A period Ford advertisement said that the 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon was “Bigger and stronger to help you save in comfort.” I’m not quite sure what that meant and I don’t even know if Ford knew what this car meant. The seller has this dusty example posted here on craigslist in Port Hueneme, California and they’re asking $3,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for sending in this tip!
It’s a familiar theme with the photos being less than stellar, but as with hoping that people will magically start signaling their lane changes again, I’m afraid the ship has sailed as far as hoping that sellers will somehow start providing good photos and plenty of them. As the Falcon was to be replaced by the two-door-only Ford Maverick, Ford needed a stop-gap body style that offered more body styles, which the six-month 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon did.
There was not only a two-door but a four-door as seen here and also a four-door wagon. Most of us know the original Falcon in at least most of its forms and its different generations, but most of you may recognize this car as a Ford Fairlane/Torino, not a Falcon. It was built on the Torino’s longer (117-inch) platform and was reportedly available with a host of engines, all the way up to a 429 Cobra Jet! This car has been in California since new, according to the seller.
The seller calls this one a “classic barn find” and says that it can either be restored or used as a parts vehicle. They say that it has been used basically as a storage unit, having been parked for the last twenty years in a garage. It’s reportedly complete other than the vinyl top has been removed. I think this era of Torino – or “Falcon” – is a pretty sleek and elegant design and I wish that there were more photos: the underside, back seat, trunk, and especially the engine compartment which isn’t shown at all. I know, right?
In place of an engine photo, here’s a photo showing some rust which may be at least one of the reasons why the vinyl top was removed an unknown number of years ago. The seller says that the engine is a 302 cubic-inch V8 which would have had 220 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque. It’s backed up by a three-speed C4 automatic and an appropriate-for-a-sedan column gear selector. Apparently, an elderly woman owns the car and she quit driving in the 1990s but has kept it registered as a “non-operated” vehicle since 2001. Have any of you seen this rare version of the Ford Falcon?
Falcon or early Torino…Fords thinking.I would want to see roof picts if there is that much rust around rear window.Vinyl roofs while nice did destroy roofs.
One car that if it was a 2 door would be quickly snatched up and cloned into an ultra rare 429.
I’ve only seen one at BJ many years ago and even back then it was an attention grabber…
Some of these had “Falcon” badges, and some had Torino badges..as that was what this car is, a bare bones Torino. You didn’t even get carpeting, just floor mats.
Yup, the old compact Falcon was discontinued as unable to meet new Federal standards effective as of Jan. 1, 1970, and its replacement the Maverick (which did get a 4-door variant after the first year) wasn’t quite ready yet, so to bridge the gap and offer dealers something close to the old Falcon/new Maverick price point, for this half-year they put the Falcon badge on a stripper-spec Torino, which also explains that ad copy, “Bigger and stronger to help you save in comfort” — the Falcon badge moved up a size to the intermediate Torino body, and was a low-spec bargain offering for the penny-pinchers and fleet buyers.
Aha! I always wondered WHY a half year model change and then a completely different car. Thx!
Taxi cab special!
There was only one cab in the town I grew up in. And, it was a red one of these.
I own this car now and it’s absolutely gorgeous runs sooo good
And these “Falcons ” were solely post sedans, no hardtops.
Bottom of the line models from all makes were rarely offered in hardtop versions.
Those were reserved for the higher priced trims.
Not much love for these as sedans , especially a rough one. I imagine the front clip ending up on a coupe, the rest stripped for spare parts and the rest scrapped.
My dad needed a car quick about 1979 and a friend sold him a 70 Falcon 2 door. It had rubber mat interior with 302 automatic. Didn’t know how rare they were until it was long gone
Another decade might be the trick ! Maybe not !
Not a Falcon!!
Those rusted really good here in the Northeast like most 70’s junk. The splash pans fell off of those, Mavericks and Mustangs.At least they had some balls until 73-76 when the smog motors took away 40-50 hp and added the 5 mph fugly bumpers.. My Mom’s 74 Hornet had the bumper bracket rust away until the bumper was only held by one side. The 5 mph piece was still there floating in the hole. I had to get one from a junk yard I think, or we traded it in. I can’t remember.
Looks just like Beth’s mom’s car – good solid cars back in the day – shouldn’t be hard to bring back….
Had a 71 Torino, which was the repeat of the 70 Falcon. Paid $3,209.50 out the door, and had the car for 17 years, then sold it to a friend for $100. Bought it back 3 years for $100. but by then the car needed too much work, so I was the first person to drive it and the last person to drive it, to the salvage yard. It was a great car. My first Ford, and I never had a problem with it from the day I bought it until I sold it. The friend who bought it also never had a problem with it. When I finally bought it back, it needed the engine to be rebuilt (oil leaks) and tons of body work from rotted floors, fenders, fender wells, underside of the hood, etc. It would have cost me a fortune to restore it. Junked it and bought a 77 Chevy Nova.