RPO83 H/TOP W/P4 Engine

This XA GT RPO 83 hardtop has an interesting history that crosses paths with the only factory XA GTHO Phase IV race car that actually turned a wheel in competition.

Usually, when a car as rare and significant as an XA GT RPO 83 hardtop is missing the matching-numbers engine it loses much of its monetary value. However, every rule has an exception and that’s what this car is.

A previous owner quite proudly advertised the car as having one of the 351ci 4V Cleveland V8 engines that was used in what was Bruce Hodgson’s XA Phase IV race car; the only one of the three red machines built by Ford Special Vehicles that actually saw any competition miles when it contested the Australian Rally Championship in 1973 and a number of rallycross events in 1974.

When we say “one of the engines”, we’re acknowledging that race cars have their engines changed as part of normal preparation. It also must be said that rallying is very brutal on a car so Bruce’s Phase IV copped some serious abuse out on the Aussie forest stages.

Based on all the information available, it appears that this would be the motor that powered that Phase IV for the greatest period of its existence, when it was retired from competition and used as a road car for over 15 years.

The orange car itself has been restored back to its factory specifications, except for the engine that was pulled from the wrecked the Phase IV which has been freshened-up and remains the car’s most interesting talking point.

To read the full story behind this XA GT RPO 83 hardtop and nine other very rare and interesting classic Falcon GTs, get out and grab your copy of Ford Muscle The Rare GT Collection as soon as it hits the shelves next week.