Looking Back: Best Australian Cars

[mash again]

Maybe not my favourite car, but in terms of engineering the latest fg has to be it. I believe the 6 cylinder has been dubbed the second best inline six ever built behind a bmw motor aswell.....could be wrong though, it has happened!

[fgpsi]

Xa-xb-xc

[MITCHAY]

I'm only going to speak from experience however brief.

Ford - BF series Falcon. In XR6 form pretty good car and had it over the SV6. ZF auto is smooth but given I like manuals it really only goes that far for me.

I've never actually driven a Falcon so can't comment from that perspective. I'd imagine the FG to be the same or better and the XR6T to be a ball tearer.

Holden - VE series Commodore. We had an SV6 and again a pretty good car but it felt every bit as big as it looked. Not enough power for my liking but plenty enough for average Joe. Horrible A pillar though.

I actually drove my mates VE SSV Redline II manual the other day. I think if the VF is better than this one than it must be damn good.

It got up and went easily, handling was very sharp for a large car (easily better than the SV6), and the Brembos made short work of stopping. Very nice V8 sound from the stock exhaust even down low.

I don't know why you'd bother modding it too much because it was plenty quick and it would be a good buy given the new model is out.

[russellw]

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

But the reality is today that most of the mass production manufactureres really just assemble parts collected from here, there and everywhere, what they 'manufacture' is a body shell and bolt suppliers parts to it. Not far removed from CKD (Im being deliberately controversial)JP

Yes you are. Manufacturing (in this country especially) has never meant producing every single component and to suggest that the construction of the body shell and manufacture of bolt on panels is akin to CKD draws a very long bow.

I watched various British Leyland CKD kits being packed into large wooden packing cases at the Cowley plant back in the early 70's for shipment to Australia and all of what I would deem manufacturing was done there.

Cheers
Russ

[Auslandau]

BEST Australian car ever made:
FG GT 335
LANDAU

Not that I am biased or anything but after for so many years I have been lucky enough to buy the 2 cars I have always wanted ....... even though I never aspired to own an FG GT (being new) but the minute they were announced I knew, in my mind, it would surpass all other Australian made cars ...... and it certainly did

The Landau? Great looks, bit quirky, had all the good bits from the 70's including a 351, was revolutionary at the time ... and for some time ..... rare enough to be that little bit different. A credit for FoA (or any AU company) to go out on such a limb and create something so unique.

[XP6]

three letters... the aussie UTE

[93EB_SXR6]

EB Tickford S-XR6, proved that you don't need V8 or forced induction to make similar power.

[tweeked]

Probably the hardest core suspension packages sold from the factory


one of my favourites is still

[FGX-351]

I'll have more to add but off the top of my head the VN SS Group A.
As much as I dislike the VN Commodore this is the last of what made Australian cars great, built to race.

[littlered]

Originally Posted by Dezza

No. The VB-VH used an identical bodyshell to the European Opel Commodore. Alongside the Opel Commodore was a lengthened version called the Opel Senator. This formed the basis of the VK-VL.

Um - not to be picky but that is not correct.

VK & VL Same body length as VB-VH. window C Pillar, roofline and rear window doorframes are the only changes. Was meant to make the car look bigger (it wasn't) so that the buyer would take another look instead of buying a falcon (which was creaming them at the time).

Obviously worked as you thought it was bigger

[93EB_SXR6]

Still want to get a VL turbo one day, was supposed to get a VL Calais for my first car but my uncle gave it to a mate :( still remember the utter disappointment.

[mif73]

Originally Posted by littlered

Um - not to be picky but that is not correct.

VK & VL Same body length as VB-VH. window C Pillar, roofline and rear window doorframes are the only changes. Was meant to make the car look bigger (it wasn't) so that the buyer would take another look instead of buying a falcon (which was creaming them at the time).

Obviously worked as you thought it was bigger

Yeah, the original Opel version was called a Rekord which was the basis of early commos vb to vl, then came the Opel Omega which was the basis of the vn to vz. There was also the Vauxhaul Carlton and Senator version too which was basically an Omega anyhow i think (those names sound familiar dont they?).

[Brazen]

In my rural QLD town, AU falcons were everywhere on release. A car for everyone, bench seat Forte wagon for the young family to the V8 Fairmont Ghia the old blokes seemed to like.

And the cab-chassis AU ute was probably one of the last times we saw the Falcon evolve and adapt to customer demands, the bloody AU ute used to sell 1500-2000 in a good month.

[stevz]

I prefer the late model stuff - VE/VF and FG, as these were the first rated 5 stars for safety, which is a major factor in my purchases.
Having said that, I still have a sweet spot for a lot of the older stuff, but onlt as a weekender, not a daily.

[max_torq]

The BA Falcon: It brought overhead camshafts, turbos, independent rear, the GT nameplate, and good looks a ford fan could be proud of.

Holden should be proud of the Sportswagon: Its a good looking, popular, useful car, Americans are envious of it... ford wagon owners also.

[big_landau]

best cars
FORD - well I think any falcon from xr to xf really was a well built car and very reliable so I think its hard for me to single one out.

CHRYSLER - a lot of people wont like this but the cm really was the pick of them, rts made them drive and handle great and the elb ignition made them do under 10.L per hundred km's. a great car

HOLDEN- I have to admit im struggling here as most holdens I have ever driven have failed to impress me. they lacked power until they got the 350 in the late vt commodores and I don't know what the obsession with them is. probably a 308 lx hatch would be my choice here.

ENGINES
FORD - for me its the windsor small block, small light weight and responsive a sweet motor. the humble 250 log motor, the log motor has to be one of the best motors ever made quiet, smooth and run forever and if you were lucky enough to have experienced a factory xy/xa with the 250 2v fitted you will know what I mean.

CHRYSLER - the 265 hemi or any hemi 6 for that matter is a legend. light strong and powerfull, chrysler made a 6cyl with v8 power and 6cyl economy and the basic engine design was good out of the box. 426 hemi probably the ultimate factory motor.

HOLDEN - probably the red 6, not my choice of motor but when it came out in the eh it was a big deal and so many red 6's have been done up over the years its not funny. and I guess it does have a few runs on the board so it deserves its place. 308 but in a torana for me, in stock form the 308 was a bit of a slug to me but now they can get the numbers out of it.


WORST CAR - I have had and seem so many real lemons, I think you can have trouble with any car if abused and not looked after.

WORST ENGINE - 253 there I said it, underpowered heavy boat anchor. flame away but it wont change my mind they are crap.