Please check your Ford books for pictures of the 1960 (mainly) Falcon engineers. A nearby friend's dad was mainly into Fords. I ended up buying a 1960 Falcon for my first car, in 1982 or 3. I remember him showing me some pictures in one of his books of engineers who worked on the Falcon. One picture had drafting tables and such. I'm hoping to identify this specific picture and book. Here's a picture I found through a quick search. This might also be in said book. This was on the International Center.of Photography website. Please add Falcon development pictures, domestic and international. Thanks!
Come on that's BS. Seven K engineers to develop that little ……….. Sure glad they didn't work developing the 747, it would have taken a million of em.
Back in the day Falcons were cheap throw away cars that no hot rodder would be caught or seen in. Single women with lots of cats owned them.
Back in the 60s I had a 60 Falcon with a 62 Fairlane 221 swaped in it weighed 2200 lbs and ran upper 15s never ran a car with better 60 ft times. A 4 speed put in the low 15s Greatest sleeper I ever owned.
https://monstersandmadonnas.blog/2017/02/07/ford-motor-company-report-1959/ These images were taken by Cornell Capa for the Ford Motor Company Annual Report in 1959.
I was a teenager in the late 70s, early 80s. Before I drove, I sometimes rode in my older brothers' friends' cars: 69 Camaro (ran low 13-sec with a 327, 750 Holley, headers, cam, TH350 with a shift kit and probably a stall converter), 68 Chevelle with a 396, an El Camino or two, Mustang or two. Most of them had Cragars. A guy in the neighborhood had a 66 or 7 Nova with Cragars. We lived on the corner and there was usually standing water in the gutter that crossed our street. He would do long smokey burnouts while turning the corner (to the right). When I was out front and he drove down the street I'd motion and yell for him to do a burnout. I thought it was a bitchin car. Talking with my oldest brother, years later, he said he thought it was pretty stock (I think it was an SS) and had a peg leg. My family had a 68 Chrysler New Yorker (big ol boat) with a 440. My Dad got it for cheap (of course) after one of my Mom's relatives passed. They'd put a cardboard hood scoop on to mess with people cruising Main Street and/or going to the street races. Riding my red oxide primer Stingray with motocross bars and "heavy duties" (chrome motorcycle-style wheels with thick spokes) around I'd look for engine badges; Impalas usually had them: 283(?), 327, 350, 396. Rock bands like Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, and Rush were popular. Rock stars, arena shows. Things changed in the early 80s. First I started hearing New Wave music on KROQ, then punk rock, somewhere. Most of the older guys didn't approve. It was time for me to get a car. My folks would put $1500 toward it. I didn't know what I wanted. My friend told me there was an old car for sale in the nearby K-Mart parking lot. It was a white 60 Falcon two-door with blue interior and in my price range. I remember taking it for a test drive out at Leisure Village. The old guy said he bought it after an old woman passed. It had something like 37,000 miles on it, and we were pretty sure it hadn't turned over. Three-on-the-tree was new to me. I think I bought it for $1500 and I believe I had enough money to buy a stereo because my Mom gave me a little more money for inflation (always tried to keep it fair between us brothers). I put the stereo in the cardboard glove box and speakers in the package tray. I left the AM radio, which had markings on the dial to tune to in case of nuclear war, I believe. 144 cubic inches of power, one-barrel carb, 13-inch wheels with Coke bottle hubcaps. Hell yeah! I'm pretty sure my oldest brother heated the front coil springs to lower the high front end, at some point. I thrashed on that poor car. The interior was brittle and went south quickly, the headliner ripped. I did donuts in gravel and dirt. I tried to spin the tire (<= singular) on dry pavement loaded down with friends and these little bushings popped out of the clutch Z-bar, so instead of peeling out the car was stuck in first! I'm pretty sure I did that more than once. Got brass bushings from the Ford dealer. Also cracked the aluminum tailshaft of the "2.77" transmission, at some point. There was an orchard on a little hill with a dirt road next to it. I used to drive on the terraced part going downhill and we'd be bouncing off our seats. I'm amazed that the front suspension didn't break. I have so many old memories tied to that granny car. And part of the appeal was the punk rock raised middle finger to the arena bands that I had grown tired of hearing, and the too cool muscle cars that were starting to go out of style. The Falcon was good enough- more than good enough. We went all over the place, and I don't recall many problems. A 48 Chevy truck was my second car, after I'd seen a beautiful restored maroon 47 Suburban. I wanted a 1/2-ton panel, but I couldn't pass on the pickup. I was thinking about buying my brother's girlfriend's early 70s Camaro, till a friend said it wasn't me. Anyway, long story longer, the Falcon sat. I got it going again, as-is. I sold the truck. Swapped a turbo 2.3 and T5 into the Falcon. I ran it on propane. Bought the main components from Ak Miller. I joined the HAMB sometime around then because it wasn't about muscle cars and 80s street rods. I finally sold the Falcon for $500 as not even a roller. My Dad was happy to finally get it out of his backyard again, for good. I have a 61 Ranchero I bought for $75 in 2008 or 9 that I may or may not get going, someyear. I'd probably spend $1500 if I came across a stock 60-1 Falcon or Ranchero.
I didn't get to say goodbye in-person. Eight years ago. Owned it for 30 years. I don't remember what rearend got put under it. I hope they got it going.
It's amazing to see the stories from these cars. This is my first car that we thought would be as easy as getting some good brakes and seat belts, and here we are 2 years later hoping to get it on the road. New rear from a 63 Falcon, new suspension all around and v8 stuff under the front. Let's just say the guy not only was great with paint (the roof is a purple metallic with baby barf green lace), but he also likes Bondo so much he filled holes in the floor with it. It's been great to learn on, and I can't wait to drive the thing! Sent from my SM-G950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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