Falcon features over the years

malazn mafia · 08-10-2010, 06:25 PM

Thought it'd be cool to have a list of features in falcons/fairlanes that have come and gone over the years, due to cost cutting or being plain useless. A few that I remember if i recall rightly:

- Power sockets in all doors (XF?)
- Tibbe locks in all doors (EB?)
- Map pockets in all doors (NF fairlane)
- Illuminated Keyhole in driver's door (EA GHIA)
- Self Levelling suspension in NF/NL
- Speed sensitive steering in EL Ghia
- passenger grab handles above all 4 doors (EB?)
- voltage and oil pressure guages on dash (EA-EL)
- Premium Sound with cool audio effects DSP (EF/EL Ghia)
- Head unit with no volume control knobs, and a little joystick button for moving the audio balance among Left/right/front/back (EB).
- The Ford Advertising Jingle at the time (e.g. 'have you driven a ford.. lately') and a quick introduction to the vehicle on a cassette tape

(EB Gli)
- Leather(vinyl?) Wallet for user's manual (EA-EL) and service log
- Cigarette lighter standard on all models
- 12 way adjustable seat (DF LTD?)
- Hollow front seat headrests in XR models up to EF/EL?

Anything else you guys recall?

Falcman0o7 · 08-10-2010, 06:37 PM

yeh its interesting mate. i will have a think!

bathurst77 · 08-10-2010, 06:45 PM

Digital Dash XF
covered cup holder BA series 1

munkky · 13-01-2011, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bathurst77

Digital Dash XF
covered cup holder BA series 1

that turns in to a non covered cup holder in a year lol

pottery beige · 08-10-2010, 06:47 PM

plenum rust in XA's.....

TC200six · 08-10-2010, 06:53 PM

2-Way tailgate for wagons (XA-XC?)

GS608 · 08-10-2010, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pottery beige

plenum rust in XA's.....

pauljh74 · 08-10-2010, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pottery beige

plenum rust in XA's.....

Door handles that break at least once every 10 years XD-XF

TC200six · 08-10-2010, 07:00 PM

Cassette tape player

BFZF8 · 08-10-2010, 07:10 PM

Projector headlamps on ED,EF/EL XRs.

bathurst77 · 08-10-2010, 07:07 PM

yeh the 2 way tailgate was cool

buggo · 08-10-2010, 07:11 PM

Steering wheel audio controls - AU+
Colour screen - BA+
Two Tone paint- ESP Ghia

TC200six · 08-10-2010, 07:14 PM

Venetian blind-like rear sun visors (not sure when they started and finished)
Wind down rear window on early model Falcon wagons.

WMD351 · 08-10-2010, 07:36 PM

oscillating air vents (ZL fairlane?)

P6LTD351 · 08-10-2010, 08:33 PM

As you can tell in my sig, I love 80s and 90s Fords. It was very clear whether you were sitting in a base model or an up spec model. I think that line is very blurred in today's cars.

nitro50th · 08-10-2010, 10:04 PM

How about manually operated external mirrors...bit of a stretch for the passenger side!!!!

csv8 · 09-10-2010, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eb2monty

As you can tell in my sig, I love 80s and 90s Fords. It was very clear whether you were sitting in a base model or an up spec model. I think that line is very blurred in today's cars.

I agree my BF MK11 Ghia doesn't seem very special for the $$$$$$

P6LTD351 · 09-10-2010, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

I agree my BF MK11 Ghia doesn't seem very special for the $$$$$$

I think it's because the base models are so well equipped these days. Power windows, trip computers etc were a big deal in separating the lower and upper spec models whereas these are all features that are now found in base models.

Marquis 351 · 08-10-2010, 10:00 PM

What model did Ford Factory air con 1st come in?

FPV+fteT3 · 08-10-2010, 10:07 PM

star wars dash in the XF all digital

Marquis 351 · 08-10-2010, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPV+fteT3

star wars dash in the XF all digital

That was very ahead of its time! Ford Showing off i guess!

TC200six · 08-10-2010, 10:22 PM

That "Smart Lock" thing whatever it was, and the flashing Smart Lock light that was seen flashing on the dash of E-Series Falcons.

geckoGT · 09-10-2010, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laser '81

That "Smart Lock" thing whatever it was, and the flashing Smart Lock light that was seen flashing on the dash of E-Series Falcons.

That is still present on B series (not sure about FG)

XR Martin · 08-10-2010, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marquis 351

That was very ahead of its time! Ford Showing off i guess!

Corvette had it in 1983.

TC200six · 08-10-2010, 11:33 PM

I like the digital gauges, it was only an '80s fad though. Heaps of cars from the 1980s had them, I know the original 1986 Taurus had them, and the early '80s 910 series Bluebirds also had space age looking gauges in the TR-X model, but only for the fuel, temp, etc. not the speedometer though.

Mr Hardware · 08-10-2010, 10:04 PM

POWER DISC on the brake pedal (XA/B/C?)

But yes i do rue the deletion of some of those things over the years, most notably 4-way grab handles.

Road_Warrior · 08-10-2010, 10:06 PM

Low coolant warning light EB-EL
The little barcode/watermark stickers placed inside the panels on E-series cars to tell if it had been smashed

Mr Hardware · 08-10-2010, 10:37 PM

Yeah laser81 they had that on the AU's as well in both smartlock and smartshield form

also something long-gone from falcons is a sub-1550kg mass
bench seat option
country pack, taxi pack
and the mighty headlight switch on the dash!
i'm glad the analogue clock has made a comeback
i miss the 'bawwwap!' of the e-series central locking, the later car's click is so boring in comparison.
i don't bloody miss that umbrella handbrake however

dylancox · 09-10-2010, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

and the mighty headlight switch on the dash!
i miss the 'bawwwap!' of the e-series central locking, the later car's click is so boring in comparison.

Damn, what was Ford thinking to move the headlight switch to the indicator stalk. Only cars i've driven with this is Toyotas

. Jap-car inspiration or cost cutting? BMWs and even Commodores still have that proper headlight switch on the dash.

And how could I forget.. the 'bawwwap'. Gave the car so much character, still remember as a kid getting into an EA fitted with central locking, thought the sound was the car's way of saying 'welcome' lol. The new locking system in BA-FG sound as uninspired as a camry

.

nitro50th · 09-10-2010, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

i don't bloody miss that umbrella handbrake however

Yep...i think i had 2 or 3 break off in my hand in the XD. And a pain to replace too!!!

Was it in the EF/EL that had the switch to lower the antenna to half height. Dont know how usefull it really was though.

Variable speed intermittent wipers is something the early cars never had. Come to think of it, decent wipers were something early cars lacked. Sooooooo Slooooow, even in the fastest setting.