fact 16 The QC20 4 BOLT BLOCKS
Howard Marsden and Bill Santuccione on the GTHO PHASE IV engines being 2 bolt. The engine in XA 2 GIBSON. Is it a 4 bolt that QC 20 engine not being the original due to the engine being changed. If it was changed with an engine sourced from Bruce Hodgson's surplus 1974 Lot 6 engine blocks it is likely an improved production engine
The engine in XA 3 THE SPARE had QC 20 engine failure Howard gave Bruce Hodgson a replacement engine which need not conform to series production the engine is likely an improved production engine as series production racing was over. That would explain 4 bolt engines rebuilt at lot 6 after 1972 to suit the Group C era.
Did the PHASE IV Ford works cars to have 4 bolt or 2 bolt engines?
The extract below from AMC issue 5 is incorrect John Goss never ever claimed that the engine was the original stock engine put back in the car .
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CORRECTION needed in AUSTRALIAN MUSCLE CAR MAG.
AMC issue 5 above articles
David Bowden calls the XA 1 XA 3 it has been proven XA 3 is actually the Spare car Bruce Hodgson (Hoddo) acquired it as a rally car
David Bowden believes his car is XA 1 according to our research David is mistaken his car is actually XA 2
XA 2 allocated for Fred Gibson
XA 1 allocated for Allan Moffat
XA 3 built first as a SPARE car acquired by Bruce Hodgson as a rally car
Howard Marsden allocated the 2 works cars XA 1 & XA 2 SPORTS CAR WORLD September 1972 as the Allan Moffat car and the Fred Gibson car
(Tony the concreter has salvaged a rolling shell with is made up from the original XA 3 works car it is now complete. Tony's planned to have it almost like the XA 3 Lot 6 car with a QC 20 engine built by Bill Santuccione
Were PHASE IV Ford works cars 4 bolt or 2 bolt engines?
David Bowden with his commitment to saving restoring and collecting Australian Muscle Cars warrants kudos without his endeavor the Australian Muscle car scene would be poorer. Our opinion is that without David Bowden's car collection classic stories in the beginning of Australian Muscle Car magazine years back the magazine may have not enjoyed the success it has today - our research findings may differ in what the GTHO 4 stories claim , however we are open to correction with proof.
Firstly David Bowden refers to the Paul Carthew car ( now sold) as XA-3 of which our research differs we conclude it was always XA-1 as Howard Marsden clearly identified in earlier facts on this website so as you read that John Goss managed the Max Macleod car which was later owned by Paul Carthew XA Falcon GT-HO is XA -1 NOT XA-3
Secondly the engine on the XA -1 Carthew car like all Ford racing QC20 racing engines are unstamped engine blocks when they are blueprinted for the XA GT-HO Racing prototypes. if it was the original engine it would be stamped with a number being the same as the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
The Calypso Green H code FALCON GTHO PHASE 4 is built with a 2 bolt engine the only one of 200 found completed
Was it telling a porcupine?
Consider this 250 parts 100 already used 37 for POLICE, 3 for public 25 for Ford racing that is 65 Another 60 exported in XA GT's that is 125 sub total half of the 250 Some 125 plus kits sold wholesale then onto BS Stillwell. Tell me there were no spare parts or would that have been 50 of the 250 kits? as only 200 were required for Bathurst homologation in 1972
Has anyone considered that this allocation of 250 kits were for the Australian POLICE XA supercars?
If the Ford racing competitions manager and the Ford works engine builder and are stating the PHASE IV program was to have 2 bolt main bearing engines who has the credentials?
Now 250 kits for the PHASE V the 2 door XA GT HO under new rules had the program gone ahead that is feasible
work out you own conclusion
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fact 17 FIRST GTHO 4 Road REGISTERED
On the 28th MARCH 1972 The FIRST Ford XA FALCON GTHO was registered in Victoria .
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When being road registered the Police will use the vin number or issue a Police number as with V72319P Which was the engine in The SPARE XA-3 ( Bruce Hodgson car ) when it was road registered This V723219P originated from Bill Santuccione's XA 4 which was the Red Pepper pre pilot car built XA GT called the Company Car which tested many parts for the PHASE IV program
Howard referred to the car as the 4th hence we call it XA 4
The ORIGINS of the engine may be traced to the Ford FALCON GTHO PHASE 3 Quicksilver with PHASE 4 driveline.
fact 18 The Rally CAR CONVERSION
After the AXE fell on the XA GTHO PHASE IV PROGRAM
The SPARE XA 3 was upgraded to Rally spec and Road registered GDF 333 in NSW - faults were the ride height was based on the XT 302 London to Sydney spec .
No Speed cable. No cable for Halda meter the ride height caused engine failure the 351-4V is a heavier engine than the XT 302 because of the constant bumps caused the oil pick up to drop onto the sump oil pressure 25psi according to Bruce Hodgson Bruce Hodgson was given both Close & wide ratio gearboxes.
Howard Marsden ensured that the all the Phase IV Supercars found their way to new owners being experienced drivers as to avoid any backlash from the government or media.
Jack brabham Keith Goodall John Goss Bruce Hodgson
As XA 3 the SPARE and XA 2 the Gibson car were reallocated for Rally drivers Bruce Hodgson XA 3 and Keith Goodall XA 2 it is feasible these 2 of the Lot 6 Ford works XA GT HO 4's would NOT have left Lot 6 with the full racing specification that was intended for endurance series production competition like Bathurst 500.
Did ANY of the Lot 6 PHASE IV brambles red works cars remain built to racing specification when they left Ford works Lot 6?
ONLY XA 1 the Moffat car purchased by Max McLeod given to John Goss for back up racing may have most of the intended parts as John Goss was a series production driver.
Form your own opinion.
fact 19 The WHEELS AUG 1972 confusion
In WHEELS MAGAZINE AUGUST 1972 on the Building of the Allan Moffat & Fred Gibson HO4 Race cars XA 1 & XA 2
For around 15 years there was never any mention of a 3rd Race car XA 3 That only surfaced with Dr John Wright when he was Editor of the 1987 First issue of SUPER FORD Photos showing 3 cars for the first time published were from FORD PR shoot before Mel Nichols was invited to Lot 6 WHEELS - AUGUST 1972
Lot 6 the 3 BRAMBLES RED ordered for Ford Special Vehicles were all present and accounted for the FORD PR Photo session of the final days of completion of the first Car the SPARE numbered 3 (XA 3)which was along with the one numbered 2 (XA 2) numbered especially for the photo shoot the numbers were removed when XA 3 left the building the only one of the 3 cars completed. It was at Calder Park for a "Shakedown" then it was said to be kept at Ford's proving ground. When Wheels journalists were invited there were only 2 cars when actually XA 3 was at Calder Park Howard Marsden never mentioned a spare car or the fact that one was completed It was a good strategy to the competitors.
.There has been much confusion that only 2 cars were there adding to the confusion since the Wheels photo fast forward 15 years later Winter 1987 showed XA 3
FORM YOUR own OPINION
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XA 1
XA 2
XA 3
fact 20 ONE PHASE 4 ENGINE ORIGIN
The ORIGINS of the first PHASE IV engine may be traced back to the Ford XY FALCON GT-HO PHASE 3 the *Quicksilver with the PHASE 4 driveline. From that XY to the first pre production Falcon XA GT off the production line. The development of the Phase 4 engine from the XY GT test car was done during Al Turners days, The Phase 4 engine was placed into the (XA 4) RED PEPPER Falcon XA GT for further sorting the Phase 4 motor and driveline with some cam and exhaust testing during Howard Marsden's term as Ford's competitions manager the boss of Lot 6. The red pepper XA GT had no chassis number, The car had a sunroof and lacked some final cosmetic touches. It was called the COMPANY CAR. Bill Santuccione was the main driver, the car was also used for promotion graphics. bedding in brakes for the series production and improved production race cars. Bill had nothing but praise for the PHASE 4 it was far superior to it's predecessor the Ford XY FALCON GT-HO PHASE 3. The Phase 4 motor was eventually removed from XA 4 and likely pulled down and rebuilt as a spare for improved production racing. When XA 3 the SPARE rally car had engine failure Bruce Hodgson was given the subject motor V72319P to use in XA 3 for rallying .
*The was no Quicksilver GTHO PHASE 3 listed possibly an XY Falcon GT. FACT 20/20
FORM YOUR own OPINION
fact 20 EXTRA NEWS ENGINE FOUND V72319P
FACT 20/20 extra NEWS Excellent discovery after over 50 years Found V72319P the engine from the pre production build XA GT and first XA FALCON GTHO registered in Victoria has been found and the news and photo shared thanks to Johnny Georgantis.
Bill Santuccione's PHASE 4 known as th Company car the XA FALCON GT HO LCP 402 was registered 28th March 1972. #xa4lot6
#lot6x #GTHORESEARCH #DRAGONSLIVED
XA-GT LCP 402 photo courtesy GTHO REGISTER
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