First published in the January 2006 issue of Street Machine

It doesn’t take much for a certain model of car to get fixed in your mind as the perfect machine. We become fixated on different models for different reasons. It might be a fleeting glimpse on the street or seeing a particularly good example at a show. In Jeff Proud’s case it was watching the XC coupes of Allan Moffat and Colin Bond finish one-two at Bathurst in 1977.

It was one of those defining moments in Australian motorsport history and one that obviously had a huge effect on Jeff who owns this sweet coupe.

Jeff didn’t march straight to the dealers and lay down his hard-earned on a coupe back then; he reckoned that getting his family in a secure financial position was a wiser move. Nowadays money’s not such an issue so Jeff can afford to build his dream machine but would you believe that he didn’t even purchase the coupe? His wife, Ruth, bought the coupe for Christmas four years ago. After taking her to look at it and expressing an interest in owning the car, Ruth said: “Okay, I’ll buy it for you.”

“How’s that for a loving wife?” asks Jeff. Beaut — but how does she feel about it now?

“I don’t think she expected it to turn into such an expensive and time-consuming hobby,” he says, “but she is really happy with the results.”

Bought as a Sno White GS with 351/top loader/nine-inch combo, the coupe was just a nice clean streeter when it came into Jeff’s possession. Used for weekend cruising and the occasional bit of track-work the XC was providing plenty of enjoyment until the engine cried enough during a stint at Wakefield Park.

Still, if it breaks, build it stronger. With that in mind Jeff delivered the car to Peter Pulford of Pulford Racing Engines for a horsepower upgrade.

It looked like the engine had already been through a rebore and there was a question mark over the block’s ability to handle another upgrade so they decided to start with a fresh block and go from there. Using a standard 351 crank with six-inch 302 rods and Speed Pro pistons has created an engine which is a torquey beast, punching out 300hp to the rear wheels. The heads are ported 2V units with 4V valves for maximum power and good streetability. It’s all fed by a shiny new 790 Holley Street Avenger carby mounted atop a Torque Power manifold.

The only hint of its horsepower potential is the Cal Custom bug catcher scoop peering out of the bonnet and the slight whine from the Gilmer drive belt system turning the water pump.

“I have no idea about quarter mile times — I built the car to cruise and enjoy,” Jeff says. It seems he’s calmed down from those earlier track stints and hasn’t revved it “anywhere near the redline” since it came off the dyno.

While the engine was out getting rebuilt, the engine bay was given a huge tidy up with all the holes filled and a flat firewall fitted. At the same time the whole thing was given a fresh coat of white and that’s the way things remained until just a few months ago, when Jeff decided that he wanted to take the coupe to the next level.

“I have entered the car at Summernats the past three years and it’s never made the top 60,” he says.

Things should change since the most recent rebuild because the coupe just oozes quality now.

Specialised Smash Repairs and Prestige Plus Upholstery were selected to bring the paint and interior up to spec and Jeff is more than happy with the result.

“I can’t give the staff at Specialised Smash in Belconnen and at Prestige Plus in Queanbeyan a big enough wrap,” he says.

Gil at Specialised Smash worked those long, flowing panels to perfection, creating a flawless canvas for Jason to lay down multiple coats of Sikken Laser Red, a Ford America colour apparently. To add that extra-special touch Jason also sprayed Cobra stripes over the car using a gold pearl overlay; it’s so subtle that you may not have noticed the stripes until we pointed them out.

Inside, the factory tombstone-style buckets were ditched in favour of some sexier Cordia turbo items; about the only useful bits from a Cordia turbo. These, along with the remoulded rear bench, were attacked in a frenzy of red leather and velour that now covers everything in the interior except for the dash. Jeff loves the classic styling of the XC dash which is why it has remained unmolested but nothing else was spared by the trimming fairies. Even the boot has copped lashings of red velour and while it may appear that boot space is greatly diminished, the panels conceal a large stereo system and other goodies like the spare tyre.

Keeping the coupe mobile is a set of classic style 17-inch Simmons OM-17 wheels wrapped in Falken rubber. Up front a pair of 255/45s ride on 17×8 rims while fat 275/40s mounted on 17×10 rims attempt to fill out those massive rear quarters. With the body dropped two inches all ’round, Jeff has got the stance nailed. The finished product is a car that anyone would be proud (no pun intended) to call their own but Jeff’s the lucky man who gets to enjoy the driving experience.

It may have cost more than they intended but the Falcon is now part of the family and Jeff’s 18-year-old daughter reckons she’s claiming it when Jeff passes on. In the meantime, though, Jeff intends to cruise with it whenever he can.

We saw the car at the recent Riverina Revest — Jeff cruised across from Canberra, along with daughter Kim, to debut the car. For their efforts they took home five trophies in the street class and the car handled the trip perfectly except for a blown fuel pump relay. Given that kind of reception, we’d be pretty surprised if the coupe doesn’t make the top 60 hall at Summernats this year and while Jeff is hoping for some success in that arena he’s still got plans for the car.

“I might do some more mechanical work, some better brakes, and perhaps a new RRS front end with rack and pinion and power steering … and maybe quad Webers as well,” he says.

When will it ever end? Maybe never, but that’s no bad thing. We’re sure that just like the fine wine the exterior takes its colour from, Jeff’s coupe will continue to improve with age.

Beer goggles

We’ve all heard tales of ideas born in the pub or scribbled up on cocktail napkins but would you believe that a basic draft of the XA Falcon coupe was sketched out on a napkin by Ford designer Brian Rossi in a Melbourne restaurant back in the late 60s.

That sketch featured super-fat rubber filling those huge Coke bottle-inspired rear quarters. It was low, fat, and bold and got the nod.

Interviewed later, Rossi revealed that he was disappointed that the coupe was sold with skinny wheels which diluted the impact of those magnificent rear quarters.

Initially, an XA Falcon 500 coupe was just $3150, only $175 more than the sedan but the hot option was the $4955 GT coupe.

The coupe continued through XB and finished with the XC in 1978 when Ford unloaded the remaining coupe shells as the limited edition XC Cobra starting at $8705.

Today any Falcon coupe is highly sought-after. Age, attrition, and the Yanks’ thirst for anything remotely associated with Mad Max have all taken a toll. Many coupes found themselves headed to America or Japan, to owners who fell in love with the Pursuit Special.

Finding a coupe is hard; finding one in good condition for sale is even harder. You may even have to sell your soul to own one.

It almost seems like a fair trade.

JEFF PROUD
1977 FALCON GS COUPE

THANKS
Jason & Gil at Specialised Smash Repairs; Pulford Racing Engines, Ruth and the family.