1983 Ford Falcon Panel Van review from Australia and New Zealand
"From Crap Box to Sheer Power"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Coil lead came off when I had the 4.1 alloy head engine in it.
Radiator overflow leaked and it started to rust.
General comments?
Purchased the car as a standard white panel van with a 4.1 engine in it for 800 dollars.
The engine was worn badly as was the body work, I decided to give it a total overhaul, I had the suspension lowered, then resprayed it in dark blue 2pack, spent 5000 dollars on a 351 I had given to me so I put that in, I also refitted the inside of the car in a nice grey.
It is in show car condition now, I have trouble getting grip taking off from the traffic lights its that powerful.
But since the re-fit, the car has been like a dream, hugs the road and hasn't had a mechanical fault since.
I drive from Adelaide to Mt Gambier twice a week and It purrs at 210km/h quite comfortably at 4500rpm.
I was offered 15000 dollars to sell it, Not bad considering It owes me 12800, but I will never sell it.
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| Hard working bargain you can pick up for a steal |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 351 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 10/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 165000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 193000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Ford Falcon |
| Date of Entry | 12th June, 2003 |