Ford introduced the Falcon in 1960 as their first foray into the compact car market. A decade later, it would be replaced by the popular Maverick, yet the name lived on for one more half-year. But this time as a budget version of the mid-sized Fairlane/Torino. The 2-door sedan here has been at least partially restored and presents extremely well. These cars don’t turn up very often, but this one has in Salina, Kansas. It’s available here on craigslist for $34,900. Hats off to T.J. for this cool find!
Six months after the Falcon wrapped up its 11-year run as a Ford compact, it returned for six months as a down-scale version of the Torino. Available only in sedan and station wagon configurations, the cars were basic, right down to the rubber floor coverings. As a result, the Falcon was two feet longer, and three inches wider than before but could seat six instead of five passengers. As you might expect, an online-6 was the standard engine, but you could order up to a 429 cubic inch V8 to have a real street sleeper.
Over its brief life, the intermediate Falcon saw a production of 67,000 units, of which 26,000 were 2-door sedans, like the seller’s car. The Torino was Motor Trend’s Car of the Year for 1970, so perhaps the “new” Falcon got to share a little in that glory. The seller comes across as a dealer given the offer of free shipping and cryptocurrency transactions and tells us he/she believes this car has only had two prior owners at under 50,000 miles.
This is not an original car, but rather has been treated to some aspects of restoration at some point. The green/gold paint has been reapplied along with the black vinyl top. The interior looks exceptional, and we’re told everything there is original. Though an economy-oriented car, this Falcon was treated to factory air conditioning (new compressor now), automatic transmission, and power steering.
Though the scoop on the hood would imply there’s a beast underneath, there’s a 302 V8 present which may or may not be original. We’re told this is an exceptionally good running car and a video of it is available upon request. And the period-correct Magnum 500 wheels help to make it look sharp!
$34,000 is a lot of money for a bare-bones stripper with a small block. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very nice car but the shaker scoop isn’t going to do a lot of shakin’ with a 302. With a production run of 26,000 sedans, it’s maybe a scarce car but not a rare one as the seller claims.
Do people actually have so much disposable income ?
35 k is a lot of money for such a car !
Bah
I give to charities
Maybe if i didn’t , i could have something like this …
Dont forget our freedom has a price
And the next generation needs all the help they can get
Uh, folks are spending $80,000 on pick up trucks and SUVs. This isn’t anything new. It isn’t disposable income as much as it is (almost) free money from your friendly bank, pretty much for the last decade and a half. Throw in an emerging “lifestyle by cashflow” (as opposed to disposable income) mentality, and yep, these cars are selling…..
cheers,
BT
Don’t sell the 302 short. I made a lot of dodge 340’s sniff my exhaust. No fancy hot rod parts, just a great tune up.
What’s really odd is that this body style is unique to the 1970 1/2 Falcon, there wasn’t a Torino 2-door post sedan. Especially considering that the half-year Falcon was mainly a placeholder until the Maverick 4-door was ready for the 1970 model year, so they really only “needed” a Falcon 4-door sedan.
I’ve always mostly been a GM muscle car guy and I was never aware of this version of the Falcon. I love it! Grocery getter green with a bench seat and rubber floor mats! Bare bones simple, functional and to the point. I would drive this thing everywhere.
Having said that, there are lots of other choices that would appeal to me for that money. Just personal taste and opinion.
Very cool car!!
Me too, I love this car. I too would go everywhere in it and it is pretty rare.
Sorry, but next generation are gonna drop combustion engines like hot potatoes.The generation are environmentally oriented and technology driven.
No such thing as a “post” anything. No manufacturer ever promoted described or sold a “post” sedan. “Post” is a useless filler word used in the car hobby for some reason to describe a sedan when adding “post” to sedan is redundant.
Hardtops are the outliers as they have no “B” pillars regardless what MINI or Ford in the early ’70s claimed .
This is a two door sedan. Meaning: a sedan. With a B pillar. And two doors.
There are hardtop coupes, wagons, four door hardtop sedans. Operative word: hardtop.
There’s no need to use the word “post” when describing a sedan. Sedans [and wagons] have a B pillar. Unless they are hardtops
Well put Psychofish2. However, there are many out there who aren’t knowledgeable with terms like 2 door coupe or 2 door sedan. The word “post ” does help give a little better insight.
GM’s 1950’s design known as “hard-top convertibles” or specific to Pontiac division the Catalina trim level. A VP of Marketing’s wife always chose the newest convertible, but never lowered the top, ever. When the VP asked his wife why, she explained the convertible (without B pillar) looked the best but she didn’t want the wind ruining her hair. And the hard top convertible look was born.
This car is begging, on all fours, for a hopped up 351c to be put in there. IF, the 302 is original put it to the side and give this beauty the heart of a cheetah..
This car was 184.3” long, some 3.3” longer than the original (smallest) Falcon. Where in the world did you come up with the “two feet longer” claim?
You are wrong. The last generation of the compact Ford Falcon made up to 1970 was 184 inches long. This model being on the Torino platform was 206 inches long. The 2 cars were very different.
Well, if we’re going to be pedantic (is that you Mark POST from Galion) the last generation of the AMERICAN compact Ford Falcon was as you state, the Australian version carried on as before, through many generations, finally ending in 2016.
I stand corrected … the info I got was for the 1970 Falcon, not the 70 1/2. This one is in fact 22” longer than its predecessor.
When i saw shaker hood, bench seat, the column shift automatic….i was ready for the big block, and the ultimate sleeper…
Nope just a cheerful cruiser. Nice car.
This one is very very special
A fore runner if one can say
It had something that didn’t even exist
It was powered by an online-6
That was way before the internet
Must have been an army special ops thing !
Love These, Hopefully Someone Will Make A Runner Our Of It.
Would a skaker hood really have been an option on a 2bbl 302?
Pull two plug leads off and more than the hood will shake.
Great gift for gram pap for Xmas
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of these cars. Which makes it all the more surprising that 67,000 were made. Maybe I’ve seen them and never noticed the different badge. That’s my new thing learned for the day.
I think the “shaker”was added and only available on GT and Cobra? Sure is a nice car but asking price for this it should have more options….
Nice clean car. I hate trying to read ALL CAPS. It makes me want to quit reading, OH, I did.
Free shipping!! I like it.
Its not surprising many folks have never heard or seen these mid year ’70 Falcons. Pure to and from, everyday transportion non thrilling basic car when new, like the ones in the car lots for sale now,, in the back of the lot really, on the road they go unnoticed, a few years later most wind up being recycled into something else. Out of those 67000 built how many still exist today,,, or even five years in, I mean you had to be a real die hard Ford guy in the ” know” to order a ‘701/2 Ford Falcon with the super cobra jet 429 or any version of that monster, solid runner too but still,
A 302 automatic chore car…they were around for sure but nobody really cared…then.
When I see this car, I think Roadrunner. Ford could have marketed it as cheap muscle.
I believe Ford was marketing the Cobra, pure screaming blue oval performance car, to battle Plymouth’s successful Road Runner budget racer/cruise night rig,
When I first spotted this car I thought it was a 429 version with that shaker scoop, a car rarely seen and more or less a sleeper Ford. That 302 has a lot of work to do!
Sharp car, but it’s gotta get a much better color paint job…Ugly color :(:(
Ugly color :(:( It needs a much better colored paint job and also no body work is needed, just prep !!
Sharp !! Pretty bad color :):) It needs a much better color paint job…
Sharp car !! Bad color :(:( Needs a much better colored paint job, ASAP…
OK, David. We get it. You don’t like the color.
I had to do it at least 4 times just to get it to be sent !! Peace :):)
Sorry if ya get a lot of replies, cuz it’s not getting sent to U just like it always does…I think I’ll stop commenting altogether… Peace !!
Sorry if ya get mulitple replies, cuz it’s not getting sent to U, just like I had to hit reply 4 times just to get my comment about the color sent..I might just stop trying altogether…Peace !!
Yeah, sometimes after hitting Post Comment, it posts but doesn’t show up when the page refreshes, then it finally appears a few minutes later, which can be confusing and leads some to try again another couple-few times, leading to duplicate comments.
What’s really surprising is it came with a vinyl top, but was a mostly stripped down car. I remember as a kid there was an old man that delivered eggs in our neighborhood, always had an old car. One day he showed up in brand new ’70-1/2 Falcon wagon. 6cyl. three on the tree. He said he didn’t believe it but he was able to afford a brand new car.
Nice looking car. Remuminds ne of my cousins ’70 Torino which had a balanced and blue printed 429, racing tranny and suspension. It had been used on the drag strip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS3R8z-GFmg
I have the same color 70.5 Falcon with a 302, 3 on the tree(now a T5), drum brakes, manual steering, bench seat. It’s a blast to drive and everyone is like “wtf is that???” But, it’s nowhere near a $35k car. That being said, it’s going to get a 351c, top loader, and 9” for a sleeper muscle car! I’m not a Ford guy(this is my first) but, man it’s one of the coolest cars I’ve ever laid eyes on!!
This I believe is a scam .It has been on FB Market place many time when I messaged Lady she said it’s not her car and someone was using her name. Buyers beware !
Very very nice car! As a BIG fan of Oldtimers i think its important to preserve also plain jane basic cars in very good condition like this one! Provided everything works fine the price is right. Hope this baby geht’s a nice home and not be transformed into another restomod with a Coyote underhood…
I haven’t seen many 70 1/2 Falcons and it does look alot like a scaled down Torino. And agree with another’s comment that she’s begging for a 351 transplant to work that shaker hood. Good find.
Ist time i seen a non black factory rubber mat! I wonder what other colors were available. Imagine trying to find a new one today.
Here, IMO, an optional vinyl roof, magnum 500s, trunk mat, & even A/C take away the purpose of this car.
Considering this Falcon has a shaker & shaker hood …
1. Maybe it DOES have a(tired? lol) 351 v8 & the current owner doesn’t know it?
2. Maybe it HAD a 351 with a factory shaker – more likely than someone being able to find / spending money on a shaker hood & scoop for a factory installed 302 2 barrel(which also by the way makes no sense to add to this motor lol).
That front spoiler makes no sense either & i doubt it was avail with this motor, much less with the strait 6.
Can i assume when this car came out, the 2 & 4 door smaller boxy Falcon were no longer being made at the factory(s)?
It’s an unusual, Torino looking 70 12 Falcon. But at $35k price point as it stands doesn’t leave much wiggle room for upgrading her to a 351and Edelbrock heads, intake and Carb. You’d be way underwater. Other than that she’s sure a clean example Falcon.