Replica #1

     This is the first replica Interceptor constructed anywhere in the world. Commercial replicas for Planet Hollywood were constructed prior to this replica, however the Planet Hollywood replicas, in terms of parts, were seriously movie incorrect, and the replicas themselves were often non-driving mock-ups.

     Interesting facts: Gordon's first replica, (also the first replica) was constructed from 1982 to 1999. The final construction was done with the help of Grant Hodgson. In the mid 1980's Gordon lived in Victoria so the car was a regular visitor to the empty and high speed desert roads just over the boarder in the Australian state of NSW. During this time the car visited all the Movie locations of the "Road Warrior" film. The engine was a modified 351 V8, Roller rockers, extractors, dual plane intake manifold, 750 cfm carburetor, 4V heads, balanced engine, 4-speed manual "top loader" gearbox, 9 inch Ford diff. Maximum Speed approx 160 MPH.

Owned by Bob Hartwig in Arizona, USA.

Replica #2

     Constructed in part for Steve Pilant.

     Interesting facts: Grant Hodgson built virtually all of this replica alone, Gordon only supplied the roof spoiler and the Monza nose. The car was first shipped to Steve at a US army base in Korea. During shipping the car was fine however when the container was opened and the replica unloaded in the harsh Korean winter, the water in the block froze and cracked the engine block. A hard way to learn a lesson as the car left Australia in the heat of summer. The engine is a 351 V8, with a "top loader" gearbox, Ford 9 inch diff with 4 wheel disc brakes.

Owned by Bill Brown in Oregon, USA.

Replica #3

     A base car and all parts supplied to Jim Martino. Final build up by Chicago based professional Pontiac GTO restorer Jim Martino. Technical advice from Gordon Hayes and Grant Hodgson.

     Interesting facts: Jim received a 2 hour video as added instructions for the many aspects required for an accurate buildup. Phone conversations between the USA and Australia became more commonplace. The base car was purchased from an Australian policeman. The policeman's police mates had nicknamed the car (which at the time was just a standard black coupe) "The Interceptor." At the time it was a 351 V8 but with an Auto box, and a light weight (weaker and smaller) Borg Warner diff. The car's first US show was at a police and emergency services show. On the way both to the show and home again as Jim drove the car, he was pulled over and inspected by the Chicago Police both times. Needless to say, he also won an award at the police show.

Click here to see the 2004 Popular Hot Rodding Article.

Owned by Jim Martino in Illinois, USA.

Replica #4

     The "Los Angeles" replica. Constructed for USA based Phillip Mosness. Featured in the video "Last Interceptor to Los Angeles."

     Interesting facts: Gordon purchased the base car as a coupe for his own personal use, with no intentions to build an Interceptor out of it. Gordon drove it around as a stock GT replica coupe for about a year. During this time the white coupe was filmed to be featured in the unreleased video on Gordon's first replica. The car was a bit of a performer and it won quite a few "street drags." For some reason the white car in GT replica trim attracted a heap of impromptu challenges on the street. The engine is a 351 V8, with a "top loader" gearbox, Ford 9" diff, with 4-wheel disc brakes.

Owned by Phillip Mosness in California, USA.

Replica #5

     The "Washington" replica. Constructed for Washington D.C. based policeman John Saitta.

     Interesting facts:  The base car was an XB, rebuilt into an XA style coupe. It was returned to an XB to become an Interceptor. Gordon was told of the base coupe by a workmate who had known of it sitting undercover for years in a suburban open sided garage. Gordon first inspected the coupe in the year 2000, more than a year before the owner agreed to sell it. When the owner finally agreed, it took a few visits to start the coupe, as it had not been started for many, many years. When it did start (a new fuel pump and "false" fuel line and tank later), Grant drove the coupe home with the fuel being supplied from a 20 litre Jerry can on the passenger's floor. The engine ran OK, but it was discarded in favor of a better high performance motor obtained elsewhere. The engine is a 351 V8, with a "top loader" gearbox, Ford 9" diff, with 4-wheel disc brakes.

Owned by John Saitta in Washington D.C., USA

Replica #6

     The Matsubara replica.

     Interesting facts:  The request for this replica was a great honor for both Grant and myself. Before we constructed this replica two previous replicas had been constructed by other builders and sent to Japan. So it was clearly our accuracy that allowed us to win this converted order. Because so much was riding on everything going well with this replica, we (naturally) had no end of new obstacles to over come. The replica carries a functional air conditioner, and the fitting of that part involved us re-thinking and re-designing our Blower operation. During the build up we were privileged to make welcome in Australia the new owner Matsubara San. The original Mad Max film supports a HUGE cult following in Japan. For Mad Max fans in Japan this replica now sits on full time public display at the high profile http://www.ps-car.com auto museum. Despite its exotic and relaxed lifestyle this replica is licensed and often driven on the road in Japan.

Owned by Yoshi Matsubara in Japan.

Replica #7

     The US-West Coast replica.

     Interesting facts:  Now located in Los Angeles, this replica was built for a buyer who wanted the look and feel of the Pursuit Special Interceptor but like so many of us he carried as a restriction the economic realities of life. Not to be deterred, life long film and Mad Max fan Paul requested a replica but with reductions to keep the cost down. So for this build up we "economized" on every area we could. The result is a replica that carries the full body kit, and correct interior, correct supercharger, police siren, wheels, tyers, exhaust, etc.... So what is the difference between this replica and the top price replica? Ah ha.. that you will need to figure out for yourselves. Prior to restoration the base car had sat for 5 years protected in a farm shed located just out of "York" in West Australia. It was literally an Australia legend stored in "the barn out the back".

Owned by Paul in California, USA.

Replica #8

     The Phoenix Interceptor (big block).

     Interesting facts:  Purchased a little while after I sold my first replica. For 15 years this base car had been off-the-road as it lived as a competition only drag race car. For this was an 11 second drag car that had lost oil pressure at idle. I laid down the money and took my new base car home on a trailer, unable to be started. So the big engine had to be stripped down and rebuilt. With Grant otherwise occupied the lengthy re-build fell the Graham Dowding the builder of my first replica engine. Crane solid cam, Crane roller rockers, heads rebuilt and modified, a new Edelbrock victor single plane manifold, Barry Grant double pump 850 Carb, Cobra Jet rods, etc etc.. In went the money out came 600 hp of violence in a big block. We then added a huge 4-core Aussie desert cooler radiator to keep that big engine cool. As we considered the power just to much for the factory top loader 4 speed we left the fully manual C6 auto in position. However we switched the gears to 2.75 so the car has the top end speed suitable of a pursuit special. This replica being Gordon's own took 3 years to construct with work proceeding as funds and time permitted. With the road law the crazy way it is in Australia this replica has been built to enjoy the more public arena. Rather than the life of Gordon's first replica that was designed purely for Outback long distance travel.

Owned by Gordon Hayes in Perth, Western Australia.

Customized Vehicle

     The "Dynosaur".

     Interesting facts:  NON-INTERCEPTOR!  "Auto DYNOSAUR".
Grant and Gordon had a great time putting this beast together. Like an Interceptor but not an interceptor, might the famous MAD MAX Interceptor have looked like this if for a small twist in fate? The credit for the style and vehicle design goes to the new owner "Wayne" on the east coast of Australia. Wayne specified the flares, the Monza nose, the drop tank and Interceptor wheels. We went with the oh.. so.. low.. ride height. And yes it goes like it looks. This XC based machine runs the full Interceptor drive train, a tidy 351, top loader gearbox and 9" traction bar diff. The vehicle incorporates all the aspects of the 1970's muscle era including the legendary XY Falcon phase three hood "shaker" induction, the XB GT trunk wing and side flutes, and that famous Interceptor trade mark Monza nose and wheel arch flares. All loaded onto the race car stance of a Bathurst winner. Many thanks to Wayne for allowing us the opportunity to construct this weapon...
We LOVE it!

Owned by Wayne on Australia's east coast.

Special Vehicle (September 2003)

     "Candy coated" an XB Coupe to France.

     Interesting facts:  Grant and Gordon were enlisted to track down a tidy coupe for a Ford fan in France. The buyer wished for a coupe that carried the Cleveland 351 V8, toploader gear box, and 9 inch diff. The new owner "Oliver" already owned an impressive 1968 Mustang. With our Mad Max connection reasonably well known in the Perth area, we (Grant and Gordon) contacted a select hand full of parts suppliers who might come into contact with any coupe up for sale in Perth. Very quickly the call was answered and and now the French-American 1968 Mustang has an Aussie stable mate in the 1973 XB coupe. The car construction date was critical for the buyer as 1973 construction was a requirement in order to assist with the vehicle registration in France. Gordon and Grant found that the coupe was incorrectly registered in Perth as a 1974 model. The factory compliance plate date coded the car to 1973. As a result the Candy apple red car had to be de-licensed and re-licensed (full pit compliance inspection) as the correct 1973 model before it left Australia, yet it would never again drive in Australia!

Owned by Oliver in France.

Special Vehicle (March 2004)

     "Tru Blu 2" A genuine XB GT to the USA.

     Interesting facts:  Mad Max replica owner Jim Martino in Chicago put out a call for a genuine XB GT. Not a common vehicle. The GT's in top condition are almost never advertised. For the most part they pass from collector to collector as treasured items in word of mouth adverts alone. Again the Mad Max connections allowed us to track this gorgeous thing down. It is a genuine factory XB GT and it has the power to match the GT pedigree. The 351 Cleveland has been improved to a 378 stroker engine. Then in went a big cam, and on went a 750 double pump Holley. During our only high speed test run the lovely Cleveland pulled REAL HARD till we backed off at @6000 RPM in third gear, and it was still pulling hard when we lifted up the right foot. Fast car, nicely restored, rust free, and a legendary Australian muscle car at that. "Sold"! put it in the in the box and shipped to a lucky new owner! This car will be out and about in Chicago right now. And Jim Martino's outstanding Interceptor replica now has an Aussie muscle car icon as a partner.

Owned by Jim Martino in Illinois, USA.

Replica #9 (November 2004)

     Gordon and Grant's first yellow Interceptor replica. Like the Washington Black on Black replica, this replica is also owned by a serving Police member, Ken, whom operates out of Boston Mass., in the USA.

     Interesting facts:  Not many XBs left, not even as sedans. So when we came across this straight six cylinder sedan, Grant hit upon the idea of doing a replica at way less than the full rebuild and restoration price. The idea appealed to Gordon as well. Everyone knows that a replica likes to have a V8. So the sedan had the six cylinder and the three speed gearbox removed and in place went a 302 V8 linked to the MAX like C4 Auto and 9 inch Ford diff. We re-trimmed 90% of the inside, and then on went the war paint. The body kit and the big lights are correct. As this was our first encounter with the big lights, we very soon noticed that in the dark these monsters are easily sufficient to turn the average street into a crime scene replica. Once on the street, the car was an attention grabber! He he... we never covered the lights, so those who recognized it were smoking the tyres and waving. Those who did not know of MAD MAX wondered just what was going on with the strange cop car and "just in case" .. ha ha ha.. they drove the correct speed limit. Gordon and Grant emerged from the build-up as big fans of the Yellow car, in fact Grant always was. Gordon got converted.

Owned by Ken in Massachusetts, USA.