Trading-in needles and jets for injectors and electronics - but not a 'flux capacitor' in sight!
Pete is a hoon.
The photos he sent us of his XR Falcon buzzing the rear wheels took our fancy - but what we saw under the bonnet really got us fired up.
For the benefit of our overseas audience, the Australian 1966 XR Ford Falcon GT was one of the best local performance cars of the time. Those times have now changed, and a car powered by a stock carbied 351 fails to impress like it used to. But throw in a warmed-over modern-tech EFI engine like our friend Pete did and there's enough performance to hustle the 1690kg (3718lb) car to 100km/h (62mph) in 5.2 seconds! Plus the engine has so much better manners..
It started around 12 years ago, when Pete bought this Falcon (actually a GT look-a-like) complete with sports striping and all the usual contemporary livery. During his ownership, the car saw numerous mods to the V8 manual driveline combo - but all of a sudden things took a dramatic change.
Being an electronics technician and general technology nut, Pete felt the need to drop some up-to-date engineering under the sizeable bonnet.
A 1991 model 351ci Windsor was purchased (an ex-F150 engine) and was built-up using some of the finest Ford-developed and aftermarket parts. First, the engine received a 0.020" overbore and had these spaces filled with Sealed Power dished pistons, giving a compression ratio of around 9.0:1.
A Crane hydraulic roller cam found its way inside; it possesses the following comprehensive specs - 274° / 282° duration, 520/542 thou lift, 212° / 220° duration at 0.050" lift, and 112 degree lobe centre separation. This cam, Pete suggests, is quite mild, making good mid-range torque but running out of breath over 5500rpm - 600rpm short of the 6100 rev limit.
A pair of Edelbrock Performer RPM heads are fitted, with the standard 2.02 inch and 1.6 inch valves actuated by SVO 1.6 ratio roller rockers. Potentially destructive valve bounce isn't a concern with a set of Crane double row valve springs and retainers fitted. A high flow hybrid intake manifold was constructed using a SVO GT-40 lower section and 1993 Mustang upper which inhales through a 73mm SVO mass airflow meter and a K&N filter. The throttle body is an Edelbrock/BBK with a larger 70mm internal diameter.
Fuelling the engine is the job of eight SVO 30lb/hr injectors fed by a high flow Bosch EKP4 electric pump. Electronic engine management (cough - not something traditionally associated with XR Falcons!) is by virtue of a '93 5.0L HO Mustang ECU with no software changes.
The electronic part of the conversion involved cutting-and-shutting a '94 5.0L Falcon body harness and splicing in a modified Mustang engine harness. Pete must be a patient man!
And to make sure the Ford bubble never bursts, ARP main studs, rod bolts and head studs were wrenched in along with a Mellings high volume oil pump with an ARP moly drive. The use of an Edelbrock water pump (with a standard rotation direction) and an early model timing belt allowed the removal of the long serpentine belt which previously connected to a reverse direction pump.
Extracting spent gasses are 1 5/8" 4>2>1 headers feeding 3 inch diameter collectors off each cylinder bank. Muffled by a single Genie Tornado muffler, the rest of the system uses mandrel 3- inch bends throughout the remainder of its length. Pete suggests the exhaust system flows very well - but is too bloody loud!
Handling the estimated 380hp is a 3.25:1 ratio Ford 9 inch LSD which has performed reliably. The trans is a different story, however.
The original Mustang 4-speed auto quickly began to slip under the urge of the big 351 and was therefore ditched in favour of a C4 auto and 2300rpm stall converter. So far this combo is working well, but since Pete likes manual 'boxes, he's looking at fitting a Tremec TKO five speed (based on the Ford Top Loader).
With the previous (slipping) Mustang trans fitted, the car could still accelerate from standstill to 100km/h (62mph) in 5.2 seconds and steam through the quarter mile in 13.89 seconds. Now that there's a more capable trans hooked up it's even quicker again - 12.79 @ 115.6 km/h for the quarter. That's not bad remembering there's 1690kg (3718lb) of metal to haul around!
Fuel economy should also be improved over the carby engine, but when we asked what sort of figures were being returned, Pete relied "Err, I'm not sure - I keep nailing it!".
The task of slowing this beast is kept in the Ford family, being performed by later model XB Falcon vented discs and calipers at the front and stocky drums behind. An XA model Falcon brake booster has also found a new home under the bonnet. But good brakes aren't what this car is about - brakes just make it go slower!
Bodywise, the XR remains as it was bought all those years ago - including the look-a-like GT front spoiler. However, some mods were needed to fit the dual circuit brakes, big 9 inch rear-end and cold air induction. The body sits low on reproduction GTHO rear springs, 3 inch lower Selby coils at the front and Koni adjustable dampers at each corner. The whole package is draped in a very tasteful 'Cobalt Blue' paint job.
Suitably muscle-car styled 15x7 and 15x8 Performance Superlite wheels wearing Dunlop SP800 225 and 245/50 series tyres maintain enough grip to keep Pete in control.
There's still that major traction problem off the line though...
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