25 January, 1974: On this day 50 years ago, Ford Australia made public, the surprising decision to withdraw all factory support for touring car racing. At the time Ford was deeply embedded in Australian motorsport, having achieved significant recent success with the GT-HO. In fact, 1973 was both a championship and Bathurst 1000 winning year for the marque. A combination of factors, including the global oil crisis, rising production costs, and a changing public attitude toward high-performance vehicles, influenced Ford's decision to pull the plug on its racing sponsorship.
In response to Ford's withdrawal, Allan Moffat and other drivers resorted to creative measures to stay competitive. Moffat, famously took on backing from Brut 33, a brand of aftershave, which led to his distinctive "Brut 33" liveried XB Falcon.
Leaning on the resources of FoMoCo USA and Moffat further developed the car he had built - reportedly at a cost of $100,000 - hoping to capture his fourth Bathurst crown. The blue Brut 33 machine had won the recent Sandown 250 but the upgraded version of that car that he shared with co-driver Dieter Glemser suffered engine failure just after halfway through the Bathurst 1000. AUTOart/Biante and more recently Classic Carlectables have produced this car in 1:18 scale.
87411 - 1974 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 - Allan Moffat / Dieter Glemser - XB Falcon GT Hardtop
Released in May 2001 by AUTOart/Biante
Allan Moffat Collection Release #3
Production run of 6000
18266 - 1974 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 - Allan Moffat / Dieter Glemser - XB Falcon GT Hardtop
Released in November 2010 by Classic Carlectables
Production run of 1100
While Moffat struggled for success at the Mountain as a privateer in his new XB Falcon, the duo of John Goss and Kevin Bartlett used the outgoing XA Falcon to great success, securing victory over Forbes/Negus and Richards/Coppins in a pair of newly released LH Toranas. In similar fashion to the Moffat/Glemser car, the Goss/Bartlett Bathurst winner has been immortalised by AUTOart/Biante and latterly, Classic Carlectables.
87412 - Hardie-Ferodo 1000 Winner - John Goss / Kevin Bartlett - XA Falcon GT Hardtop
Released in June 2006 by AUTOart
Production run of 3000
18412 - Hardie-Ferodo 1000 Winner - John Goss / Kevin Bartlett - XA Falcon GT Hardtop
Released in January 2012 by Classic Carlectables
Production run of 1550
Sadly, these two pairs of duplicates make up four of the six 1974 ATCC Falcons that have ever been produced. The other two models are Moffat's ATCC - as opposed to Bathurst - car (AUTOart) and the aforementioned Sandown 250 Winner (by Classic Carlectables).
87413 - 1974 ATCC Season - Allan Moffat - XB Falcon GT Hardtop
Released in April 2008 by AUTOart as part of the Biante Allan Moffat Collection
Production run of 4000
18783 - 1974 Sandown 250 Winner - Allan Moffat - XB Falcon GT Hardtop
Released in February 2023 by Classic Carlectables
Production run of 1000
A little known fact about 1974 is that it has proven to be Ford's last victory with a Falcon bearing the GT badge, and in doing so makes the XA the second (XR was first in 1967) and last GT badged Falcon (as opposed to GT-HO) to ever win Bathurst. The nameplate was officially retired after 1976 until 1992 when it reappeared on the EB Falcon GT street car which never raced.