Aussie Muscle Cars

[mdsalemi]

There is an interesting article in the latest Motor Trend Classic magazine, entitled Thunder Down Under.  It focuses on three cars:

1971 Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase 3
1971 Holden Torana LC GTR XU-1
1972 Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T E49

Great photos and interesting stories of this group of Aussie muscle cars.

While interesting in itself, I'm sure this article would be of significant interest to our friends from Australia with long memories.

Unfortunately, the "brains" at Motor Trend, while publishing a separate and distinct classic magazine, have "blended" some classic information into their regular website which is mostly a useless blur of advertising, not containing anything of substance.  So, nothing of the magazine is online.  There is a link for subscription, however, and maybe the magazine is available on the newsstand.

[Garry]

They were three iconic cars specifically built for a single street race of 500 miles held every year near Bathurst, a town outside Sydney and interestingly the race was held this last weekend but now known as the Bathurst 1000  and is 1000 kilometers.  Ford, GM (Holden) and Chrysler had to build and sell at least 500 of the cars before one could be entered in the race so they built and pre sold all the cars then raced usually two per team for the day.

Interestingly the Ford GTHO Phase 3 has been selling for anything up to $750,000 now.  The USD to the AUD is a couple of cents off parity. Wish I had one of them. A friend of mine does and only takes it out if there are no clouds in the sky. Otherwise it is under lock and key at all times.

This years race won by GM Holden.

Garry

[mdsalemi]

Hmmm...that $750K is more than even the rarest of US muscle cars generally go for, even with alcohol infused bidders at Barrett Jackson!

Your friend must drive the car alot--there are no clouds in the beautiful Australian skies!

[wbain]

The Australians made some really interesting cars, and still do. The Pontiac G6 and G8's for instance.

[Garry]

And here is the G8 in Australian form (Holden Maloo) for use on the farm!!  What we call a Ute (utility) or the US equivalent of a SUV/Pickup Supposedly does over 170mph.  I have a Ford equivalent but it has a limiter on it set at 250 Kph !55mph)

[mdsalemi]

The Australians made some really interesting cars, and still do. The Pontiac G6 and G8's for instance.

Indeed.  However, the G8 production stopped in mid 2009 and is NLA.  The G6 is not Aussie but based on the Malibu/Saab 9-3 platform, a/k/a "Epsilon" which was originally developed by GM Germany (Opel).  If you want a G8 you'll have to buy one used, or go to Australia and buy a Holden VE Commodore I think.  Probably available in other names in other countries if I know GM's typical badge engineering.

They made some real dogs, too (as all countries have).  Anybody remember the [3rd generation] Mercury Capri of the early 1990's?  It may have been a fine car down under but by the time it was Americanized, it was awful.  Leaked like a sieve, and all the tops were hand fitted because of poor quality control.

[Garry]

Michael,

Dont know what the G6 was or is but they exported the Capri exactly as it was sold here and came out of the factory, that is, it  always was a dog and always leaked.  People that owned them could not give them away.  i think it was Fords answer to the Mazda MX5

I think they (GM) are still using some of the same G8 parts for local production of the Holden Commodore performance models, including a lot of the front panel work.

[mdsalemi]

Garry,

I had a pre-production, non-USA spec Capri for a weekend.  Funny--it had a warning note in it (like other cars like this that Ford has for test purposes with manufacturer plates) that if you get stuck anywhere to call this specific toll free number 24/7 and they'll come and haul it away.  Do not take it anywhere for any kind of service.

It did not rain that weekend we had it, but it was a late to the party and poorly dressed Ford answer to the Miata (MX5).  Didn't last long.  Saw a rusty one the other day with the top down! (probably didn't have a top left on it!)

Google Pontiac G6 you'll come up with photos.

[Garry]

Did the rusty one with the top off have a sign on it saying "please take, free".

I can see why they did not do much good with the G6, only the manufacturerr could love that front.

[mdsalemi]

Did the rusty one with the top off have a sign on it saying "please take, free".

I can see why they did not do much good with the G6, only the manufacturerr could love that front.

Actually, the G6 was not bad...timing was the problem.  No time to revive the brand.

I understand your comment about the front but goodness that does not explain why Americans are buying Kias and Hyundais.  Every time I see a Kia Amante or a Hyundai Tucson, I can't determine if they are bad-looking designs or art-school projects...but this is from a nation that bought the Aztek...

Well, it's Friday night.  I think I'll have a beer.

[mirkwood]

  In Australia the Ford is considered by those who never drove one ,to be " the fastest car in the World in 1970 " .  The truth is more interesting.
As I was around in those days and working in the motor trade as an Apprentice I not only drove all these alleged muscle cars ,my mother owned the absolute Australian Weapon, A Chrysler Valiant E38 Charger . With it's straight six and triple weber carbs it sounded like a F1 car at full throttle. At night I would use it to go to the shops to collect milk etc and hunt down Falcon GT's and GTHO's . It didn't take much to demoralize the owners those veritable taxi cabs.
By the late 70's I used to see GTO falcons relegated to the rear of car yards where no one wanted them. Only Enthusiasts kept them and in the last ten years the cashed up boomers with rosie tinted glasses have paid way over the odds for them.
My own car was a 56 Chev Belair with a 1964 327/365 with carbs instead of the injection. It would eat most of the monaros and Falcons,but struggle against any Charger I met. After a couple of years thrashing the Chev I came up behind a nondescript Mercedes sedan. As it pulled away from the lights I kept my foot hard on the pedal but couldn't catch this thing. it wasn't until I came up beside it at the next light and the well heeled owner was having a laugh at my expense that I saw I had been flogged by 6.3. Today I have my own 6.3  and it will still embarrass a lot of late model "performance cars".
So when they play that stupid insurance company's ad on TV in Australia ,I laugh...
http://youtu.be/VaymIqk3wuQ

[Naj ✝︎]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH9tLlFhwBU