Street Machine Australia — January 2018

of the Aussie-made BTR four-speed auto. “They
did the usual little mods to allow it to survive the
power it has.”
The strut front suspension conversion, rack-
and-pinion steering and the three-link coil-sprung
rear end are all RRS conversion pieces too. The
coil-over/strut front tightens the roadholding by
ridding the Falcon of its sometimes wayward front
upper control arms, while the rear suspension is
particularly interesting as it has a long girder-like
link beginning at the nine-inch diff and reaching
forward to the gearbox.
Inside, Steve grabbed another two XR8 buckets
to be installed in the rear, and there’s plenty of

smarts in employing components such as the BA

XR8’s shifter unit. The stitching of the black leather

is the work of Steve’s mate Gavin Lockwood.

On its Summernats debut in 2016, Steve’s

Falcon drove straight into the Top 20. But despite

the high standard, this is one trophy-grade

Falcon that wears its ‘street machine’ title with

pride. It’s regularly driven: “It’s generally Sunday

afternoons,” Steve says. “But I have no qualms

about taking it down to the coast – Batemans

Bay, everywhere. I think in the first year I had it, I

drove it 7000 miles.

“It was a lot of time and effort,” he concludes,

“but I haven’t had to touch it since I finished it.” s

STEVE SANTOS

1971 FORD XY

FALCON SEDAN

Paint: Sikkens Silver

ENGINE

Brand: Ford/ FPV

Capacity: 5.4L

Induction: Vortech

centrifugal supercharger

ECU: Ford/ FPV

Heads: Standard DOHC

four-valve

Internals: Standard

Ford/ FPV

Fuel system: Aeromotive

in-tank pump

Cooling: XR8 thermo fans

on alloy radiator

Exhaust: RRS four-into-

one conversion headers,

fabricated dual 3in exhaust

TRANSMISSION

Gearbox: Ford/ BTR four-

speed auto ‘sport shift’

Converter: 2500rpm

Diff: Ford 9in, 31-spline

SUSPENSION &

BRAKES

Front suspension: RRS/

Lovells springs, RRS/ QA1

coil-overs

Rear suspension: RRS/

Lovells springs, RRS/ QA1

coil-overs

Brakes: Six-pot calipers

and 355mm discs (f),

six-pot calipers and

330mm discs (r)

Master cylinder: RRS

relocated under dash

WHEELS & TYRES

Rims: Simmons

FR22; 22x8 (f),

22x10 (r)

Rubber: 235/30 (f),

295/25 (r)

THANKS

Roberto ‘Tito’

Contreras – my right-

hand man on this project;

Greg Stevenson at Kelley

Body Works – one of

my best mates; Gavin

Lockwood for the trim;

Tony and the boys at

Audiotech; Jake Edwards

of Jake’s Performance;

Jason Stevenson for

the paint

DESPITE THE HIGH STANDARD, THIS IS ONE TROPHY-GRADE

FALCON THAT WEARS ITS ‘STREET MACHINE’ TITLE WITH PRIDE

INTERIOR

Four leather-trimmed XR8

seats, complete with electrics

but sans headrests, dominate

an interior that nicely blends

then and now. “They’re Auto

Meters,” says Steve of the

gauges. “I reckon they have

the right look for the car.”

He’s right, you know!