for benah!

[Tocchi]

grabbed this off one of the ford forums this morning... fuck yes! Phase IV ftw

now if anybody reads this and goes "pffft its an old ford"
there were only 4 of these ever made


WORLD SCOOP!

Street Fords magazine is proud to announce that Roy Velardi, Editor of Street Fords and Xtreme Fords magazine has secured nothing less than the sole production Calypso Green XA GT-HO Phase 4 for an exclusive three-part feature!

Yes, that’s right, the car owned by The Dentist, the car no-one has seen in public since it was last photographed for sale at Bob Lahood motors on Parramatta Road back in the early ’80s.

To say that I am over the moon is a gross understatement. I have known the owner for a while through my cousin who used to spanner on the Phase 4 back in the day and recently we got talking about the possibility of one day bringing the car out to the public for all to see via the magazine.

Stay tuned to Street Fords for updates as we prepare our three-part series on the rarest production muscle car ever produced in this country!

It is with the owner’s permission that I have included a never-before-seen photo of the car just after it was bought. No I'm not going to show you current pics you will just have to wait and see!

Note this is a photo of the car still wearing its incorrect shade of green paint known as Zircon Green. It’s now in it's final stages of restoration, with some finishing touches being completed and we will be bringing you the full story about its history including previous owners interviewed, its restoration, how it performs on the road (yes, I have already driven it several times!) plus more!

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Ford community, so stay tuned as it all unfolds in the months ahead!

More info-replies here
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11241872

I'm sure I will now be bombarded with questions and emails...fire away!

Cheers,

Roy 8-)
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i73/GSV871/GTP4lowresforum-1.jpg

[pgc]

That is freaking AWESOME!!!!!!

For once I'll be buying a Street Fords mag!

[ben351]

get fucked !!!

thats insane rememebr watchin a ford docco on 25 years of the GT's and there is a small section on these ... insanely cool cars for there time ... full race cage with fire extinguisher system built into it ... farking government got wind of the 160+ mile an hour "super cars" ford were making and told Ford if they went into production that they would put a ban on Fords being used as government cars ie police cars / politicians cars / fleet cars ... Ford mudded up and stopped production after only 4 were made 3 in race trim and one in road trim ... with all the ranting and raving that went on about the Phase 3's being Australia's best ever 4 Door Production car all reports point to the Phase 4 being far superior in all areas and apparently a shit load quicker too ... its a shame this could have the icon that the phase 3 became ... if phase 3's go for around 500-750k and there were 300 of them built ... with only 4 Phase 4's built and one remaining you can only imagine what that car would be worth ... rumours back a few years ago were that The Dentist knocked backa 2.5 million dollar offer !!

http://www.gtho4.com/The-Car-That-Never-Was-Racing-Car-News-August-1977.pdf

Good read

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si1dSF0VN4s

Good watch

[pgc]

There is one more in existence Ben.

http://www.bowdensown.com.au/cars/phase4.html

It's not a true production Phase IV though, but with its race heritage is probably worth just as much.

Again, the Bowden's have knocked back million-dollar offers. I actually spoke to them about the car when I was working with Wheels. Good guys.

[Gleeso]

What a machine..pure beast!

Will definitly be getting street ford magazine when it comes out with this.

[ben351]

ahhhhh nice !!!

i thought this was the one of the two remaining that was driven everyday but was involved in a car accident with a *gulp* holden :(

[yeahlow34]

Fuck I so wish they still made cars like that.

We will never see cars built to that aggressive nature/stance/performance again :(

[ben351]

Fuck I so wish they still made cars like that.

We will never see cars built to that aggressive nature/stance/performance again :(

lol ... ahhh were a dying breed my friend :)

Carbies > Computers

[yeahlow34]

lol ... ahhh were a dying breed my friend :)

Carbies > Computers

'There is no substitute for cubic inches'

[TJ]

That is freaking AWESOME!!!!!!

For once I'll be buying a Street Fords mag!

What he said.

I remember Ben lent me that video he is talking about, great watch.

[ben351]

LOL thats right ... interesting to also learn John Bowe was to blame for the hideious yet cool front end design on the EL GT's

best part of that video is the yellow phase 3 that revs it up and dumps clutch and paints lines down my the docks

[MISS 13B]

No

Fucking

Way

Looking forward to the article for sure!!

[bodybodyrock]

wat u rekon that peice of history is worth?

[ben351]

Priceless .... you could prob name a price i rekon.

at auction ... some mad dog would pay millions ...

[1JZNOSHIT]

rare car, much like the RPO 83 but alot rarer. Wasnt the 250 build RPO 83 basically a bitsa from Ford made up of all the left over parts they had to make the GTHO Phase IV?

unfortunately the ass end has fallen out of the aussie muscle car market and they arent worth what they were 12mths ago. something like a phase iv, being so limited though, could go to the man with the fattest wallet :D

[ben351]

yeah the left over parts found there way into the RPO ... there a nice car too ... a riggie one fetches around the 130k mark last i checked

[1JZNOSHIT]

yeah, bout the same for a really good XY GT.

[ben351]

yeah man ....

if i had 130k to spend on muscle cars id grab me a Hemi

[Denver]

if i recall correctly, the remaining two phase 4's, where totalled in accidents, test from memory, but id heard one of in the process of getting restored..

however to see the only road going unit in a mag, ill be snapping that up..

When this project got killed, holden and crysler where also in the process of developing the new monaro and charger, i don't think they'd even made it to sheet metal point before the supercar scare killed off all 3 of the big bangers however..

a real big shame none of them made it to production, especially when you take into account the pahse 4 had shat all over the phase 3's times in every aspect, handled better, stopped better and went quicker in a straight line...

makes you wonder what could have been..

[Lump]

i didnt think holden were making a better monaro, it was the v8 torrie, which they made anyway.

used to love the way my gt pulled near 7000revs in top

[DRKWRX]

fuk never heard of these before, I would sell it would worry too much about it! how scared would you be taking that on the road lol.

[Sigem]

FARK THAT IS HOT, i agree that the oldschool awesome muscle car look is getting rarer, and that isnt a good thing, love the old muscle

[MMM]

Phase 4 > any ferrari, merc, bmw, Zonda etc etc

Is this going to be out in next months issue? Its a must buy!!!

Would be awesome if they did side by side testing with a Phase 3

[bodybodyrock]

i can see the historic side of it but personaly i wouldnt even pay aus curency for that falcon nor would i say its anywhere near the plesure of owning a fezza bmw zonda ect, the falcon does nuthing for me at all, ide even go as far as saying i wouldnt even trade my van for one haha sorry guys but the exitment isnt there for me lol

[redline07]

Phase 4 > any ferrari, merc, bmw, Zonda etc etc

Is this going to be out in next months issue? Its a must buy!!!

Would be awesome if they did side by side testing with a Phase 3

Err... thats probably going a little far. 250 GTO, 250GT California etc > Any Falcon

[yeahlow34]

These older muscle cars have so much character. I'd own one of these before any lambo, ferrari, porsche - I don't care how much the cost or wank factor. They seriously just do not make cars like this anymore, which is such a shame.

[MISS 13B]

Each to their own.
The sentimental value of one of these far surpasses any price tag.

I would gladly be driving around in a mint one of these as opposed to owning a Ferrari, Porsche & Lambo combined.
All comes down to personal taste and being aware of the sheer value of this machine.

[bodybodyrock]

u ppl are mad lol

[1JZNOSHIT]

So bombed, personally, id go the Moanaro.

http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/hk-gts.thumbnail.JPG

[Pete]

i didnt think holden were making a better monaro, it was the v8 torrie, which they made anyway.

used to love the way my gt pulled near 7000revs in top


XU2, 3 made as well. 1 is in the Holden thingo, 1 got bought, 1 is actually missing..

There was also another aluminium paneled Torana they were going to bring out, was a wedge shaped looking thing.

It's been a while since i read anything bout them, but there was 2 of them made as well.

[Lump]

So bombed, personally, id go the Moanaro.



lol @ moanaro, havent heard that one before :P

[Lump]

XU2, 3 made as well. 1 is in the Holden thingo, 1 got bought, 1 is actually missing..

There was also another aluminium paneled Torana they were going to bring out, was a wedge shaped looking thing.

It's been a while since i read anything bout them, but there was 2 of them made as well.

yeah the xu2 ws eventualy called the l34, the v8 was never considered for the lj, well thats what ive read many years ago

[Tocchi]

id love to be able to be able to buy one of these (or GTHO III) ... not due to collectors/"investment" but just to have that feeling inside knowing that the car is pure aussie V8s and history at its finest.

time to open the wallet ... *wishes*

[bodybodyrock]

with the amount of cash u throw around tocci surley u cant be far of owning one haha

[TJ]

Build a faker ?

[Miggy]

Fakers are still around the same price as a new FG XR8 aren't they, pretty bloody insane but i would still rather the faker.

I also will be buying this for sure, but IMO Phase 3 looks better then the Phase IV

[Passage GT]

yeah the xu2 ws eventualy called the l34, the v8 was never considered for the lj, well thats what ive read many years ago

actually the xu2 was an lj and the 3 made were lj's
holden was also working on a big block hq monaro nicknamed the 'old man emu'
were a few clay models and i believe at least one working model built before the supercar scare killed it
i'm also a massive fan of the old school muscle cars too, from all makes
big soft spot for the hk-hg monaro's though:)

[Lump]

i know lots a faker lj xu2's were made but ive never heard of a real factory v8 lj.
the 428 xwgt made for the boss of ford at the time would be a great one to have also.

[MMM]

Build a faker ?

i hate fakers with a passion.

if you cant afford the real thing dont do up a lesser model to look like one.


Same goes with wrx's with sti's badging

and xr8's with GT badging

to me fakers arnt worth much more than the price when new....

[Smoked]

my step brother in queensland has a couple of john goss falcons..
a XB i think coupe john goss special with a pretty hot 351, 9 inch etc. 302 motor, box and original diff came with it though so, still able to be completely original. hes gonna do it up a bit its done about 200,000kms

also has a 351, 4 spd toploader, 9inch etc XE john goss special with 12,000 original kays..absolutely mint.

and, an XE fairmont Ghia ESP 351, fmx i think and 9inch, 30,000 original kms also ABSOLUTELY mint. ridiculous

he did have a collection of 4 absolutely mint brock commodores which he bought well before brock died,, but he just sold them all to 1 guy who paid him shitloads more than what he originally paid for them.
they inlcuded a VL walkinshaw with 5000 original kms, a group3 VK brock SS (blue director one), a red VH brock SS (his personal favourite) ,and 1 more i forget what it was. all of them had BS low kays and completely original.

best kind of investment at the moment i reckon.

[VT SS]

i hate fakers with a passion.

if you cant afford the real thing dont do up a lesser model to look like one.


Same goes with wrx's with sti's badging

and xr8's with GT badging

to me fakers arnt worth much more than the price when new....

Considering one went for over 1mill yeah you can kinda see why the do make fakers

Proper fakers like people who have taken the time to make it a authentic replica im my eyes are awesome

i dont know if u guys remember but on the show circuit a few yrs ago there was a blue faker xy gt absouletly awesome the attention to detail some people go to get them looking as close as the orginal is amazing

[MMM]

Considering one went for over 1mill yeah you can kinda see why the do make fakers

Proper fakers like people who have taken the time to make it a authentic replica im my eyes are awesome

i dont know if u guys remember but on the show circuit a few yrs ago there was a blue faker xy gt absouletly awesome the attention to detail some people go to get them looking as close as the orginal is amazing

in my eyes someones whose kept the original car as it was made is more awesome. A fairmont is a fairmont no matter now much money you pour into it to try make it a GT.

[Lump]

^agreed, i saw my old gt at the nationals here in perth a few years ago, it had been resprayed & they did the factory colour wrong.. [facepalm]

[Lump]

actually the xu2 was an lj and the 3 made were lj's


this guy & others seems to agree with me.


"Yes FACT
I know in the old magazine I have here somewhere it stated the XU/2 tag was indeed related to the LH model, NEVER the LJ model...
It was a tag used to throw the media press off of the trail of the LH model range which were really the only model designated by Holden to be a recipient of their V8 engines.
There was one LJ built, I think by one of the better known Holden racers, but Holden, despite entertaining the conversion, played with it to remove suspicion of the totally new facelifted Torana they were about to release.
I know I have the magazine somewhere here covering the release of the spy pictures of the masked LH Torana, around 5 years ago I did a head count on my collection and back then it was over 3000 magazines and I really don't wish to browse each and every one of them looking for one article at the moment.
But as time wears on, some aficiondo of Holden History claim may make this clearer for those who still want to believe that there was almost a factory LJ V8 Torana...
The XU/2 tag was thrown around for the LH Torana, but a totally new Torana called for a new designation... The rest is History...

Cheers, Pig (oinks308)"
http://oldholden.com/node/14504

[mr_mike]

Considering one went for over 1mill yeah you can kinda see why the do make fakers

Proper fakers like people who have taken the time to make it a authentic replica im my eyes are awesome

i dont know if u guys remember but on the show circuit a few yrs ago there was a blue faker xy gt absouletly awesome the attention to detail some people go to get them looking as close as the orginal is amazing

I painted up a faker XY GT for the ford workshop down the rd from my work. The owner had his ford handbook with him when it came time to put the black lines on. it told exact measurements where the lines go. Then he brought in his genuine XY GT and and parked the 2 side by side to c how real it looked.

[TJ]

Only reason I'd be happy with a faker would be because youd be shot for cutting up an original gt.

I have a deep down bogan confession to make. One of my lotto cars has always been to build a black xy, turbo v8, manual, big brakes, sus work, modern seats etc.

Youd never chop a real gt to do that.

But I agree, anyone trying to pass off a faker as a real gt is a cock. If it was me id roll no gt badging etc

[Passage GT]

this guy & others seems to agree with me.


"Yes FACT
I know in the old magazine I have here somewhere it stated the XU/2 tag was indeed related to the LH model, NEVER the LJ model...
It was a tag used to throw the media press off of the trail of the LH model range which were really the only model designated by Holden to be a recipient of their V8 engines.
There was one LJ built, I think by one of the better known Holden racers, but Holden, despite entertaining the conversion, played with it to remove suspicion of the totally new facelifted Torana they were about to release.
I know I have the magazine somewhere here covering the release of the spy pictures of the masked LH Torana, around 5 years ago I did a head count on my collection and back then it was over 3000 magazines and I really don't wish to browse each and every one of them looking for one article at the moment.
But as time wears on, some aficiondo of Holden History claim may make this clearer for those who still want to believe that there was almost a factory LJ V8 Torana...
The XU/2 tag was thrown around for the LH Torana, but a totally new Torana called for a new designation... The rest is History...

Cheers, Pig (oinks308)"
http://oldholden.com/node/14504

actually half of those posts are by the same dude 'oinky' something or other, who has nothing but his word to base it on, i read it in australian muscle car magazine, which if you've ever bought it has extremely well researched and detailed articles, also a couple guys agreeing with me read it in an official GMH book and another supposedly spoke to brocky, i'd take AMC's word over a forum know it all anyday

[ben351]

Err... thats probably going a little far. 250 GTO, 250GT California etc > Any Falcon

each to there own ...

Shelby GT 500 > life

Id roll a faker ... but id de-wing it and smash a set of 20" Junkyards or 100 Spokes on it and use as show car ... i wuoldnt roll an exact replica of a GT ... it would be like using a penis extension to bang a chick .... sure it might feel the and look the same to everyone else but deep down inside you know its not real.

[pgc]

each to there own ...

Shelby GT 500 > life

I also seem to recall this one too, Benny:

http://antilag.com/forums/showpost.php?p=312151&postcount=8

Are you a man of your word, or are you a liar?

Pretty soon, I'm going to organise it....

[yeahlow34]

One of my lotto cars has always been to build a black xy, turbo v8, manual, big brakes, sus work, modern seats etc.

I like the idea, only thing i'd change is have all original interior. I love the old school interiors on them. So classy.

[ben351]

I also seem to recall this one too, Benny:

http://antilag.com/forums/showpost.php?p=312151&postcount=8

Are you a man of your word, or are you a liar?

Pretty soon, I'm going to organise it....

We all know i clearly have NO morals what so ever Karl ... if you hook that up :cuddle:

[Lump]

actually half of those posts are by the same dude 'oinky' something or other, who has nothing but his word to base it on, i read it in australian muscle car magazine, which if you've ever bought it has extremely well researched and detailed articles, also a couple guys agreeing with me read it in an official GMH book and another supposedly spoke to brocky, i'd take AMC's word over a forum know it all anyday
if i had more interest in this i might look into it a bit more, the v8 lj's seem to be prototypes, some say they were destroyed others say they were sold on with a 6cyl.
so it seems the xu2 name was allways to be used for the lh & the lj prototypes were called xw7 or something. also not really clear if the v8 lj was actually to be used in a production car, anyway i dont have the gmh book to check what it actually says & im not saying i dont accept what you say the amc article says either.

[bodybodyrock]

Only reason I'd be happy with a faker would be because youd be shot for cutting up an original gt.



ide cut up a genuine just to piss ppl off haha

[Passage GT]

if i had more interest in this i might look into it a bit more, the v8 lj's seem to be prototypes, some say they were destroyed others say they were sold on with a 6cyl.
so it seems the xu2 name was allways to be used for the lh & the lj prototypes were called xw7 or something. also not really clear if the v8 lj was actually to be used in a production car, anyway i dont have the gmh book to check what it actually says & im not saying i dont accept what you say the amc article says either.

i never said they weren't prototypes dude:)
they made a few working models but never actually sold any as an xu2 designated model, it was in the works and got so far as to make a few for testing before the supercar scare happened and they canned it
couple guys mentioned 2 ljs in WA being licenced with 253's, i knew the owner of one of them and he'd chucked an angry 308 in it, his name was todd something, was a mate of my brothers, was silver with dragway indy's and those blue personal plates which i think were either lj 308 or his initials TL 308

[ED40]

each to there own ...

Shelby GT 500 > life

Id roll a faker ... but id de-wing it and smash a set of 20" Junkyards or 100 Spokes on it and use as show car ... i wuoldnt roll an exact replica of a GT ... it would be like using a penis extension to bang a chick .... sure it might feel the and look the same to everyone else but deep down inside you know its not real.

yeah me 2.
This one at powercruise i raced seems like it would be your perfect car Ben.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=fErbv3gdyrY
Such a sexy car.

[TJ]

I like the idea, only thing i'd change is have all original interior. I love the old school interiors on them. So classy.

I can think of nothing worse then slewing sideways across the bench seat as you go through a corner.

[wrxrw]

awesome!

one day ill ger 'round to owning that EBGT ive been dreaming about for the last 15 years!

[Passage GT]

actually the gt's and monaro's etc of the era had bucket seats tj, pretty much only the base models came with a bench unless you specifically optioned one

[Lump]

yep, here's a pic of my old gt's interior - 73XB
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s6/andyevo/gt_1.jpg