Those wheels are the GTX03...
Those wheels are the GTX03 edition from Billet Specialties. They make a good-looking combination when shod with Michelin high-performance radial tires.
Dedicated Ford fanatic Craig Amboyan of Port Charlotte, Florida, says he's been in love with Blue Oval iron for his entire 43 years. He is the proud owner of this exciting '64 Falcon hardtop, which he has been working on at his home for the last two years.
The fact is, Craig's whole family has a talent for working on Fords. His nephew Eric completed all the bodywork on this car, while his father, Michel, handled the interior work. Craig's friend Kenny Peak completed the paintwork, laying down the Sapphire Blue basecoat/clearcoat paint with considerable expertise. They must be doing something right because their efforts resulted in a Best of Show at their '03 Falcon Regional event.
The attitude is all business...
The attitude is all business under the bonnet, with everything cleaned up and any clutter out of the way. The Rod & Custom front-end installation is so well done that it looks like a factory job. The Windsor has late-model bracketry with a serpentine accessory drive for the power steering and Powermaster alternator.
One look under the hood and you'll see this Futura is more than just another good looker. To begin with, the original-equipment 289 is long gone. For lots of extra power, it was replaced with a tall-deck 351 Windsor engine. If you've ever looked under the hood of an early Falcon or Fairlane, then you know the wide Windsor is a no-go between those intrusive shock towers inherent to the original design.
The solution to the quandary is to eliminate the towers, then there's plenty of room for a bigger engine. On Craig's car, a complete Mustang II front end from Rod & Custom Motorsports filled the bill for the removal of the towers. As a matter of fact, a host of performance upgrade issues are addressed by the R&C kit. Once the front end is installed, you have not only a new coilover suspension with tubular control arms, but also rack-and-pinion steering and front disc brakes.
These Auto Meter instruments...
These Auto Meter instruments serve the purpose much better than the factory warning lights, and they look better, too.
Besides allowing the installation of a larger engine, the kit provides significant upgrades, modernizing these three areas crucial to enhanced vehicle performance. Once the front-end kit was in place, the Windsor-engine fit was no problem, and the rest of the powertrain went into the car smoothly. Although it's safe to say that Craig's Falcon is indeed flashy, it's a perfect example of beauty being more than skin deep.
This angle shows that all...
This angle shows that all of the original trim and moldings are present and in excellent shape. These embellishments are decorative and place the car firmly in its time period.
The Details
'64 Ford Falcon Futura
Owner: Craig Amboyan, Port Charlotte, FL
Engine
351 Windsor 0.030-overbore
Eagle steel crankshaft
Eagle H-beam connecting rods
Probe forged pistons
Trick Flow Twisted Wedge aluminum cylinder heads
Comp Cams valvetrain
Edelbrock intake
Demon 650-cfm carb
MSD ignition
Transmission
Tremec five-speed manual
Custom-made crossmember
Hydraulically actuated clutch linkage
Exhaust
Hedman full-length headers
Full dual exhaust
Suspension
Front: Rod & Custom Motorsports Mustang II, coilover shocks, rack-and-pinion steering
Rear: Ladder bars, custom-made subframe connectors
Brakes
Front: Disc
Rear: Disc
We like the contrasting two-tone,...
We like the contrasting two-tone, blue-and white interior. The high-back bucket seats with headrests give the interior an expensive look you don't expect to see in the economy-minded Falcon. The interior also has a racy feel imparted by the Hurst T-handle shifter, fire extinguisher, and Billet Specialties steering wheel.
Wheels
Front: Billet Specialties GTX03, 15x7
Rear: Billet Specialties GTX03, 15x8
Tires
Front: Michelin, P225/50R15
Rear: Michelin, P245/50R15
Interior
Custom dash
Auto Meter Pro Comp gauges
High-back bucket seats with headrests and special-design upholstery
Custom-made door panels
Hurst shifter
Exterior
Two-stage paint, Ford Sapphire Blue
Thunderbolt-style teardrop hood