An introduction

An introduction...
hofalcons.com
Rob Draper - 0450 909 987
[email protected]
A short history
For morE info, go to: www.hofalcons.com
HO Phase Autos designed and built the original XD/XE Group C Falcon bodykits,
including DJR’s iconic Tru Blue and Greens Tuf. HO also built their roadgoing counterparts - the Phase 5 & 6 Falcons. The XF AUSCAR, numerous Ford showcars and
the Allan Moffat ED Falcon also came from the HO workshop. And in 2014, HO is alive
and well.
Ford factory designer, Wayne Draper, was the brainchild and designer behind HO.
Since Wayne’s passing in 2012, design work is done by fellow Ford designer (and
Wayne’s friend) Steve Park.
HO survives under the watchful eye of Wayne’s son Rob and HO fabricator, Denison
Phillips. Wayne’s final build, the Phase 6 series II, is the object of the most attention,
so HO is using that car to get its story out there. As well as a manufacturer, HO sees
itself as a direct link to the golden era of Australian design and motorsport.
Wayne lost his HO workshop and moulds in the 2009 Victorian bushfires - he needed
to re-build. At the same time, he had to deal with a terminal illness. What would be
his last build? He needed a staple car to show the fans that HO was alive and well. As
always Wayne wanted to build a car that was good enough to steal the attention of
everyone at a show, but also a car that could be enjoyed on the weekends. The XE was
one of his favourite designs at Ford, so the car as a Phase 6 felt like his own.
This rare animal has appeared in Street Machine and Street Ford magazines, and featured in Street Machine’s the top 10 muscle cars of 2012 (also in the top 60 at Summernats 27). In the finishing stages of the build, Wayne wrote down the reason for
this build.
In 1982, Allan Moffat wanted to race an XE at Bathurst. So in 81, I drew up a car that
he could take to sponsors while Allan started preparing a white body in anticipation.
HO worked on making a street version that would be in his ‘red no. 9’ format., also
bearing his name. But in 82, Allan’s sponsorship fell through and Ford abandoned him
(his RX-7 was the replacement). It had been a dream of mine to hand Moffat one of
my cars but it never happened. Better late than never...
Wayne did get to show him at a Allan Moffat memorial day in 2012.
WAY N E D R A P E R
( 1 9 47 - 20 1 2 )
Wayne Draper was a designer at Ford throughout the golden era of Australian automotive
design and motorsport. Outside of Ford, he
made racecar graphics and in 1978 started
Phase Autos with Bob McWilliam in order to
build the XD Phase 5 (making the XD Group C
eligilbe under CAMS law). With the support of Howard Marsden, Murray Carter and Allan Moffat, Wayne designed the Phase 5 using the Ford wind tunnel and modellers.
After being told by Ford that he is not to be involved with motor racing, Wayne became a silent partner in Phase Autos (there is a great story of when he got found out
by management while at a test day with Allan Moffat, but that’s for anther time...let’s
just say, Wayne was lucky the cars were quick). Because he had to remain quiet about
the whole process, the story of Wayne Draper and the Phase 5 & 6 has largely gone
unnoticed in the Australian motoring community (Edsel Ford even wrote a letter to
Garry Willmington demanding the XD not race). Wayne was given the unwanted HO
nameplate by Ford and Phase Autos became HO Phase Autos in 1981.
Wayne and Bob, still wanting to take on HDT, formed a partnership with Allan Moffat
and produced the EB supercharged HO Falcon. It was modified and became the newly
formed V8 Supercar body for the EB Falcon.
As a rookie designer at Ford, Wayne worked on the
original GTHO’s, and never got over the thrill, so it was
important to him he maintain the image the HO name
represents to all Ford lovers.
To this day, HO aims to supply roadgoing musclecars
that are accessible to the public, while encouraging the client to be involved in the build as much as
possible so they feel the car is truly theirs.
For more info, go to: www.hofalcons.com
After Wayne’s passing, HO Phase Autos remains in the family - being kept alive by
Wayne’s son Rob and HO fabricator Denison Phillips (along with some help from
friends seen in the shot above. Rob and Denison are 2nd and 3rd from the right).
There are some exciting projects coming for 2014 - including new designs from Steve
Park, Phase 5 & 6 builds and a final GTHO proposal for the last Ford Falcon.
[email protected]