gottahaveit2

How about something a little different? Here's my 63 Ford Falcon Sprint hardtop. These little cars were Ford's economy cars in 1960, when McNamara ran the company. When Lee Iaccoca took over he had them inject a little performance in the car and a 260 V8 was borrowed from the Fairlane and stuffed into the Falcon. In 64, the Falcon was the starting point for the Mustang, just about everything underneath a Falcon looks just like an early Mustang.

Being a Mustang fan (1988 LX 5.8L w/ Vortech blower) I thought adding a Falcon to my collection was a neat tie in. I found this Sprint in hot sunny and dry (great for preserving old cars) AZ, where it had been garage kept. The paperwork the previous owners had was amazing, black CA plates and all the window sticker, invoice and registration sheets from 63 to 1990 when he passed away in San Fransisco. Even the first owner's death cert is in the file!!

The car is still on the original paint job Ford gave it in the San Jose, CA plant in 63. (except one rear quarter that was repaired).

The car rolled on stock 185/80 tires, and for all of us on 18's and 20's you will laugh: 13" diameter steel wheels!! Drums at all four corners. An AM Radio was specified as an extra cost option to the tune of $58! The grand total on the sticker was $3102!

gottahaveit2

Well as collectible as this car is, I still knew I had to have some fun with it. All the while, the originality of the car would be retained and any modifications would easily be reversed.

A set of wheels and a drop were in order. The running gear was mostly original so a new suspension was configured to allow the drop I wanted. Some recommendations from those in the resto rod business and I had a set of American Racing Salt Flat wheels on order. The AirRide suspension did wonders for the looks as well as handling and provided a well balanced smooth ride. No, it is not an LS430, but it is on air and the install is very well done. The wheels went from 13" to 17" and the custom backspace was developed to allow the tires and wheels to tuck nicely under the car without surgery or cutting to any of the fenders.

OneJay

iTrader: (14)

Really great looking car there. A real classic!

MythBuster

Beautiful

My father used to have one but 4 doors. If I still remember correctly, it has round separate instruments in the dashboard.

ISF_GG

iTrader: (2)

That Falcon looks great lowered!! Cool rims too!!

gottahaveit2

Thanks for the compliments, here is a picture of the interior. It is mostly original, door panels, headliner, dash but the seat covers are renewed w/ reproductions of the ones that came in the car. There is a data plate (w/ a VIN like number) on the door which can be decoded to verify all the original colors, equipment and trim, and it all matches up. The car does need new door weatherstrip rubber, which is all available in the restoration market. The little tachometer on the dash is a factory item, for the Sprint model of the Falcon, and amazingly, it still works.

ryanSC300lover

iTrader: (1)

Gorgeous car. But I have you beat. My car though 41 years old is rolling on 10s baby

Pics from few weekends ago:

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

BEAUTIFUL cars, both of ya's. Very nice.

...but mine is 58 years old https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=365355

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I was in an accident in a '63 Ford Falcon when I was 13 (May, 1973). It had no seat belts from the factory, so when I reached down to put them on, I found nothing. We were hit head-on while we were going 35 mph. The car that hit us was a '72 Chevy Impala, the driver was a drunk ex-convict, and he failed to negotiate a 120 degree turn. He was going 75 mph. We didn't have a chance in hell.

Unfortunately, I have no fond memories of the Falcon, but I will say this much - at least the engine went completely under the car and came out the back on impact or it might have been much worse. As it was, I was just awake enough to see the lights, so I covered my face with my hands. My sister was not so lucky. She was in the front middle seat and broke off the rearview mirror with her forehead which both broke her nose and sliced open her face from the bridge of her nose to the top of her scalp. Our driver lived but suffered massive injuries to her arms, hands, and rib cage.

Got seat belts in that thing?

Hil

iTrader: (61)

sweet. looks mint

ryanSC300lover

iTrader: (1)

Stunning car!!!!!

mmarshall

Congragulations. Nice old car. I learned to drive on 60's vintage cars (in, fact, for all intents and purposes, I started reviewing cars in the late 60s). They will forever be in my memories.

I can understand you upgrading tires and wheels, since many cars of that vintage had stock tire sizes that were inadequate for the size and weight (one reason why drum brakes were so poor). But why go up to 17" wheels, and the resulting modifications you had to make for wheel well and turning clearance? Most compact American cars of that era, and I think this includes the Falcon, had 6.50 X 13" tires standard. 15" wheels would probably have been fine. With the 17" wheels you may get significant speedometer and odometer error from markedly slower rotation. You would also with 15" wheels, but to a lesser extent.


BTW, the same basic 60's-design Ford Falcon, with a few more modern touches like halogen headlights, seat belts, etc.....was built in Argentina for the South American market until just a few years ago, just like the old air-cooled VW Beetle was in Mexico.

Gojirra99

Very nice, good upkeep of the car

iasc300

iTrader: (1)

beautiful-

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

All of those cars are nice. I think the Falcon was made in my hometown of Milpitas.

I have all of you beat. Let me dig up a photo of my black Model-T Ford.