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Ford Falcon: Legendary History And PerformanceAt Age 50, Ford's Falcon Is Forever Flying High From the September, 2010 issue of Modified Mustangs & Fords By Eric English Photography by Eric English, Source Interlink Media Archives
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Is it really possible that the Falcon began production a half century ago? Much as we may want to think otherwise due to implications on our own mortality, the humble Ford compact is indeed turning 50 years young in 2010. While we can't exactly throw a birthday bash for the guest of honor, we will celebrate the occasion with an overview of the Falcon's substantial history and legacy. For many people, the Falcon is best known as the physical forbearer to the Mustang. While true, we'd assert this lineage is most properly viewed as an extensive sidebar to Falcon's history, not the focus. A more accurate emphasis of the Falcon's story is its role as a game-changer-one of several cars on the front wave of a shift to smaller, more economical American cars. No less than three new compacts hit the market in October 1959-the Chevrolet Corvair, the Plymouth Valiant, and the Ford Falcon. The Falcon was arguably the most conservative, but soon established itself as the leading seller of the segment. This Ford file photo says... This Ford file photo says plenty about the roots of the Mustang, and the styling progress that occurred between 1960 and 1965. The Ford executives are the late Don Frey (L) and Lee Iacocca (R). The Falcon was touted right out of the gate as "The New Size Ford" and promoted for its economy-both at the pump, and in price. Amazingly, early promotional material claimed mileage possibilities of more than 30 mpg. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize such economy left performance by the side of the road, verified in the fact that the lone powerplant at the start was a 144ci inline six, making an optimistic 90 horsepower. Nevertheless, it didn't take long for performance buffs to take notice, realizing the lithe size and weight of a compact translated into potential that could never be realized in a two-ton fullsize. Initial attempts to race and muscle up the new Falcon occurred within months of the new model's intro, and have continued ever since. Ironically, timing was such that the car rarely had a true high-performance model in the offering, but that has never kept enthusiasts from building the car into a legitimate contender in a variety of competitive environs. In The Beginning:
1960-19631/2
When the Falcon debuted for 1960, it was truly a humble machine. Economy was foremost in the minds of the designers and marketing department, and the entire lineup had stodgy written all over it. To be fair, 1960 wasn't exactly a banner year for styling at any of the Big Three, so Ford was hardly alone. The Falcon debuted with two- and four-door sedan body styles, while two- and four-door wagons and Rancheros signed on several months later. The only engine in the 1960 lineup, the 144ci six, could be had with either a three-speed manual or two-speed automatic. Reflecting the nature of the beast, power steering and brakes were not even available. The Falcon convertible debuted... The Falcon convertible debuted at the beginning of the 1963 model year, though a Sprint convertible such as Fred and Cindy Capellas' wouldn't have been available until February 1963. The '61 model saw subtle changes, including an optional 101-horse 170ci six, as well as the two-door sedan delivery and Falcon van-essentially a passenger version of Ford's Econoline. Sportiness began to be spoken of with the Spring 1961 arrival of the Futura, featuring a bucket seat and console interior. Sales were huge, with nearly a million Falcons built in the first two years alone. For 1962, the midyear arrival of a four-speed option and new Sports Futura were noteworthy items, while even more significant happenings would come the following year. When the 1963 models debuted in the fall of 1962, the big news was the first Falcon convertible. But more good times were just around the corner, since in February, a trio of '631/2 introductions hit the market. We're speaking of the new semi-fastback two-door hardtop, the first Falcon V-8, and the sporty Sprint package. Interestingly, Falcon was the first in its market segment to offer eight-cylinder power, albeit just 260 cubic inches and 164 horses worth. Total production for the first generation of Falcon was over 1.5 million units. A number of Falcons were campaigned... A number of Falcons were campaigned in SCCA's A/Sedan class, but two or three actually made the jump for brief appearances in Trans-Am. Michael Eisenberg of Maeco Motorsport restored and owns what is believed to be the only '63 to have seen such action, which occurred twice during the 1966 T/A season-at Marlboro and Green Valley, while owned by Jim Taylor. While not a frontrunner at the time, two things stand out when reviewing Taylor's Trans-Am appearances. One, the car finished both races, and two, Taylor drove the car to the races-while pulling a small trailer with spares and tools!
The Falcon went through its first complete makeover when the '64 models bowed in late 1963. More chiseled and square-edged than its predecessor, the car appeared larger than before, though truthfully was only incrementally so. A large variety of body styles continued with two sedans, two wagons, sedan deliveries, Rancheros, convertibles, hardtops, and vans. A 200ci six-cylinder arrived in 1964, while the 289 followed in 1965. For 1964, the Sprint continued as the sportiest offering, in both hardtop and convertible form. Initially, the '64 Sprint came with much of the same equipment as the previous year, including standard V-8, chrome engine trimmings, bucket seats/console, dash-mounted tach, and wire wheel covers. Later in the year however, some de-contenting occurred, with Ford even advertising the "new lower priced Sprint"-with buckets, console, and tach no longer standard. Falcon sales in general (and Sprints in particular) took an expected big hit with the introduction of the Mustang. It was a fact that dramatically influenced the product lineup during the following five years. Total production for 1964-1965 was around 430,000.  Eight '64 Falcon Sprints were...  Eight '64 Falcon Sprints were prepared for Ford's second attack on the European rally circuit in 1964, sporting dual quad 289s, disc brakes, and fiberglass body panels. Here, Bo Ljungfeldt is on his way to a class victory (over 2,500cc Touring), and Second overall in the premier event of the season-the Monte Carlo Rally. Another of the eight Falcons, the Anne Hall/Denise McCluggage entry, took First in the over 2,500cc GT class.  Rancheros were based on the...  Rancheros were based on the Falcon from 1960-1966, and have always had a dedicated following. One of the wildest we've ever seen is Rick Hamilton's '65 open track monster. Built by Maeco Motorsport with a legit 358-inch NASCAR motor, it's like a vintage interpretation of a Craftsman race truck for the road course.  Jeff Green's '74 XB does what...  Jeff Green's '74 XB does what Australian Falcons have done for years-work the road course. Ford 351s powered many Aussie Falcons over the years, including the Cleveland variation under the hood of Green's ride. Recall that for years, one of the most sought after Cleveland cylinder heads for street applications were the Australian two-barrels, featuring a combination never offered in the States-two-barrel ports and valves with quench combustion chambers. Come to think of it, they're still a good option for a budget build today. The Australian V8 Supercar... The Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series is much akin to modern day Trans-Am-5-liters and all! Falcons have excelled in the series, and here, Jamie Whincup is wheels up in a BA-series bird on his way to victory in the 2006 Clipsal 500. Whincup and his Falcon were series champions in 2008 and 2009.
With Mustang setting sales records and carrying the sporty two-door banner, the redesigned '66 Falcon returned to its roots as an economical people mover. The lineup was relatively austere, with the elimination of hardtops and convertibles, leaving two- and four-door sedans, four-door wagons, and Rancheros as the standard bearers. Grabbing a name from the Fairlane playbook, a Sports Coupe model tipped a hat to people who avoided the Mustang as their two-door choice. Sports Coupes came standard with bucket seats, but otherwise were not particularly sporty. Small changes occurred until this design was retired just after the beginning of the 1970 model year, including the defection of the Ranchero to the Fairlane line in 1967, a change from round to square taillights for 1968, and an updated interior that same year. From an enthusiast's standpoint, it's worth noting that the '66-'70 generation was essentially a shortened Fairlane chassis, meaning FE big-block swaps are a
piece of cake, even though the factory never installed one. Production for this generation of Falcon was approximately half a million cars. During the mid-1960s, Dick... During the mid-1960s, Dick Brannan was the head guy for Ford's performance car R&D, and one of the company's leading factory drivers. His burgundy '64 427 Falcon was one of two such cars assembled by Dearborn Steel Tubing, primarily as a development car for the A/FX Mustang fastbacks that would follow. Today, this Falcon has been restored and rests in a private collection.
In a strange twist, the '70 Falcon was dropped after the first few months of production, and the nameplate switched to the intermediate Torino platform-and designated a '70 1/2. Available as a two-door sedan, four-door sedan, and four-door wagon, it was a brief appearance-lasting only through the end of the model year. Ironically, this flash in the pan spawned the most performance oriented of any production U.S. market Falcon, for the '70 1/2 could be ordered with a variety of 429s, including the top-of-the-line Super Cobra Jet! Australian Rules,1960-2010
Our internationally savvy readers will realize that for as big a role as the Falcon played in America, it's been far bigger in Australia. There, the Falcon has been available for 50 years running, and is one of the most successful cars ever in that market-with several million sold. Coinciding with the Falcon's debut here in the States, Ford Australia manufactured its own version of the American Falcon beginning in 1960, and in the early years, the car appeared little different save for righthand drive. By the second generation in 1964, Aussie Falcons had taken on a distinct look of their own, despite still being based on U.S. models. Performance versions were introduced which would have been savored in North America, including the GT variants, which began in 1967. Ev Rowse and John McIntyre... Ev Rowse and John McIntyre teamed with London, Ontario's Rankin Ford, to campaign this '65 Falcon in the mid-'60s. One of what is believed to be seven Canadian Falcons originally equipped with a Hi-Po 289, the car was first campaigned in B/FX with the 289, then B/Altered with a nitro/alcohol-burning 427 High Riser, and finally, in A/FX with a 427 SOHC. Today, the car is owned, restored, and exhibition raced by Joe Germann. Learn more about this former Canadian record holder at Germann's website,
www.motorheadextraordinaire.com/wildchild.php. Beginning with the '72 XA, the Australian Falcon became a unique creature unto itself. Today, we wish we had the current model, known as the FG, which remains rear wheel drive and optionally V-8 powered. The latter comes in the form of the XR8, and its 390-horse 5.4-liter DOHC powerplant. Unfortunately, we hear the grim reaper of the world economy is likely to spell the end for the Australian-built Falcon, which will be a sad day indeed. Racing Falcons: 50 Years Of Fast
Ford was soon convinced that getting Falcons into the racing world would make the breed more successful on the sales floor. Several companies initially dabbled with hopping up the thrifty six with triple-carb induction, but this clearly wasn't the answer to the power vacuum. Both Bill Stroppe and Holman Moody worked to create V-8 Falcons well before the factory did, with Holman Moody quickly directing its efforts into a competitive environ with Challenger I-a '62 built for sports car racing using NASCAR rolling stock, aluminum body parts, and a 243ci version of the new Fairlane V-8. Challenger I raced at the 1962 Sebring 12-hour event, where it finished Second in class. Challenger III was an even bolder effort, with a one-off sectioned body, custom fastback roofline, aluminum body panels, and a Weber-equipped 289. As much a styling exercise as it was race car, Challenger III competed at the 1962 Nassau Speed Weeks with NASCAR driver Marvin Panch, where it went wheel to wheel with Cobras and Ferraris before eventually succumbing to suspension failure. The '64 Falcon that Mats Linden... The '64 Falcon that Mats Linden raced in the 2004 La Carrera Panamericana isn't just any old Ford, rather it's the very car which Bo Ljungfeldt raced to a class victory, and Second overall, in the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally! But Holman Moody would soon do more than dabble with Falcon road racers, for it was contracted by Ford in 1963 to build a trio of cars for European rally competition. It was an intentional effort to draw attention to the Falcon as something more than mundane transport, and combined with a repeat effort in 1964, succeeded. Between the two years of competition, Ford would garner three class wins at the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally, and a Second overall at the same event in 1964, with Ford advertising regularly touting the Rally Falcon's exploits. Yet Falcon road racing was hardly limited to rallying, with any number of cars being raced in SCCA's A-Sedan, and even Trans-Am (see sidebar). Walt Hane recalls that a '64/'65 Falcon finished just ahead of his Mustang for a Second in class at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona, and an Alan Mann Racing Falcon won the British Saloon Car Championship that same year. Another big splash for the Falcon came in the form of drag racing, where a few cars, predominately of '64/'65 vintage, made big headlines. In a recent interview with Modified Mustangs & Fords, Ford R&D guru and factory driver Dick Brannan graciously told us about the background of the two "factory" '64 427 Falcons. "In the late Winter/early Spring of 1964, we could see the handwriting on the wall-we were going to need something lighter than the Thunderbolt Fairlane. We knew the Mustang would be the answer, but couldn't get one at the time. So being that the Falcon shared so much in common, we decided to build one as a development car." A maroon '64 Falcon hardtop was delivered to the subcontractor of the T-bolt project, Dearborn Steel Tubing, where revisions and fitment of a 427 High Riser commenced. Fiberglass hoods, fenders, doors, and bumpers were part of the program, as were other typical T-bolt modifications. "We were about 90 percent done, when Phil Bonner dropped in on a visit from Georgia. He liked the idea of the Falcon so much he went back home and began to build one himself." Soon, it was decided that DST should build the Bonner car as well, so the light blue hardtop went to Detroit to become the second factory 427 Falcon. Among many wins, Bonner would score a trifecta in class, Top Stock, and Stock Eliminator at the 1964 AHRA Nationals in Green Valley, Texas, while Brannan won S/SX at the AHRA Summernats.  To promote the new Falcon...  To promote the new Falcon Sprint as a performance model, Ford had Holman Moody prepare three '63 1/2 Sprints for the rigorous 1963 Monte Carlo Rally. Modified with beefier 260s, four-speeds, front disc brakes, and much more, Falcons did score a class victory and swept the prestigious six "special stages" of the race, though finished a best of 35th overall.  Keith Davidson's '63 1/2 has...  Keith Davidson's '63 1/2 has run in vintage road races from Lime Rock Connecticut to Portland Oregon, but its run at the 2009 Pike's Peak International Hill Climb is likely the most unique and notable. Prepared by Walt and Chip Hane (Walt was the 1966 SCCA B-Production champ in an R-model GT350) at Evergreen Performance Systems, Davidson's Falcon set a Pike's Peak vintage class record at the 2009 event. "In spite of my experience with Shelbys and Mustangs, I love Falcons. They're the little cars that shouldn't have, but did-everywhere," says Hane. The legend continues . . .  Frank Gardner drove this Alan...  Frank Gardner drove this Alan Mann Racing Falcon to the British Saloon Car Championship in 1967. Seen here during the season-ending victory in the Guards Motor Show 200 at Brands Hatch, Falcons were truly competitive around the world. Dick Estevez described himself... Dick Estevez described himself as "the kid looking over the fence" at Phil Bonner's Poppy Red '65 Falcon back in the day. It obviously left quite an impression, as Estevez would team with Bonner years later to build this modern interpretation of the long lost match racer. Used mostly for exhibition today, it's likely our favorite of any current drag race Falcon. This Falcon sports a 600-inch 385-series big-block, allowing Estevez's '65 to run 7.70s at 177 mph. Brannan would go on to A/FX Mustangs in 1965, while Bonner primarily stuck to the Falcon program with a new '65 he helped build at Holman Moody. Bonner told MM&F that this Poppy Red car was built primarily for match racing, which helped pay the bills far better than sanctioned class competition. The '65 was built from the start with an altered wheelbase and quarter-elliptical front spring suspension to easily accommodate a 427 SOHC. Bonner ran the '65 for about a year and a half, the first 6 months with the Cammer in dual-quad/gasoline configuration, which Bonner says was, "Pretty much the top car anywhere we went." During the last year of competition, the Falcon ran an injected nitro mix, whereupon while faster, it was much less reliable, what with the volatile "fuel." Made To Restomod!
If you read our pages often, you know we like Falcons for their nice lines, small size, and construction similarities to Mustangs. You also know that we dig on restomods, and so it will come as little surprise that we'd advocate the Falcon as one of the prime restomod candidates in the Ford palate. Particularly considering that a true factory performer was absent for most of Falcon's history, hard chargers must come via modification. The Mustang connection means there are boatloads of performance products, period or current, which can be used to create an impressive machine. Better still, a number of manufacturers have stepped up with Falcon-specific variations of their most popular products-rack-and-pinion steering, coilovers, and brake components to name but a few. With some of our recent Falcon features being among the best efforts ever, it appears enthusiasm for Ford's "bird of prey" is still going strong! The Question
It's no wonder that Falcon sales suffered mightily with the debut of the Mustang in April 1964. The Mustang was a compelling product, the latest and greatest, and subject of an enormous media blitz. Ever wonder then, why the people who bought Falcons after April, particularly two-doors, did so? We've often pondered this question, and while putting this story together, stumbled upon a person who actually made the decision. Falcons are prime candidates... Falcons are prime candidates for restomodding, as Al and Trudi Dufek's stunning '631/2 well demonstrates. Chuck Beason is president of the Falcon Club of America, and still owns the '65 Futura hardtop he bought new in September 1965. Chuck explained to us that at the time, he was in the military, and on a tight budget. He had planned to buy a '65 Dart, but when he arrived at the Dodge dealer, the car he'd planned to purchase had been sold. "I liked Falcons, so I went right over to the Ford dealer and bought a white on red Futura with a 289 and automatic. I'd seen Mustangs, but frankly they just didn't appeal to me." It's a decision he would never regret, though he never planned on owning his Falcon for 45 years. "As time passed, it became worth little in trade-in value, so I just held onto it." Chuck never did climb on the Mustang bandwagon, but eventually got into Falcons in a big way-now owning a total of five '65s, including a Sprint hardtop and convertible. Get Connected
Those of you wanting to learn more about Falcons, or wishing to connect with fellow owners, should consider joining the Falcon Club of America (www.falconclub.com). Founded in 1979, U.S. dues are a minimal $25 a year, and include an award-winning monthly color newsletter with stories, tech tips, classifieds, and the like. The club hosts an annual national convention, this year celebrating the 50-year anniversary during July 15-17 in Dearborn Michigan. Of course both members and non-members are welcome. Limited Quantity
Our trusted Canadian scribe, Dale Amy, filled us in on an anomaly that few Ford fans are aware of-the '65 High Performance 289 Falcon. Never heard of one? Well, that may be because it's believed just seven were produced, and all for the Canadian market. That's right, Hi-Po Falcons were never offered in the States, but Amy has covered a '65 Hi-Po Falcon for one of our sister magazines, and supplied us with the Canadian sales literature that clearly identifies the availability of the "271-hp High Performance Challenger V8." The Oakville, Ontario, assembly plant where Canadian Falcons were built used a different alphanumeric system than in the U.S., thus these Falcons aren't "K-codes," however the other typical Hi-Po accouterments are there-mandatory four-speed, 9-inch rearend, solid lifters, dual exhausts, and so on. Joe Germann, owner of The Wild Child '65 A/FX Falcon featured elsewhere in this story-an original Hi-Po car itself, shared some additional pertinent info on the Canadian Hi-Pos. According to his research, three of the seven Hi-Po Falcons were immediately prepped for B/FX drag racing, and known as "The Wild Child," "Gold Digger," and "Mr. 289" cars. His research also indicates that a fourth car was drag raced under the "Teacher's Pet" name. The former three cars were equipped with an extensive factory experimental package, which Ford of Canada had assembled for the Falcon hardtop. In a letter, which Ford of Canada Performance Advisor John Philipps sent to NHRA national tech director Bill Dismuke, the B/FX package was articulated to include fiberglass hoods, fenders, doors, and bumpers, Plexiglas windows, and a host of engine modifications. Benefitting from a supercharger... Benefitting from a supercharger market propelled by late-model performance cars, Jeff Boettcher applied a Paxton Novi to the 331ci mill in his '64 Futura, as well as Total Control's rack-and-pinion and coilover front suspension. Such restomod products make for a driving experience that is far beyond pedestrian.
If there's a downside to being a Falcon enthusiast, it's that parts don't exactly grow on trees. That said, reproduction pieces continue to be introduced, and N.O.S. stuff is intermittently out there-for a price! While not meant to be a complete list, the following companies can be valuable sources for Falcon
restoration parts: Auto Krafters Inc.
www.autokrafters.com Dearborn Classics
www.dearbornclassics.com Mac's Antique Autoparts
www.macsautoparts.com Melvin's Classic Ford
Parts
www.melvinsclassicfordparts.com Obsolete and Classic
Auto Parts
www.classicautopartsgroup.com Special Thanks
Special thanks go out to several people who lent their time and expertise to this compilation. They include veteran racers Phil Bonner, Dick Brannan, Dick Estevez, and Walt Hane, Falcon Club of America President Chuck Beason and member Joe Stowe, and fellow writer Dale Amy. Thanks guys! Sharp-eyed readers will recognize... Sharp-eyed readers will recognize this engine bay from our recent March 2010 spread on Jay and Jeff Page's '63 Falcon wagon. The underhood view is out of this world, but the engine is the subject of our real affection, what with a 527-horse Roush 427-inch small-block with stack EFI.
A big focus of any great ride, the engine setup in a Falcon can be one that really separates a given car from the crowd. Here are several we're gaga over:  Could the 427 SOHC be the...  Could the 427 SOHC be the most iconic Ford performance engine of all time? In many ways, yes, and in a Falcon, there just isn't anything better. Cammers were seen in a smattering of Factory Experimental-style Falcon's back in the day, including this one, the Wild Child '65 A/FX car; built and campaigned out of Rankin Ford in London, Ontario.  The engine compartment in...  The engine compartment in Michael Eisenberg's '631/2 isn't full of flash, rather it's incredibly fast. Limited by Historic Trans-Am series rules, this old-school 289 relies on 13:1 compression, vintage iron GT40 heads, a flat tappet Engle cam, dual 415-cfm Holleys, and runs like a scalded dog in vintage competition. Call this one the little engine that could-try 485 horsepower at 7,600 rpm and 392 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm.  When it comes to big-blocks...  When it comes to big-blocks and Falcons, an FE is certainly what we like to see in a classic-style build. However, Danny Tyner's '63 is anything but a classic-style build, and so who'd complain about the twin turbo/EFI 501-inch 385-series beast under the hood? This is one masterfully engineered assembly, and it's no show queen either. Danny says the roughly 1,200-horse combination has propelled him to 8.70s at 157 mph.
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