If the EA Falcon was being sold new today...

[washoutbeach]

Did some homework last night with a copy of a 1988 edition of Wheels and looked up some stats.

Stats lie and all of that but here you go:-

In relative terms, if the base model EA 26 was being sold new today, it would set you back about $49,000 in todays money ( it cost 70% of the average annual salary).

For that kind of money you can buy a Lotus Elise, a 2010 WM Statemesman etc or a very good second hand FPV Falcon ute.

In contrast, the cost of the very accomplished based level FG mk 2 now costs you about 50% of the average Australian income.

So relatively speaking, you can see that a new Ford Falcon is much more affordable now than in 1989.

But dont expect fantasy luxuries like air conditioning, remote boot and petrol latches in the base EA- do you get them in the base VE?!

Only nine full time designers worked on it and third party suppliers were chosen for their committment and enthuiasm rather than cheapness of product.

There was no compromise on the magificent EA. Thats the Ford ethic, thats the Ford way.

And in 1988 you could buy a radar detector (legally) for your weekly wage.

The Commonwealth government were serious buyers of the EA. It tore the heart of the General, heady days indeed.

Any comments from the panel here welcomed.

[LTDHO]

Wasn't the EA the highest selling model to (it's) date?

[Professor Farnsworth]

the EA (s2 & anniversary model) was a great car, despite what the droning sheep (who never owned one) will tell you.

The Ghia 5 speed we had was just a really nice car to be in, and was well appointed for its time.

I'd still like to know where they get 'average' salaries from though.

[Powdered Toast Man]

Yes the current large cars are a lot of metal for the money when you compare them to the past.

Ahh the mighty EA. I loved mine, was a great, comfortable daily criuser. EAII GL with the (relatively gutless) CFI 3.9 engine and the first of the 4spd autos. Very nice interior in them for the day, they still hold their own today really.

Not sure how many wouldn't have come with air con although it was technically a pay extra option.

[Professor Farnsworth]

Ahh, the "4 Speed Electronic Automatic"! I remember the badging when it came out.

I think air con was standard in S-Pack, Fairmont, and Climate in Ghia/Fairlane

[TheyDontWantMus]

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

the EA (s2 & anniversary model) was a great car, despite what the droning sheep (who never owned one) will tell you.

having owned one... they're a horrible car

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by TheyDontWantMus

having owned one... they're a horrible car

explain your reasons why.

[anto]

I guess Im a droning sheep then.
I owned a Ghia as well and although very nice to drive and well appointed it was the worst car I have ever had. Whe I bought it it was a low km one owner car. Everything imaginable went wrong on the car costing me thousands and thousands at the time ...even the hazrd light switch broke and stuck on the one time I pressed it ! I sold the thing for a massive lost just to get out of the nightmare..
Obviously not all of them were lemons a but clearly enough of them were and its with good reason it has a bad reputation.

I had an ED fairmont later on and although visually similar it was in a different league, probably one of the best cars I have ever had

[saber]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Wasn't the EA the highest selling model to (it's) date?

I thought that title belonged to the mighty XF?

[Professor Farnsworth]

my ED Fairmont Ghia was far less reliable than the EA Ghia - Our EA got to more than 330,000KM with the only thing going wrong between 120,000 and 330,000 being a drive belt - it didn't even have the head gasket done..

BA's have FAR more problems that the EA by a huge margin, and the problems with it are far more expensive to fix.

[TheyDontWantMus]

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

explain your reasons why.

I don't think it needs an explanation.
Not going to start an argument, but I'm struggling to think of any good things about them.

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by TheyDontWantMus

I don't think it needs an explanation.
Not going to start an argument, but I'm struggling to think of any good things about them.

i'm not arguing, but it's rather redundant to make a negative statement then have nothing to back up your opinion with.

[casabonka]

my old man's EA spac was a brilliant car - spotless, never leaked, broke down once after a fan belt snapped - this thing was immaculate! Ran on the smell of an oily rag - ran like a dream until 305k until it was written off.

Sadly I then purchased one and had nothing but nightmares. Was a great care for its age, and IMO compared to the competition such as the magna, camry and commo.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by TheyDontWantMus

I don't think it needs an explanation.
Not going to start an argument, but I'm struggling to think of any good things about them.

Im sure the argument against them could be used for many cars from era.

I had a EA Ghia, 3 speed auto on LPG. It was my first car, for what it was and what I paid it was ok and held up to normal P plater abuse.

[Professor Farnsworth]

the 3 speed was a corker, you could almost fry eggs on the transmission cowling on road trips

[washoutbeach]

Thanks for the appraisals & insights lads.


The engines were designed by David ford an aussie who worked in the states.
The 3.9 multi point was one of the highlights of the ghia which weighed in almost 200 kilos heavier and cost almost ten grand more than base.

Ford said the 3.9 engine exceeded all expectations with figures that set a new benchmark for the entire industry

It could 0 to 100 in 7.8 seconds and would take you to 215 kph at 4200 rpm

The ghia boasted some 20 extra features than base model.

E is for car segment ford had d,e and f.
A is for australia
26 is for it's official ford world design number

[tweeked]

I dont know about the "no compromise" The 3 speed auto was well and truly past its use by. Never undestood why when they released the 4 speed they jyst added the overdrive and lowered the Diff slightly (if I recall correctly)

The Commy used to blitz it off the line due to this. A shorter 1st gear would have made all the difference.

[DJL351]

The olds had a Taxi yellow 3sp auto CFI S-Pack. It was a great car.
We had a couple of small issues; like the TPS and rack switch failures, but other than that it ran really well.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

the 3 speed was a corker, you could almost fry eggs on the transmission cowling on road trips

Honest to god I could only get wheel spin in the wet...LOL..or on full lock.

Put a 5 speed with the 3.9 and its a whole different story though.

[MickyB]

My Mum's old 4 speed EA2 GL with the multi point injection became my first car when I turned 18. Lowered it and put a sports exhaust on, I really loved that car. We owned it until it had done about 200,000km, barely had a problem with it in that time.

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by DJL351

The olds had a Taxi yellow 3sp auto CFI S-Pack. It was a great car.
We had a couple of small issues; like the TPS and rack switch failures, but other than that it ran really well.

the s pack should have been the 3.9 MPI

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Put a 5 speed with the 3.9 and its a whole different story though.

yep indeed, our 5 speed got up and moved when needed! In certain conditions it was hard not to spin the wheels

but with the 3 speed, like you mentioned, you'd need to nudge it into a brick wall to get wheel spin

[Angeldust]

my GF's parents had an EA.

Was almost a complete lemon. Had multiple things wrong with it.

[DJL351]

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

the s pack should have been the 3.9 MPI

Nope, it was an 88 CFI.
WE upgraded it with the 89/90 eye-level stop light and put the fender repeater lights in.... as well as the red MPI 3.9 Badges.
Trip computer, Ghia radio, EB C-pillar trim.

By the time it got traded in, no one could tell for sure if it was an EA, EA2 or early EB.


**Fun fact, there were a few CPI Series 1 EBs too.

[macman]

My sister had an '88 EA1 GL (3.9 CFI and 3 speed column auto).

I thought it was really cool, felt so modern compared to my XE at the time. I used to love driving it and it went a LOT better than my 4.1 auto XE.

She loved the car so much she added a Ghia interior, Ford optional mags, sports exhaust, S-Pack stripes etc. Was a good looking Ford and never had any troubles with it until it developed an occasional drip from the gearbox and then the steering rack started leaking... Would all have been easily fixed though and under no strech of the imagination was it a "Lemon" like everyone thinks of the EA.

[Ford_The_Win]

I had one, it was a great car. A white 3.9 GL with body coloured bumpers! Really comfortable seats, everything worked, excellent visibility, nice and tight turning circle, and they don't really seem to rust at all, unlike some newer model Falcons... Not very economical though, not by a long shot. In the late 80s, it would have been pretty posh. 310,000 kays and it never faltered, but the gearbox was tired and it burnt oil.

[gcg2503]

One of my best mates is a partner in a large CBD Chartered Accounting firm

Up until last year his daily driver was a Gold EA Fairmont Ghia.

Mint condition and had 350,000+ kms on it.

Was written off by a clown in a hiace van. He is still saddened by his loss. That car would have clocked 500000kms easy.

I liked that EA!

[bushboy100]

Well back in the day I sold my first car a midnight Blue 351 XC GXL (fitted with a real alloy shaker at the time and FMX auto & 9") which at the time was old and in need I thought of an upgrade to the Mighty EA. Bought a low K's counrty car and proceeded to use on regular trips to Adelaide from Western district of Vitoria. (Hamilton) upgraded with a set of 16" 5 spoke alloys and fat rubber, 2.5" system, and lowered is a few inches. Looked great in polar white. Lasted a while until the auto died, cost me almost 3K at the time to fix which was a big hit to the pocket. 3 months after that the head went, got that fixed then the diff. After that it was sold and I moved onto of all things a VH SLE commodore that ran for years with nothing apart from services as cost. (It was a great car, 308/t400 auto in gold) now back to an XC as weekend/toy/drag fun car.

The worm turns..

[tranquilized]

I have a lot of fond memories of the EA's - my parents had two at one stage.

Dad got a sky blue 88 EA GL brand new as a company car. I still remember travelling to Melbourne to pick it up, and listening to the audio tape owners manual that came with them in those days on the way home. It had a lot of problems early on, but they eventually got ironed out and it was a great car.

The olds also had an 89 Fairmont Ghia station wagon, Jan build so it still had the 3sp auto. I loved that car and all its gadgets. Nothing really went wrong with that as far as I can remember.

They were interesting times in the Aussie auto industry IMO. Holden were basically broke from a disasterous 80's with the too-small Commodore, so the VN was a horrible bitsa made up of various components from the GM world. When the VT was released, Holden stated publicy that the VN was the car they had to do, the VT was the car they could do.

Ford had massive success in the 80's, and the EA was the result of that. I dont think there has ever been such a genuinely all new Falcon. All new engines, suspensions, steering, and body shape. Its never happend in the one model change before or since.

But FOA were designing and engineering the Capri for world wide sale at the same time as the EA. They were over-stretched, and EA and Capri quality was way off par. All those early problems hurt the EA's reputation so badly they are still joked about today.

Another problem for the EA I reckon was the high expectations the industry and market had of it before it was released. I think it was Jackie Stewart who was flown in to hold a press conference to let the journalists down gently regarding rumours of things like standard IRS accross the range for example, and probably the fact that it was to be released with the old 3sp auto and not the 4. The 3.9 litre engines were designed for the 4speed - its delay was a major major stuff up as well, but was a supplier issue out of Fords hands.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by washoutbeach

Thanks for the appraisals & insights lads.


The engines were designed by David ford an aussie who worked in the states.
The 3.9 multi point was one of the highlights of the ghia which weighed in almost 200 kilos heavier and cost almost ten grand more than base.

Ford said the 3.9 engine exceeded all expectations with figures that set a new benchmark for the entire industry

It could 0 to 100 in 7.8 seconds and would take you to 215 kph at 4200 rpm

The ghia boasted some 20 extra features than base model.

E is for car segment ford had d,e and f.
A is for australia
26 is for it's official ford world design number

Their biggest problems was oil leaks around the front of the cylinder head and early problems
with air locks in the cylinder head which were overcome with slight modifications.

Heart wrenching stuff to see Ford people trading in their XFs for EAs only to turn around and bitterly complain
about the first of a new model having faults, that's why I waited until EB II and got a beautiful fuss free
vehicle that went 247,000 km before the next owner wrote it off in a very unfortunate accident....