For sale on eBay in Newington, Connecticut (my home state!) is this fairly nice 1963 Ford Falcon convertible, blue on blue. The asking price is $5,800. In general, this car (with 112,196 miles on the odometer) looks well-used but not abused. It was in dry storage for more than 25 years, during which time a mouse chewed a silver dollar-sized hole in the sail panel of the convertible top (which had just been replaced).
The great bulk of these Falcons (and companion cars like the Mercury Comet Caliente convertible I owned) had the 170-cubic-inch straight six with automatic, and that’s what’s here. It’s not a Sprint! The owner notes a cheapie repaint 20 years ago, so it’s a 30-footer. And a non-running 30-footer. The owner says it needs a starter solenoid and new brakes, but new shoes are included in the sale. “Drums were recently turned and are in good condition,” says the vendor. “There are a few small dings, chips, and scratches.”
The driver’s door window regulator needs to be replaced, and a used replacement comes with the car. The basic interior, with bench seat, looks weathered but not trashed. The seller claims “there is no visible rust to the exterior or the body,” but adds that “the underside of the vehicle was reinforced with plates in several areas. Looks very strong. The passenger floors, and trunk floor are solid. The torque boxes appear intact.” Anyone buying this car might want to get under it with a strong light.
The ’63 Falcon, of course, effectively became the Mustang. Is someone going to challenge me on that here? The Falcon itself goes back to 1960, having been championed by Ford exec Robert McNamara (who was Secretary of Defense during Vietnam!) The Falcon was pretty bare bones at first (a 1960 was our family car for years) and offered only 95 horsepower from its 144-cubic-inch six with single-barrel carb. A three-speed manual column shift was standard, and you could pay extra for a two-speed Ford-O-Matic (the only option on our car!) But with its big bench the Falcon (even the convertibles) could legitimately carry six. Was it really a “compact”? Only by Texas-sized standards.
For 1963, the Futura model was in full flower, with a four-door, a wagon, and both Futura Convertible and Sports Convertible lines. The hardtop and Sprint came a bit later. The first-generation 1963½ Sprint could access the 260-cubic-inch V-8. There were only 4,602 Sprint convertibles in that year.
A year later we got the 1964½ Mustang, which used chassis, suspension and drivetrain components sourced from the Falcon Sprint and/or the Fairlane.
So, is this Futura worth investigating? I’d say so, provided the owner is negotiable at least a little. Classic.com says $23,648 for the ’63 Falcon, but most of the cars studied are Sprint convertibles. A 1963 Falcon Futura convertible sold for $10,250 March 17, 2025 on BaT, and it was much nicer than this one.
Assuming the rust situation is ok, and you planned to drive it and not restore, seems like a good price. Can’t be hard to get that engine to run.
Agree….if it gets checked out by maybe a local car checkerouter….looks to a good cruiser like it is….
So what separated the Futura from the Falcon other than a few cosmetic upgrades? I’d be leery of the “starter solenoid” on this car. It’s an easy fix , so the seller should have fixed it. I’m smelling electrical issues or worse, a stuck motor. Fun fact, to differentiate the 64 1/2 Mustang from the ’65, look at the dash, heater and radio knobs. They were white on the first Mustangs, having been “borrowed” from the Falcon.
That shade of blue should be outlawed. Except on a Petty Enterprise car.
Wire wheel covers compliments of JC Whitney.
Good one Sam,
that is the only way those wheel covers, and any form of the the word complimentary will appear in the same sentence.
Anyone else immediately think of the “Oceans Eleven” remake with Pitt driving and Clooney/Roberts in the back seat?
If rust free (in CT), the price and project sound about right. I’d put it into my herd.
Hmmm, my ’61 Ford E100 Econoline came w/a 144ci. It had 72hp on the air cleaner. Wouldn’t pull the hat off your head. My ’72 Kawasaki H2 750 had 78hp. Bought the van in ’72 for $300. Still have it, still runs great w/its 170ci. Yeah, I’m old
Somebody had the drums turned without replacing the shoes?
nice
I always liked the early Falcons, swap in some Fox body mechanicals and drive the snot out of it!
In Argentina, they were selling that body style all the way to 1977!
What is happening ??? An old car some ones trying to sell thats not $ 15,000 + Hot rodders remember – this has 4 lug wheels the beautiful genuine spoke hubcaps are covering up.
I dunno on this one. As I’m usually optimistic, I’m leery of this one. If the little munchers have already eaten “a” hole in the new top, what else have they ravaged…electrical and what else. And plates” to reinforce anything is not good.
As old as I am and I’m old, I’ve never thought that was good. I guess i learned how to weld early in life and always saw this as the only fix. Too many if for the price to me. Maybe?…$3500 all in.
My Dad brought one of these home new (a champagne color) when I was in 5th grade. Made my Mom mad, but I loved riding with the top down!
This listing ended on Tue, Dec 16 at 6:00 PM. The seller has relisted this item
https://www.ebay.com/itm/116931817784
the new listing ended on Wed, Dec 1. Unsold at $5800. The seller has relisted this item. Now asking $5000
https://www.ebay.com/itm/116944243121
Lower price -The reality of Christmas bills biting the rear $$ pocket book….