Grand Sport

The Grand Sport Rally Pack was an factory option available on the XW to XC models that allowed - by the checking of a single box on the order form - the buyer to add several ‘sporty’ features to his new Falcon without going tothe expense of buying the GT.

XW

Available on the Falcon 500, Futura and Fairmont sedan, the GS added the following features; GS Rally stripes that ran from the front indicators to the middle of the rear wing and ended with the GS insignia and full wheel covers that were the same as the stainless steel wheel covers used on the XR and XT GT models. Inside, a three spoke, deep dished wooden rimmed steering wheel with rim squeeze horn and full dash instrumentation were the same as on the GT model.

From there the buyer could then run riot through the normal options list adding; bucket seats and sports console with four speed or T-Bar automatic, a 302ci 220hp V8, power disk brakes, air conditioning, tinted windscreen, vinyl roof; anything, in fact, that was available in the catalogue. Ford advertised the GS as - ‘Make up your own Grand Sport’ - and, while the car did not have the appeal of the GT, it did offer the cost conscious a distinctive alternative.

XW GS

XY

Once again the GS Rally Pack was available on the XY model. In addition to being available on the Falcon 500, Futura and Fairmont sedans, it was also now an option on the Falcon 500 and Fairmont wagon also.

The actual GS options remained the same including the GT dash featuring speedometer, tachometer, odometer, oil pressure, water temperature and fuel gauges, but some other items crept onto the general option list, most notably a sunroof and a stereo radio/tape player. For performance enthusiasts, the most important option was now a 250hp two barrel carburettor equipped Cleveland version of the 351ci V8. It may not have rivalled the 290hp GT, but it really wasn’t too far off now.

This is a lovely XY GS in Onyx Black showing the GS stripe terminating in the GS badge and the chromed XR/XT GT lookalike wheel covers.

Here is a close up of the stylised GS badge.

And a comparison of the wheels.

XY GS wheel cover

XT GT chromed steel wheel

The GS stripe was available in a variety of colours, including orange, as on this Fairmont, which also has GT wheels and front spoiler.

It can be forgotten that the GS package did not necessarily always come with the driving lamps as shown with this lovely Bronze Wine XY with cream vinyl roof.

Or that it could be ordered with ‘plain’ Falcon 500s, and not just Fairmonts.

It is also worth noting that the GS was available on both the 200ci and 250ci six cylinder engines, as well as the 302ci and 351ci V8s.

When the 302ci V8 was fitted, the cars came with the V8 badge.

But when the 351ci V8 was fitted, the displacement was proudly announced, as seen on the black GS above, and the enlargement below.

For some more pictures of the black GS Fairmont, click here.

No matter what was fitted, all came with a GS badged steering wheel.

And the GS Pack was available on wagons too.

XA

Once more the GS Rally Pack appeared on the Australian designed XA. Most of the options remained the same although, while retaining the stripe, they lost any exterior GS badging. The wheels were different too. Instead of wheel covers, the GS models got versions of the 12 slot steel wheels with plain brushed centre caps as used on the early XA GTs.

The stripe got swoopy to follow the body contours.

And, once again, dark cars got lighter stripes.

And from the brochure.

And with the optional XA GT ‘driving lights’ grille.

And, of course, there was now a two door hardtop model.

With swoopy stripe.

Station wagon.

Not only did the GS depart from previous years in having a two door, but Ford also made it available on utes

And vans

Various colours of stripes were available. Four door saloons could have the XA GS stripe in black, gold, silver or orange, and on two door hardtops, in black or gold.

With the availability, in cars but not utes or vans, of a 260hp two barrel version of the 351ci Cleveland V8, the GS again offered an alternative to the GT. Indeed, with the escalating values and appreciation of the GT models, many collectors are turning to the GS, and finding that their predecessors fully appreciated their worth and the fact that with a few simple bolt on parts - manifold and four barrel carburettor - they could be excellent junior GTs.

All of the XA Falcon range could be fitted with the Option 56 ‘driving lights’ grille which was standard on the XA GT. It would seem that the take up of this option on XA GS’s was not as great as that for the same offering on the XB model. However, unlike the XB the XA GT style bonnet was not part of the GS package, nor was it an option on the range.

XB

Once more Ford offered the GS Rally Pack on the XB model and again extended it across the whole range; sedans, hardtops, wagons, utes and vans. The XB model, however, offered the GS buyer the chance - while accepting the 260hp V8 gave away 40 hp to the GT - to buy a car as close to the looks of the GT than before. The twin scoop bonnet was part of the GS package for the XB, but the Option 56 ‘driving light’ grille was a separate factory option as were four wheel disk brakes. It was just a matter of ticking the right boxes on the order form.

After the swoopy XA, the XB Rally stripe returned to a straight line, and in form, with its turned down section at the front, it closely resembled the GT stripe on the XW. The GS badge returned, once more at the rear end of the stripe.

Four doors.

Hardtops.

Station wagons.

Vans and utes.

A close up of the ‘GS’ script on the rear wing.

A close up look at the form of the stripe at the front.

Note also the ‘351’ engine identification.

And a 302ci V8 powered XB Fairmont GS without the displacement badges.

And an XB GS wagon with the 250ci six.

Careful inspection of the GS stripes on the XB at the front reveals some variation in their placement. Some have the stripe right up against the ‘seam’ for the little end cap, like the wagon above, and some have them set back from that. In fact, some cars even have different placement from side to side as in this car, although, there is some evidence that the drivers wing was replaced at some stage. The decal may well not have been re-applied with the same ‘factory care’.

GS stripes were available in many colours. Both four door saloon and two door hardtop could have stripes in; blck, gold, dark gold,silver, orange and dark orange. Examples of the more popular colours are seen above, but here is a photo of the XB GS formerly owned by the mother of Drew, one of our Australian contributors, featuring the rare orange GS stripes.

When is a GS a GS ?

When the original sale receipt tells you it is one. If you suspect that your car is a GS but has no actual GS badges on it there is nothing on the car’s data plate that will tell you that it is a GS, unlike a GT. One giveaway is to check the wiring under the dash as genuine GS cars had the GT wiring loom to allow fitment of the GT dash and its extra instruments. If your car has the extra gauges, but a cut and shut loom, you would suspect it was not original. Unfortunately, the Ford Motor Company of Australia is not, at this time, answering queries about suspected GS cars as it is doing for GTs.

XC

For the XC model range, the GS option grew slightly more complicated, and I make no excuses for quoting the very comprehensive explanation provided by Steve for the Australian Ford Forums.

The GS Rally pack is an option on all XCs Falcon 500s and Fairmont’s except the Falcon Coupe. This car is sold as a “GS” Hardtop. Also the Fairmont Coupe, no GS option for this, it was standard. The GXL was a model in sedan only and had all the Fairmont GS features plus more. Note, no car has GXL options. It can only have Rally pack.

The GS Rally pack is denoted on the paint tag on the radiator support panel near the upper left radiator mount and the lower front cross member on some 1978 cars. This tag will say "R Pack" or GS Rally Pack. It includes the paint code and part of the vin number. This tag also includes vinyl roof information and tells the paint shop how to paint the car. GXL will have "GXL" on this tag. Hardtops only have the paint code as they are all "GS" cars. Cobra has "Cobra" on this tag.

GS cars are identified as follows.

Exterior
Bonnet with body colour flutes and no lock pins.
Driving lights (Falcon only)
Grill is always black. (after 1978 all update cars got black grills).
12 slot wheels with black centres, except Fairmont Hardtop, this car got GXL wheels in 76 and 78. See special note re 77 Fairmont.
Black sills, 500 only.
Black around window. Delete side window chrome on Fairmont.
Trim on boot lid is straight across the back (GXL style). Painted black 500 only.
Boot lid black accent between upper and lower trim moulds (Sedan).
Black panel above rear bar.
Black tail light panel, 500 hardtop, Fairmont Hardtop body colour.
Black trim tailgate top on wagons.
Black accent badges on all except Fairmont Hardtop.
GS Fuel cap painted black. Surround black on 500 only. Fairmont and GXL have chrome surround.
Black door handles all models except Fairmont coupe.
Black bumper over riders.

Special note, Fairmont Hardtop

In the June 1977 catalogue there is a special note on the Hardtop page. "Current production Fairmont Hardtops are being fitted with a "Volante" design alloy wheel not shown in the illustration."

Interior

Sports dash with clock.
Padded glove box lid
Map light.
Sports steering wheel
Intermittent wipers


Specials:

Black GT hood and wheel arches on Alan Moffat sedan only.
Colour coded bars and strips on some early rally pack cars. (Anecdotal only)
Sundowner has its own code, has Rally pack as standard and no side windows.
Side protection moulds standard on Falcon 500, 500 Hartop GS, Fairmont hardtops, Fairmont and GXL sedans.

All hardtops had the hounds tooth (David Jones ) cloth seats as standard. Optional on all other cars except GXL. On hardtops the trim indicates colour only, eg black cloth on sedan is B1, on hardtop its B.

Where does this leave us ?

Here are two four door Falcon 500’s with the GS Rally Pack option. The yellow car is a pre-update car and has the F.O.R.D. letters on the front edge of the bonnet.

Let’s look at some of the GS Rally pack stuff. On first glance, the above car seems to satisfy most of the criteria, except, the bonnet flutes are black.

Here is an update car with the Ford oval on the grille.

And the bonnetflutes are body coloured.

I have not been able to fathom why some cars have black flutes and some are body coloured, but I suspect that owners have painted them black to make them stand out more. From the factory, they should have been body coloured.

Both of these cars though have many of the GS features: driving lights, blacked out grille black trim around the windows, black overriders, and in the case of the red car, the black centred wheels.

Here is a white XC GS Rally pack, showing the black painted sills and the the black centred wheels.

You can also see that the fuel cap is black with chrome ‘button’ but, being a Falcon 500, the surround is also black, shown also below. Note also, the blacked out door handles and door handle surrounds.

In the next picture, you can see how the rear panel was painted black, as was the trim around and across the tail-lights, and the trim piece across the tail panel was blacked out as well. The Fairmont style chrome boot edge trim, and it’s rear wing accompanying pieces remained chromed.

Compare this, especially the trim, with a non-GS XC where the trim curves down around the tail-lights and meets the rear panel trim.

And, by way of comparison, here is the XC Fairmont GXL rear trim.

As a further guide to the explanation above, here are the radiator support tags for GS Rally Pack cars, without and with a vinyl roof.

Moving on to the hardtops, you will notice that the XC Falcon hardtop was known as the ‘GS’ hardtop.

And has the features as described above, including the rear wing scoops previously used on the XB GT Falcon.

The tail-light panel was painted all over black.

As all the hardtops were GS’s, the radiator tag made no mention of the ‘R/PACK’ as the package was standard.

Here is the tag from an XC Fairmont hardtop.

The only other car that had the Rally Pack package but did not mention it on the tag was the GXL.

Both GS and Fairmont hardtops featured the houndstooth interior.

The Fairmont hardtop was an interesting car, as it featured chrome wheelarch trims, chrome rocker panel trims and unique - for any of the XA/XB/XC hardtops - trim on the boot lid and rear wing edges. The cars also used the GXL style wheels for 1976 and 1978, but used the Volante wheel in 1977.

Here is an XC Fairmont hardtop showing the added chrome trim.

The cars also had fully chromed door handles and door handle surrounds.

The unique chrome rear trim

Also unique to the XC Fairmont hardtop was the black painted side window trim at the leading edge of the quarter window.

The Fairmont hardtops came with the GXL style wheels.

Except for the 1977 cars which came with the Volante wheel, as seen on the brochure car.

Volante wheel information here.

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