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GS is an abbreviation for "Grand Sport"
and was an option in the 1970s Third Generation Falcon
range for customers wanting to add some 'GT styled' cosmetic and higher
grade luxury rated items
but without the extra and higher costs of a GT level vehicle. The basic
option included a 'GT styled'
dashboard and steering wheel with special styled steel wheels and
sweeping side-stripes.
Overall the GS option was available to customers across all body styles
in the
Falcon 500, Futura
and Fairmont series but was not, of course, available
for GT, Fairlane or LTD cars.
The GS Rally Pack was first introduced in the XW Falcon range in 1969
and continued until the
end of the XC Falcon run in 1979. All 1,614 XC Falcon 500 hardtops were
factory built with
the GS Rally Pack fitted as standard equipment.
Hardtops fitted with the GS Rally Pack
XA Falcon 500 - 1,096 of 4,525
XA Fairmont - 997 of 3,273
XB Falcon 500 - 3,496 of 5,402
XB Fairmont - 1,514 of 3,382
XC Falcon 500 - 1,614 of 1,614 |
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One of the 997 XA Fairmont Hardtops
delivered with the subtle GS side-stripes and other goodies. |
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| XA FALCON |
The XA Falcon range introduced in 1972
featured the GS Rally Pack as Option 48 on the Regular
Production Option (RPO) customer list and was available for the Falcon
500, Futura and Fairmont series
on each of the body styles including the XA 500 ute (it should be noted
there was no Falcon 500 van).
It appears from period brochures and Ford documents that the pack was
not available for the XA
Falcon Standard series but was for the XA Falcon Standard commercial
panel van and interestingly
later the XA Falcon Standard ute but that it was discontinued again with
the XB.
The electric clock was a standard fit with the GS Rally Pack but there
have been some noted
XA
GS cars where the clock has not been fitted. Whether this has been a
factory oversight, an
initial non-optional GS fitting or post-factory owner changes
remains debateable. |
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OPTION 48 - GS RALLY PACK |
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- Sweeping Side-Stripes |
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- 12-Slot Steel Road Wheels |
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- GT Bonnet Scoops |
A post factory dealer fit on the XA not promoted in sales
brochures. |
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- GS Styled Dashboard |
Featuring additional 6k Tachometer, Voltmeter and Oil Pressure
gauges. |
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- GS 3-Spoke Steering Wheel |
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- Electric Clock |
RPO 30. Standard fitting with the GS option. |
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A striking XA Fairmont GS showing the
12-slot wheels and 'curving' side-stripes. |
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An XA Falcon 500 ute with the GS Rally
Pack. |
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| XB FALCON |
The XB Falcon range introduced in
late 1973 now featured two GS Rally Pack options as
Option 35
with a side
protection strip (or commonly referred to as
rub-rails), and Option 48
with the usual GS side-stripes. The
decal side-stripes now featured "GS" lettering on
the rear panels at the end of the stripe.
The new RPO 35 was only available for the XB
Fairmont series and RPO 48 was available for the Falcon
500,
Futura and Fairmont series on each of the body
styles including the commercial XB 500 ute and van.
It appears
from period brochures and Ford documents that the
pack was not available for the XB Falcon Standard series
but was for the XB Falcon Standard commercial
panel van.
A May, 1975 Ford RPO Code Sheet, for some unknown
reason, spells the Pack as the
"Rallye Pack" multiple times but sales brochures
still referred to it as the "Rally Pack." |
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OPTION 35
- GS RALLY PACK (with Protection Strip)
OPTION 48 - GS RALLY PACK (with Tape Stripe) |
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- GS Insignia Side-Stripes |
Only with RPO 48. |
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- Bodyside Protection Mouldings |
RPO 69. Only with RPO 35 Fairmont option. |
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- 12-Slot Steel Road Wheels |
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- GT Bonnet Scoops |
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- GS Styled Dashboard |
Featuring additional 6k Tachometer, Voltmeter and Oil Pressure
gauges. |
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- GS 3-Spoke Steering Wheel |
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- Electric Clock |
RPO 30. Standard fitting with the GS option. |
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The side-stripes on the XB went full body
length with a "GS" logo on the back end. Seen
here are the XB Falcon 500 commercial range which
were GS optional. |
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GS side-stripes on an XB Falcon 500
Hardtop. |
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XB Parts Catalogue GS Rally Pack decal
application for the panel van. |
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| XC FALCON |
The XC Falcon range introduced in 1976
re-defined the Rally Pack as a single Option 48 on the
RPO list
adding more features to the revamped Falcon model line up. The XC range
GS Rally Pack was available
as a customer option for Falcon 500 and Fairmont sedans and wagons and
remained not optional for
Falcon Standard sedans and wagons. The pack was now however, optional
across all commercial
Falcon ute and van body styles - both Standard and 500 series. All XC
Falcon 500 Hardtops built had the
GS Rally Pack as a standard factory fitting in an effort to boost sales
figures. The pack was not available
for the XC Fairmont Hardtop, 4-door Fairmont GXL or Sundowner Van as
most GS features were
already standard fittings on these series. |
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OPTION 48 - GS RALLY PACK |
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- Special Paint Treatment |
Including GT style blacked window framings and
colour keyed bumpers. |
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- 12-Slot Steel Road Wheels |
With Chromed Trim Rings. |
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- GT Bonnet Scoops (XB) |
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- GT (Dummy) Air Scoops (XB) |
Falcon 500 Hardtop only. |
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- GS Padded Dashboard |
Featuring additional 6k Tachometer and Oil Pressure gauges. |
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- GS 'Soft-Feel' Steering Wheel |
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- Map Reading Light |
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STANDARD RPOs INCLUDED IN GS
RALLY PACK |
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23 -
Bumper Overriders |
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30 -
Electric Clock |
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56 -
Driving Lights (Long Range) |
With blacked out front grille, n/a Fairmont. |
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61 -
Styled Exterior R/V Mirror LHS |
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An XC Falcon ute with all the GS Rally
Pack trimmings. The side-stripes were done away with
in the XC range, instead bodyside protection mouldings were common
place. |
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An XC Falcon GS Hardtop interior featuring
the updated seating and door trims. |
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