This is a 1978 Ford Falcon XC Cobra, it’s a rare Australian-made Ford muscle car of which only 400 were made, and this is number 241.
The surviving examples of the XC Cobra are now among the most-desirable locally-built coupes in Australian history, alongside their contemporary Holden Monaro and Torana rivals. A handful of these Cobras have been exported to the USA where they never fail to draw a crowd, with most people having never seen one before – or even heard about them.
Fast Facts: Ford Falcon XC Cobra
- The Ford Falcon XC Cobra was a limited-run Australian coupe created to clear 400 unsold XC body shells at the end of production. Finished in white with blue striping, all cars had V8 power, performance hardware, and distinctive Cobra branding inspired by Ford’s then-recent Bathurst success.
- The project was approved under Ford Australia boss Edsel Ford II, who aimed to capitalize on Ford’s 1977 Bathurst 1-2 finish. The Cobra name and visual identity intentionally echoed the earlier Shelby Mustangs, while remaining a uniquely Australian product built quickly and sold as a special edition.
- The first 200 cars used the 5.8 liter 351 Cleveland V8, while the final 200 received the 4.9 liter 302 Cleveland, not the Windsor engine used in the US. All cars included four-wheel disc brakes, limited-slip differentials, spoilers, Bathurst Globe wheels, and dual exhausts.
- The example shown here is number 241, built in August 1978 and finished in correct Sno White with Olympic Blue striping. It retains its matching-numbers 302 Cleveland, four-speed Top Loader manual, original documentation, limited ownership history, and signatures from touring car legends Dick Johnson and Allan Moffat.
History Speedrun: The Ford Falcon XC Cobra
In 1978 as the production of the Ford Falcon XC was ending, to be replaced with the newer unrelated XD Falcon, Ford Australia faced a dilemma. They had 400 unsold XC Falcon body shells that they needed to shift, and they needed to shift them quickly.
The Ford Falcon XC Cobra was finished in white with blue stripes and details, they were all fitted with V8s, four-wheel disc brakes, limited slip differentials, 15 inch Bathurst Globe wheels, front and rear spoilers, and a dual sports exhaust. Image courtesy of Ford Australia.
At the time, the Managing Director of Ford Australia was Edsel Ford II (he was also the Deputy Managing Director of Ford Motor Company), the great-grandson of Henry Ford. Having been born and raised into the Ford family, Edsel had a solid grasp of what would sell and what wouldn’t.
He had a special edition XC made to capitalize on the recent Ford 1-2 finish in the 1977 Hardie-Ferodo 1000, and he gave it a look and a name that would remind people of the much-loved Shelby Mustangs, without actually using the Shelby name – they would be called the Ford Falcon Cobra.
These cars were finished in white with blue stripes and details, they were all fitted with V8s, four-wheel disc brakes, limited slip differentials, 15 inch Bathurst Globe wheels, front and rear spoilers, and a dual sports exhaust.
Unusually, the cars were all painted blue first, then the center sections were taped off and they were painted in white. They were all given “Cobra” emblem decals on the front fenders and an additional model name emblem on the rear, each also received an individual serial number.
The first 200 examples of the Ford Falcon Cobra were fitted with the 5.8 liter (351 cubic inch) Cleveland V8. The final 200 received the 302 Cleveland V8 with a displacement of 4.9 liters (4,942cc or 301.6 cubic inches). It’s important to note that this engine is different to the Windsor 302 V8 which was used by Ford extensively in the United States.
Today, the surviving examples of these cars are among the most collectible Australian-made cars ever produced, typically selling for well into the six figure range. A small number have made their way across to the United States where they never fail to attract a crowd – as most have never seen one before and have no idea what it is.
The first 200 examples of the Ford Falcon Cobra were fitted with the 5.8 liter (351 cubic inch) Cleveland V8. The final 200 received the 302 Cleveland V8 with a displacement of 4.9 liters (4,942cc or 301.6 cubic inches). It’s important to note that this engine is different to the Windsor 302 V8 which was used by Ford extensively in the United States. Image courtesy of Ford Australia.
The 1978 Ford Falcon XC Cobra Shown Here
As mentioned in the introduction, this is the 241st Ford Falcon XC Cobra that was made, from the total production run of 400 units. The car is finished in correct Sno White with the Olympic Blue Cobra striping, over a black vinyl and black and blue cloth-trimmed interior.
Power comes from the matching-numbers 4.9 liter (302 cubic inch) Cleveland V8, paired with a 4-speed Top Loader manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. The car rides on 15 inch Bathurst Globe alloy wheels shod with BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires.
The car was built in August of 1978 and has had limited ownership across its life. The car has power-assisted brakes and dual exhausts, and on the engine air cleaner you’ll find the signatures of Australian touring car icons Dick Johnson and Allan Moffat.
This is a 1978 Ford Falcon XC Cobra, it’s a rare Australian-made Ford of which only 400 were made, and this one is number 241.
Accompanying the car are an XC Series workshop manual, a stamped service booklet, and original service records dating back to the early 1980s.
The car is now being offered for sale out of Strathfield in NSW, Australia on Collecting Cars, if you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Collecting Cars
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
