I’ll admit that it took me quite a while – actually more like decades – to finally appreciate the Ford Falcon and its role as a game changer in the automotive world. Game changer is quite a moniker, but you can’t argue with the numbers and what this compact car achieved. The Big Three’s instincts about offering a smaller, more sensible alternative to the ever increasing size and expense of full-sized cars was spot on. For model year 1960, Chevy introduced its air cooled, rear-engine Corvair, Chrysler introduced the Valiant, and Ford rolled out the Falcon. The Falcon had the more conventional and conservative styling of the three and won the coveted sales race award. Ford sold nearly a million of these simple, humble vehicles in the first two model years of 1960 and 1961. That’s impressive. Given its positioning as an economical and thrifty compact car for families, it’s not surprising that the 4-door sedan (Ford still cleverly called them Fordors) was the top seller with about 150,000 of the total 475,000 units sold. Here’s one that has survived in its original state that is a classic barn find with layers of dust, flat tires, and stuff stacked up around it.

The seller (who is selling the Falcon for his uncle) is very sparse with details and descriptions and shares only three photographs. He says it’s been his uncle’s car for 57 years, which would make it 1968, so I’m assuming his uncle was the second owner. It’s hard to gauge the true condition of the Falcon or how long it has been sitting uncovered on a dirt floor which isn’t ideal for longterm vehicle storage. It left the factory in Cambridge Blue and the glass looks to be there, but I can’t tell if the trim is all there or not.

I’m not sure how long the driver’s window has been rolled down (about two inches), but that doesn’t help in preserving a car’s interior. The Falcon’s original cabin has seen its share of critters over the years and would definitely need attention. Even though Falcons didn’t come with a lot of standard features in order to keep the car cheap, this one was has the most expensive option for 1961: the $163.10 Fordomatic automatic transmission. It also has the optional 170 Special Six engine that was new for ’61 that generated 101 horsepower when it left the factory. There are no photos of the engine and we don’t know when it last ran or if it turns over. The Falcon is nesting in Oakland, Oregon and is for sale here on craigslist for $3,500.  A thank you to Kendra for spotting this blue bird and sending it our way. So, what do you think? Is this Falcon Fordor worth resuscitating back to life?