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1960's Ford Falcons

133 messages,  Last post on Feb 05, 2008 at 7:50 AM

You are in the Classic Cars Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright

What is this discussion about? Ford, Wagon


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#8 of 133
by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Jul 16, 2002 (6:55 am)
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If a 1962 Falcon hasn't blown up or tipped over or crashed by now, I wouldn't worry about its safety features.
#9 of 133
by speedshift
Jul 16, 2002 (8:17 am)
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The Falcon wagon was okay around town and would have made a decent delivery car. But it's not a car built for the open road. Out of the 60 or so cars I've owned since 1970 my '61 Falcon would be the last one I'd pick for any trip of more than 30 miles or so. Even my '70 Hornet was Cannonball Rally material compared to the Falcon. It's just old bare-bones transportation.
#10 of 133
My buddy had one... by andys120
Jul 16, 2002 (8:56 am)
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It wasn't too gutless with a three speed. Very bare bones, I don't remember a Detroiter with less stuff on it...AM radio was the only option on this car! Very rugged, a kind of American Volvo (at a time when Volvo imported few wagons).
 
I rember it fondly, it was our Surf Wagon, it swallowed a big Hobie board w ease (they were bigger then).
#11 of 133
One other memory... by carnut4
Jul 16, 2002 (12:01 pm)
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Yeah I sure do remember chicken delight Isell. Was that just a southern California company?
Anyway, one time I was putting away the Falcon wagon after a day of delivery as a mailmen. I happened to look under the seat, and there were a bunch [maybe a hundred or more] of old letters picked up by some previous carrier who forgot to turn them in so they could be mailed. You know when the mailman comes, you put up your flag, and put some letters in your box for him to take as well? Also, sometimes on the route, the carrier will empty smaller deposit boxes along the route to take back. That's why ever since, I NEVER leave mail in the box-or, any other deposit box on the street. I ALWAYS take it down to the post office and mail it. Heck, I even found some old forgotten parcels in one of those Falcon wagons once. Good thing that wasn't forgotten, un-delivered chicken under the seat eh?!
#12 of 133
carnut4 by ghulet
Jul 17, 2002 (12:45 pm)
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...yet another example of 'our government at work', LOL? I live in Chicago, the phrase 'lost in the mail' should actually be a legitimized excuse for as often as it actually occurs here.
#13 of 133
Where I come from Chicken Delight delivered via VW Beetle by andys120
Jul 17, 2002 (1:30 pm)
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Each was painted yellow and sported a huge chicken head on the roof. Quite a sight to be sure.
#14 of 133
I had a '60 Sedan... by bolivar
Jul 17, 2002 (9:49 pm)
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...as a first car. It really wasn't much of a car. The turn signal lever resided on the floorboards. You had to pick it up and poke it back in if you wanted to signal your intentions. Maybe that's why I still don't signal my turns much.
 
At that time I barely knew to put gas in it. I did think that after driving it and getting it hot in Oklahoma's summer, that red OIL light coming on at idle didn't seem to be a good thing.
 
I traded it on a 64 Impala, from a lot run on the side by a couple of my co-workers. One of them later asked me about the OIL light.... I said it always went off when I drove it. They put crank bearings in it and sold it.
 
I've got a nephew that got a hair about a Falcon a while back. He tried to drive it to some Falcon gathering in Denver. It turned a bearing......
 
So, from my history the bottom end of that 6 cylinder is weak....
#15 of 133
They went to 7 main bearings in 62 by carnut4
Jul 18, 2002 (12:08 am)
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so, the Falcon sixes after that were much, much better. Especially the later 200 inch version. Made a huge difference on the highway in smoothness.
#16 of 133
by speedshift
Jul 18, 2002 (11:16 am)
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The 200 is the first seven bearing engine and that came in 1965 IIRC. That's why the "1964 1/2" Mustang six is the 170.
 
I have to say that the 144 in my Falcon soldiered on for quite a while. I don't know how many miles it had on it but it was over 100k and it was a hard 100k--85 horsepower trying to drag all that weight around and 3.89 gears so it was screaming on the freeway.
 
I sold it to a friend and immediately the steering wheel came off while she was driving it. A few months later it blew a head gasket and that was the end.
#17 of 133
Speedshift-That;s what I thought by carnut4
Jul 18, 2002 (11:37 am)
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I looked in "Standard Catalog of American Cars-1946-1975" and they talk about 1962 Falcon engines as having seven main bearings. This may be an error, since I've seen a few other minor mistakes in there about other cars. I remember my Dad's 69 Mustang with the 7main 200 six, and it was way smooth on the highway for a small six. So, is the book wrong? I was surprised that it said the 144 and 170 went to seven mains in 62. But, the 200 is really the same engine, with a bigger bore and stroke, so I figured it was possible. Anyway, what's the accurate info source?

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