WOW! What a Blast!
A Bit Of...
Fast Ford Muscle!

Central Muscle Cars - NZ
Michael Eden - Ford Falcon GTHO

I strolled into the yard and saw two cars that took my eye.
A 68 Fairmont 302W, Auto, nice mags and a couple of cars down in the next row was a gold 67 Falcon.

What caught my eye was a GT badge on the rear pillar, rear window louvre, the double black stripe running from front to back on the lower part of the doors and the air dam on the front.

Opened the drivers door and slid in, the upholstery was a nice charcoal grey the inserts were perforated, nice to sit in.
Looked at the dash the instruments were well set out and nice to look at.

Put my hand out to the shifter put the clutch in, the other hand on the wheel.
I liked the feel of it.

Anyway I took the Fairmont out for a test and it was great, it sounded nice with the twin exhaust system and would tow the boat.

Next was the 67 GT. Pulling out of the car yard I got a feel for the four speed, which was a toploader and the shifter a hurst. Got out onto the highway chopped down to third and put the boot in and immediately got a kick in the back.
WOW! What a Blast! I had a new appreciation for what I had heard people talk about -

Fast Ford Muscle Cars. Performance stats -225bhp @ 4800rpm and 305lb of torque @ 3200rpm.
I'd never experienced that kind of power! By comparison the performance to later models doesn't seem much but to an impressionable twenty year old.
I couldn't wait to lay my money down!

On the way home which was around 25 miles out of Hamilton my first stop was to one of my mates place.
The reason was was that his brother owned a standard 67 Falcon with a transplanted 351 Cleveland and that definitely was a Fast Ford.

I remember we used to roar around the countryside nose to tail. Great fun!

Anyway -
As I turned in to his road I was cruising at around 70mph got to about a half mile from his gate just over the next brow and saw his sister on a trail bike.

So had to slow in a hurry and soon found the limitations of the brakes with 10" drums on the back.
I'm glad I found that out real early. Luckily she heard me before she saw me!

Pulled into the driveway and a few of the boys were there so as always - check it over!

Pulled up the bonnet and between the shock towers was a nice little 289cu windsor, four barrel holley and had the stock exhaust manifolds.
The wheels were unique with full chrome covers.
The bucket seats reclined which was a feature that provided a lot of erotic fun over the next couple of months.

Spent the next hour just looking at it. I was very very happy.
It was the car that I had always wanted. Even at 12 miles to the gallon of gas!

At night the dash would illuminate to an emerald green it almost felt like you were sitting in the cockpit of an aircraft.

The power was always satisfying. 1st gear at 50mph, 2nd at 70mph, 3rd at 110mph.
I can't remember ever having it flat out. But it was a fast bit of Ford Muscle!

I loved it and wish I still had it!

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