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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Ford XA Superbird....
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9610 |
A truly beautiful car, and a truly beautiful video. Watch to the end. XA Superbird Why do we love our vehicles so much I wonder? I have lots of them myself(not XA's!), and despite their rust and other problems, I cannot bear to part with them.... I know this is not an electronics post exactly - sorry. But I loved this vid. There are probably plenty of Aussies who know this model car well. Perhaps the Australian version of the Dodge Charger?  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Boppa Guru  Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
I had an 302 xb 4 door (which couldnt be killed lol) and a 351 zf ltd (which was an animal, ultimate street sleeper), never owned a coupe (the ltd had the xa coupes tiny back window tho) and a mate had an xc coupe,351, top loader, which I drove regularly (lol he still owes me a 9" diff, I gave him my spare one for a loaner) which had the typical coupe issue of driving in Sydney traffic requires a passenger to tell the driver its safe to shift left i the lanes... their visibility was sh*tte Was sad to see the old xa looking so beat up at the beginning (lime green lol, havent seen one in that colour for years), but she ended up looking cherry as.. Must be a family thing, lil sis started off in a 6 banger xb 4 door, she still has a 4 door, but its a nice white xc fairmont, 351 with fmx auto |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9610 |
I think people often overlook the great Aussie cars of the period, in favour of the yank tanks. With no disrespect to any American members reading this. The father's reaction at the end of this video(and the mothers) are priceless. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
LOL- yeah was pretty good wasnt it, seeing the old girl back on the road again literally bring tears to their eyes- loved the old photo too |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3378 |
Right at the beginning they say this XA was a Falcon. My first car was a Ming Green 1963 Falcon station wagon (not exactly the same as this coupe). It did well by me--10 years and 100,000 miles. This was a "small" station wagon--but you could fit a full 4x8 sheet of plywood in the back. Don't make 'em like they used to (for which, by and large, I am glad). PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
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| Paul_L Guru Joined: 03/03/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 769 |
The body panels of that car appear similar to the Falcon coupe sold in the states in 1973. The U.S. Falcon was mostly delivered with an inline six cylinder engine. The dash design is totally different from the U.S. Falcon with much different instruments. In the states the Falcon wasn't very popular in 1973. The big LTD, the Mustang, and the Thunderbird were the big sellers. Of course, I've never seen one with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car. When are you people going to start driving on the right side of the road? Paul in NY |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
Most Falcons here (station wagon, ute, sedan and coupe) came with the 6 cyl narrowhead 250- probably Fords best engine- they were indestructible! and a 3 on the tree, a few autos, and a very few 4speed floor shift. Some were released with the 302- mostly auto, same with the Fairlane 302, auto was the most common(but some 250's) A few Falcons came out with the 351, about half split between 4 speed floorshift and auto (with the LTD being the odd one out- it was all 351, all auto- no manual available, but 2 different drivetrains- 2 bolt mains 351, borgwarner auto and borgwarner diff or like mine- the 4 bolt mains (351 high power badge) with 4 barrel carby, fmx auto and 9" diff with rear disc brakes= the one to get LOL Weirdly the ltd had many American parts- the zf had mustang (68 I believe?) hubcaps and from memory, the side indicators were repurposed side markers from I think the 71 mustang??? the steering wheel was a 67 I think- but shared the actual dashboard with the XA/XB- but fitted with completely different instruments... I still think the zf ltd was the best looker of the lot, with its vacuum operated hidden headlights and 'lightbar' rear end- boot big enough to fit a double mattress in and a back seat you actually had to undo your seatbelt and get up to reach the center console or the seat pouches on the back of the front seats... I miss my ltd :-( |
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Chopperp Guru Joined: 03/01/2018 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1097 |
There is a plan to convert to LHD (Left Hand drive) in Oz in a few years time. There will be a 6 month trial period for large trucks & busses then, if successful, the rest of us will change sides.  ChopperP |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9610 |
LOL!!!!  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5119 |
We will, just after you guys adopt the metric system. The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| Paul_L Guru Joined: 03/03/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 769 |
Large trucks and buses will switch sides first, then cars will switch a few years later. That sounds logical! MKS is great for technicians and engineers, but FPS was hacked up for real people. 99% of all people live in a climate zone that stays between 0°F and 100°F all year. A yard is as long as a man's arm which looks like the yardarm of a ship. A foot is as long as a man's foot (except for mine). A mile (or a kilometer) is somewhat less comprehensible to a man who doesn't drive a car. I like FPS actually. Paul in NY |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3378 |
I'm all for the metric system, but there's no convenient equivalent to a foot. Have you ever heard anyone give a measurement in decameters? Canada is metric, but carpenters use feet and inches (though I once worked with a "handyman" who couldn't read a tape measure in feet and inches). Do builders in OZ and NZ use metric? Do you buy 2x4 studs and 4x8 sheets of plywood, or are metric dimensions used? PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3378 |
And that's what I mean. How many non-handy, non-tradespeople have a good offhand idea of the length that 2440mm represents? PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
Pretty much everyone under the age of 50 here... (I was in the last generation that grew up dual measuring) People that have grown up with metric only have no issues knowing how long a certain measurement is- simply because it is all they have ever used- tell them to grab a 2x4 (which isnt actually a 2x4 in reality anyway) and they wont have a clue what size it is... eta, I was helping a mates son do his first engine transplant, swapping out a 2.4l diesel engine that had a hole in the side you could actually fit your hand through If I asked him for a 12mm spanner, he could almost always grab it, just by eyeballing the spanners When it came to imperial spanners for the tray transplant though- he literally has to pick up spanners and read the labels until he finds the right one, as he has literally no exposure to imperial measurements at all |
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| Malibu Senior Member  Joined: 07/07/2018 Location: AustraliaPosts: 260 |
Nice!.... Really nice... A $106k price tag is something you only spend when you're keen! It's a pretty serious piece of restoration  Another couple of 'wheel machinery' love films are: "Love the Beast" - Eric Bana and his XB bought when he was a kid (On Stan) Tailer - Love The Beast "Road" - The Dunlop family in Ireland and the love of Motorcycle road racing (Netflix from memory) Trailer - Road (I just checked, but couldn't find 'Road' on anything, so it may have run its course. Still worthwhile finding it if you can) John |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9610 |
Builders over here refer to the large sheets of wood in metric, and 2440 x 1220, or "twenty-four forty by twelve twenty" is a common way to refer to such sheets of wood. Most sheets of wood and Gib board(drywall to US readers) are also in the exact same size. Interestingly though, the structural studs and dwangs are still referred to as 4x2 or "Four by two" - as in inches imperial. "And when she decked him with a four-by-two, the whole school stopped and GAWKED, and she said: Listen here you little....." - Yes. Well best I stop quoting three. So we actually use BOTH metric AND imperial, depending on what you are doing! Most engine reconditioners use imperial measurements such as 20-thou or 40-thou oversize pistons and bores, 10-thou or 15-thou undersize bearings for crankshaft regrinds etc. I have never heard of any of the engine places I have used refer to rebore and piston sizes etc in metric - it is always imperial. All older English cars use imperial, and all Japanese cars use metric, so over here it is commonplace to have an open-end/ring spanner set that covers BOTH, so you can always grab the right spanner for the right car. @ Malibu - Thanks for the links. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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GoodToGo! Senior Member Joined: 23/04/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 188 |
Being on the.... ahhh.... right side of 50, I grew up only knowing the metric system. Then I entered the aviation industry. That fixed that! Now I move between either metric or imperial depending on what I'm doing. Sometimes when I'm woodworking I catch myself measuring in either system.  Cheers! GTG! ...... Don't worry mate, it'll be GoodToGo! |
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| VK2MCT Senior Member Joined: 30/03/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 120 |
How much does each person get if one guinea (UK) is divided evenly ? John. |
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TassyJim Guru Joined: 07/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 6283 |
Except when it's an early Datsun where the engine is imperial and the body is metric. Jim VK7JH MMedit |
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