Ford XC Cobra Option 97

The Ford Motor Company of Australia produced 400 Falcon XC Cobras in July 1978. In doing so, Ford created an instant classic. The concept for the car was the idea of Edsel Ford, the grandson of Henry Ford II, who at that time was the Assistant Managing Director of Ford Australia. The name and look of the new Fords were borrowed from the Shelby Cobra, a car which Edsel had a high admiration for. Edsel figured the 'rub off' would be just the thing to inject some excitement into the brand and assist in clearing Ford's remaining stocks of slow selling XC hard tops. The Cobra presented a spirited package with many features as standard equipment including front bucket seats with striped seat facings to compliment the unique exterior paint treatment. Each were serialised and fitted with a sequentially numbered dash plaque, giving them each unique identification. The 400 cars carried chassis numbers JG65UM00XXX, X being the build number between 001 and 400. They were available in several combinations of engine, transmissions and options including the 4.9 or 5.8 litre engine with manual or automatic transmission, power steering, air conditioning and power windows. All Cobras were based on the Falcon 500GS Hardtop.

Of the 400 Cobras, 30 "Bathurst Special" cars received the 5.8 litre engine with manual gearbox and additional features that were designed for Bathurst, to meet CAMS homologation requirements and be eligible for the 1978 Hardie-Ferodo 1000. These were known as ‘Option 97’ Cobras. It is believed that these 30 cars had the build number 002 to 031. Oddly, it is believed that 001, with a 302 engined automatic, was built as a promotional car. The ‘Option 97’ inherited the race developed modifications which had been integrated in the XC Falcon, since its debut in September 1977. Additions included: Scheel seats, strut tower brace, electric fan kit, heavy duty radiator, transmission cooler, long range 128 litre fuel tank, an axle anti-tramp rod on the left hand side and of course the famous reverse bonnet air scoop. The exterior look remained the same all Sno-white body, bold blue accent colour stripes, each edged with 1/2 an inch of Olympic Blue pin-stripe and front and rear bumper bars that were colour matched to the body and stripes. Interestingly the Cobra bodies started all blue, they then had all the white bits added! The cars did "side pass loops" in the paint shop, taking them back more than once for the masked and painted stripes, no easy task on an assembly line. It's one of the best known legends in Ford Australia's history.

Item includes certificate and production number plate, mounted to the chassis.