1964 Ford Falcon Deluxe Club Wagon Travel Wagon

Hello all,
With a heavy heart, we are selectively posting our van for sale. Our family van (2003 VW Eurovan) took a dive and we need to sell.. Price is OBO.
We bought this as a great starting point to make it into something that fit our needs, but as we gather information on the van, and the more we got to know it, we lost our desire to change it from what it is, out of respect for it having survived this long, in such great condition. I wanted to do custom seating and a mustang II IFS front suspension, etc..

Originally purchased by a man for his wife as a retirement/birthday present in 1964.





No, the van isn't perfect. Its 50 years old, and has 80k on the Odometer.. But I want it to go to a home that respects if for what it is, regarding it's unmolested, well preserved appearance and drive train. It starts without issue and runs like a top.

We bought it with a huge grin on our faces, the kids adore it, and dangit if every where we go it isn't loved. It will be in an up coming movie, Miles Ahead, about Miles Davis that was filmed here in Cincinnati, and was a hit at out local bicentennial festival car show and parade. For those who know what this means, it even has its own hash tag... #thebluerhino.

Ok. enough emotional puking.

Here is the story on the van's VIN search, as told by a man named Jay Long. A respected vanner, and long time tracker of all things first generation Ford.

"Duane, thank you, is this the one that was just on craigslist? If so I saved the pics. It had odd seats, front and rear - buckets that folded down into beds. And the table and cabinet/sink like you're describing.

E13 = Falcon Deluxe Club Wagon series
T = 170 engine
H = Lorain Ohio assembly plant
542028 = May 1964 serial number - 1964 model
090 = wheelbase
(-) = blank paint code = special order color
E130 = Falcon Deluxe Club Wagon model
B = blue DCW interior
89 = van body style
A = 3 speed transmission
02 = 4.00:1 light duty axle (7-1/4 inch)
31 = Buffalo sales district
3360 = special order number

Falcon DCW Travelwagons are rare. I can count the ones I've seen on one hand. From the DSO code this one was a special order, but not part of the "pool" of standard Travelwagons that Ford kept on hand - those had an 84xxxx code. This one was special ordered, probably with the pop top only from TEC and the interior from another supplier. Pure speculation, but I've got enough info on record to know what was normal.

The skirt, padded dash, and dual vents were standard for a DCW, as were the chrome mirrors and bumpers. The two tone paint was optional, and *something* must have been different than the standard Viking Blue and Wimbledon White two tone Ford would have sold that year.

The serial number of the top falls into the range I'd expect for 1964. The closest I have on record is SC-2950, from an August truck. One reference I have says that "about 1000" Travelwagons were built in 1964, and if so the serial numbers of the tops were clearly out of sequence. But that's not really surprising, considering the Travelwagon kits were sold in at least three different ways. Ford kept a pool of converted vans on hand to fill dealer orders for "standard" campers. And TEC sold kits through Ford to dealers, conversion shops, or individual owners so the work could be done locally. With that in mind there's no way the serial numbers of the tops could correspond with those of the trucks. TEC also sold different versions of the kits - pop top only, interior only, or pop top and interior. Again this one (if it's the craigslist one) probably was the pop top only version, with the interior and seats from another supplier. I have a brochure from a
supplier of similar seats, which I've been meaning to dig out to compare to the photos.

Thanks again, for the numbers and info, and for the kind words.

Jay in CA"

Here is a link to a photo set showing the interior menitoned above...

http://s283.photobucket.com/user/jasongipson/story/13081

I have put just under 2k miles on the van this summer, vetting it, in order to make it show me what she needs. I have been persistently doing mechanical rebuilding as its needs reveal themselves, mostly dry seals and the typical things that a long time parked vehicle would need.. there isn't much left to do. Here is a list of the work I have done to bring it out if its slumber and onto the happy roads of rural Ohio.

New Tires
New Shocks
New Battery
New 2" Exhaust and NOS galvanized thrush muffler
Gas tank and sender rebuild
New fuel pump and spare filter
Carb rebuild and tuning
Valves Adjusted
Oil and Coolant drained and changed (first thing)
Trans and Diff oil change
New dog house lid seal
New rear axle seals and wheel bearings
New brake lines on the axle
New tie rod ends
Brakes inspected and adjusted. They look to have been completely redone before it was parked and function perfectly.
Disassembled, cleaned and tested the air horns with compressed air.
Disassembled and cleaned the crazy engine-vacuum driven air compressor for the horns. It now pumps air, enough to build pressure and find the weak spot in the old air tank and blow out a rusty thin spot in the metal. So the horns need a new reservoir tank and hoses.

I have a pair of new rear seat belts, shift linkage bushings, steering drag link ($$),the correct king pins, pinion seal and a diff cover gasket waiting in line to be installed.

Here is a link to the complete album of images, from day 1. -the good the bad and the ugly.

http://s283.photobucket.com/user/jasongipson/library/1964 Falcon Travel Wagon

I am available via email for any and all questions. I can provide any amount of photos, of any part of the van you need to see more of. And if you wish to inspect the van in person (recommended), I will make it available to you without hesitation.

Thanks for looking!

-Jason Gipson
Phone: five13.2five7.18five8

 

Sold. -thanks for lookin'.