Ford Falcon Tudor wagon

[rocketraider]

I have a lead on a 1961 Falcon Tudor wagon which from description and talking to owner isn't beyond restoring. I've always liked early Falcons, and a Tudor wagon is interesting.

It's had a 1968 200 cid engine installed during its life (which I consider a worthwhile improvement over either the 144 or 170) but owner says the clutch is frozen, so if I get it I have to figure a way to get it on the rollback- reckon I'd be lucky enough that dragging it would break the clutch free? or just break the clutch.

It has deluxe trim (rear fender washboards and bright window frames) and is complete except for missing the front seat. [img]<>/confused.gif[/img] What other Ford products will interchange with it? needs to be a split bench.

Luckily there seems to be good aftermarket and repro parts support.

I look at it this way. If it has a decent body, for $500 I couldn't go wrong. I could part it and get that much back, and it's as simple a car as there is to restore mechanically.

[progoofoff]

Try shifting to neutral.

[Bill Stoneberg]

Glenn, I love those wagons and you hardly see these.

If you are lucky the clutch will break free. If not, the winch should drag it on.

Good luck and post pictures when you get it.

[windjamer]

Glen, befor trying to drag it place the shift lever in neutral rase the hood and check to se the shift levers on the collom are aligned. Some of these older cars esp. chevy ,would lock in gear and you had to align the levers. Let us know how you make out.

[Shop Rat]

We have a standard shift, 1963-1/2 Ford Falcon Sprint convertible.

Welcome to "The Dark Side". [img]<>/cool.gif[/img]

[R W Burgess]

Glenn, sliding the Ford on a rollback, even dragging the wheels will not damage the vehicle.

When getting the Ford ready for the road (getting the engine running), a simple fix for the frozen clutch, is to:
1. Jack rear of vehicle off the ground!
2. Start engine with tranny still in gear!
3. Increase speed of drive train substantially!
4. Depress clutch pedal!
5. Strongly hit "brake" (you big dummy!) pedal!
6. The rotating mass when stopped suddenly, will break the clutch free!

Works for big trucks, should work for little vehicles, too! [img]<>/smile.gif[/img]

Wayne

[imported_Badger Guy]

Drop the drive shaft. (they have one don't they)
I googled the Falcon and there are a ton of sites.
Good luck Glenn.

We DO expect some pics! For $500 you can't go wrong!

Tom

[ken bogren]

I'd suggest switching back to a 144. I've got the 170 in my 63 Futura convertible and that's way to much power.

You really need a 144 to get the full thrill of trying to get through an intersection while the light is still green.

And then there is the fun of merging into expressway/freeway traffic.

Yup, that 200 will take all the fun out of driving an early Falcon.

That said, those early Falcons are really cool cars, I love mine! It's my daily driver in good weather (spring, summer, fall).

[MCHinson]

Wayne's trick works on Model A Fords really well, so it should work on the Model A's grandkid, the Falcon just fine.

On my Model A, after a long time in storage, I used that technique. I just accelerated up to about 20 or 25 mph and it broke free immediately when I stomped the brake and it has never given me any trouble since.

[Dave@Moon]

Quote:

You really need a 144 to get the full thrill of trying to get through an intersection while the light is still green.

I had a 144 cu in 1960 Falcon as my daily driver in college and grad school. In 1980 I was once in a headwind on I78 through Allentown, PA (before the bypass was built) where the car floored had a top speed of around 50 MPH. On a good day it would do 75 mph, and would literally take 3-4 miles to get there. (It had to be in perfect tune for that, however!)

Mine had the added joy of the too-speed Fordomatic (too-low/too-high), which is vastly slower than the standard transmission.

Actually the biggest problem with it was aerodynamics. There probably was never a less aerodynamic car built post-war than the 1960 & 1961 Falcon. I had highway trips back and forth between Pittsburgh and Ames, Iowa that varied between 19 and 31 mpg, depending on wind speed/direction.

==================

All that said, it was a great car. I got 50,000 miles out of it eventually replacing most of the smaller components (car, fuel pump, starter, etc.) over the 4 years, despite the fact that it was 20+ years old and had sat for most of those years neglected. I especially liked matching the then new Fairmont in every respect in an $800 car.

I think the front seats are no different structurally between wagons and other 2 doors, however (especially since it's a Deluxe) the seat fabric may be unique to wagons. Fortunately a lot of those Falcon fabrics are still available, the seats are a very simple and inexpensive redo. (I had mine redone in 1990 and was not much money at all.) Check with the Falcon Club of America guys. These cars enjoy great club support!

[Shop Rat]

Hey Ken, how about posting a bigger photo of your '63 convertible? Our Sprint was white when we got it. Now it is Rangoon Red. I just like how "trim" looks against a red car. [img]<>/laugh.gif[/img]

[TG57Roadmaster]

Get that wagon! Here's a little eye candy of one that got away here in Anderson
a couple of years ago.





It was loaded (by Falcon standards) with the DeLuxe trim package, roof rack, radio and heater!



Even had the big six; 170 cubes of brute power.
Shoulda, coulda, woulda...

Those opting for a little more prestige in an economy Tudor wagon could move up to Mercury,
in this case a '63 Comet, shot in San Luis Obispo, CA in 2007...



We had a teal 4-door Comet wagon around the time this one was new,
but the Tudors are the cuties.

TG

[rocketraider]

I hope this wagon looks as good as the red one. It's Starlight Blue which is a real nice color and easy to live with. Might get a chance to go look this weekend; last weekend was busy as a cat in a sandbox. It's dark every day when I get home, then would have to drive another half-hour to see it.

I like that baby Villager too! Such utterly cool little cars for what were supposed to be bottom feeders.

Re: shift linkage alignment- Well acquainted with that quirk! The links on me dad's ElCamino were worn badly and about every third time you tried to shift from 1st to 2nd, they'd hang up.

[Dave@Moon]

Quote:

It was loaded (by Falcon standards) with the DeLuxe trim package, roof rack, radio and heater!

I'll say. Of the things you list only the roof rack is truly rare, although very few Tudors were sold with Deluxe trim. Very few wagons were sold with roofracks, making a Tudor with one very rare! This car also had full wheel covers and back-up lights, both very rare options.

My car was a 1960 with everything. If Ford sold it and it didn't have it, I installed it. I had regular hubcaps with very rare accessory trim rings (much better looking than the wheel covers), a shift quadrant light, fender ornaments, a Comet push-button radio, ventvisors w/ vent window shields, & back-up lights. (The b-u lights look really odd on a 1960. They're the same as the 1961's, but they had to be placed far inboard to clear the "Falcon" script.)

[R W Burgess]

Let's see, take the luggage rack off and increase top speed by 5 miles per hour??? [img]<>/smile.gif[/img]

Wayne