A report on Ford Falcon (XD), 1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 and 1981 Australian Touring Car Championship

Ford Falcon GL station wagon
Layout of the Mount Panorama Circuit (1938-1986)
Dick Johnson won the championship driving a Ford XD Falcon.
Falcon GL sedan, with S Pack
Seton/Smith Ford Capri, winner of the 2000-3000cc class (image from 2017)
Colin Bond placed third driving a Ford Capri Mk II. The car is pictured in 2005.
Dick Johnson and John French won the 1981 James Hardie 1000 driving a Ford Falcon (XD)
Bartlett/Forbes Chevrolet Camaro
Kevin Bartlett placed 11th driving a Chevrolet Camaro. The car is pictured in 1997
Falcon GL wagon
Morris/O'Brien/Moffat Ford XD Falcon
Bob Muir placed 20th driving a Ford XD Falcon. The car is pictured in 2009.
Falcon GL sedan with ESP option
Muir/Hibbard Ford Falcon
Fairmont sedan
Bond/Masterton Ford Capri
Fairmont Ghia sedan
Fairmont Ghia sedan with ESP option
Falcon GL utility (with "S Pack" option)
Falcon GL van (with Sundowner option)
European Mk2 Ford Granada (For Comparison)

Dick Johnson, using the Falcon built with the money he received after TV viewers had pledged AUD$72,000 following his crash with 'The Rock' at Bathurst the previous year (Ford Australia boss of the day Edsel Ford II had personally matched the amount dollar for dollar), won his first ATCC ahead of defending champion Peter Brock in his Holden Dealer Team Commodore.

- 1981 Australian Touring Car Championship

The race is most famous for the retirement of the Ford Falcon of Dick Johnson.

- 1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000

Johnson would go on to repay the faith shown in him by Edsel Ford and the Australian public, using the $144,000 he received to build a new Falcon in which he would go on to win the 1981 ATCC and the crash shortened 1981 James Hardie 1000.

- 1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000

Dick Johnson drove a 351 cuin Group C Falcon XD, commonly called "Tru-Blu" (due to the cars blue paint and the name of the steel products from the main sponsor - Palmer Tube Mills), to win the 1981 and 1982 Australian Touring Car Championships.

- Ford Falcon (XD)

Allan Moffat also raced an XD Falcon in the 1980 Bathurst 1000 when delays in approval of his Mazda RX-7 meant he would have to wait until the following season in 1981.

- Ford Falcon (XD)
Ford Falcon GL station wagon

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