1964 Ford Falcon Convertible - A Car Nut’s Convertible

Tim Teater of Boise, Idaho, is a car nut. Always has been, and always will be. He's also a dyed-in-the-wool Ford fan. During Tim's childhood, the first car his family bought new was a '62 Falcon, and in high school, he often cruised in his buddy's '64 Falcon convertible. So, it would only make sense that when Tim started the search for a ground-up project car, the Falcon was at the top of his list.

Tim found one in acceptable condition, and then laid out plans for what was to be. He knew it had to retain all of the classic lines of the day, yet incorporate all the latest technology of a modern hot rod. Tim, a former Marine, is accustomed to hard work, but he soon realized it was going to be way out of his level of expertise. So with a dream and plan, he enlisted Chris Jaggers of Classics by Jaggers in Boise to do the dirty work--dirty work that ultimately took 14 years to complete, but the result is amazing.

Said powerplant came in the form of a Ford Racing crate engine displacing 392 ci, and produces 475 flywheel horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. Tim wanted to have the latest engine management technology, so off came the Holley 750, and in went a complete EFI system from Mass-Flo EFI. The high-powered Windsor mill is followed by a Lentech AOD trans and 10-inch converter. Exhaust chores are handled by a set of custom-made 1-3/4-inch shorty headers, H-pipe, and MagnaFlow mufflers that lead into 2-1/2-inch tailpipes and trick rectangular, rear-valance-exiting tips. Rock Valley built a custom stainless fuel tank utilizing a 255-lph in-tank pump, braided stainless fuel hoses, and an Aeromotive pressure regulator.

Not wanting to overlook the interior, Tim made sure it was up to snuff as well. Flo-Fit seats, Classic Instruments custom gauges, and a trick Custom Auto Sound stereo system are just a few of the improvements to the Falcon. Vintage Air supplies the chill on those hot Idaho summer days, and a Flaming River steering column supplies the perfect mounting point for the Rostra cruise control and restored factory Falcon steering wheel.

The body of the Falcon was a project all in itself, and took the majority of the thought and work. Tim loved the way the old road-race cars looked, and wanted that same vibe. To accomplish that, a front valance from a '65 Shelby R-model was chosen, sending the bodyman into fits in the process. The entire undercarriage was finished to match the topside in preparation for the PPG Electric Yellow hue. The door handles were shaved off, a custom roll pan bent to fit the rear, and a Crites AFX hood was fitted to the car prior to paint. As you can see, the color is bright enough to wake the dead, and gets plenty of attention wherever it goes. Tim drives his drop-top every chance he gets, even in the rain! It's truly an all-purpose hot rod, merrily tooling down the freeway at 75 mph, cruising around town, or hot-footing it down the racetrack.

Not wanting to overlook the interior, Tim made sure it was up to snuff as well. Flo-Fit seats, Classic Instruments custom gauges, and a trick Custom Auto Sound stereo system are just a few of the improvements to the Falcon.

The Details

Engine

• 392ci Ford Racing Performance Parts crate engine
• FRPP Sportsman block, two-bolt mains, DSS main girdle
• 4.030-inch Bore
• 3.850-inch Stroke
• Nodular Iron crankshaft
• Edelbrock Victor Jr. aluminum heads, Edelbrock Victor Jr. aluminum intake manifold modified for injectors
• Mass-Flo EFI
• Milodon rear sump oil pan
• Fluidyne aluminum radiator
• '84 Mustang valve covers
• Rostra electronic cruise control
• Custom-made 20-gallon stainless gas tank by Rock Valley

Transmission

• Lentech Street Terminator AOD
• 10-inch Lentech torque converter
• B&M shifter
• Derale transmission cooler
• Rearend
• Moser 9-inch, limited-slip differential
• 3:75 gears

Exhaust

• 1-3/4-inch Bassani shorty ceramic-coated headers
• 2-1/2-inch exhaust pipes
• Flowmaster Hushpower mufflers

Suspension

• Front: Rod & Custom Mustang II-type crossmember, Heidts upper and lower control arms and coilovers, 2-inch-dropped spindles, antisway bar, and power rack-and-pinion steering
• Rear: Antisway bar, custom-made traction bars, subframe connectors

Brakes

• Hydratech HydroBoost power brake system
• Front: Stainless Steel Brakes 11-inch slotted rotors, two-piston calipers
• Rear: Stainless Steel Brakes 10.5-inch slotted rotors, two-piston calipers

Wheels

• Front: Team III LT wheels, 17x7-inch
• Rear: Team III LT wheels, 17x8-inch

Tires

• Front: BFGoodrich g-Force TA, P205/45R17
• Rear: BFGoodrich g-Force TA, P255/45R17

Interior

• Six-point custom rollbar, emergency brake adapted to stock Ford handle and cable, restored stock steering wheel, Flaming River tilt collapsible steering column, Haneline instrument panel with matching engine turning on the door panels, Classic Instruments/Moon Equipment gauges, Flo-Fit seats, Classic Consoles Humphugger console, navigation system, Vintage Air with remote air-conditioning condenser with custom venting and shrouding, upholstered trunk, Custom Auto Sound USA-6 stereo with inputs for iPod and satellite radio, two Kicker amps, JBL front speakers and Kicker subwoofer in owner-built box

Exterior

• PPG base/clear Electric Yellow, '65 Shelby R model front valance modified to fit, polished stock grille, '64 Ford AFX Falcon fiberglass hood, side trim, door handles, and trunk lock removed and filled, '65 Mustang rear wheelwells, Frenched radio antenna, rear roll pan, Frenched license plate, Shelby racing mirrors painted body color, power top, electric door and trunk openers, power windows, integrated alarm system, Moon Equipment light covers, late-model Ford intermittent wipers, Halogen headlights with integrated LED turn signals