Australia,s Rarest muscle cars

[PlukaDuck]

According to Australian Muscle Cars the FORD LANDAU COUPE
is one of Australia,s rarest muscle cars.

http://www.australian-musclecars.com/Ford-Landau

1973-76 Ford Landau

The Ford Landau is one of Australia's rarest muscle cars. With emphasise on luxury, the Landau embodies the U.S.A and Australia culture like no other muscle car. The Ford Landau possessed the ground breaking four-wheel disc brakes which helped Ford win Bathurst in 1973.

The 1973 Landau was the first luxury coupe concept ever produced in Australia. It was this model that set a high standard for the local luxury Coupe, with elaborate exterior and interior styling.

Local Fords had to be designed to fit within a maximum length, which forced designers to balance wheelbase, overhangs and cabin space. Whilst American Fords were shaped around a specific wheelbase with no limits on length, which encouraged designers to indulge in huge overhangs to distinguish a particular model.

Running Changes

A key change was the power window switch design, which went from a raised switch with a finger recess to a flusher button design.

Seat belt buckles also changed from the early lavish chrome items to a more basic plastic style, while the inside door handles switched from a chrome surround to a black one.

Mid 1975 saw the first round of emissions requirements, hence the sealed petrol tank and charcoal canister for fuel vapour which prompted some re-arranging in the engine bay.

The addition of a remote boot release.

There were also five colours specific to the Landau including Port Wine, Deep Ivy, Stratosphere Grey, Grecian Gold and Nightmist Blue. Having said that any of the Ford's colour scheme could be specified.

The introduction of the upmarket padded Vinyl roof, which came in black, white, dark blue, dark brown and dark green.

The hardtop body itself was a work in progress with many changes in the way it was built, based around strength and rust pockets.

The padded vinyl roof ensures that any area that becomes wet, stays wet. Thats why there isn't many Landau left due to the problem with rust.

The stock wheel was a steel 15-inch item with a baggy 70-series tyre, usually an Olympic Reflex textile radial that provided reasonable grip. The original spoked-type conical wheel covers are virtually impossible to source locally.

The Landau model code is 26317.

The small-port 2V heads and four-barrel carburettor were a magic local combination, when it turned the big Cleveland into a much smoother and more tractable engine perfectly suited to the Landau application.

Dual exhaust tail pipes are a common upgrade, but some would argue that the single exhaust was more in keeping with the original Landau approach.

The rear bucket seats are gold and so is the vinyl/ fabric combination fitted as standard.

Price Range

Incomplete examples, no matter how well presented or restored, pull up well under $20,000 depending on whats missing. Factory original examples are rare and are consequently rising in value as the Landau becomes more appreciated. The upper price range still seems to be $35-45,000.

1973 Ford Landau 2 Door Hardtop Specifications.

Engine- Cleveland V8, pushrod overhead valves, cast iron block and 2V heads, four barrel Autolite 4300 downdraught carburetor.

Compression Ratio- 9:4:1

Max Power- 290 bhp/ 216kW/5000rpm

Max Torque- 380lb/ft/515Nm/3200 rpm

Transmission- 3-speed C4 automatic.

Brakes- Front 11.25-inch ventilated disc Rear solid disc

Drive- 2.75:1 LSD

Max Speed- 200 km/h

0-100km/h- 8.4 seconds

Standing 400m- 17.1 seconds
1973-76 Ford Landau

The Ford Landau is one of Australia's rarest muscle cars. With emphasise on luxury, the Landau embodies the U.S.A and Australia culture like no other muscle car. The Ford Landau possessed the ground breaking four-wheel disc brakes which helped Ford win Bathurst in 1973.

The 1973 Landau was the first luxury coupe concept ever produced in Australia. It was this model that set a high standard for the local luxury Coupe, with elaborate exterior and interior styling.

Local Fords had to be designed to fit within a maximum length, which forced designers to balance wheelbase, overhangs and cabin space. Whilst American Fords were shaped around a specific wheelbase with no limits on length, which encouraged designers to indulge in huge overhangs to distinguish a particular model.

Running Changes

A key change was the power window switch design, which went from a raised switch with a finger recess to a flusher button design.

Seat belt buckles also changed from the early lavish chrome items to a more basic plastic style, while the inside door handles switched from a chrome surround to a black one.

Mid 1975 saw the first round of emissions requirements, hence the sealed petrol tank and charcoal canister for fuel vapour which prompted some re-arranging in the engine bay.

The addition of a remote boot release.

There were also five colours specific to the Landau including Port Wine, Deep Ivy, Stratosphere Grey, Grecian Gold and Nightmist Blue. Having said that any of the Ford's colour scheme could be specified.

The introduction of the upmarket padded Vinyl roof, which came in black, white, dark blue, dark brown and dark green.

The hardtop body itself was a work in progress with many changes in the way it was built, based around strength and rust pockets.

The padded vinyl roof ensures that any area that becomes wet, stays wet. Thats why there isn't many Landau left due to the problem with rust.

The stock wheel was a steel 15-inch item with a baggy 70-series tyre, usually an Olympic Reflex textile radial that provided reasonable grip. The original spoked-type conical wheel covers are virtually impossible to source locally.

The Landau model code is 26317.

The small-port 2V heads and four-barrel carburettor were a magic local combination, when it turned the big Cleveland into a much smoother and more tractable engine perfectly suited to the Landau application.

Dual exhaust tail pipes are a common upgrade, but some would argue that the single exhaust was more in keeping with the original Landau approach.

The rear bucket seats are gold and so is the vinyl/ fabric combination fitted as standard.

Price Range

Incomplete examples, no matter how well presented or restored, pull up well under $20,000 depending on whats missing. Factory original examples are rare and are consequently rising in value as the Landau becomes more appreciated. The upper price range still seems to be $35-45,000.

1973 Ford Landau 2 Door Hardtop Specifications.

Engine- Cleveland V8, pushrod overhead valves, cast iron block and 2V heads, four barrel Autolite 4300 downdraught carburetor.

Compression Ratio- 9:4:1

Max Power- 290 bhp/ 216kW/5000rpm

Max Torque- 380lb/ft/515Nm/3200 rpm

Transmission- 3-speed C4 automatic.

Brakes- Front 11.25-inch ventilated disc Rear solid disc

Drive- 2.75:1 LSD

Max Speed- 200 km/h

0-100km/h- 8.4 seconds

Standing 400m- 17.1 seconds