![1982_Ford_Fairmont_(XE)_Ghia_ESP_sedan_(5467916028)[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/WmXq5jd.jpg "1982_Ford_Fairmont_(XE)_Ghia_ESP_sedan_(5467916028)[1].jpg")
Hello fellow aut/o/ enthusiasts! Especially you Australians!
I have a few questions for you, regarding the 80's Fords you guys enjoy. I'm seriously looking at importing them, I just got 10 quotes on 8 difference cars ranging from 5-15k for total price. Shipping to North Carolina!
I want to know what you think though about Ford of Australia cars!
Like, are these Falcons quite the lemon?
Is their EFI system reputable?
Do they have emission controlling systems on them?
Are there other models made by Ford in the 80s that are desirable?
Which engine would you have?
Is there still aftermarket support throughout Australia with these cars?
Do you think they were made to a degree that helps against small things like rattly interiors?
Were these the kind of cars young boyracers would buy, then dog to shit?
Have you ever put mustang parts on them?
Did Australians of this car's generation smoke a lot?
Would you like to own yourself a classic 80s Ford yourself?
Is it in your opinion, worth it to get the Automatic over the Manual?
And most importantly...
What breaks?
![Ford_Falcon_XD_1982_Ute_Front[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/hcezRuj.jpg "Ford_Falcon_XD_1982_Ute_Front[1].jpg")
What generation would you own?
XD? XE? XF?
How about Utes?
Get something with a carb'd v8 or dont bother imo
the xd/xe were available with a 302 or 351 cleveland
there is aftermarket but it isnt very large, and performance orientated parts arent exactly cheap. youll be out of pocket quite a bit having to import shit to america
yes, young guys have been beating the shit out of these cars for the last 20+ years
mustang parts... i dont know
manual is preferable over automatic but the c4 is still a stout transmission
>what breaks
anything that would break in a relatively 'bare bones' car of that vintage. easy to repair though.
>>14715881
Personally i wouldnt have anything newer than an XC falcon, though that does depend on what you plan on doing with the car, XD's look really nice if you give them some love and they handle great as well.
>>14715884
owned a AU so basically the same
get the i6 stay away from the v8's you have better v8's there in the states.
Now onto the other questions
>Like, are these Falcons quite the lemon?
Yes, but only the later AU series to BF but thats out of your import range
X series and most E series seem pretty reliable although X series are getting rare generally especially the mid to earlier models that everyone wants
boomers just stuck them in a garage and roll them out every 5-10 years in hopes they can make a stupid idiot part with their money
>Is their EFI system reputable?
Yes, didnt have any problems with mine apart from the usual (leaky seals and needed cleaning), fuel pump was also bullet proof as was fuel tank and system
>Do they have emission controlling systems on them?
Nope
>Are there other models made by Ford in the 80s that are desirable?
Yes but you already got anything of value, fox bodies and stangs are valuable here but obviously not over there
Ford Escort etc.
>Which engine would you have?
i6 4.0l EFI with bigass cam do it
>Is there still aftermarket support throughout Australia with these cars?
Yes absolutely HUGE aftermarket not sure how long it will be around since alot of the younger people with money get the newer commadores and xr6turbos and mod them
>Do you think they were made to a degree that helps against small things like rattly interiors?
Depends where the car was driven but yeah their interiors are pretty typical 80s shit, 90s ford is the worst and all the way up until 2003-2008 their interiors where so horrid i cant bare to look at them
>Were these the kind of cars young boyracers would buy, then dog to shit?
X series anything with a fully sick custom paint job and v8 with carb and cam
>Have you ever put mustang parts on them?
Never touched v8's but not sure what else would go on the i6's so yeah cant say.
>Did Australians of this car's generation smoke a lot?
Yes and we still do even though its $40aud+ a box here sometimes
>>14715901
i wonder if thats a real one
>>14715910
Cont.
>Would you like to own yourself a classic 80s Ford yourself?
Fuck no but i had a bad experience with my own lemon i heard the X series are great and if their price and reputation is anything to go by they are reliable.
Literal aerodynamic bricks though
>Is it in your opinion, worth it to get the Automatic over the Manual?
Both are shit on the newer falcons but i'd get both spares incase one shits itself or swap to a merican spec tranny
>What breaks?
Dohohohoh EVERYTHING
Big points are
>Cooling system, water pump and radiator, if auto needs trans cooler installed
>Electricals sometimes
>Front ball joints
>Rear bushes
>If older 3 speed automagic nothing
>if 4 speed it loves to overheat get bigger radiator and trans cooler
Get a car thats near or on a highway or only been used on highways as our country roads while mostly tar/bitumen are fucked
And being an australian car the brakes are fuck aweful so upgrade those front calipers and rotors obviously
>>14715910
>owned a AU so basically the same
No it isnt.
>>14715926
if its EFI its similar as bru
All the rear link suspention the 4speed auto all of it
mainly late 80s models but still the dna for ford lemonyness is there
>>14715926
The sad thing is, someone will actually read that multi paragraph of tripe and think it's reputable information, when it's based on a flimsy irrelevant anecdote.
Reasons why intellectually handicapped trip codes should stay trip codes.
>>14715881
ausfag here, coming from a guy who has had 2 XE Falcons
Xe's are the best looking for me, XD's were just bloated TE Cortinas and the XF was so bland looking. The XE had the best bonnet and rear end IMO. But at the end of the day, they're 4.1 litre 6 cylinders, pushing 140-150hp. They're not sleepers, they are commuter cars so they are meh at best to drive, nothing special really
>Like, are these Falcons quite the lemon?
No, they are reliable and parts are everywhere, the problem for you is being in the states, parts availability is nil. They are reliable as any other car from the period. being old things will just break for no reason and you have to have that in account
>Is their EFI system reputable?
Yes, they are primitive but reliable enough
>Do they have emission controlling systems on them?
They are affected by ADR27A like all cars of the period, but again, primitive emissions systems. They might have a catalytic converter if its post 85 iirc
>Are there other models made by Ford in the 80s that are desirable?
No, literally these old falcons and their ute models are the only desireable cars from this period, and thats completely honest
>Which engine would you have?
4.1 for reliability. 302 for a quickish car. I believe we used Windsor 8's in these cars. But the only falcons with V8's were XD's and were phased out with the XE's. XF's had no V8 option, which only returned with the EB Falcons in 1991
>Is there still aftermarket support throughout Australia with these cars?
Enthusiast websites will have parts, and sometimes specialist autoshops in Australia will have them on order-only basis. Mail order still exists
(1/2)
>>14715932
Unless the AU came with watts linkage and a C4 auto, I doubt it. Just ssh falcunt.
>>14715932
It's EFI has nothing to do with anything, an neither does it's suspension.
Where do you actually get this tripe?
>>14715881
OP, not all Ausfaggots are this retarded, just a select few.
>>14715941
>Similar cars wont break in similar ways
>>14715941
the au1 had watts linkage, i forgot that
I seriously don't get why americans would want these, they're only vaguely popular because they're what is available to people
>>14715945
SEE I WAS RITE
>>14715939
>Do you think they were made to a degree that helps against small things like rattly interiors?
No, alot of the cheap cars you can buy will be from country towns and dirt roads aren't known for being smooth. So shit inside will rattle, the carpet will be ripped and used, the paint will be faded and the engines will be filthy. But in general the interior's were alright on these cars
>Were these the kind of cars young boyracers would buy, then dog to shit?
Yes, there used to be a thing called HQ racing, where HQ Kingswoods were so common it has its own race category. At the moment there are Hyundai Excel racing where boy racers would race those on a circuit. But they would definately of been hooned in their lifetimes.
>Have you ever put mustang parts on them?
No, and i dont think anyone has ever thought to do that. I consider these cars to be 4 door foxbodies of your mustangs
>Did Australians of this car's generation smoke a lot?
Yes, but the smell would be gone by now. If you bought if off an old dude, the ash tray might be full of cigs but who cares honestly
>Would you like to own yourself a classic 80s Ford yourself?
I have, but i wouldn't again. They were fun for a time but when i could buy better i did. Doesn't mean they're bad, its just those where the cars i could afford and if a better car became available, i would want that
>Is it in your opinion, worth it to get the Automatic over the Manual?
Automatics are slush, manuals are better. Get a manual if you can because an auto is just a slush-o-matic just like any other of its time
>>14715945
actually my AU2 had watts linkage
actually any non irs AU has watts
>>14715945
It may have been, but still shared absolutely nothing.
>>14715956
>absolutely shared nothing
You know nothing.
>>14715881
A VL Commodore would be a better option
>>14715961
nah VN and a 304 m8
![vehicle[2].png](https://i.imgur.com/7W7O15S.png "vehicle[2].png")
>>14715961
OP here, I was waiting for someone to say GM.
Sadly, I actually work at Ford. If I bought GM, the car couldn't be entered into the Ford car show, where we can get bonuses up to thousands of dollars in multiple classes.
I'd also have to park it in the bad parking lot, not near the facility.
If I did drive it to work on a weekday. The commodores look great, and I'd love to have one, but I'm quite strictly a Ford buyer when it comes to things like this.
>>14715961
>Not a Euro Spec VN-VX
kek
>>14715975
Why not both?
Her ass is calling to you yankanon
>>14715975
>sadly i work at ford
>cucked into buying a ford
shit sucks for you, allow me to buy a XD from a dying boomer for $300 with rego while i crash it into a ditch and buy another one literally 30 minutes later for $250 with a years rego and a full tank of petrol.
>commodores look great
lol, OK Habib
>>14715996
Not op but whos side are you on?
I am very confused by this post
>>14715988
Americans aren't allowed to have the VT, VX, VY, or VZ. Something to do with where the petrol tank is in the car, sits behind the rear axle or in front of it or something and violates American regs.
>>14715949
i thought irs was standard on the au2, or was it just optional?
>>14716006
It doesn't matter, if we're strictly going by the 25 year rule. Which is the easiest way for OP to get an australian car. It's just up to years of the vehicle. Not if its even got seatbelts, catalytics, or anything.
As long as he's not in commiefornia, which if he makes the trucks. >>14715975
I'm sure they aren't made there.
>>14716013
Was optional on AU2 and 3 because Ford AU are fucking jews.
Also Utes and wagons didnt get IRS from memory.
Long wheel base fairmont ghia and such it was standard i think
Was only standard on B series and up falcons from 2002 upwards
>>14716006
Huh never knew about this explain plz?
Ive owned both and the Commadore is a better car hands down.
Just get whatever GM US called the VT-VX at the time it was the Pontiac GTO and variations of it right you got the 4door go get that.
Falcons are shit, good looking but shit.
>>14715902
Xy gtho hnnnnnngh
>>14716034
>Huh never knew about this explain plz?
Four door Commodores of those generations wouldn't pass crash testing as the fuel tank is behind the rear axle. The Monaro was only sent there because it has the fuel tank in front of the rear axle. You could move the tank and install a big fat steel barrier apparently, but then you'd need to move the filler cap as well and it would be a bit of work. Only way to own one there legally is to wait until they're 25 years old.
>>14715998
neither, im saying both commodores falcons are shit, but at the same time i can buy them cheap any day of the week garaunteed
>>14715881
You speak so fucking weird what the fuck.
Do people ACTUALLY talk like this?
If you get one with the 302 Cleveland can you put a 351 crank in it?
honestly the holden counterpart is way better for that generation and I hate holden but the vl commodore is way better. Comes with a Neee-San rb30 so i would get that if i was you looks the samw
>>14721020
this desu and the aftermarket support shits over the falcon
>>14721020
VB/VC/VH all shit tier compared to the XD/XE
Holden had gutless V8s for those models that were outpowered by the tractor engine sixes in the falcons. VK/VL vs XF is a different story.
>>14721101
You're strongly overestimating the ability of the 4.1 sixes at the time. Hell, the EFi 4.1 was rated at 121kW, but I can tell you right now they were slugs compared to even the 118kW 3.0 and 122kW 5.0 VLs.
>>14721101
Also, the blue motors were more than competitive against the carbed 4.1s.
Black motored VKs sucked ass, complete with variable tollerances.
>>14715926
It's Falcunt, potatoes gonna potate.
