50 YEARS 1972-2022 SPECIAL 'S CARS' In 1972 50 years ago Victoria Police Mobile Traffic Section ordered these S cars which patrolled the Victorian section of the HUME HIGHWAY also called Candy cars because of the colours. These 8 special Ford XA Falcon 351 Hi Output 4 door vehicles were assigned to the newly formed HUME HIGHWAY GROUP this was not the first group assigned to highway 31. The group cars were on a 6 month trial experiment to create a high visibility police presence as a deterrent to speeding and motorists breaking the road rules endangering lives, the mission to reduce the huge death toll on Victoria's busiest highway Commissioned in time for the 1972 Christmas and the New Years holiday season , The cars were built in October 1972 at Ford Motor Company Broadmeadow's plant on Production line, with a couple of Q cars similar spec, After the first 1000 mile car service , fitting out with signage completed these cars were ready in December 1972 firstly in a media promotion to warn motorist of these new Police 145MPH super cars at the time the famous XY Ford Falcon
GT-HO PHASE 3 regarded as the worlds fastest mass produce 4 door sedan was a 142MPH super car This experimental signage car LHJ 217 did not form part of the 8 CANDY CARS The first candy car signage was an experimental 302 V8 column shift auto which half the amount of the marked and unmarked Mobile Traffic Cars were however the big 351 was the weapon of choice for the 5 major highways the Hume HIGHWAY 31 now having the 8 High Output versions, Excluding the 1st experimental car the 2nd experimental colour signage was a pink toned day glow colour LHJ 237 this time the driveline spec was 351 Hi Output transmission a close ratio top loader 4 speed as were the next seven cars the 1st colour was chosen on the next seven , the trial was an outstanding success so in March 1973 Four new candy cars were commissioned on the Western Highway a new patched candy striped signage was ordered on these 4 and all the future replacement XA candy car models in 1973
