My earliest automotive memory is sitting in the passenger seat of a red Falcon wagon just like this one. Mom got the wagon to shuttle me and the stuff that goes with a child around, while Dad got an early Riviera (believe me, the pendulum swung the other way as well, don’t feel too bad for her). I remember thinking the high beam indicator light was a neat color–strange what we remember as adults. This one is advertised as rust-free, and it’s located in Inglewood, California still wearing its black plates. It’s listed for sale here on eBay with a buy-it-now of $4,000 but bidding beginning much lower than that.
Despite being labeled as a “compact” by Ford, Falcons offered a surprisingly large amount of room. I can’t tell whether the paint has faded, worn through, or is showing touch-up (my guess is the last). All glass looks to be intact and the car is said to have “all mechanical parts attached.”
I’m guessing the “F O R D” letters across the front don’t count as mechanical parts, then? The chrome is pretty worn and oxidized, although it does appear to be straight. I like the front end styling on this generation Falcon and how clean it was compared to some of the other cars of the time.
The inside looks clean, with even the dash pad surprisingly looking good. The seller doesn’t tell us much about the vehicle’s storage, but does mention that the worst visual wear is the lower front seat cushion. It’s a pretty wild plaid, and I’m guessing that would be hard to match even though the rear seat cushion doesn’t look bad. I wonder what the spare valve cover is doing on the passenger side floorboard?
The trusty ford inline 6 that powered many Falcons and Mustangs is in place as well. The seller tells us it hasn’t been started in 20 years, but that it was running when parked. It would be nice to know if it’s free or seized now before arriving at a bidding amount. I am surprised to see the white or tan panels on the inner fender wells–the red shade is the same one I remember, but I guess it’s been repainted. I remember driving a Falcon four-door that was a similar tan color that was the parts runner for a local British car shop; I used to trade making parts runs for their expertise fixing my cars! If you have Falcon memories of your own, tell us about them below in the comments!
Mom had ’60 model sedan that she would drive from Gardiner MT to Mammoth motor inn in Yellowstone. I believe it was a 5 mile drive with a rise in elevation of 1/2mile or more Wore out several engines but at that time, Mountain States Bell had several wrecked vans that her mechanic was able to salvage. I think it was 170CI. I broke the shifter traveling from WY to OK and had about 3-4″ left to shift with….I bear the scars.
Sorry, nothing to do with Falcons, but I have great memories of driving up and down that road many times in 1969 and 1970, often after a trip to the Blue Goose. Sometimes we’d stop for a swim in the hot springs. Our problem wasn’t worn out engines but staying out of the river with our cars and getting a good parking place at the Inn for the rental cars we “borrowed” for the trip.
My brother had a 62 2 door when I was a pre teen, 6 cyl, automatic. He drove the wheels off that car. One day he was driving me to school (about 20 miles along a very curvy road, he passed the police chief of our town around a curve with a solid yellow line. The cop put on his light and started the chase. Only he was driving a very tired 60 Falcon wagon. His car much have been really tired because we got such a lead on him that we were able to take a turn crossing the river and stopped to watch him sail right past us.
I found this a few years back in Franklin County, KY behind an old church cemetery. Need to see if it still exists.
I would not want to know if the engine rolls before I bought it, after sitting 20 years I’d soak the cylinders with penetrating oil for a wweek or two before trying to roll, could save alot of ring breakag that way.
Nice clean survivor wagon, I’d spot in the paint, put a nice Indian blanket on the seat, find some correct OEM hubcaps and drive it.
This is a sleeper, indeed – a straight, rust-free car about which the seller apparently knows little! All it needs is some decent photos and this would be gone in sixty seconds. I cannot remember the last time I saw such a super-straight 1960 Falcon. Even when new, they were an endangered species, with most barely seeing 40,000 or five years, whichever came first and POOF! they were gone from the landscapes of America.
Hey all very nice to hear about all of the nostalgia around this vehicle. I’m the owner of this wagon and it really is a nice vehicle and I believe it deserves a good home from someone who appreciates it like you all seem to do. And your right, I know little of this car or the best route in getting it back up and running. I don’t believe it will require much as the original owner knew much about cars and took good care of it before passing. If anyone is interested send me a reply. I’ll send you whatever pictures you’d like. Happy Holidays!!!!
He did mean power rear window “is” the “Air conditioning” listed in options? A friend had a 6cyl. standard trans Falcon Futura with a split exhaust manifold and always beat the corvairs(not the Monza Spyders though). Great little car
My sister had a 4 door with a 144 six. Outside of a VW van, it was the slowest car I’ve ever driven- 0-60 was agonizing. She wanted to paint it and 15 year old me, with my dad owning a compressor and Craftsman paint gun, volunteered. I painted it a shade of orange and due to inexperience mixed the paint wrong and sprayed it with a severe case of orange peel. It looked like a giant orange and when she saw it you could hear her yelling at me for miles.
Orange (peel) LOL!!
Among the Falcons that I have owned, was a 60 Wagon similar to this one, only it had a white roof, and was a 3 speed. Actually a “fancy” car not only did it have a heater and defroster, but the push button AM radio!. t had the 144 six in it and around town (flat land Oklahoma) would get about 22 m.p.g. On the highway pushing real hard to get 65 m.p.h. out of it got 32 m.p.g. sold it to my teenage brother-in-law when he got his license, and he took out the white trimmed, red pleated bench seat and put a set of buckets and console out of a 63 Falcon Futura in it. I replaced it with a 63 Comet 2 door post with the 144 and a 3 speed. Wish I still had the Comet, especially.
a 1960 falcon was the first new car my family ever had, first car we could go places in because on all the cars before this we had to ” save the miles ” so my dad could get to work, and first car that the right size for my mom to drive and drive she did. about 5 years later with over 100000 miles we traded it. these were all over the place back then and i still see falcons on the road.
subscribe me love to hear the stories as these were everywhere in Australia and were our “big” ford. [this size is standard family size in Australia.] one of the few cars we truley share with you guys.
These are still very popular here to restore or drive as is. And getting pricey.
The first falcons in Australia just fell to bits suspension wise on our roads..and I dont mean the “outback” i mean in our cities and suburbs..but Ford Australia improved them creating our own line of Falcons to this day. Falcons are still Fords family sedan though they dropped the wagon years ago to create a SUV [Territory].
Next year we get the Mustang [world car?] and Falcon will be no more as Australian manufacturing is dead. At least the Mustang looks good. But I wonder after the initial excitement dies that Aussies wont want a four door [enter the Mondeo from europe]
These early Falcons basically made Ford Australia what it is today [ummm i should say while we still manufacture our own cars till next year..hee hee]. When you think about it a Historically important car in Australia yet just another model in USA..
Fix it up and drive a cheap grocery getter.. with plenty of room…
Sorry, I love Falcons. I had a 65 Futura 2dr HT, hotrod 289, BUT I have to say I would not pay 4 grand for a Futura/V-8/4sp Falcon if it hasnt run in 20 yrs. As a good friend says “F” Barrett-Jackson,thanks to them every car ever made is a classic/musclecar.
Heres another Mom s Falcon story ,Mom had an 58 Ford ranch wagon with a 352 police interceptor , it was quick but it also sucked gas , even with gas at $ 0.29.9 Dad got Mom one of these Falcon wagons . I hated it what a gutless wonder , 170 with a 2 speed automatic and power steering . She had it for about 4 years and one engine rebuild . Glad to see it go !
The first time I was a kid, in the early 1970s, my parents regularly used to take me to the demolition derby. Every once in awhile, a Falcon like this would show up. How did these stand up against huge tail-finned Cadillacs and Mopars? You might be surprised. Generally they did pretty well. Because of the small size, they could sometimes perform impressive evasive maneuvers to escape the larger cars. But believe it or not, the body would take a hell of a beating and keep on going. The boxy unibody structure on these is stronger than it looks. I never saw one win, but as an underdog vehicle, they were always tons of fun to watch.