Story
1967 Ford Falcon GT
The XR Falcon GT put Ford Australia's performance package into a practical four-door sedan. Its 289 Windsor V8, four-speed manual, power front discs, GT suspension tuning, instruments, bucket-seat cabin, stripes, and identification belong together as one factory specification. Most were GT Gold, but a small documented group used special colors. Paint and badges alone never establish an original GT.
The first Australian Falcon GT
Ford introduced the XR GT in May 1967 after developing a V8 police-package Falcon. The 289-cid Windsor used hydraulic lifters and an Autolite 4300 four-barrel carburetor, with advertised output of 225 gross bhp at 4,800 rpm and 305 lb-ft at 3,200 rpm. The sole reviewed transmission path was a fully synchronized four-speed manual with floor shift and console. A later 302 can make a usable replacement, but it is not the born-with 289.
Chassis and brakes
Independent front suspension used unequal-length wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers, ball joints, and an anti-roll bar. The live rear axle rode on semi-elliptic leaf springs. Power-assisted 11-inch front discs worked with 10-inch rear drums, while 14 x 5.5-inch steel wheels carried 185 x 14 tires. The reviewed road-car guide identifies a Borg-Warner four-pinion open differential; later limited-slip or nine-inch conversions require disclosure rather than being folded into factory specification.
GT appearance and cabin
GT Gold with black side and boot stripes accounted for most cars. Eight Gallaher Silver company cars and five other special-color cars are reported. GT grille blackout, badges, wheel treatment, and stripes made the model visually distinct, but every one of those items can be reproduced. Inside, black vinyl bucket seats, a center console, floor shifter, wood-rim steering wheel, timber-look trim, tachometer, and 140-mph speedometer defined the regular GT cabin. The reviewed guide says factory air conditioning was unavailable on the XR Falcon.
Production records disagree
The Falcon GT Club anniversary history and older technical references report 596 cars. A newer Ford-derived color summary and Classic Register guide total 697: 684 GT Gold cars and 13 special-color cars. The paint summary assigns 646 Gold cars to 1967 and 38 to 1968 but does not publish a complete calendar-year split for every special color. Those scopes remain explicit and unresolved; this page does not average them or manufacture rarity claims.
Authenticating one XR GT
Start with the Australian XR GT shell and the reported LD5...C chassis pattern, then reconcile the body plate on the driver-side radiator support, chassis and engine stampings, title, build timing, and Ford or recognized GT verification. Inspect the 289 castings and dates, Autolite induction, four-speed, clutch and controls, Borg-Warner axle, brakes, suspension, steering, wheels, protected paint, stripe layers, cabin, and restoration records as one system. A GT Gold repaint, correct-looking stripe, or collection of GT parts is not enough.
Pricing and market context
Reviewed references report a new price of A$3,890, and Australian auction material provides later market context. The current structured pricing contract supports USD and CAD, not AUD. Native Australian amounts therefore remain cited coverage gaps instead of being mislabeled or converted without a dated exchange-rate contract. The Shannons video also demonstrates why condition and drivetrain details matter: its featured car carried a replacement 302 while the reported original 289 accompanied the sale.