Grant Hodgson Famous movie cars - Ford Falcon
30.01.2010
E there is war on the streets. In the struggle for precious gasoline, anarchy has broken out on the endless highways of Australia. There are no more traffic rules, marauding motorcycle gangs spread fear and horror. A small group of policemen tries in vain to hold the remnants of civilization together. But the men of the 'Main Force Patrol' live dangerously. Because after the 'Nightrider', head of the motorcycle gang Hell Jockeys, bites the grass in a spectacular chase with the police, his cronies swear revenge.
Mel Gibson in the interceptor on the hunt for gangsters
But apart from the police badge, the hardened law enforcement officers don't differ much from their opponents. The shotgun is loose, and the names of the crew are painted on the brightly painted patrol cars like on a fighter plane. Appropriately, the patrol cars are called 'Interceptor' - interceptors. Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) is the toughest cop of all. After the motorcycle gangsters run over his child and seriously injured his wife, Max runs amok. He grabs a black interceptor that has been pimped up to 600 hp and decimates the number of rowdies considerably. Max's car is the 'last of the V8'. When the compressor is started, which peeps out from under a hole in the bonnet, even the sophisticated Kawasaki machines of the motorcycle gang have no chance.
Every Mad Max car was unique
It is a depressing end-time scenario with which director George Miller introduces his film 'Mad Max'. The film was released 30 years ago and was an ideal match for the hangover mood after the major oil crisis. Even though the film was shot for a sandwich, the box office revenues were enormous. You can tell the film has a modest budget. For example, the famous car chase was filmed at the beginning, to be on the safe side, only at the end of the shooting. Because while expensive action films sometimes have their own stunt vehicle for each scene, in 'Mad Max' there was only one car. Former patrol cars and even a disused taxi were used for the vehicles of the Main Force Patrol. The car had ridden so down that thick smoke was constantly pouring out of the exhaust.
A Ford Falcon XB GT Coupé is under the Interceptor
If you see Mel Gibson's black Interceptor for the first timepuzzles for a long time what kind of car that might be. Under the martial costume of the movie car made of spoilers, huge exhaust pipes and a compressor under the bonnet, there is an Ford Falcon XB GT Coupé from 1973. Because“ Mad Max ”was surprisingly successful, there was a sequel in which the Interceptor plays again. This time the film outfitters let off steam even more. The trunk lid of the movie car had to give way and made space for two petrol barrels. Because in the second film, society has completely collapsed, and people kill each other in search of the last bit of gasoline. Max's car is blown up so that the third and last part of the film trilogy has to do without the Interceptor.
Down Under with its own muscle car scene
Also in civil life the Ford Falcon was a fascinating car. High-displacement muscle cars are actually only known from the USA: In the 1960s and 1970s, Chrysler, General Motors and Ford fought each other there in the “Horsepower War”. They let one sophisticated PS sling after the other roll off the belt. What is less well known is that the “Big Three” in Australia waged a kind of proxy war. The hottest duels on the dusty highways took place between Ford and the Australian GM subsidiary Holden.
Ford Falcon with an Australian life of its own
At Ford, the mid-range Falcon initially had a close relationship with the American model of the same name, but then went its own way in design. One of the most famous muscle cars from Down Under was the Falcon XA in 1972. Of course, Ford technology was hidden under the sheet metal, but the Australians had succeeded in creating an independent and impressive car. Six-cylinder and V8 engines from the Ford shelf served as drive. The Falcon XA was followed by the face-lifted XB and finally the XC. The last muscle car in Australia is the XC Cobra Coupé from 1978. With blue rally stripes and a snake logo, the car was only built 400 times.
The Aussi muscle cars are now also in great demand Collectibles
Just as with American muscle cars, the prices of the outback cars have now climbed to dizzying heights. 'The coupés in particular have become extremely rare and expensive,' says Grant Hodgson, an expert on Australian muscle cars. He not only restores the vehicles, but also converts them into replicas of the famous “Mad Max” movie cars if required. 'A restored Ford Falcon XB sedan is worth about $ 60,000, the coupes are even more expensive,' says Hodgson.
He has made numerous replicas of the black Mad Max interceptor and shipped them around the world. With the replicas of the four-door 'Main Force Patrol' vehicles, you cancornering Australia with ease. “You can't do that with the black Interceptor because of the compressor and the exhaust pipes. In the USA or Japan, however, the car is allowed to drive on the road, ”says Grant Hodgson. Film fans can at least park the legendary Interceptor on their desks at home: The model car manufacturer Autoart has immortalized the car from the second Mad Max film as a 1:18 miniature.
