Once popular for light-duty business vehicles, the Sedan Delivery body style (most often a station wagon with two doors and steel panels in place of the rear side windows) had just about faded from manufacture in America by the 1960s. The slab sides hide and shade your goods while providing the perfect canvas for your rolling billboard. This 1962 Ford Sedan Delivery in Mendon, Ohio began life with a thrifty straight-six cylinder engine and three-speed manual transmission, perfect for shuttling flowers or paint buckets or wedding cakes around town. Somewhere along the line it received an upgrade in the form of a 289 cid Ford V8 and automatic transmission and endured a color change from red to brown. A 302 cid Ford crate motor now motivates this steel-sided wagon. It comes to market right here on Barn Finds classified where $11,000 can make it yours.
I didn’t expect much excitement under the hood, but this polished ATK crate motor with GM-style HEI distributor, tall valve covers, and Cobra-style air cleaner really gets your attention. Add the big battery and aluminum radiator and you get the impression of a daily driver, not some washed-up former plumber’s helper. All-new wiring takes one item off your Worry List. Don’t get hot under the color about overheating, either; the seller reports this funky Ford kept its cool while traversing the American SouthWest.
Updated seats and instruments match the spirit of the replacement 302, but certainly not the brown respray. It’s interesting how the structure behind the front seats looks much like a second set of doors welded in place.
A clear rear window enhances visibility when backing up or in traffic, compared to solid rear panels. The tailgate makes a ready bench seat; just take a seat and chow down your lunch half-way through the workday. The Falcon-based Sedan Delivery boasts Ford’s early ’60s signature rocket engine tail lights. The power rear window provides poor man’s air conditioning. How would you put this updated service vehicle to work?
Déjà vu from April 16, 2020. https://barnfinds.com/hot-rod-express-1962-ford-falcon-sedan-delivery/
thought that looked familiar….especially the ’57 wheel covers.
like the color, don’t like the V8/automatic…….
Yes it is. I like Barn Finds and another rodder turned me on to this site. E Bay sells mostly finished cars at prices beyond my reasoning. I buy nice foundationed vehicles then make them the way I want them. That’s the beauty part. Secondly I’m not brand specific but model specific. Certain vehicles take my money…37 Batwing Studebaker Dictator, Split Window VW, 57 Ford Two door Ranch Wagon, so on. The 62 is one, except not finished I garnered parts, drove it and decided to sell among others. Reduce the herd.
Yeah, but can it do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs? Sedan deliveries led rough lives. They were generally the company delivery vehicle, and a host of employees tried their darndest to kill them. Few survived. There was no reason for the public to buy one, a station wagon with no windows? What’s the point? I believe, the Chevy Vega and Pinto Cruisin’ wagon, were the last sedan deliveries made. Neat find.
Also, all of these had 170 cid inline six cylinders Other models same chassis had larger wheels, 5 studs not four and heavier gauge sub frames. So this is a V* in a chassis not strong enough for the task
Chassis is easily adapted to a v-8. Same chassis design as a mustang. Not to mention that the factory themselves installed v-8 in them.
The Falcon body was stiffened from early 63 to take the V8. This was because Ford found the structural metal too thin to take the extra stresses of the new engine over the 6 cylinder. All bodies after Jan 63 had the same structural improvements.
Did you forget the Chevy HHR Delivery? Still had four doors, with the outside handles removed from the back doors, and no side windows!
Illinois State University bought a lot of these for their size and reliability. And
they certainly got their money’s worth
as many of the cars they bought lasted
well into the ’80s. In fact, I saw one still
clad in its ISU livery in 2004 while on a trip
home to see my parents! Mute testiment
to their usefulness and staying power. I’d
probably use this one as a cadaver hauler
in the business my FBIL and I are starting
soon. Now before someone calls this
creepy, I recall that many corriner’s offices
used them for that purpose. They also
found use as CSI vehicles with more than
one police department. These were truly
an all purpose vehicle.
Just buy a hearse! They are cheap, well maintained vehicles made for that purpose.
Off -topic question for the admin:
I recently advertised our car for sale on the BF classifieds but have not yet seen it profiled in the daily feed.
Am I looking in the wrong place or has it been missed?
sorry to post here- could not find any place on the home page to ask this……
Could be backed up with all the “virus” sales. Try mail@barnfinds.com,,, works for me when I have a question or to report a hooligan.
Thanks, Howard A.
the admin responded to my message and took care of the situation…….
Chevy HHR ??? BLECH! What a turd !!
Wonder what it would cost to put airbags for the driver and passenger in it. Also a c.
Paint it white, put some Shelby or period correct wheels on it and you got yourself a very cooooool wagon.
Yeah, that faded paint and the 57 Ford wheelcovers do nothing for me to part with $11 large. One of the few times a “sleeper” IMHO requires a period exterior shade and dog dish hubcaps. The red upholstery doesn’t even jibe with the bronze outside.
Never cared for these Falcons until i saw an add on Discovery Velocity channel with one painted all white, including the bumpers burning out. Could totally see this done this style.
Yep, seen it several times for sale…..right now I am working on a box stock, no rust, 2 door wagon. Thought I could post pix in the comments?
Only members,I believe,,become a member!!!
a 2 door wagon is ALMOST as cool as a sedan delivery…..
We had a 60 2 dr Falcon wagon. Robins Egg Blue. three on the tree, and an awful brown seat interior. The seats had some kind of horses, saddle crapola. Rode in it from NY to Fl and back one Easter. We got 33 mpg on one tank. Fast, it wasn’t.
Ranch Wagon? hee hee. L’il Country Squire? If yours had “some kind of horses” on the seats that would be the deluxe interior offered on the later Falcons, not the 1960. Sure your wagon wasn’t a 1963-65?
I had a ’61 (I THINK it was a ’61…it was a lot of cars ago) Ranch Wagon, 3 on the tree, a medium metallic blue color and it had the brown western themed embossed seats. Mine had a manual rear window though.
This thing has had way too many modifications to make it a good buy. It would take way too much to get it back to where it should be, including swapping out the drivetrain. Too bad, as you don’t see too many of these around.
It’s nice not to see a roof rack with a surfboard.
I’m wondering if those ugly wheel covers are hiding the 4 lug wheels that most of these came with because there weren’t many that housed the 260 V-8 most were 6 cylinder cars!!! Would be a lot nicer with a four or even a three speed in there!!!
Nope, 5 luggers all the way around, drum brakes.
Since this is a daily driver simplicity was the name of the game….I want to have all parts available off the shelf NAPA or other parts suppliers. I have no hesitations going cross country on a whim. I maintain the car to those standards. A/C is easy using after market or original OEM components.
This car will be at the 2021 Daytona Turkey Rod Run, I got my Barn Find T shirts ready for the occasion….Lets Go.
To Robt below, It had a 289, 4 sp, both very worn out, looked like it was dragged out of some yard in Ca. With all my cars I must have complete confidence in their performance.
Like the fact that it has a v-8 under the hood but 289/4spd would really be the hot ticket. Period radiator as well.
Bottom line though too much money for cool. And this body for me is cool.
I would use it for surfboards, kiteboards, paddleboards, kayaks…if only I had the space. Condo living has its pluses and minuses.
Here’s my 2 door wagon when I picked her up covered in dust. A little surface rust but that is all.
Love it slinky what’s under the hood and what transmission does it have???
My grandmother had a Ranchero, I think 62 or 63? with like 10K miles on it, I think this was in the early 80s. Sold it for something like 250 bucks to a couple kids.
Box stock from the factory with the 170 and a 3 speed on the column. Red and white interior. needs the front seat recovered and carpet to be complete.
Front seat….
I’ll probably recover the rear seat also so the two match. Door cards are perfect as is the spare tire cover and spare tire well where they usually have a lot of rust. Paint is original except for some touch ups on the front fenders and buffs out well. I had thought about hot-rodding it but it needs to be kept original for now and I can hot rod one of the other Falcons I have. I have 3 1960 two door sedans and 1 1961 4 door wagon also.
Yup, just like my front seat…Grande Supremo burrito w/ extra jalapeños. Boom… The red and white combo interior I think really shows off the car. Nice. My 65 sedan delivery has white exterior with palomino interior, bland. A bowl of oat meal has more personality.
I’m w/Robert/Michael – put it back the way it was. Musta been done by a chebby guy (incorrect hei dizzy for the era).
And pete/re-pete adds – both have it up on stands? Whats up widdat?
I like the ‘rally pac’ but its on crooked,
Hub caps are fine, like slots better…
Slots on the front with reversed steelies on the rear.
Thank you for all the comments. I listed the sedan delivery with Barn Finds because there’s conversation about our hobby or business with real wrench turners. Everybody has a point of view and their favorite style. Which means you build to suit. I search many web sites and Craigslist 50 states looking for Falcon deliveries at least once a month. There were three available; one in Michigan rusted from the door handles down, another very nicely done at ??27k. And mine a genuine 78A. Find one…
Shock towers and torque boxes easily handle V-8 s, however stiffing kits are available. Shock tower removal installing a Mustang II front end an
excellent upgrade and to stiffen the chassis, level the car, cut open the rocker panels install the stiffener, reinstall the rocker. I’m currently working a coupe with 69/351w coupled to an AOD and 8″ posi.
to each his own, but for me it just needs an original 6 put back in.
you’re correct about one thing for sure, Mike, these are quite rare!
Yes Chris I brought the sedan delivery to a car show here in Ohio…people thought it was a foriegn vehicle.? Then a hearst, I guess your supposed rope it in and attach a red flag to the casket hanging out the back. My 65 Falcon sedan delivery would be impossible to find original without paying a premium price. This purchased from a guy who owned it for 42 years, a craigslist find, 289 V8, auto, 8″ diff, ps, pb, a/c, all original Ford.
I watch the tv show The American Pickers, they say, when you see it, you make the best deal possible and buy it. Because you’ll probably not see it again for a long time, if at all.
In 1982/3 I passed on a complete set of Chrysler sonoramic long tube induction, exhaust manifold on up, beautiful freshly removed pristine piece, $5000.00 in Pomona, Ca. If I bought this it would have been spaghetti Os for a year. The primary reason why I passed…I didnt own a mopar of any kind then but shudda bought it anyway…I could get some car anytime.
But after 30 years I put together two sets of sonoramic inductions, mucho $$$.
Good day wrenchers,
I didnt realize my car was still on Barn Finds but it is. I took it off the market because I enjoy driving it everywhere and maintaining it in 100% condition. But if a buyer comes along…
Since I dont tolerate marginal vehicles, they must be excellent or better, Ive decided to build another C4 with heavy duty innards. Since I do business with the folks Down Under,(Ford Falcons are huge there) I ordered an Australian performance kit. The kit is a complete bottom to top rebuild with superb quality components.
Automotive sales have gone into the range of OMG, used cars the same, old stuff maybe gone. Ive been reading states have taken up the idea that NO gas car will be over 5 yrs old and once they reach that criteria its unregisterable.