Which Falcon/Fairmont/Fairlane has the best dash layout?

[P6LTD351]

Which Falcon variant over the course of the past 50 years has the best dash layout? Things to think about include both presentation and ergonomics.

My vote goes to the XF Ghia/ZL/FE dashes. I love the digital elements and the features, including the binnacles switches in close reach.

What is your favourite?

[GT0132]

Originally Posted by eb2monty

Which Falcon variant over the course of the past 50 years has the best dash layout? Things to think about include both presentation and ergonomics.

My vote goes to the XF Ghia/ZL/FE dashes. I love the digital elements and the features, including the binnacles switches in close reach.

What is your favourite?

I had an XF Ghia around 20 years ago. Those digital instruments were the biggest gimmick in the motor trade until Brembo clip on caliper covers. The Tacho was as useless as an ashtray on a motorbike. I was glad when I bought my EB when it had full analogue instrumentation

The XD/XE Ghia was quite good as was the EB Fairmont

The best dash on any Ford I've owned however was on a 1973 MK3 Cortina 2.0GT. 3 dials in front of the driver for speedo, tacho and clock and four gauges in the centre console, forward of the trans selector for AMPS, Oil, Water and Fuel

[P6LTD351]

Originally Posted by GT0132

I had an XF Ghia around 20 years ago. Those digital instruments were the biggest gimmick in the motor trade until Brembo clip on caliper covers. The Tacho was as useless as an ashtray on a motorbike. I was glad when I bought my EB when it had full analogue instrumentation

The XD/XE Ghia was quite good as was the EB Fairmont

The best dash on any Ford I've owned however was on a 1973 MK3 Cortina 2.0GT. 3 dials in front of the driver for speedo, tacho and clock and four gauges in the centre console, forward of the trans selector for AMPS, Oil, Water and Fuel

I see what you mean about the tacho on the XF Ghias. I do love my NC Ghia dash, but there aren't volt or oil guages.

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by GT0132

I was glad when I bought my EB when it had full analogue instrumentation

Just on that, the EB1 Fairmont/Fairmont Ghia still had a digital speedo, but the EB2s onwards had full analogue. I liked it on my EA Ghia.

My vote probably goes to EF-EL series as it's a better quality material than later models and easier to keep clean. The instruments and buttons are user friendly, easy to read and fairly durable too.

[RedHotGT]

Originally Posted by Bobman

Just on that, the EB1 Fairmont/Fairmont Ghia still had a digital speedo, but the EB2s onwards had full analogue. I liked it on my EA Ghia.

My vote probably goes to EF-EL series as it's a better quality material than later models and easier to keep clean. The instruments and buttons are user friendly, easy to read and fairly durable too.

Also loved my EB Ghia dashboard...
Never realised how much I enjoyed having the exact number in front of me (though who knows how accurate it was)...

Interestingly... if you drove it over 200km/h... the last reading was 199... and it would stay there until you came back down...

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by GT0132

I had an XF Ghia around 20 years ago. Those digital instruments were the biggest gimmick in the motor trade until Brembo clip on caliper covers. The Tacho was as useless as an ashtray on a motorbike. I was glad when I bought my EB when it had full analogue instrumentation

Dads base model XF had a pretty good dash, but the temp / air directional switches were the most ridiculous design. The symbol for the direction was in the middle of the 2 'notches' on the dial... so was it the left or the right side of the symbol that selected it???

That's really the only Falcon dash I know well.

I always like the KISS principal to be honest.

[P6LTD351]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

I always like the KISS principal to be honest.

Yes, they are a great band.

[SVD]

i reckon any dash from the E-series was a win but EF Ghia/XR would be my choice, black back white needles and numbers and nicely layed out... AU was a bit...awkward....and the B series lost my interest when it started to become to generic.

can't comment on anything prior...

[fordv8!]

xe ghia for me

[Road_Warrior]

I think the E series sports/Ghia dashes were pretty good. They didn't look too fancy, but they were functional, well laid out and everything was right there in front of you at a quick glance.

The XF Ghia dash - hahaha. Both Ford and Holden fornicated with full LCD dashes back then, must have been a fad at the time. Matter of fact, I got an idea the Magna Elite or whatever the high-spec Fagna was had it as well.

[JK EX CHASER]

I think the EB fairmont ghia had the best i had a lots of people comment on it.

[Tucool]

I always thought the XA XB GT dash and console to be the ultimate... very attractive.

[gcg2503]

Originally Posted by Tucool

I always thought the XA XB GT dash and console to be the ultimate... very attractive.

XA XB GS GT dash for the win

Love that cockpit style!

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

XA XB GS GT dash for the win

Love that cockpit style!

good call
the xa-xb-landau style do it for me - basically, i like feeling as if i am in a monocoque
obviously the gs-gt deriatives were the pick of the falcon/fairmonts, but my standard 6 cylinder dash still looked great and everything it had was in the correct spot

they are my choice for looks alone, but considering the age of the car, they had everything needed too

[XAGSV8]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

XA XB GS GT dash for the win

Love that cockpit style!

+1. The dash just wraps around you, got to be my favourate.

[Geez Louise]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

XA XB GS GT dash for the win

Love that cockpit style!

I agree..Love the cockpit style but it would be good if the dash was a bit brighter at night. It can be hard to read the gauges.

[FNQracing]

EF hands down. I find the current crop on BF/FG to be fugly.

[UNR8D]

NL fairlane for the dash readout, and the T3 I had ran it a very close second.

[yift]

xy gs/gt gets my vote. all the instruments and switches are within easy reach and work as they should.

[Antwon]

I like any of the sports clusters from E-series/AU

[nstg8a]

i like the old xf star wars display, and the closeness of most of the switches, but theyre about as reliable as a junky borrowing money off you....

i liked my first el, and now with my ef i like how clear everything is, especially at night. i do find the climae control a pain in the *** to use sometimes, but could just be me still learning how to use it.

hate the au dash, looks like the designer traced around two ballons for the basic design.

b series are ok, but feel a bit cheaply made, and i love the f series ones.

but the xa/b gt style dash would win for me if you could see the damn things at night.

[tranquilized]

theres a lot of focus on instrument clusters in this thread, the op asked for opinion on dash layout so heres mine.

Best;

XW/XY - probably my favorite, so staunch (like the outside) and quite modern for their age.

EF/EL - 16 years on these still look great, same basic layout as the EA but much more modern and integration with the centre console works well.

B series - I think they look great, but I've never owned one, the apparent lack of quality is a letdown.

Worst:

AU series 1 low series - absolutely abhorrent in every way. That round centre stack is nothing short of hideous.

FG - sorry, but that centre stack with all those buttons is an absolute mess. The layout with the screen up top is an example of function over form, which is commendable, but just looks rubbish.

[blownv8au]

i like the xd dash and the ed, the whole dashes. And the xb it felt a bit like a cockpit how it shaped to the driver.

[TheZHLANE]

zh dash with fuel/eng temp and speedo stretched across the horizon. hahahahahha

[FGX-351]

I went with an EL XR over an XH mostly because of the dash layout.

[Mongoose]

That's easy, EL's

[BOSHOG]

Originally Posted by Mongoose

That's easy, EL's

agreed. the EL just feels well built and looks good too

[Franco Cozzo]

I like the series II and III AU Fairlane dash.

[jamesson1980]

Best i reckon is EA, EB lower spec dash. Easy to see, read, control everything.

Worst by a mile is FG. 10% handy stuff, 90% useless things I'l never use. And the few handy things are tucked away in a menu within a menu within a menu within a sub-menu.. god it's like trying to find that porn you hid deep in the computer so your missus wouldn't get it.

[SSD-85]

I have to say I love the XF Ghias dash too, not very practical but just looks cool. And being the AU biased person I am, I love the AU1 XR/Futura Dash. Even more than the series 2. I will say that the XBs dash looks very modern for its day.