Back in the late 60's, I new a guy who had a street legal Falcon that he swapped some kind of V8 into. It might have been an FE or even a Chevy. He twisted the body so badly he couldn't open the passenger door. IIRC Falcons had diagonal braces in the engine compartment to keep the front end straight. Those are missing on that car, and it doesn't look like there's anything to replace them. The rear suspension looks pretty rudimentary as well. That car must have been a handful to drive, even for a quarter mile. Those old guys were crazy to build stuff like that. I really miss that. hans
I love Falcons..... This also may be the first time in HAMB history two guys named "Hans" posted b2b!^^^^^
I have always had a obsession with Falcons,the date is Thanksgiving day 1967 and I took this photo of my 63 1/2 Falcon Sprint in front of my grandparents home. Later on this car got a straight axle,radius rear wheel wells and a big block Ford,sadly it was destroyed in a accident. HRP
The early 6-cylinder Falcon/Comet bodies were really pretty flimsy. No torque boxes tying the inner frame rails and rockers together, and worse yet, most of the 'frame' used the same gauge sheetmetal as the fenders etc... When Ford fitted the V8 in '63, they increased the gauge on the rails/rockers and added torque boxes at all four corners for the V8 cars (and all convertibles) to stiffen them for the increased torque. The early wagons/Rancheros had the 'heavy' rails in the rear only if six cylinder powered. Mercury went to the 'V8 body' for all models starting in '64 for the Comet, while the Falcon (and first generation Mustang) continued with 6 and V8 bodies through '65.
That's a sweet little car! You could build something similar for fairly cheap even in this day and age.
I posted this just last August on the Md. Social Forum in an effort to document Md. Hot Rodding History. Great minds think alike, "J".
I just can't resist. I have loved the little Falcons since way back when. I am also fortunate enough to own The Wild Child, one of the only surviving honest-to-God Factory Experimental drag cars actually built that way inside a real Ford factory. It has everything a Ford freak would want including a Holman Moody 427 SOHC motor, an altered wheelbase chassis and factory fiberglass doors, front fenders, hood, and trunk. In my opinion this car truly represents The Holey Grail in such a fitting way. And let me tell you this car is one fun ride down the 1/4 mile. It has all of the power and quirkiness you would expect in a vintage race car. I know. I'm a real lucky person to own this great piece of raving history.
Early 6-cylinder Falcons are easy enough to beef-up. Mine is set up for autocross, and is plenty stiff, without adding a ton of extra weight.
Is that a Poncho is see stuffed way in the back? Any color pics of this thing? Thanks Joey, how's the new job?
I'v always liked Falcons,and in just about any form.From daily driver to a gasser ,and anything in between.I was down in Great Bend Kansas for a gun show a couple of years ago and there was Falcon for sale outside of the Expo center,so I called.The owner wanted stupid money for it or I would have towed it home.Here is one I've always liked:
That's Scotty Birdsall's ride, Strange Bird. He runs Chuckle's Garage in Santa Rosa, CA, North of me, here in SF. A super-solid dude, and brilliant fabricator.
Built a street version of that car in the late 60's, based on Wally Park's Comet as featured in hot Rod. Ran a 283 Chevy with it's full drivetrain. Put 1500 miles on it in a year, probably met six other guys with similar rides. Had an aftermarket lift kit that bolted to the TOP of the spindles...never broke but pretty iffy in retrospect....the wheels would pivot in so bad they looked like they might touch when getting on it. Would be nice to have it now.
Unfortunately mine isn't a true drag car built on the 60's, but I'm trying to build it like it is....
My win at Grandview Speedway on June 14, 2015 This Falcon was once a 4 door to bad to restore , quarters are parts of rear doors .
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