The Falcon was Ford’s first foray into the compact car market. Introduced in 1960, the car was retired in 1970, though a mid-size variant of the Fairlane was sold as a Falcon in 1970 ½. Success of the car is probably why Chevrolet introduced the Chevy II in 1962, though it already had the Corvair (which was engineered differently). The seller offers a 1961 Falcon 2-door sedan that’s in good shape for its age. It’s in need of a few cosmetic touches, but it could be a great first vintage car for a future collector. Located in Medford, Oregon, this simple sedan is available here on craigslist for $6,000.
Ford made few changes to the Falcon in its first three years, choosing not to mess with a good thing. A 144 cubic-inch inline-6 was standard, and the seller’s car has the next step up, a 170, which we’re told is original to the auto. It also has a “3-on-the-tree” manual transmission, which should be easy to drive unless you are a Millennial. With 137,000 miles to its credit, there’s no mention made of any rebuilding of major mechanical components.
The interior on this Falcon is original and will need work. The aftermarket covers on the seat bottom are likely hiding worn material. If you’re going to reupholster the seats, you might as well throw in some new carpeting. The seller says the vehicle has a few dents and no major rust, though the photos provided don’t point to either.
This is a running and driving car that has new tires, shock absorbers, and a replacement rear bumper. The brakes need some work, and the car comes with new parts for the buyer to install. If you’ve been wanting an old car to drive or restore, they don’t come much simpler than a 1960s Falcon, the car that later gave birth to the Mustang. Thanks for the tip, Jack M.!
What I think about when I see an early Falcon is its simplicity. Simple powertrain, simple underpinnings, simple styling and trim. And for this one, it’s even white. Simple can be good…. they were successful cars.
It would be fun to run it through the gears with the three-on-the-tree.
Thanks Russ.
Nice writeup Russ, and Bob you’re spot on. My Uncle had one identical to this one. Great memories going to the ice cream stand during the summers in Louisville Ky in the late 60’s.
Nice wee car! Only thing I would change is the falcon lettering on the back , it’s a bit cluttered and messy looking with the reverse light and the petrol cap? plonked in the middle of the word!
That WAS the change, for ’61 (at that end of the car – the grille was new too). ’60 models just had the same “Falcon” script as the fenders to the right of the gas cap.
The tail light lenses on this car look larger for some reason. And the backup lights were an option that year as not all ’61s had them.
I agree . At least get an original gas cap and paint it white .
Fun facts. The last Falcon, for 1970, was a stripped down very basic Ford Torino. And in Argentina, the original Falcon body style was built all the way to 1977!
And the Falcon nameplate lived until 2016 in Australia.
Not up to 1977, but up to 1991, with several changes but based in the original 1961 body style!!
Same car my grandmother in central Illinois had when i was a kid, except red. Back when cars were simple.
Like most have said, love the simplicity.
The rear fender sculpting around the tail lites is classic.
I would continue the “South of the Border blanket” upholstery, seems to match the door panels?
Only things I would have to do is put disk brakes on front, (to combat the modern rice-rockets zooming around me)
move fuel filler into trunk to remove that filler cap interrupt of the FALCON logo like Mark said.
A/C? Nope, wing windows baby, learn to use them. Buy a Big Gulp and relax and cruise.
Love it.
I drive my ’61 Falcon on both surface streets and the freeway (including the left lane to pass) with no power drum/drum brakes. Just requires a bit more leg force to stop. You are not stopping any faster once your wheels have locked up whether your car has drum or disc brakes. I have upgraded to a tandem master cylinder.
Simple and honest 60s Ford Falcon. The 1961 was one year specific for body panels at least. I had a 61 with a 170 6 cylinder and AT. I had a hard time finding both front fenders for mine, as other years wouldn’t work. So easy to work on and the 170 is pretty peppy for this size car.
My 64.5 mustang had the 170 and a 3-speed on the floor (non-synchro 1st gear). At 16, I wanted more pep, so I located a 4-speed out of a Ford P/U, and a 200 CID out of a 65 Comet. That combination made the Mustang more fun to drive, and it still returned reasonable fuel mileage.
Correction: 60 & 61 shared the same front fenders and hood. 62 & 63 shared the same front fenders and hood.
I’ve been driving my ’61 Falcon since I got my learner’s permit in ’74. Currently a bit over 293K miles.
The soft people of the World won’t consider this a “starter car”. The lack of at least 8 airbags, ABS, back-up camera, etc.. But it would make a great daily driver, for people who change their own oil, and know how to operate the jack in the trunk. And at that price, I’m surprised it’s still available.
This was my first car! It was white with a red interior that I bought from my next door neighbor for $100 1970. Seeing this one selling for $6,000 I wish I had kept it!
cool looking but todays 1st drivers need every option made. they can have it. i would take this in a minute
nice
Ford should bring the Falcon model back again. The 6 cylinders were pretty fuel efficient and would make good in city cars. They reintroduced the Mustang.
Ford never stopped making the Mustang, but they did reintroduce the Bronco and Maverick. Falcon would be a good name for a new, easy to afford, basic transportation car. Dare I say it? An EV. Personally I’m waiting for them to bring back the Thunderbird. BTW, that last picture in the Craig’s list ad looks really off, or is it just me?
Hard 2 type this. 40yrs ago my buddy Handsome Harry asked what I would like of his when he passed. I loved keeping his ’61 2dr Falcon up 2 snuff. That, & it took me all of 20min to scrub it for his grandkid trips 2 Ocala, Fl. from St. Petersburg, Fl. I always thought it would be the perfect companion 2 BuckWheat, my ’61 E100 Econoline I bought for $300 in ’72. Still taking me anywhere my heart desires w/over 800K on the clock. I never knew where Harry’s Falcon went to, I couldn’t bring myself to ask him for it.
Boy, I wish this car was down here in Florida. I had a 63 four door Falcon as my ‘winter car’ when I was in college in western New York. It was one of the few cars on campus that would start in zero degree weather. It was a trusty little guy that got great fuel mileage and was easy to drive. I’d love to have this one as my grocery getter just for old time’s sake.
ford’s answ 2 the ‘50s VeDub Bug’s decimation of the merican auto industry (this bird had more room, bigger engine, roll dwn windows, real trunk, etc, etc). BUT…
it initiated the muscle/pony car (‘stang) era AND the suv (a bronk is justa 4WD falcon) era we’re still in. Last, it spawned the 300 or 4.9 that lasted from then (asa 240ci 1st) till 1996 after being efi-ed / electronic ignition-ed.
Yup, ’the gasser thats a diesel’ is in the same ford family of i6 as this 2.4/144 (all 6, my Bronk has ‘the odd ball’ 250/4.2L) called the ThriftPower(s). (C ford 6 performance forum for as much fun a here, more tech oriented tho).
/OR/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjdvHOIMIK0
enjoy !
My brother had a 1962 2 door Falcon, 6 cylinder automatic when he was in high school, in 1968. He drove us both to school every day about 30 miles each way. One morning we were running a little late so he was driving pretty fast. He passed a slower car, a 1961 Falcon station wagon around a curve with a solid yellow line. It was our town cop. He put on his blue flashing light on the dashboard and gave chase. Beijing late for school my brother floored it and got far enough ahead that he pulled into a side road and waited and then watched as the police car went straight on never seeing us. What was funny, was we lived in a pretty small town, population in the low hundreds, so the cop definitely knew who was driving our car but there was never any trouble about it later on.
Always liked these little cars. The simplicity of them couldn’t be beat. My dad bought one new back in 69′.
Simple, yes but, 137k miles and $6k. Crazy.
25 below and my old Falcon was the only car that started that day with 4 cars in our family
I had the exact copy of this car. a white two-door with a 6 cylinder two-speed automatic. The thing was like a tank in the snow.
I bought it from a family that was friends with my wife’s family. They had four girls and it was a hand-me-down car and was given to the oldest girl who was still home at the time. When the youngest girl (who was my wife’s age) went off to college, they finally sold it to me for $50. I changed the oil, threw some new plugs, points, rotor, condenser and distributor cap at the thing ran like a top. Drove it for a few more years and ended up selling it for $500. It was a great car.