XE ESP 351 manual

[XR6WGN]

Originally Posted by Paul22

the Fairmonts had the "S pack" option, err... no they didn't 'S' pack was only ever available on GL.

That was 4stanger's statement - not mine. I quoted him in reference to my ESP's interior door trims!

[BPXR6T]

Kind of related. I think I have the 351 from an XD ESP in my XB GT, the globes from the same car in the shed too. Bought an XD from a guy in Canberra as a parts car back in 2003 and he told me he wrapped his ESP around a tree and transferred all the running gear into the car I bought from him. Been tempted to rip it all out of the GT and build an XD ESP clone.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Paul22

the Fairmonts had the "S pack" option, err... no they didn't 'S' pack was only ever available on GL.

I don't think that is correct. I had an XD Fairmont that had the S pac option.

[Whitey-AMG]

Beautiful interior. Nothing better before or since I reckon.
I have so many good memories of my old V8 XE ESP.
They were however an interesting car to drive as a stocker. Quite fragile with huge amounts of body flex. Many V8 models will have some shock tower ripple in the metal where the clevo wanted to bring the engine bay in on itself....lol
It really did need some bracing and the rear end steer could make the car an absolute handful if pushed real hard as the watts link really did struggle. Rust was bad in these models.... real bad which made upkeep a nightmare if it was driven regularly.

As a stocker , the 351 and the 302 were laughable. Like hysterical laughable to the point you pass out laughable.
I gave up on originality on mine as it was terrible to drive and I really needed some excitement in it. So I modified the engine and wheels /suspension and trans and exhaust and kept the exterior plain. Only then did it make me want to keep the car......

Sold it for the BFGT , but I do wish I could have kept both. For all it's vices, the ESP had character in spades and that's what I remember the most.

[Burnout]

I had #178; 5.8L 4speed, as they all were.
Mine didn't have electric windows, as I didn't see the need of it at the time. Was an impressive drive, even stock. As a long distance cruiser, at the time, it could not be beaten. Outstanding in the corners etc..

Only kept it 12 months and traded it back to the dealer I brought it from. It was the only car I ever made money on when I sold it.

[Stefan]

I think Simmons Wheels and XD / XE are just the perfect match.

I think the wheels just suite the boxy shape, I saw a nice RS2000 wearing Simmons yesterday, the same 80s boxiness and it just looked the business.

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by Bluey-GT

For all it's vices, the ESP had character in spades and that's what I remember the most.

Very, very true. Same could be said for most of the cars of the era, and for the muscle cars of the prior decade. Our memories are often jaded by nostalgia, and we quickly forget how much cars have improved over the decades - but they lost their character along the way.

I've often said 80's cars are the last to have a personality. Carby fed motors that can have attitude problems - yes, EFI is much nicer in a daily, but it has no character, and that's why we still love them, and ignore the vices.

[JG66ME]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I don't think that is correct. I had an XD Fairmont that had the S pac option.

S Pack was available on XD Fairmont.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/photos/....php?photo=137

Not sure about XE, maybe that is what he meant.

[Paul22]

Yep that was what I was referring to....XE

[JG66ME]

Originally Posted by Paul22

Yep that was what I was referring to....XE

I think that by the time the XE came along most of the S pack features were standard on that model. I have tried searching for the exact feature/option list but cannot find it. If the Fairmont didn't get any of those features then it is a pretty bland car.

[FERG_51]

Originally Posted by Bluey-GT

Beautiful interior. Nothing better before or since I reckon.
I have so many good memories of my old V8 XE ESP.
They were however an interesting car to drive as a stocker. Quite fragile with huge amounts of body flex. Many V8 models will have some shock tower ripple in the metal where the clevo wanted to bring the engine bay in on itself....lol
It really did need some bracing and the rear end steer could make the car an absolute handful if pushed real hard as the watts link really did struggle. Rust was bad in these models.... real bad which made upkeep a nightmare if it was driven regularly.

As a stocker , the 351 and the 302 were laughable. Like hysterical laughable to the point you pass out laughable.
I gave up on originality on mine as it was terrible to drive and I really needed some excitement in it. So I modified the engine and wheels /suspension and trans and exhaust and kept the exterior plain. Only then did it make me want to keep the car......

Sold it for the BFGT , but I do wish I could have kept both. For all it's vices, the ESP had character in spades and that's what I remember the most.

image

Totally agree with your comments, pretty sure I saw your car at Ballarat swap meet, for sale from memory many years ago. Spent a few minutes drooling lol.

[Falcon0213]

S pack was available in the XF as well my old man owned one back in the days

Sent from my Tab2A7-10F using Tapatalk

[Tsar01]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

G'day...Never (obviously owned ESP..but owned an XE for several years)..
All I know is the XE shape is a really classy one..Mine was a 4 speed manual but with the 4.1 crossy 6...and we'll want some pictures of her to show her off...Cheers Rod..

Same same here, though my XE was an S pak,, baa hum bug to the S pak options basically screw all of nothing. Though I do wish I bought the Silver XE Fairmont ESP right next to the monza red s pak I bought instead for $1k less at the time. I traded out all the wonderful beige S-Pak interior for fairmont or fairlane grey much nicer in a red car. I did blow a few diffs in it too hehehe


To the original poster good luck on your hunt for a good ESP I hope you get one, I still wish I had my S pak, and wish even more I had a XE Fairmont ESP...302 ..51 man or auto, but would not part with my S/c Miami to get on either lol

[BlueBear]

Originally Posted by Paul22

the Fairmonts had the "S pack" option, err... no they didn't 'S' pack was only ever available on GL.

Nope, Bought a Fairmont S Pack brand new in 82.
302 4 speed Monza Red, wish I still had it too...



Yes it's sittin high, but had too for the Central West QLD roads, still had to roll the guards though??

[Falcon0213]

Nope Fairmont had the S pack

Sent from my Tab2A7-10F using Tapatalk

[Falcon0213]

Also the XF was the biggest selling falcon of its time with more than 278,101 sold I love my XFs but those XEs are some beauty's . Nice cars guys

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[PHATAL]

One of these would be nice:

https://www.australianmusclecarsales...xe-falcon.html

[XR6WGN]

Originally Posted by PHATAL

One of these would be nice:

https://www.australianmusclecarsales...xe-falcon.html

Yep I'd have one of those as well - not a bad price for it either.

[Aulpgute]

Keen to find one myself after having a succession of XD's to XF's in the late 80's and 90's but yeah $80k is getting up there. Plan B could well be a relatively unmolested FC/FD LTD or XD/XE interceptor. Of all of the ones I had the highlight was a 1980 XD S Pack ute in brambles red from the factory with light tan interior, 351c, FMX and mysteriously a 9 inch rear that was either factory fitted or if not was retrofitted with all the oem cables and lines that it looked like it was. This was back in 92 pre internet forums and knowledge we have now. Would anyone have any insight as to whether a 9 inch could have found it's way into an XD from factory? In the meantime I will dig around for a pic to post

[Aulpgute]

Sorry for picture quality, just jogging the memory and wondering if it was vermillion fire not brambles red?

[FPV+fteT3]

Would be Monza red on an XD

[Aulpgute]

Definitely wasn't monza, I had that on an XD Ghia, it was very close in colour to the S pack stripes that were on it, had never seen the colour on an XD before and was definitely factory

[GTP-RPD]

Originally Posted by Bluey-GT

Beautiful interior. Nothing better before or since I reckon.
I have so many good memories of my old V8 XE ESP.
They were however an interesting car to drive as a stocker. Quite fragile with huge amounts of body flex. Many V8 models will have some shock tower ripple in the metal where the clevo wanted to bring the engine bay in on itself....lol
It really did need some bracing and the rear end steer could make the car an absolute handful if pushed real hard as the watts link really did struggle. Rust was bad in these models.... real bad which made upkeep a nightmare if it was driven regularly.

As a stocker , the 351 and the 302 were laughable. Like hysterical laughable to the point you pass out laughable.
I gave up on originality on mine as it was terrible to drive and I really needed some excitement in it. So I modified the engine and wheels /suspension and trans and exhaust and kept the exterior plain. Only then did it make me want to keep the car......

Sold it for the BFGT , but I do wish I could have kept both. For all it's vices, the ESP had character in spades and that's what I remember the most.

image

Spot on. Couldn't have said it better myself. Mine was identical to yours bought my 82 ESP around 84/85. Put convos on it late 80's early 90's from memory

[Aulpgute]

Originally Posted by Aulpgute

Sorry for picture quality, just jogging the memory and wondering if it was vermillion fire not brambles red?

Pictures here:

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...=40811&page=56