What is falcon 500 ?

[Trendseeker]

Originally Posted by wello

I am wonderous what the 500 means . Just a trivia question as I am restoring an xy wagon 6cyl 250 , cheers . I will start a build post of sort when I get this organized .PW

It’s an interesting question and discussion, and it appears that the number 500 had no meaning in relation to the car’s attributes.

The Wikipedia entry for the Ford Falcon includes the following statement:

“Ford New Zealand, which assembled the Falcon 500 at its Seaview, Lower Hutt, plant near Wellington, introduced a short-lived Falcon 600 model into the XR and subsequent XT ranges, with additional equipment such as a heater standard”.

A higher number for a higher level of features. It seems to be about a model number that sounds good for marketing the car more than anything else.

[Ford17]

Interesting question, and as ascertained it was the branding for 2nd model up from base.

Given there were Galaxie 500 and Fairlane 500 models preceding the Falcon 500, it must have been a Ford US marketing term transferred to Australia.

Online thoughts and opinions behind the meaning of 500 being used on those US models seems to point to a 500 mile (stock car) race.

[oldel]

The big races in the US were the ovals, daytona 500, indy 500 etc
The US started '500' as a top aspiration spec as in the 500s were the biggest and best.

But I think ford aus went '500' as a near base model because really if you wanted to race (like they did with the XR) you'd start building a race car from a base model that the dealer could option you out with. Everything was optional in a 500 and I'm not sure if you could be allowed by the dealer to option up a plain falcon.

I linked the brochures to state what was available earlier and there's no mention of the base model so I don't know if for example you could fit a v8 into a plain version without paying extra for 500 spec.

At least that's my guess on why they called a falcon with next to nothing standard but everything optional on a '500'. A '500' XR with all performance options ticked but none of the wasted luxury features* would be a good performance base - which is not what ford USA were thinking with their 500.

*the GT had carpet, reclining seats, heater blower fan, radio, remote side mirror etc which would be stripped out on a race car anyway.

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by oldel

Yeah, from what I read the '500' replaced the 'deluxe' option here for XR onwards.

I always thought it was bottom spec but it makes sense that it was one up from base. There's no badge to indicate base model of course.

It's weird that ford aus used 500 to replace 'deluxe' almost base model as the 500 definitely was high spec models in USA.

E: first '500' was the fairlane in 1957
https://auto.howstuffworks.com/1957-...irlane-500.htm
Was definitely supposed to be the upper spec luxury designation - like our 'fairmont'. Does the US even have/ever had fairmonts?.

US Fairmont was a car of its own, wasn't a spec/trim.

Oh it looks like the US Fairmont got its name from here.
Their one came out in the late 70s. It was effectively a four door Mustang of that era.

[Charliewool]

Originally Posted by Steve FGXG6E

The 500 started with the XR and was the second from the bottom there was one just designated as a falcon, then the falcon 500. I always thought that the 500 was due to having a different suspension package (500kg) which was slightly different from the standard falcon. There was a 500 also in the Fairlane

I doubt that it was 500kg as metrics didn’t arrive until 1974 or so

[Steve FGXG6E]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

I doubt that it was 500kg as metrics didn’t arrive until 1974 or so

The 500kg was an example, it may have been 500 lb however it was a suspension pack designation. Please remember that NZ produced a 600 model for 12 months. Importers of parts used metric many years prior.

[buggerlugs]

The old man used to take us to the Government Auctions in Tottenham in Melbourne's Western Suburbs. He bought quite a few cars there for himself, mother and sister. Being Government cars , they were all poverty packs. He bought an XA Falcon 500, three on the tree, of which I learnt to drive in, what a great reliable car they were. Then we got Lasers and Corolla's as well.............

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by Steve FGXG6E

The 500 started with the XR and was the second from the bottom there was one just designated as a falcon, then the falcon 500. I always thought that the 500 was due to having a different suspension package (500kg) which was slightly different from the standard falcon. There was a 500 also in the Fairlane

No,suspension was the same whether it was standard,500 or Fairmont

[lance]

In Nz we also had a Falcon 600 model

[JasonACT]

This is so wrong, I'm sorry... NZ'ers are a bit heavier than us?

[roddy1960]

!960 U.S. Ads

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBISX-E9HRU..

Oh yes .... And this absolute classic from '59 .

Try keeping a straight face if you watch this . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShBoZt71pbs...

[71cop]

Originally Posted by oldel

Base model, below the futura. I'm guessing it was either some race length or some exec thought it sounded good.
Everything was optional, inc the 250ci. The modern day equivalent of the falcon GL/GLi (like for e, a and b series)

http://www.fordforums.com.au/photos/...o.php?photo=82
http://www.fordforums.com.au/photos/...o.php?photo=94

No, Falcon was the base model and Falcon 500 was the next model up.

[Dr Terry]

As a few guys have mentioned, the 500 was originally used on several full-sized US Fords from the late-50s onwards. 500 was the higher spec & 300 was the lower spec.

In the Falcon range the earlier Deluxe badge (XK-XP) was superseded by 500 (XR-XC) & then GL (XD-EBI), GLi for EBII-EL, Forte for AU, XT for BA-FG & just plain Falcon for FG-X.

I do believe however than the 500 (as in Mk1 Cortina GT500) did reference the 500 mile race at Bathurst, because that what it was built for. Luckily for Ford that badge was already in stock from earlier Fairlanes.

Dr Terry

[FERG_51]

Originally Posted by FTE217

500's were always base entry models back in my day......

My first car was an XY/Falcon, was the povo pack and the 500 was the next one up.

[lance]

XY Falcon had no chrome strip on the bootlid, just the F A L C O N lettering.

[Steve FGXG6E]

Originally Posted by lance

XY Falcon had no chrome strip on the bootlid, just the F A L C O N lettering.

There was a XY Falcon and Falcon 500 the 500 has a body line chrome trim.

XY had a Futura and did not have a Fairmont 500

[oldel]

Everyone knows now except the OP who never came back