We’ve only seen two or three examples of a 1962 Ford Falcon Two-Door (or Tudor) Wagon here on Barn Finds over the years. And one two-door sedan delivery version, which would be the ultimate, at least for me. The seller has this decent-looking example posted here on craigslist in Sparks, Nevada, and they’re asking $10,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Zappenduster for the tip!
Believe it or not, for a guy who loves weird little oddball vehicles so much, and vintage Japanese vehicles, a first-generation Falcon was at the top of my master wish list for a long time, maybe about 18 to 20 years ago or so. That was back when a really nice example would be $4,000 or so, bummer. I refer to this wagon as a two-door, but some folks call it a three-door, as in the rear hatch is included in the number of doors. The ’62 cars got a new grille and front bumper, the chrome faux-intake on the hood, and it also got new tail lights.
Long-time Barn Friends commenter, supporter, truck expert, and man about town, Howard A., told a story once about how two-door wagons were popular as a way to keep small children from opening the rear doors while the car was moving. That makes sense and is something I had never thought about before. If it weren’t for surface rust and some paint match issues on the right front fender and a couple of other areas, this car would look great. The elephant in the room, of course, is the seller’s asking price. Hagerty is at $8,900 for a #3 good-condition car and $5,400 for a #4 fair car. They may be shooting in the dark with that $10k asking price, or maybe they’re just getting ready for low-ball offers?
Here’s what the rear cargo area looks like. This car doesn’t have backup lights, which is crazy to think about today. The rear window rolls up and down as it should, and that’s a great feature for keeping the air moving. I don’t see any earth-shattering rust issues, but we don’t get to see the underside. Just about every part for this car is available in aftermarket catalogs. Our own Josh wrote about a nice one back in 2016 here on Barn Finds, as a comparison.
Ford made the first-gen Falcon from 1959 through 1963, and it’s my personal favorite body style for this model. It’s so innocent, so new, so 1960s. In restored condition, this car would look great parked in front of our midcentury-modern house in Palm Springs. I mean, if we had one. I’d redo the interior to Deluxe spec, with the correct tan vinyl and nylon fabric seats. This one has a two-speed automatic transmission rather than a three-speed manual, which isn’t what I expected to see.
The engine is, I believe, the smaller 144-cu.in. OHV inline-six with 85 horsepower and 135 lb-ft of torque. A 170-six was available starting in 1961, but being a low-spec car, I’m assuming it’s the standard 144. Backed by that two-speed automatic, you aren’t winning many races, but that isn’t the point. The seller says it runs well and has minimal rust, so that’s great. I’m guessing there aren’t many people out there who would restore this car to stock specs; how would you redo this Falcon?
Whenever I see one of these early Falcons (which, in my mind, are always white), I think Ford must have decreed that everything about the car must be simple and therefore inexpensive. It must have worked, they were legit entries and good sellers in the emerging economy car market.
As a result, they are like the antithesis of the Country Squires of the era.
To answer your question Scotty, I’m not sure what I would do with it. It looks used but not abused. Being a 2-door, that’s kind of cool. It at least deserves fresh paint, but might be a better candidate for the restomod treatment.
I’m with you Bob, I’ve got a little 302 that would drop in there. This would make a great litle beach cruiser
The 2dr body will drive interest. It’s probably priced too high, but it’s complete and looks to be in decent overall condition. What will matter is how much rust is there, especially underneath and lower body and the condition of 2dr wagon specific parts.
This will likely wind up with a V8 and upgraded brakes, suspension and interior.
It should be a nice project and will likely sell relatively soon if the owner is negotiable.
Steve R
Robert McNamara was a WW2 “Whiz Kid” who studied things like cost/benefit ratios (bang for the buck). When he worked for Ford VW was beginning to make serious inroads into the economy car market so he had the engineering department buy one and dismantle it to cost out the components. The Falcon was a Ford parts bin equivalent designed to compete with the VW. It was a successful strategy which led to JFK hiring him as SecDef ostensibly to bring similar economies to DOD (with mixed results). This one needs too much refurb at this price and a slush box 144 doesn’t add excitement.
I think it’s cool even with the 6 cyl I would keep the steel wheels with hubcaps put change the tiers to raised white letter and put a wider tire on the rear and just enjoy it.
This brings back the memories. Me and my best friend at the time went 1/2’s on a ’61 4 door Falcon wagon when we were 12. Paid 85 bucks for it. The 2dr version is more sought after now, because 2drs are cool. Back when this was new the 2dr was probably a couple of bucks cheaper than the 4dr. These were not really rare when they were new but hey are now. They were a throw away car, used and of to the junk heap in 10 years. When I worked in a gas station in ’74-’76, a lady would come in at night on her way home from work driving the Comet version of this. At about 15 years old it was in rough shape to say the least.
This reminds me of my childhood sitting in back while my brothers were in the second row. But ours had the170cid special engine and it was light beige. You could never keep paint on the D pillar.
I’ll bet that pinned you back against the seat! Mine had the 144cid.
I really like this and I hope it stays stock. But that price is a bit much given the condition!
$5000.00 and I would jump on this. $10,000.00 not so much. Even $7,000.00 is pushing it.
I had a 1962 Falcon 2dr Sedan with factory air. All 4 floorboards were rusted completely out. The air flowed really well!
It was a salesman’s car and was a super delete, no radio(of course), no heater and no defrost. I didn’t know they made that many blank out plugs for that dash,lol.
Hmmm. I’ve always had a soft spot for one of these and it does look like a solid start. At that price, it might just still be available when I visit Nevada at the end of May. If so, maybe they’ll be ready to bargain as well and I could take it on a nice leisurely drive back home to Upstate NY. Nothing ventured, nothing gained but the seller won’t be gaining $10,000 from me.
This brings back memories of my ’63 four door Falcon I had as a “winter car” when I was in college, and my ’63 Bonneville rested in my mom’s garage.
My Falcon was black with the small six and two speed auto. A customer GAVE it to me if I would tow it off his driveway. It came with four new summer tires and two new snow tires. What a gift!
The best part of owning it was it was one of the few cars on campus that would start in sub zero temps.
Just another of many cars I now wish I could have kept.
My first car was a ‘61 falcon Tudor wagon. 144 3speed. Deluxe with white over blue two tone and the stainless trim package. Bought from the original owner. In excellent original condition. Paid $250. I remember my PL & PD insurance was $27 every 6 months. It had trouble hitting 60 MPH with a tailwind. Fun first car, nevertheless. Wish I had it today. Oh, this was in 1971.
Mine was a 64, 2 door sedan, 170, 3 speed, $50. Engine had a skip, I was 16, dad checked a few things under the hood, said “buy it”. A new distributor cap, never missed a beat again. My mechanical begins.
Orange engine is probably the 101 hp screaming six 170 cu.in. Still not going anywhere quickly with the two spd. air cooled fordamatic.
Thanks, RH Factor! I bet you’re right, I should have known that.
My older brother’s first car was a 1962 2 door, 6 cylinder automatic. No rust at the time (in 1968) I think he paid about $100 for it. And he drove the wheels of it. It handled really well, at least from what I could tell from the passenger seat. He drove himself and me to school and back every day. It was pretty quick too, so I’m guessing it had the “big 6”. The road out of town and to my school folowed a river for about 10 miles. Very winding. One morning we passed another Falcon around a curve with a sold yellow line, but it was a wagon. It turned out to be the town cop. He put his light on the dash board and started chasing us. We got far enough ahead that we made a left turn across a bridge and parked behind a grove a trees. A couple minutes later there goes the cop straight ahead with his light still flashing. We waited a couple minutes more and then back onto the river road and off to school. I still think about that day. I was about 12 years old and I still wonder, in such a small town as where I grew up, the cop didn’t just knock on our door after school or work. We were the only blue ’62 Falcon in town and he had the only ’60 black Falcon wagon in town. But I only have fond memories of that little blue Falcon
Great little story Jimbosidecar. The high-speed chase, in this case at something like 45 mph.
Lots of Falcoln memories from doubledating to gals 100 miles away. 144, 3 on the tree and a rod knock that lasted 3 years and hard driving. My buddy gave it to his Dad when he left for the Navy. It lasted another year before the crankcase was ventilated. Not bad for a $60 beater! I thought the automatic was not available in the 144?
In the ’70’s, I had the twin of this one. I don’t remember the drive train it had when I got it, but it was soon replaced by a 260V-8, 4speed, heavier front suspension, front disc brakes and bucket seat/console interior from a Falcon Futura. I used it for personal transport and chasing parts. It was a fun little car with some Git’-Up’. Like everything else, at the time, I sold it down the road.
Here’s what is interesting to me about this write-up and the posts:
While we all admire muscle cars or exotic cars or big luxury cars, and in fact we have or have had one at some point in time, not many of us had experience with them “back in the day”. But when a write-up of an economy car appears, it generates lots of posts, because lots of us had one. Falcons like this, Valiants, Novas, Pintos, et al, they typically generate remembrances, often pleasant.
I agree, Bob, that’s a great observation. I always cheer for the underdog. Minnesota sports teams usually (always) are, so I’m used to it. I would much rather see an old Falcon or a nice four-door Gran Torino than a thousand Hemi Cudas or Corvettes, but that’s just me.
My first car was a 1961 Falcon 4 door six automatic. It cost me $75 of my own money, I was 12! And on this one its perfect the way it is : )
We had a preproduction 1960 4 door sedan. It was red. Electrical parts replacements came from a 1959 standard car catalog. My first year in college I was the only one with a car. Got stopped twice while looking for a place to make out. Also sometimes had 7 students in it. I would steer and my girlfriend would run the pedals. Had the 144 and auto. Flat out it ran 70.
Listing update: the seller removed the ad, this one must have sold.