.It attracted buyers who wanted a pseudo racecar for the road and Ford tragics lamenting the discontinuation of the GT two years earlier.
Those owners would have been delirious with excitement when the Moffat and Bond cars rocked up to the Sandown's Hang Ten 400 in September,and to Bathurst the following month,wearing those same bold looks.As an aside,those two racecars were the same chassis in which the pair famously finished 1-2 on the Mountain the previous year.
On-track results in 1978 failed to match the stunning successes of 1977.Not that it mattered,as this was one occasion when Ford absolutely nailed its marketing in order to capitalise on the glamour of its racing efforts.While the XC Cobra was sprinkled with a liberal dash of Bathurst gold dust,the reality was that a large slab of the 400-run comprised cars with more show than go.
At a glance all XC Cobras appeared the same and shared an identical look inside and out.The similarities were only skin-deep.The first 200 XC Cobras built featured the 5.8-litre 351ci Cleveland V8-including 30 'Bathurst' cars for homologation purposes,coupled with Fords bullet proof 9 inch differential.
The following 200 cars received the smaller 4.9-litre 302ci Cleveland V8 together with a Borg Warner differential turning the wheels.Only two cars were built out of sequence;car #001 was a 4.9 litre V8 and car #351 was,appropriately,a 5.8 litre V8.Of the 4.9l litre Cobras,100 were 4-speed manuals,with the remaining 100 fitted with automatic transmissions.
Its the 4.9 litre autos which have won a spot in the sheep in wolves clothing section,as the most lethargic Falcon Cobras.That doesn't mean they should not be celebrated.Far from it.Especially as significantly less than the original one hundred survive today in 'matching numbers' original spec.
Because of the 302's lacklustre performance (202bh/p151kw at 4800rpm),many owners elected to replace the original engine down the track.Some 'pre-loved' examples sold over the years included engines sourced from wrecked Falcon GTs. Other owners had a high-performance engine specifically for their car.
So how sheepish is the original-spec 4.9litre auto? Hard to say as the magazines of the day ignored the 4.9litre cars. Regardless,what is not to love about this big blue hardtop? That's right-blue! The XC Cobra was actually painted bold blue first,with the sno white applied over the top.The finishing touch in the paint shop was the application of a Blaze Blue pinstripe to help highlight the thick body stripes.
Then there's the Cobra decal sitting proudly on the front guard,adding to the impression that this was one snake with bite! Ditto the Bathurst Globe alloy wheels,driving lights,and front and rear spoilers.Unfortunately,as mentioned early,racing pedigree and robust good looks did not translate to success at Bathurst on October 1978.
Although both Moffat and Bond were involved in the fierce early battle with the Toranas-and both cars led the race-neither made it to the chequered flag! In fact both were out before half race distance.The XC Cobra wasn't a complete underachiever on the track,with Bond winning round three of the '78 Manufactures Championship,the Rothmans 250 at Adelaide International Raceway,on October 22.
Today,the XC Cobra (in all its forms) is one of the most recognisable cars ever built in Australia and has fans globally.Despite the lacklustre performance,the automatic 4.9 litre version remains collectable and yet affordable for todays blue-blooded muscle car buyers.The 302ci cars change hands for $65,000-$70,000 (autos on the lower side),compared to $80,000-$90,000 for the 351ci powered Cobras.
Reasons To Love The 4.9-Litre Cobra.
*Nothing screams Ford muscle car like that paint scheme.
*Matching blue strips on the seats.
*The,erm,striking Cobra sticker.
*Holds a special place in Bathurst 1000 history.
*Helped fill the void following the Falcon GTs demise.
*Inspired a FPV 30th anniversary limited edition,400 run,version in 2008.
I had one of the 5.8 ltr cobra's , they went ok but the look was more appealing than the car. The one thing they did do was hold some value , sold mine for the same $$ 3 years later , so its one of the very few cars I can say that I have been able to do that with.
Cant say I ever went in a 4.9ltr version, but there is 1 in the ford dealership up here.
Cheers Ean
ForumSage
Actually, the original colour of the Cobras in a arguable point. Quite some time ago, I was having some paint work done on my old XE wagon and there was an XC Cobra in the same panel shop.
They had sanded back part of the drivers door and there was no sign of any blue whatsoever. The owner had had the car for some time and knew it's history.
Swaggie
SubscriberYou are assuming that the person who wrote that article knew what they were talking about.
Seeing that I actually decided which Cobras went to each dealer I believe some of the stuff that is written is incorrect.
For example I clearly remember that the first 200 were not all 351s. They were built in batches and I tried to be fair to dealers by giving them a mix as of course they all wanted 351s.
With regard to number 1 , it has been written that it went to the secretary of the director of Manufacturing. There must have been 2 number 1 badges as I remember clearly being phoned by John Harris, dealer priciple of Bryan Byrt Ford Mt Gravatt, asking for number 1 for his son. And it was a 351.
Seeing he was the only dealer racing a Hardtop at that time and kept the flame alive with the John French Bryan Byrt Ford hardtop, and was one of my dealers when I was Brisbane Field manager I allocated it to him.
I clearly remember my staff rubbishing me unmercifully about being a Queenslander and looking after them and so on.
Funnily enough no other dealers called asking for particular numbers as I expected some calls from Sydney dealers.
Regards Philip A
ChatterBox
G'day Philip,Originally Posted by PhilipA
That article came from Australian Muscle Car magazine,if the information is incorrect i am sorry for that, i only typed what was on the page.No offence was meant by it.
Out of curiosity,why was there a 302ci version made? I would have thought the 351ci would have been the most popular.
Swaggie
Subscriber
Out of curiosity,why was there a 302ci version made? I would
have thought the 351ci would have been the most popular.
It takes mor ethan events of 30+ years ago to offend me, so don't worry .
I was not involved with the spec levels of the Cobra.
This was done by Marketing who worked out car positioning.
I have a recollection that they were concerned about insurance categories and if they were all 351's maybe they would have categorised them as GT successors.
I think the auto /manual split was decided by how many consoles/trim sets we had left of each type as AFAIR there were not many manuals.
Marketing did some funny things like not allowing 351s in XD Fairmont GXLs as they wanted them to be seen as a "Sophisticated European Grand Tourer", and I think that insurance was also on their minds.
Regards Philip A
ChatterBox
Awesome thanks mate,Maybe a bit off topic now but was the ESP Falcon a good car? Were they an easy thing to sell?
Moderator
Have been in a few of these and they are a nice car. Several friends had them in the early to late 80s.
A friend sold his to the owner of the York motor museum for a lot more than he paid as it was like brand new and was one of the 4.9 litres, in fact out of the 6 or so I have been in from memory only 1 was a genuine 5.7 though at least two of the other did have 351s in them that were not original.
Phillip A will be able to confirm but i believe there were 30 specials included in the 200 5.7 called an option 97 maybe for racing? The rest were Option 96 I think.
The article from AMC quoted is incredibly similar to what is also on Wikipedia.So either a journo has been lazy or it has been stolen to Wiki.
2011 Discovery 4 TDV6
2009 DRZ400E Suzuki
1956 & 1961 P4 Rover (project)
1976 SS Torana (project - all cash donations or parts accepted)
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ForumSage
Opt 96 (standard ones) and Opt 97 (go fast ones) are the 2 detonators for the XC Cobra. They maybe used on other models as wellHave been in a few of these and they are a nice car. Several friends had them in the early to late 80s.
A friend sold his to the owner of the York motor museum for a lot more than he paid as it was like brand new and was one of the 4.9 litres, in fact out of the 6 or so I have been in from memory only 1 was a genuine 5.7 though at least two of the other did have 351s in them that were not original.
Phillip A will be able to confirm but i believe there were 30 specials included in the 200 5.7 called an option 97 maybe for racing? The rest were Option 96 I think.
The article from AMC quoted is incredibly similar to what is also on Wikipedia.
Moderator
The ESP was not a bad car, one of my mates had one brand new, it was an XE 351 manual. It went pretty well but for a Limited Edition Car was pretty ordinary aesthetically. There was not a lot of difference from a standard car.
My brothers XD was as good if not better and went as hard.
Possibly one of the cars that will become more collectible.
2011 Discovery 4 TDV6
2009 DRZ400E Suzuki
1956 & 1961 P4 Rover (project)
1976 SS Torana (project - all cash donations or parts accepted)
2003 WK Holden Statesman
Departed
2000 Defender Extreme: Shrek (but only to son)
84 RR (Gone) 97 Tdi Disco (Gone)
98 Ducati 900SS Gone & Missed
Facta Non Verba
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