History Wanted!!! 1964/65 Ford Falcon A/FX Pics!

Heres the latest from Fast Eddies Hot Rod shop. Yes there a falcon in the background. Good job Ed

 

Was that Fast Eddie's Hemi-289 cackling there?That is what he's putting in the wagon,right?!!! He must have gone to Arizona to get those shots in the "SUNSHINE"!!!! ROY.

 

I know of one other Falcon "gasser" that isn't in here. the "Dutch Treat" run by Vanderslice & Charest out of Visalia, Ca. Had an injected FE set back under the windsheild. I believe they won B/fuel at Bakersfield in the late 60s.

I worked for Al Vanderslice for awhile and saw some photos of the car, but a web search didn't turn anything up.

 

Come on Eddie, Roy says his garage is warm and full of brew. Lets get the strip twister out there and finish it.








Focus EDDIE maybe a little less of this


And maybe a bit more of this



and we will be ready to kick some ass on the track.

Focus Eddie, Focus

 

I have a spot next to my Comecon [Falcomet]wagon,we could thrash simultaneously[I think I hurt myself on that word]!!! I may need to go buy MORE BEER though!!!! ROY.

 

Eddies isn't even done yet, and i'm dreaming of a twister clone car...

 

Finally, after 45 years of dreaming, I am starting my 65 Falcon AWB project. Thanks to all the posts on this thread, my early decisions have been much easier. The rearend relocation 12" forward is almost complete. Now my thoughts turn to the front end. While a straight front axle like the GM, Mopar & some Fords used would be easy, I'm leaning more toward the "twisted leaf" A arm suspension used on A/FX Falcons & Mustangs. Any technical resources on parts sourcing or fabrication would be appreciated. (Would make a great addition to the Crites line)

 

The Phil Bonner Falcon AWB model kit has a little brochure included that has some pretty good shots of the twisted leaf spring front suspension. It looks like a pretty simple design using half a main leaf. The only special part is ball socket type pivot up front on the eye part of the spring.

 

I think there were photos either on this thread or the 64/65Comet thread.It looks like it should work! ROY.

 

I've built that Model King model several times & have the insert. Pictures aren't that clear & kit does not have the parts to build it that way (really more a Platt/McNeely kit than Bonner). I have a picture of the A arm end from the recently posted Bonner magazine article (thanks Muttley) and a low head on shot of a Mustang but not enough detail to fab parts from. Anyone know where one of these cars may still be "alive" (museum, collection, etc) where I could get "hands on" measurements and better pictutes?

 

Here are some pics of the suspension on The Wild Child. The Model King kit is a nice start but needs a lot of tweaking for the specific versions. I hope this helps.

I have a lot more detail shots of the car if you need them for your build.

Joe

 

Thanks Motorhead. One question. The traction bars seem to be attached directly to the floor sheetmetal (chain is a neat touch). Is there more bracing for the traction bars inside the car?

 

The traction bars are mounted to a plate that is sandwiched with the roll bar mounting plate. I know, it's a little scary but that is how they did it back in the 60's.

When I started the restoration on the car the torque boxes were all torn up so I reinforced them with steel plates. That, and the fact that we reinforced the traction bar mounting seems to be just fine. The car runs in the 10's and there have been no issues with that mounting method at all.

Joe

 

I'm using a full width "anchor bar" similar to the Crites traction bar crossmember/driveshaft loop (like the Thunderbolt Fairlanes/Comets) except it will be tied into the rocker panels on either side and will mount the main hoop of the roll bar as well as the perch for the front spring eye.

Mike

 

Another great thread!!!!!!

 

OK...I dug out the old Bonner insert from the Model King Falcon kit. All the photos are dark & clouded (8th or 9th generation copies probably). I did learn a few new things.

1. the springs had flat ends (no spring eye)
2. the front spring mount was a stamped bracket
3. the top of the spindle looks longer than stock
4. the steering box is mounted outside the framerail instead of inside

Guess the next move is to call Detriot Spring & research the spring.

 

Here are some that I posted earlier of the Bonner car and of the front of the Brannon Mustang. Hope these help. These are magazine photos I got of the internet some time ago.

 

Lets see if this comes out better on the small photo.


The spindles were cut and welded to extend them. I wouldn't do this on a car now but that was accepted back then. I have also seen this done on some old dirt track cars to lower them by cutting out some of the stock spindle and re welding to keep the a-arms in the right geometry.

 

Would love to see some pics of that steering box on the out side of the frame trick.Wonder how hard it is to find one of those right hand drive boxes.Probably an Australia item only.

The streched spindle trick dosent bother me if you beef it up right.Had a set on my Comet for a year now. Streched these 2 inches , No problems at all including the 1 ft wheelies.

 

Mercuryjunky you are probably right about it being a righthand drive steering box. If you look closely at Falconred's photo (above the Mustang front end shot) it clearly shows the steering box on the outside of the frame rail. Guess I'll have to explore a few foriegn connections.

Great job on the spindle stretch by the way.

 

This is one of the best pictures I've found so far. It shows the "twisted leaf" spring, longer spindle & steering box outside the frame all in 1 shot. I think it came from a Bonner article in Super Stock Magazine Oct 65.

 

I rescaned that pic from my copy and blew it up. Man I wished I would have seen that. In my 65 in order to get the Cammer to work I had to move the engine back 1 inch and modify the last header tube to get around that box.This wouldve saved time and money. Learn something new everyday.

 

As I recall one of the old articles about the A/FX Mustangs mentioned that the steering box was from Australia--I'll search and see if I can find the info. Syl

 

Page 111 in the book "Holman Moody" states that they used the steering box from an Australian Falcon on the A/FX Mustangs. Other informative articles regarding that suspension are in--Rodder and Super Stock May '65; Super Stock & Drag Illus April '65; and Street and Strip March '66. Sylvanus

 

Thanks Spiertb! Where can I get a copy of that Holman-Moody Book?

In comparing Mercuryjunk's car photo to the Bonner photo, it looks like they moved the Aussie steering box forward about 2" and down 1" or so. Note empty mounting hole on frame near firewall and bottom front hole on steering box hanging below frame. Probably to make clearance for the clutch linkage (clutch crossbar arm looks unusually long)

 

MD1320; I got mine from Amazon. Sylvanus

 

OMG!!!!!!! Amazon wants over $200 for a paperback copy & up to $395 for a used hardback copy. That would buy a lot of parts.

 

Wow, I bought that book back when it came out, only paid 39.95 for it.Good thing I hang on to stuff,Hell I ought to sell it and buy that right hand steer box for that.I scaned the pics For you guys.Man I wished I would of seen this.









Looks like they are using some sort of rear sump oil pan also.