MAD MAX SERIES FALCONS

MAD MAX (1979)
In order to tell their legendary story of death and mayhem on the "Transcontinental Highway" of the near future, Australian filmmakers George Miller and Byron Kennedy decided upon the use of the Ford Falcon as the main police car of this science fiction tale. Designated as either Pursuit and Interceptor vehicles, these mainly yellow four-doors were the front line defence for the Main Force Patrol (MFP), a specialised police force charged with breaking gang led dominance on outback roads. Three 1970s era Falcon sedans were acquired for filming from October to December, 1977. All vehicles were modified by Melbourne based custom car company Graf-X International with many of the fibreglass parts coming from Errol Platt's EWP Fibreglass company. The first was a former Melbourne 1972 Ford XA Falcon 500 Sedan taxi cab, a six cylinder, column shift with bench-seating for the role of an Interceptor driven by Scuttle and Sarse - call sign March Hare. It had a blown cylinder evident in the film by the plume of exhaust smoke in several shots. It was destroyed during filming by running it into a phone booth and flipping it onto it's roof. The second was a former Victorian police 1974 Ford XB Falcon 500 Sedan which was a 302ci V8 with auto column shift and bench-seating for the role of a Pursuit four-door driven by Roop and Charlie - call sign Big Bopper. It was known by the film crew to be the most spritely of the all the cars in the production due to it's good condition V8 motor. It was extensively damaged during filming performing stunt work involving being rammed off the road, hitting a painter's van and driving it through a caravan. The third was a few levels up being a genuine, former Victorian police highway pursuit car. A 1974 Ford XB Falcon 500 Sedan fitted with a 300 hp GT V8 engine (351ci / 4V), 4-wheel disc braking, limited slip differential, dual exhaust pipes, GT bonnet scoops with four headlight front grille that carried a 'Falcon' badge not a GT one. On the inside it had 'saddle' trimmed reclining bucket seats with T-bar auto floor transmission but not a GT dashboard - just the usual Falcon 500 type. Ford required carpets as mandatory with bucket seating and sports console but police cars were exempt with this Falcon having rubber mat flooring. The paint finish was slightly different from the other two Falcons in that the red pin-stripe was widened at the rear and it had silver mag wheels rather than a yellow set. It was used for the role of Max's four-door Interceptor and what happened to it after filming remains a mystery to this day... For details on the two-door black Interceptor see under: The Interceptor: Mad Max
	FOUR-DOOR YELLOW FALCON MODIFICATIONS
	EXTERIOR:
	- Front Lower Air Dam aaa	Likely a Graf-X fibreglass fitting. All cars had them but the March Hare Falcon had it's one removed prior to performing the phone booth roll-over stunt.
	- Bonnet Hood Scoop aaa	Modified from an L88 Corvette bonnet scoop. Fitted to the March Hare and Max Falcons but not fitted to the Big Bopper Falcon.
	- Wheel Arch Flares aaa	Modified from Holden Torana SLR5000 wheel flares. Notably, the March Hare Falcon seems to have random wheel flare fittings at different points in the movie?
	- Roof Spoiler aaa	A fibreglass kit modified from Australian race car driver Bob Jane's racing sedans. The same kit was also used for the black 2-door Interceptor.
	- Paint aaa aaa aaa	The overall yellow was contrasted with a dark blue rear and lower body side trim separated by a white and red pin-stripe. Max's car had a red pin-stripe that widened out at the rear doors and covered the rear roof line. MFP bronze star emblems were placed on the C-pillars of all three cars.
	- Sunraysia Wheels aaa	All cars had Sunraysia style mag wheels painted yellow for the first two cars and chrome silver for Max's car.
	- Roof Police Lights xxx	Twin Hella KL80 blue units for the first two cars but a wider, flat-top red / blue unit for Max's car.
	- Roof Siren	Fake fittings. Dark grey units for the first two cars and a yellow unit for Max's car.
	- Boot Aerial	Fake radio aerial added to the centre of the back boot lid on all cars.
	INTERIOR:
	- Police Radio aaa	Non-functional movie prop created for dialogue scenes between cars. Only one unit was built and it was swapped between the cars during filming. Max's Interceptor had the addition of a hand-held radio / loudspeaker set.
	The XA Falcon known as March Hare seen here in the later part of the film's opening chase but now with the front lower air dam missing and no flares on the left-side wheel arches.
	The famous Big Bopper XB Falcon is a fan favourite and had a spritely 302ci V8 motor. This car performed the caravan smash-thru stunt that has become an iconic cinematic moment worldwide.
	Max's 4-door Interceptor was a former real-life police XB Falcon 500 sedan that had GT engine, components, bonnet scoops and front grille fitted at factory to meet highway patrol requirements. This was fortuitous for the filmmakers as they got a ready to go 'GT lookalike.' The image above is from a deleted scene in the movie where Max has a drag race with his friend Jim "Goose."
	Two more 1970s era Falcons appear in brief screen roles in a fatal night crash scene. Firstly a white Ford XA Falcon sedan was acquired as a wreck and is depicted in the movie story as having been driven by a "couple of crazies" who hit a truck. One of the occupants is shown bloodied and half conscious on the XA's passenger window sill. The second is a genuine Victorian State Police 1977 Ford XC Falcon 500 station wagon which was provided to the filmmakers by the police Accident Appreciation Squad for the one night of filming on Melbourne's yet to open West Gate Freeway Bridge.
	The wreck of a Ford XA Falcon can be briefly seen crushed against a truck in the opening shot of the night accident scene.
	An actual XC Falcon station wagon police car from the Accident Appreciation Squad was provided to the production and is seen here with the roof mast extended which gives the police rapid lighting at serious accident scenes and warns other approaching motorists of potential danger ahead.
	The XC Falcon police car pictured here is the actual one used in the film.
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Max's 4-Door Yellow Interceptor "Calling MFP-508 where are you?"
While the March Hare XA and Big Bopper XB were taken to the wreckers after filming due to essentially being written off in the movie stunt work, the fate of Max's yellow 4-door Interceptor remains something of a mystery... What is known is that originally the XB Falcon was specifically built at factory as a police car for the Victorian Police to be used as a high-speed highway pursuit / interceptor vehicle. To meet these needs the standard Falcon 500 body was given exception by Ford to be fitted with the GT engine - namely the 351ci / 4V high performance V8. Also included in this package was the GT grille (with driving lights), GT bonnet scoops, dual exhausts, 4-wheel disc braking and LSD. It also likely had other GT styled suspension and upgrades. According to Mad Max mechanic Murray Smith it was purchased, along with the other Falcons to be used in the movie, at car auction in Frankston, Victoria during 1977 for AUS$4,500. After filming with it had finished, the vehicle was returned to it's original white colour and used as a camera vehicle for the rest of the production. It is widely believed to have been given to one of the film crew or mechanics as payment for work and is believed to have been taken back to the Sydney area. Since then, its been anyone's guess...
Victoria State police vehicles were known as 'candy cars' for their somewhat red / white 'confectionery' appearance. Seen here is an XB Falcon 500 model with the GT bonnet scoops which likely indicates a 351ci V8 underneath. Photo Source: Facebook - Old School Aussie Fords.
The table below details what is presently confirmed data based on observations of the movie. It seems most likely at the moment the XB was a 1974 build from Broadmeadows. According to one Ford Verification Letter there were a total of 825 XB Falcon 500 sedans built with the Ford sanctioned 'T' coded GT engine with 368 of these having the T-bar auto. Only two of these had the Saddle type trim fitted so it would seem the car used for Mad Max was actually quite rare.
	JG23P? ????? K
	Type:	1974 Ford XB Falcon 500 Sedan
	Model:	18333
	Body Type:	54B
	VIN Number:	JG23P? ????? K
	Country Built:	J	Australia
	Plant:	G	Broadmeadows, Melbourne
	Model Code:	23	Falcon 500 Sedan
	Year Built:	P	1974 (Unconfirmed)
	Month Built:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Engine:	T	HP 300hp 351ci (5.8L) V8 / 4V carb / HC
	Transmission:	B	Automatic 3-spd T-Bar Floor Shift
	Trim:	S	Saddle Vinyl
	Paint:	3	Polar White
	Optioned RPOs:	03 11 19 32 36 45 53 56 67	Seatbelts (Mandatory). Laminated Windscreen Tinted Band. Reclining Bucket Seats. Sports Console. Police Kit. Limited Slip Differential (LSD). 4-Wheel Power Disc Brakes. Driving Lights. Dual Exhaust System.
	SIDO No.:	-	Unknown at this time.
Stunt driver Phil Brock doing a high speed hand-brake turn during the filming of Mad Max (1979). Phil performed the driving stunts for the character of Max so he drove both the 4-door yellow and 2-door black Falcons.
	It is not a Falcon GT...
	The fact this car had GT bonnet scoops and grille has led many to believe over the years that the vehicle was a genuine Falcon GT sedan but this is not the case for the reasons described above. The following features confirm that an XB Falcon 500 was indeed the base car:
	- The interior door trim design and door grips are Falcon 500 type.   - The steering wheel is the standard Falcon 500 two-spoke design.   - The dashboard does not have the GT top row small gauges.   - The red dashboard warning lights have an 'OIL' lamp which is not featured in the GT.   - The front grille is a GT one but carries a Falcon, and not a GT, badge.   - The fuel cap is the basic Falcon centre-lock push type.
Max and the Goose arrive at a terrible scene of carnage outside the fictional town of Little Jerusalem. Evident here is the standard Falcon fuel cap and Holden Torana styled wheel flares.
Actors Mel Gibson (Max) and Steve Bisley (Jim Goose) on location outside Little River in late 1977. Max's 4-door Interceptor carried the names "M. Rockatansky" and "The Dark One" on the right front fender - the latter being a character (played by Jerry Day) largely cut from the script soon after filming began.
	So where could it be now...
	Due to the fact this vehicle was a former police car makes identifying it from any potential candidates many decades later much easier. This XB Falcon 500 had a GT engine fitted and it had reclining bucket seats but no carpets (Ford made carpets mandatory with bucket seating except for police cars and taxis), make these two of the strongest starting points for confirming a positive identity. It seems most likely this car is no longer around, however the following basic points should be noted if anyone thinks they may have once owned or come across the 4-door Interceptor:
	- It was repainted back to white after filming so may show signs of multiple repainting     around the doors and panel joins. Some hints of the previous yellow or dark blue     maybe evident.   - It may or may not have retained the roof spoiler, wheel-arch flares, Corvette bonnet hood     and front lower air dam. If not, there maybe evidence like bogging or holes where these     items were once fitted.   - The VIN plate will show it as an XB Falcon 500 model (18333) but it will have a 'T' (GT)     engine code.   - The interior will have Saddle trim with bucket seating and rubber flooring but no carpets.   - The front GT grille will carry a Falcon badge.   - The centre of the back boot lid will show signs of a hole having been drilled there for the     fake police radio aerial.
	If anyone has any leads, pictures in dusty photos albums or might remember owning a similar Falcon in the late 1970s or early 1980s please get in contact: sdbeck AT caverock DOT net DOT nz
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MAD MAX 2 (1981)
Three 1970s era Ford Falcon / Fairlane / LTD range cars were acquired as part of the villainous armada of vehicles for the riveting sequel filmed from May to July, 1981 in outback Australia. The most notable is a Ford XA Falcon Hardtop for the role of the "Red XA Bat Car" as it has been labelled. It features a black vinyl roof and boot spoiler with a modified front sporting an XB Falcon grille and a lower air dam with three driving lights. The back axle is fitted with twin-wheels on each side and it has a very distinctive side exhaust pipe arrangement that extends up to the top of the door-line. The vehicle was destroyed during the final tanker chase sequence when it was rammed into oblivion by the Mack truck. The second is a Ford P5 Landau 2-door known as the "Skull Car" for its prominent Nazi SS skull emblems. It is an overall black with twin wheels on each side of the rear axle and features a rare front bumper from a 1957 Buick Roadmaster. The front hood features non-functional twin Weber 44IDA (or 48IDA) turbos turned sideways so they appear side-drafted. Side-mounted exhaust pipes protrude from the the front fenders which are also non-functional. This classic Mad Max style design was destroyed in a roll stunt for the opening chase sequence with the remains later used as a wreck outside the Oil Compound set. The third Ford vehicle is a modified Ford ZG Fairlane sedan in a minor background role, it was destroyed during filming as part of the final tanker chase. For details on the two-door black Interceptor see under: The Interceptor: Mad Max 2
	A "Red XA Bat Car" replica with an XB front grille at Adrian Bennett's Mad Max 2 Museum. Photo: Simon Beck.
	A replica of the Landau "Skull Car" with fake bonnet-mounted twin Weber Carburettors as displayed at Adrian Bennett's Mad Max 2 Museum. Photo: Simon Beck.
	A Ford ZG Fairlane film replica is displayed at the Mad Max 2 Museum. Photo: Simon Beck.
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MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME (1985)
The story for the third Mad Max film moved away from vehicles in a central and starring role but a number were built for the final chase sequence. Additionally, the movie opened with a large dune-buggy styled vehicle owned by Max but towed by camels to show the world had finally run dry of fuel resources. This vehicle pays homage to the franchise's original Fords by using an XA or XB Falcon sedan as part of the base chassis build. A third generation Falcon dashboard and steering wheel are clearly evident in the film and published stills show Falcon engine bay components like the master brake cylinder.
	Max (Mel Gibson) returns for a third time but no longer has the V8 Interceptor. However there is still some remnants of Ford culture with an XA or XB Falcon sedan shell (note the B-pillar framing in the above image), forming a part of his 'new' outback vehicle.
	A Falcon master brake cylinder and brake fluid reservoir can be seen in this film still. Also evident is a Cragar supercharger compressor casing (picture right), the same type as seen in Mad Max 2.
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MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
The long awaited fourth Mad Max film entered into pre-production during 2001. Production company Kennedy-Miller-Mitchell acquired three Falcon hardtop vehicles for conversion to the black Interceptor. The first was a 1973 Ford XB Falcon 500 Hardtop (VIN: JG65NE 51648 K) purchased in September, 2001 from Chatswood, NSW. What happened to this car is unknown as it was never seen again. The second was a 1973 Ford XA Falcon 500 Hardtop (VIN: JG65NM 8036? K) acquired in 2002. It is known that this coupe was originally a limited edition "Superbird." The third was a 1976 Ford XB Fairmont Hardtop (VIN: JG67SC ?2558 C) acquired in January, 2003 which was built as a six cylinder but later fitted with a V8 engine. The last two cars were shipped to Namibia in 2003 where their conversion into the Interceptor was begun. In March, 2003 the Iraq War broke out disrupting the production to the point where the entire picture was shut down before any of the cars could be finished. The second XA Falcon was sold unconverted to a buyer in Namibia and the third car (the XB Fairmont), was shipped back to Australia and stored. It was used in a 2007 Australian bank TV advertisement as a 'mock-up Interceptor' then stored again. The motion picture was not restarted until 2009 when the third car was taken out of storage for a press release announcement by director George Miller on 24 October, 2009. A further two Falcon coupes had to then be sourced and purchased as outlined below:
HERO CAR #100
	The original purchase from 2003 was converted by Ford Falcon restorer and fabricator Cameron Manewell in late 2009 as the main "Hero Car" being finished with all the fittings and details for filming close ups and static shots. It was shipped to Namibia in 2012 and was actually used for the crash scene by stunt driver Guy Norris as the engine was better suited for the stunt than the purpose built Stunt Car #101. This high speed roll stunt resulted in the Fairmont being wrecked and it appears to have been scrapped in Namibia at the end of filming.
	JG67SC 2558 C
	Type:	1976 Ford XB Fairmont Hardtop
	Model No.:	18317
	Body Type:	65D
	VIN Number:	JG67SC 2558 C - only four serial numbers, could it be 92558?
	Country Built:	J	Australia
	Plant:	G	Broadmeadows, Melbourne
	Model Code:	67	Fairmont Hardtop
	Year Built:	S	1976
	Month Built:	C	May
	Engine:	L	155hp 250ci (4.1L) Inline 6 Cylinder / 1V carb / HC
	Transmission:	B	Automatic 3-spd T-Bar Floor Shift
	Trim:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Paint:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Optioned RPOs:	-	Unknown at this time.
	SIDO No.:	-	Unknown at this time.
	The 'new' black Interceptor was finished in satin black and featured almost all of the original Mad Max film Interceptor parts like the supercharger, side-pipes, spoilers, Concorde nose but this time only one back-boot fuel tank. Two Falcon coupes were identically converted with a third used as a post-crash wreck.
STUNT CAR #101
	Purchased in Brisbane, this Falcon was built in an identical manner to the Hero Car #100 right down to the last details including interior decorations and set pieces by Cameron Manewell. It was shipped to Namibia in 2012 along with the #100 car for it's intended use as the crash sequence vehicle. However, as fate would have it, the #100 car was instead used at stuntman Guy Norris' request and the #101 survived intact to be shipped back to Australia for use in promoting the movie to the world. It was then stored and makes a brief cameo appearance in the new Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) film where it was again stored for future use in a proposed third instalment - Mad Max: The Wasteland.
	JG65PB 37104 C
	Type:	1974 Ford XB Falcon 500 Hardtop
	Model No.:	18313
	Body Type:	65B
	VIN Number:	JG65PB 37104 C
	Country Built:	J	Australia
	Plant:	G	Broadmeadows, Melbourne
	Model Code:	65	Falcon 500 Hardtop
	Year Built:	P	1974
	Month Built:	B	September
	Engine:	L	155hp 250ci (4.1L) Inline 6 Cylinder / 1V carb / HC
	Transmission:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Trim:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Paint:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Optioned RPOs:	-	Unknown at this time.
	SIDO No.:	-	Unknown at this time.
	The second identical #101 Interceptor was to be the stunt car but was instead spared that fate and was later stored for future Mad Max films. Photo Source: Facebook - Mad Max Garage Inc.
SPX RIG CAR #102
	Purchased as a wreck from Queensland, this 'beyond restoration' shell was converted by Cameron Manewell to a post-crash Interceptor so it looked wrecked and crumpled to start with. Not much is known about it's history except that it was a Falcon 500 GS coupe. It was shipped to Namibia for the scene where Max crawls out of his written-off Interceptor and the scene where it is towed to the Citadel. The wreck was then shipped back to Australia for further studio based filming for the scene where it is seen being dismantled.
	JG65?? ????? ?
	Type:	Ford XB Falcon 500 GS Hardtop
	Model No.:	18313
	Body Type:	65B
	VIN Number:	JG65?? ????? ?
	Country Built:	J	Australia
	Plant:	G	Broadmeadows, Melbourne
	Model Code:	65	Falcon 500 Hardtop
	Year Built:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Month Built:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Engine:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Transmission:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Trim:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Paint:	-	Unknown at this time.
	Optioned RPOs:	-	Unknown at this time.
	SIDO No.:	-	Unknown at this time.
	The post crash Interceptor chassis was already a wreck before filming began. Photo Source: Facebook - Mad Max Garage Inc.
RAZOR COLA #01 & #02
	Two Ford Falcon hardtop shells owned by Cameron Manewell were fabricated into functional, roadworthy buffed silver Razor Cola coupes for use in the Namibia chase scenes.
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