12th Falcon GT Nationals

Perth W.A., 6th-9th April 2007

Here is my account of the Nationals weekend... I hope you like it.  At the bottom of the page you will also find links to some of the photos I took, as well as details on how you can order a CD of those and other images.  I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Cheers

Paul

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Introduction

Falcon GT owners are well known the passion they have about their cars and it usually doesn’t take much to get them to come together to share that passion with other like minded souls.  However, when getting together means travelling to the other side of the country – or the other side of the world for that matter – then some would say that that passion borders on obsession.  Call it what you will, but that is exactly what happened this Easter, when the Falcon GT Nationals were held in Perth for the first time in its 22 year history.

Having originated in Melbourne in 1985, the Falcon GT Nationals have generally been organised every two years by the clubs from the three main eastern states… apart from one foray into South Australia in 1999.  This was due to the fact that the larger GT clubs – which generally had both the manpower and financial resources for running a Nationals event – were based here and that a larger number of vehicles were likely to participate.  However four years ago, the decision was made to allow the Falcon GT Club of Western Australia to host this year’s Nationals, thereby making it a truly national event.

Although this would be a tremendous opportunity for a large number of local WA cars to experience the excitement of a GT Nationals, getting a reasonable number of cars from the eastern states to also attend, was always likely to be problematic at best… especially considering the ever increasing value of these iconic Aussie muscle cars.  Thankfully, this was a decision I didn’t have to worry about… currently based in the UK, all I had to do was make my way from Edinburgh, Scotland.  By the way… did I mention that GT owners can be a little obsessive??? 

Anyway… having flown half way round the world, I made my way to the Great Eastern Motor Lodge in Perth – Nationals HQ – where I was able to register and start to catch up with old friends over the odd drink or two, start to check out some of the cars in the car park and discuss the upcoming weekend’s activities.  Unsurprisingly, high on the list of discussion topics, was the recent jump in prices being paid for Falcon GTs and in particular the most recent $600K+ Phase 3 sales.  Whilst some felt that these prices were unsustainable, others were convinced that we had only just seen the start of a major upwards trend in all Australian muscle car values.

Friday – Day 1: Scrutineering

The event kicked off with scrutineering and preliminary judging being carried out at the workshops of Nationals sponsor, McInerney Ford who were kind enough to offer the use of their facilities.  This is an important part of the Nationals, as it not only is the process used to verify the authenticity of the cars being entered and determine if the class nominated by the owner is the most appropriate for the car, but also highlights the higher quality cars, thereby helping to simplify final judging at the ‘Show & Shine’.  With around 160 cars to look at, the day started at around 7:30am and continued until around 5:00pm, with a constant stream of gleaming GT Falcons coming and going all day long.  Although to some this might appear to be a fairly uninteresting part of the programme, scrutineering day really has a bit of a party feel to it – with everyone socialising and checking out each other’s cars while they wait for their turn – and you could sense everyone’s excited anticipation for what was to come over the next few days. 

However the excitement levels peaked with the arrival of the two Bathurst GTHO race cars.  First to arrive, was the ex Murray Carter Phase 3 and as soon as it started up after being unloaded from its protective transporter, the race engine sound coming from the open side exhausts, was like a call to arms with everyone around coming out to look at this beautifully restored race car.  Soon after, the equally impressive – albeit less noisy – ex Bryan Byrt Ford Phase 2 also turned up and just like its younger brother, drew a host of admirers like moths to a flame.

With scrutineering finally over it was time to go back to the motel and get ready for the evening’s activities, which started a casual smorgasbord meal around the motel pool.  Once everyone had had their fill, it was time to move onto the evening’s main event – an auction of rare GT parts and automobilia.  With many rare and NOS parts available, the auction drew a large crowd of people eager to snap up a bargain, or find that elusive item needed to complete their restoration project.  Unfortunately for most, there were very few bargains… with many items being passed in for not reaching the reserves set by their owners.  However, those who did buy seemed pleased with their purchases and overall, I’m sure most felt the auction was a success.

Saturday – Day 2: Show & Shine

For many people, the ‘Show & Shine’ is the highlight of the Nationals and the culmination of months – and sometimes years – of hard work to present their cars to the highest standards possible.  Langley Park – along the beautiful banks of the Swan River – was an ideal venue for this event, within easy access to the city and with plenty of parking available.  Cars started arriving around 8:00am to allow the owners time to set up their displays before the event was opened to the public at 10:00am.  To make it easier for the public – and judges – to compare the various cars they were arranged in model order, with special interest and associate vehicles grouped separately. 

Held under glorious autumn skies, approximately 170 highly polished and detailed cars from all over the country were on show, enabling the large and appreciative crowd to wander around some of the finest Falcon GTs and GTHOs in the country. And whilst there was a slight drop in overall entrant numbers from previous Nationals – with only about 50 cars on show coming from the eastern states – there was certainly no lack of quality, ensuring that the final judging was still likely to be a very difficult task indeed.  Actually – if truth be told – 50 cars was probably a pretty good result, considering the distance and costs involved and I take my hat off to those who actually drove their cars all the way, especially the “Blue Dogs” from central Queensland.

Even with row upon row of beautifully presented Falcon GTs, Farimont GTs – the Falcon GT’s South African cousins having their own category for the first time this year – and associate vehicles to look at, some always seem to stand out, either due to their quality, desirability or presentation.  Documented ‘big race’ history certainly increases desirability (and value) these days – even though this wasn’t always the case – and the three ‘Bathurst’ racers on show certainly had plenty of admirers.  At one end of the park, Jacob Khouri’s freshly restored Vermillion Fire ‘Murray Carter’ Phase 3 certainly had the looks and with the open side exhausts, definitely made all the right noises when the car was started up.  The fact that Murray himself was also in attendance with the car, made sure that both car and driver were surrounded by GT enthusiasts all day long. 

At the other end of the field, was Mike Rystenberg’s Starlight Blue Phase 2 that was sponsored by Bryan Byrt Ford and driven by Chenery & Rush in the 1970 ‘Great Race’.  Although the 18 year long owner had a few dramas getting to the event, the car looked fantastic on the day and was also popular with the crowd.  Of special interest to racing history buffs like myself, were the CAMS documentation and photos displayed with the car.  In fact it was a request for information on the car by the owner in AMC Issue 3 that led to the two great action photos on display being sent to the owner and providing valuable information for the restoration.

Last but certainly not least, was Gary Watson’s superb Polar White XRGT that was driven by the Geoghegan brothers at Bathurst in 1967.  Displayed with his equally stunning Gallaher Silver XR GT – and plenty of information about their Bathurst connection – the two cars had lots of people scratching their heads about Ford’s original “GT Gold only” policy for the XRGT.

Apart from the Bathurst race cars, there were a couple of other cars that really took my fancy.  As the owner of a Silver GT myself, I have a particular liking for cars of this colour and so was really taken with Chris Howard’s beautifully restored Silver Fox Phase 2, as well as Ian Johns’ well maintained Frosted Pewter Phase 3.  In addition to silver cars, I also like seeing some of the more unusual colours and I must admit, this show had an abundance of them – particularly in the XA range.  From the wonderfully restored Pottery Beige GT sedan of Brian Luckraft, to Frank Mastrantonio’s superbly original Skyview Blue RPO coupe, there was plenty to admire.  Of particular interest was the Readymix Orange XAGT coupe of Dianne Clarris, which apart from having every available option fitted to the car, was actually built by Ford as a promotional vehicle and given away to one lucky person at the Chesterfield 300 race meeting at Surfer Paradise International Raceway, in 1973.

Wild Violet is seen as being a very desirable colour these days and there were two cars of this colour that got my attention – but for very different reasons.  The first was Leo Khouri’s beautifully restored RPO sedan, which also had the equally desirable – but hard to keep clean – white interior.  The other however, was actually a very tatty and rough looking XYGT – with factory sunroof and black interior – that had literally only recently been found in a barn, where it had been sitting since 1983.  Apart from having work done to get the car operational and registered again, the car was brought to the show by new owner Tony Pernechele, in as found condition and as such, probably had more people looking at and taking pictures of this car, than all the others.  Although the car was not for sale, this didn’t stop many people making offers on the car all day long, with the last offer well into 6 figures.

Sunday – Day 3: Track Day and Presentation Night

For me, Sunday’s change of venue to Barbagallo Raceway was a real highlight, as I have always felt that the racetracks of Australia are the Falcon GT’s spiritual home.  Here we were going to see the cars being driven spiritedly… just like they were originally designed to do, before the ‘fun police’ came along and put an end to fast touring on open roads.

The day was organised with the help of the WA Sporting Car Club and due to the limited number of Falcon GTs intending to compete – only 22 – entries from other local performance car clubs were also invited and actually added to the spectacle.  Although the day didn’t start off too well, with plenty of rain initially dampening everyone’s enthusiasm, eventually the showers moved on and by the time all the cars had been scrutineered for track work and the drivers given their briefing, the track had started to dry and the sun was coming out from behind the clouds. 

In all, there were 40 cars listed to do battle with the tricky Wanneroo ‘short’ circuit – a combination of Falcon GTs, other Fords, Holdens and Chryslers.  Cars were sent off one at a time, but in batches of four, to ensure that plenty of runs would be achieved throughout the day.  It was really interesting to see how well the various cars were set up for this sort of work and the differing skill levels of the various drivers.  It was obvious with some cars – like Gary Watson’s indecently quick Gold XRGT, which is specifically set up for straight line competition – that circuit work was not their forte.  Of course this didn’t stop owners like Richard Hatton – in his XY Fairmont GT – from really having a go and enjoying themselves, despite massive amounts of understeer (or oversteer) going through the corners.

At the other end of the scale however, were people like Lindsey Hammersley, who’s Diamond White XWGT was definitely set up properly for circuit racing, but who also knew the benefits of taking a late apex to maximise their speed through the corners.  Having both the right car and the right level of experience, Lindsay was both the quickest GT and the quickest Ford on the day.  One car and driver combination that certainly need any help, were Murray Carter and his old Bathurst Phase 3 warhorse.  On the track, the car looked and sounded magnificent and quickly transported one back to the glory days of early Group C racing.  Although taking it relatively easy – in deference to the considerable amount of money recently spent on the car by its new owners – it was obvious that 76 year old Murray was enjoying himself back behind the wheel and had not lost any of his considerable skill.

Another highlight of the day was the parade of Falcon GTs, organised to coincide with the lunch break, which allowed both competing and non-competing cars to do a couple of slow laps of the circuit for the benefit of entrants and spectators alike.  The sight of 62 hi-performance Fords being led by that trio of wonderful XRGTs, was certainly spectacular and provided some great memories for those lucky enough to witness it all.

With the racing completed for the day, it was time to head back to the motel and get ready for the presentation dinner, where entrants would finally find out if all their hard work would be rewarded.  Held at the Burswood on Swan Reception Centre, many entrants started to let their hair down after a pretty full-on weekend, although for some it was just business as usual.  Food was good, the drinks were flowing and the band got plenty of toes tapping on the dance floor. 

During the evening, in addition to the trophy presentations, was an auction of special entrant plates, which – due to the number on the plate – have special significance to the GT community.  This year, plate number “351” not unsurprisingly achieved the top bid, even though the $6000 paid was probably a little more than most entrants could afford.  Murray Carter also gave a short talk during the evening and helped out with the presentation of trophies, which was the main point of the evening.  Trophies are generally awarded in relation to vehicle type and category, however, rather than go through the whole list, I thought I would just mention some of the special ones.  (For the full list, visit the 2007 Nationals website at: http://www.gtnationals.asn.au/)

Although having travelled all the way out from Scotland, some might think that I was a shoe in for the longest distance award, but it doesn’t work like that, as you need to bring a car as well.  This year, for the first time ever, the longest distance award was actually shared between two entrants, Michael Gallagher (Starlight Blue XWGT) and Barry Denney (Electric Blue XYGT) – affectionately known as the “Blue Dogs” – who actually drove their cars all the way from Moranbah, in Central Queensland; a one-way distance of approximately 4800km.  In spite of the mileage travelled, they both stated that they had a great time coming over and were looking forward to the trip home.

Another Central Queensland trophy winner, albeit one he was not looking to get, was Mark Capra, who received the Hard Luck trophy.   This award was given to Mark due to the damage sustained to his Red Pepper XBGT after the trailer it was on broke a stub axle whilst in transit to the Nationals.  Thankfully the damage wasn’t critical and so rather than finding another trailer, Mark and his wife Tina decided to drive the rest of the way instead.  I have to say, this type of attitude certainly deserved to be rewarded.

The most successful car of the weekend however, was the beautifully restored Yellow Ochre Phase 3 owned by Ian Johns, which not only took off the Grand Tourer Classic Era GT award, but along the way also picked up the Best Restored Phase 3, Best Undercarriage, Best Trim and Best Engine Bay trophies.

And finally, there was the Howard Marsden Trophy – otherwise known as the Spirit of the Nationals Award – which is only ever awarded to an individual who makes a major contribution to the success of the Nationals.  Quite deservedly in my opinion, this year’s recipient was Leo Khouri, who not only brought over three award winning GT Falcons – including the Murray Carter Phase 3 – but also arranged for Murray Carter himself to attend and be apart of the Nationals for the whole weekend.

Monday – Day 4: Day Trip to York

The Monday after the presentation dinner, is usually a day that interstate entrants wind down and prepare to travel home, however with the Nationals in Perth, most people allowed for a little extra time before departing Australia’s west most capital.  Being well aware of this situation, the Nationals committee arranged for a short day trip to the historic town of York, where a small display of the cars would take place and a free barbeque put on for the entrants.  This was quite a relaxing way to conclude the Nationals and many people took the opportunity to look around this picturesque town and visit the well-known York Motor Museum.

Interestingly enough, even with the current event only just winding down, there was lots of talk about the next Falcon GT Nationals, due to be held in Adelaide during the Easter weekend in 2009.  Having now been held in Western Australia, many of the local GT owners appeared to have gained a greater appreciation of what the Nationals is all about, with many more of them indicating their likely support of future events.  This, along with continued high interest from eastern state owners, means that the next Nationals is likely to be one of the biggest and best yet.  So if you own a GT and think something like this is for you, then contact your local state club for more information.  I know I’ll be there… although this time, my car will be there as well!!!

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The following are just some of the photos that DIGIPICS took at the recent Nationals in Perth!!!  Enjoy!!!  If you think some of these images look familiar, that is because DIGIPICS were the official photographers for Australian Muscle Car, Australian Classic Car, Performance Ford, Unique Cars and Wheels.

If you are interested in a copy of these and many more photos (I took a few thousand photos over the weekend):

Friday Scrutineering
Friday Night Events
Saturday - Show
Sunday - Race Day
Presentation Dinner
Monday Farewell