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The XA Falcon production run lasted less
than two years before it was given a significant face lift in the form
of
the XB Falcon which was launched to the public in August, 1973 under the
slogan: The Great Australian Road Car.
Not much changed under the bonnet but the front grille was completely
redesigned into a simpler, smoother
finish with a plastic honey comb grille piece inside a sloped inward
front fender panels and bonnet
leading edge. The rear back lights were redesigned to be larger with the
outer lights having a slight side
wrap-around for clearer turning indicators.
The body styles on offer remained the same as the XA with a 2-door
hardtop, 4-door sedan and wagon
with commercial utility and panel van as well. The model series was
still the base-line Falcon Standard,
Falcon 500, Futura, Fairmont and GT. However, the XB model would mark
the end of both the Futura
and shockingly for the motor fans, the GT series - both ending
production in mid-1976.
New to the XB was power-assisted front disc brakes made standard across
the series range with the car
becoming well known for its good braking system. Also introduced on the
XB was a tentative metric km/hr
display on the speedometer - albeit small orange digits on the larger
miles/hr display.
As the mid-1970s rolled around the XB model started to introduce more
luxury fittings as standard
on it's Falcon Standard and 500 series such as the foldaway centre
armrest on the increasingly outdated
front bench seat. Fairmonts also got rear window demisters as standard
starting in 1975.
The XB model was built in Australia from September, 1973 through to
July, 1976 at two Ford plants -
Broadmeadows in Melbourne and Eagle Farm in Brisbane.
Complete-Knock-Down (CKD) kits were
shipped
to
New Zealand for assembly as sedans and wagons with CKD utility kits sent to
South Africa.
Total production was 220,765 XB Falcons including the GT range.
Date of Introduction
31 October, 1973
Period of Sale
November, 1973 - July, 1976
Australian prices at time of introduction
Falcon Sedan: $3,236.00
Futura Sedan: $3,540.00
Fairmont Sedan: $4,044.00
Falcon 500 Hardtop: $3,420.00
Fairmont Hardtop: $4,149.00 |
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The bold new XB front grille had a more
refined and modern look than the earlier XA. There was a
time in the late 1970s and into the 1980s when there seemed to be an XB
on every street in every city. |
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| BASIC XB SPECIFICATIONS |
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Hardtop |
Sedan |
Wagon |
Utility |
Panel Van |
| Length: |
189.5 inches
(4813mm) |
189.3 inches
(4808mm) |
198.9 inches
(5052mm) |
194.3 inches
(4935mm) |
194.3 inches
(4935mm) |
| Width: |
77.5 inches
(1969mm) |
74.8 inches
(1900mm) |
74.8 inches
(1900mm) |
75.6 inches
(1920mm) |
75.6 inches
(1920mm) |
| Height: |
51.9 inches
(1318mm) |
53.9 inches
(1369mm) |
55.4 inches
(1407mm) |
54.6 inches
(1387mm) |
63.7 inches
(1618mm) |
| Wheelbase: |
111 inches
(2819mm) |
111 inches
(2819mm) |
116 inches
(2946mm) |
116 inches
(2946mm) |
116 inches
(2946mm) |
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| FALCON Standard |
The basic no-thrills, cut price series
version for low-end market buyers carried plain 'Falcon' badges
and came
without most of the standard factory extras found on the higher grade XB series.
The sedan and wagon
were also
assembled via CKD kits in New
Zealand. CKD kit utes were also assembled
in South Africa being marketed
as
the Ford Ranchero.
There was no two-door hardtop offered in the XB Falcon Standard series
and the GS Rally
Pack was not optional except for the panel van. Rubber floor mats
became a standard fit in 1976 for the
commercial ute and van as did the
Bench Seat foldaway centre armrest
feature. A separate Falcon line was
established for the taxi sedan with its own model number. |
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| BODY STYLES |
Sedan, Wagon, Utility, Panel Van |
| STANDARD FITTINGS |
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Engine: |
130hp 200ci (3.3L) Inline 6 Cylinder / 1V /
HC |
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Transmission: |
Manual 3-spd Column Shift (All-Synchro) |
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Other Fittings: |
Front Bench Seat |
| STANDARD RPOs |
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03 -
Seatbelts |
Mandatory. |
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20 - Front Bench Seat /
foldaway Centre Armrest |
From 1976.
xxxxx
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61 -
Styled Exterior R/V Mirror LHS |
Ute, Van only. |
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The XB Falcon Standard series panel van
had no factory fitted rear side glass. |
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| FALCON 500 |
The 500 series was essentially the
main XB Falcon series offered to buyers with the panel van now available
in this series. There were only a few factory
added Regular Production Options (RPOs) over the Falcon Standard
series but the customer optional extras were far wider making the Falcon
500 the entry level
series promoted in
Ford sales brochures. Later in XB Falcon 500 production, at least
mid-1975, a few luxury items became
standard
fittings like RPO 20 - Bench Seat with foldaway centre armrest. The sedan and wagon were also built via CKD kits
in New Zealand at the
new Wiri plant in Manukau,
Auckland. The utility was also built via shipped CKD kits
in South Africa
and marketed as the Ford Ranchero. A separate Falcon 500 line
was established for the taxi
sedan with its own model number. |
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| BODY STYLES |
Hardtop, Sedan, Wagon, Utility, Panel Van |
| STANDARD FITTINGS |
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Engine: |
130hp 200ci (3.3L) Inline 6 Cylinder / 1V /
HC |
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Transmission: |
Manual 3-spd Column Shift (All-Synchro) |
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Other Fittings: |
Front Bench Seat |
| STANDARD RPOs |
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03 - Seatbelts |
Mandatory. |
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09 - Tonneau Cover |
Ute only. |
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19 - Reclining Bucket
Seats
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Mandatory RPO for Hardtop only. Standard
in Ute, Van from 1976.
Foldaway Centre Console Armrest with column shift. |
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20 - Front Bench Seat /
foldaway Centre Armrest |
From 1975.
xxxxx
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43 - Van Side Glass |
Van only. |
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61 -
Styled Exterior R/V Mirror LHS |
Ute, Van only. |
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A factory fresh XB Falcon 500 sedan with
black vinyl roof being
shipped off to a dealer. |
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The two-door hardtop line continued in the
XB model, this one fitted with the GS Rally Pack that included side-
stripe decals and the distinctive XB bonnet scoops, although the car
modelling here also has GT locking pins. |
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| FUTURA |
A few steps up the comfort list was the
XB Futura which for added cost came with a much better 250ci engine,
power disc brakes, styled full wheel covers, carpets and a cosy
fold-down centre armrest on the bench seat.
The Futura was only offered in the sedan range. The Futura line ended at
the conclusion of the XB production
run
as the fitting of basic luxury items became commonplace in later 1970s
car design. A separate Futura
line was established for the taxi with its own model number. |
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| BODY STYLE |
Sedan |
| STANDARD FITTINGS |
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Engine: |
155hp 250ci (4.1L) Inline 6 Cylinder / 1V /
HC |
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Transmission: |
Manual 3-spd Column Shift (All-Synchro) |
| STANDARD RPOs |
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03 - Seatbelts |
Mandatory. |
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05 - Power Disc brakes
(Front) |
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14 - Full Wheel Covers |
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20 - Front Bench Seat /
foldaway Centre Armrest |
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39 - Carpets |
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62 -
Styled Exterior R/V Mirror
RHS Remote Control |
From 1975.
xxxxx
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| FAIRMONT |
The top regular luxury option was the
Fairmont which had all the Futura standard fittings but added the much
desired, for the time, automatic transmission and very swish reclining
front bucket seats. Where auto column
shift was fitted a centre console armrest was added to finish off the
look. Although the inline six engine and
column shift was standard, many customers who opted for the Fairmont
could also afford to go one better with
an eight cylinder motor resulting in many Fairmonts being built sporting
'V8' engine badges.
This series was not
available in the commercial ute and van range and was not factory taxi
optional. |
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| BODY STYLES |
Hardtop, Sedan, Wagon |
| STANDARD FITTINGS |
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Engine: |
155hp 250ci (4.1L) Inline 6 Cylinder / 1V /
HC |
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Transmission: |
Automatic 3-spd Column Shift (Cruisomatic) |
| STANDARD RPOs |
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03 - Seatbelts |
Mandatory. |
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05 - Power Disc brakes
(Front) |
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14 - Full Wheel Covers |
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18 - Roof Rack |
Wagon only. |
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19 - Reclining Bucket
Seats
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Mandatory RPO for Hardtop.
Foldaway Centre Console Armrest with column shift. |
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39 - Carpets |
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62 -
Styled Exterior R/V Mirror
RHS Remote Control |
From 1975.
xxxxx
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85 - Dual Action
Tailgate |
Wagon only. |
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95 - Heated Backlite |
Rear Window Demister. Sedan, Hardtop only from 1975. |
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A luxury XB Fairmont fitted here with
optional body-side protection mouldings and vinyl roof. |
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The XB Fairmont range proved very popular
for families requiring a station wagon. |
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