Ford Falcon GTHO: One-off automatic uncovered after 54 years

An Australian automotive historian has unearthed what is believed to be one of the rarest Ford Falcon GTHO sedans ever built: a one-off automatic version of the vehicle that would accelerate the muscle car era into top gear, and put Ford on top of the performance ladder locally.

While 95 per cent of new cars sold in Australia today have automatic transmissions, half a century ago they were a rarity – and they were especially rare in high-performance models such as the iconic Ford Falcon GTHO, which was developed as road car fast enough to conquer the Bathurst 500.

After decades of rumours about the existence of an automatic version of the race-bred Ford Falcon GTHO, automotive historian and author Ross Vasse sought to substantiate the bonafides of what is arguably the rarest vehicle of its breed to date.

Mr Vasse has uncovered – and substantiated – the only automatic Ford Falcon GTHO Phase 1 ever built, which is also the only automatic documented across all subsequent Phase 1.5, Phase 2, Phase 3 (and the short-lived Phase 4) versions of the Ford Falcon GTHO models.

In an upcoming book that forensically examines the history of the first Ford Falcon GTHO, Mr Vasse says: “It’s hard to believe the Ford Motor Company actually built an automatic version of the Falcon GTHO, especially when officially this option was not available for this model.

“But it is true. Across all the Falcon GTHO Phase series models, Ford did factory-build at least one automatic. There are unconfirmed reports there were possibly three other GTHOs over the years manufactured with automatic transmissions, but these have never been verified and we have accounted for every car built in that era.”

The Ford Falcon GT historian was able to establish – with supporting documents from official Ford records – the 137th ‘Windsor’ V8-powered GTHO built was factory stamped with code ‘B’ denoting an FMX automatic floor-shift automatic transmission.

“This car is without doubt one of the rarest Ford Falcon XW GTHO sedans ever built, if not the rarest,” said Mr Vasse.

“Our research shows the automatic transmission was definitely factory installed into Build Number 137, and the only hint that this astonishing ‘one-off’ Starlight Blue example existed was a whisper in the pages of the December 1969 edition of Sports Car World magazine.”

Until now, the automatic version of the 1969 Ford Falcon GTHO Phase I was a rumour.

According to Sports Car World in December 1969: “Of the magic 201 (GTHOs scheduled to be built - Ed), 200 will have drivers with quite contented smiles on their faces. And one will have a very contented smile because, if our in-factory sources are correct, just one automatic HO has been made.

“Why? We don’t know, but we believe it’s still in factory or semi-factory hands for evaluation.”

Historian Ross Vasse says official Ford documents show the automatic Ford Falcon GTHO Phase 1 was completed on Friday, 22 August 1969.

Research shows the car has passed through the hands of various owners over the past five decades, including former Ford Falcon GT historian, Jim Donovan.

“When I bought it, it was a basket case,” Mr Donovan told the authors of the upcoming Ford Falcon GTHO Phase 1 Register.

“It still had the original body, but it was very poor. The interior was ratty, the engine and gearbox were out and in a million pieces.

“I advertised it for sale in high-fill undercoat, and I didn’t want to state ‘GTHO auto’, as you can imagine what people would think.

“You should have heard the things callers said to me when I told them it was an automatic.”

The car was eventually restored after going through several hands since 2002, with each owner bringing the vehicle back to life in various stages, to get it in the condition it is today.

Automotive historian Ross Vasse is about to publish the final chapter in the Ford Falcon GTHO Phase 1 to Phase 3 Register series – which tracks down (or accounts for) every example built, including:

Although it has widely been reported there were four examples of the Ford Falcon XA GTHO Phase 4, in fact only one was stamped as such.

According to historians, a sole green sedan is the only Ford Falcon XA GTHO with 'Phase 4' identification plates.

Three other red sedans (built in the same month as the genuine Phase 4) were in fact GT models being developed as GTHO Phase 4 prototypes. But the Phase 4 program was scrapped after government outrage over the power struggle between Holden and Ford at the time.

As with the previous sold-out books from the ‘Register’ series – GTHO Phase 1.5, Phase II, and Phase III – the upcoming Ford Falcon GTHO Phase I Register details each of the 260 examples of the breed.

Details include every car’s colour and trim options, never before seen historical photos from Ford’s archives, pre-delivery paperwork, original sales receipts, photos of stolen and crashed cars, and insight into how many Ford Falcon GTHO Phase I sedans survive today.

The 351 limited edition hard cover versions of the Ford Falcon GTHO Phase I Register have already sold out online. Customer orders for the soft cover ‘Blue Edition’ close at midnight on 31 October 2023 and the publisher is only printing the exact number of books that have been pre-sold.

“As with the other editions, we will not do reprints. Once the orders are in, that is how many copies we will print,” said Mr Vasse.

“Next year we will be releasing the XC Cobra Hardtop Register – and the long awaited XA GTHO Phase IV Register, which will reveal more about that car than has ever been published to date.”

The Ford Falcon GTHO Phase I Register ‘Blue Edition’ costs $275 plus shipping, with deliveries due to commence from 30 November 2023.

MORE: Ford Falcon GTHO Phase 1 Register