ONE-OFF XA FALCON GT HARDTOP TO BE AUCTIONED

Less than 12 months after Grays auctioned the ‘Chicken Coupe’ XA Falcon GT hardtop for over $300,000, they’ve secured another barn find XA GT hardtop for auction.

Also located in Queensland and another one-owner car from new, this particular GT hardtop carries the same RPO 83 performance equipment as the Chicken Coupe, but differs in terms of colour, options and condition.

xa falcon — Success with the ‘Chicken Coupe’ sale prompted owner of this GT to auction it through Grays, too.

What makes this particular XA GT unique is its paint – Port Wine. Also known as Sogo Port Wine, this deep burgundy finish was applied to twelve XA Falcon GT sedans, but only one XA Falcon GT hardtop – this car

In terms of options, only the RPO 83 ‘Performance Pack’, a laminated tint-band windscreen and mandatory seat belts were selected on this car’s order form, making it sparsely optioned compared to some, but the RPO 83 gear (essentially a selection of repurposed performance parts from the abandoned GT-HO Phase IV) and standard 351 V8, 4-speed Toploader manual transmission and 9-inch rear outweigh that.

Several aftermarket extras have been added since purchase, including ‘Endrust’ rust protection, period Magnum jelly bean alloys, BFG radials, an ’80s-era Mitsubishi stereo and related speakers, AWA underdash air con and a ‘GT’ shifter knob. Under the bonnet, air horns and a non-standard air cleaner have been added, along with some miscellaneous wiring, presumably related to the stereo upgrade.

Importantly for prospective buyers, this car is in much better condition than the Chicken Coupe, with no obvious body damage and what appears to be surface rust only. It’s much better inside, too, with the Parchment vinyl trim in remarkably good condition front and rear (no rat’s nests!) and even an original sunvisor sleeve with steering column lock instructions.

Built in 8/73 and sold new in NSW, this GT spent almost two decades there before it was taken off the road in 1991 and relocated to Queensland. Neither moved nor started for the past 20 years, the car has done well not to succumb to the elements, especially as it only seemed to be stored in an open carport when Grays removed it.

Removing it from its Queensland resting place required some trees to be cut down, but after a good clean inside and out after its arrival at Grays’ Pinkenba base, the GT presented remarkably well.

As consigned for this month’s Grays auction, this XA Falcon GT hardtop’s odometer reads 98,909 miles, but it’s unlikely the engine runs or even turns over after two decades’ slumber.

At time of writing, bidding on this car was sitting at $252,000 with 141 bids, but the usual last-minute rush should see the final price beat the Chicken Coupe’s $300,000.