V8 Swap Candidate? 1964 Ford Falcon Wagon

This may be a minority opinion, but I think that every car collection should have at least one compact station wagon from the 1960s. Choose any one you’d like: Valiants, Darts, Chevy IIs, Ramblers, Comets, Falcons, BOPs—they’re all a practical size, they’re easy to drive, they get decent fuel mileage, and they’re as useful as anything this side of a pickup truck. This 1964 Ford Falcon is the uncommon two-door model; only 6,034 were built, and certainly only a fraction of them remain. It started its life in Texas and moved to New Mexico before finding its way to California, where you’ll find it here on craigslist in Diamond Springs. Thanks to Barn Finder Rob for sending it our way; the asking price is $7,500.

The seller of this Falcon raises the idea of an engine swap, primarily because the engine that’s currently taking up space in the engine compartment is missing a distributor, carburetor, and radiator. On the other hand, a Ford inline-six is a tough engine, and as long as it rotates, the cheapest option would be to get this one running and throw in an aftermarket Mustang radiator. The standard engine in 1964 Falcon Wagons was the 170, but this is clearly a later model (maybe Ford six experts can narrow it down). On an unrelated note, did you know that the 144 was still available in Falcon sedans in 1964? That would have been painfully slow.

The transmission is listed in the ad as a manual, so it’s certainly the three-speed with a non-synchromesh first gear. If you were planning an engine swap in the little wagon, that would have to be the first thing to go (aside from the engine, of course). Oh yeah, the rear end in a six-cylinder Falcon won’t hold up to a V8’s torque for too long, either.

The interior itself could use a little help: the front seat needs recovering, there are speaker holes in the doors, and the radio is missing.

On the other hand, there are some knick-knacks lying on the load floor, so let’s hope that the car comes with enough parts to put the interior back together. This picture shows us why a compact wagon is such a useful collector’s item; you can fold down the back seat and carry almost anything. It’s like a truck with a low roof.

Being a Southern car, you won’t have to worry about much rust (“a small spot at the back of the floor near the tailgate”). There are some dings, dents, and a tweaked rear bumper, but this Falcon is an uncommon ride that is a bit like a “choose your own adventure” story. I would get the six-cylinder running and use it as it sits. Sure, I might try to find another rear bumper (and a front seat cover), but if you’re using it like a wagon should be used, it might get tweaked again anyway. Long live the compact wagon!