Falcon features over the years

[malazn mafia]

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]

yeh its interesting mate. i will have a think!

[bathurst77]

Digital Dash XF
covered cup holder BA series 1

[pottery beige]

plenum rust in XA's.....

[TC200six]

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

[GS608]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

plenum rust in XA's.....

[TC200six]

Cassette tape player

[bathurst77]

yeh the 2 way tailgate was cool

[BFZF8]

Projector headlamps on ED,EF/EL XRs.

[buggo]

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

[TC200six]

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

[WMD351]

oscillating air vents (ZL fairlane?)

[P6LTD351]

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.

[Marquis 351]

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

[nitro50th]

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

[Mr Hardware]

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]

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

[FPV+fteT3]

star wars dash in the XF all digital

[Marquis 351]

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!

[pauljh74]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

plenum rust in XA's.....

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

[TC200six]

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

[Mr Hardware]

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

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by Marquis 351

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

Corvette had it in 1983.

[XR Martin]

Fixed

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

- Power sockets in all doors (XF?)
- Tibbe locks in all doors (EA 30th anniversary)
- Map pockets in all doors (DC LTD/EB GT)
- Illuminated Keyhole in driver's door (EA GHIA)
- Self Levelling suspension in NA/NC/NF/NL
- Speed sensitive steering in EF/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 EB/ED/EF/EL

Anything else you guys recall?

[TC200six]

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.

[Resurrection]

Floor mounted high beam switch (pre XB)
Quater vent windows (pre XB)
Drum brakes
Solid rear axle

[fmc351]

Twin round headlights, round headlights
Chrome
Leaf springs


Edit: Deleted non falcon

[metallurg]

Econogauge in the XD/XE (I think)

[myxr6]

Limited Slip Diff as an option.

[dylancox]

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 .