|
The Falcon SPRINT name first coined, to describe an idea thought of by Lee Iacocca. This involved fitting Ford's new for 1963 Windsor V8 into the US Falcon. Interestingly the Mustang would later be derived from the 2dr sprints falcon platform.
The SPRINT bodyshell was a lot stronger then the standard lightweight US falcon, following the Australian lead of using thicker steel, and a much more rigid chassis. The sprints advantages lead it to being entered in the European Rally Circuit, where it met with success in the form of several GT class wins, and a number of outright victories.
Further development of the US falcon sprint led to the falcon being offered in Aus with a 289 V8 option across the range in 1966. This V8 option across the falcon range was a first for australia (it needs to be noted that chrysler also offered a V8 at the time - but only on the top of the range model)
Although the Falcon Sprint name didn't actually appear in Australia as early as it did in the US, the concept & badging did. Bill Warner, a Sydney based speed shop identity, in 1965 began converting the XM hardtops into an Australian Sprint after swapping out its 6 cylinder in favour of a 260, or 289 V8. Despite not being an official Ford Aus project, Warner recieved credit for the returned 6 cylinder engines. These Falcon SPRINT were to be noted for their finish & original equipment feel.
The SPRINT naming was later revived in 1993 by Tickford when it released the EDXR8 sprint. As an interesting sidenote, the EDXR8 sprint was to also utilise the same powerplant albeit noticably updated, & in a fuel injected form.(Despite the ford Aus sales brochure getting it wrong & labelling the motor as the "GT40 5.0l Cleveland V8 engine)
|
Wulos post 302 - the sprint story
Linear Mode
