station wagon is back...

[Dave@Moon]

My grad-school ride was a then 20+ year old '60 Falcon DeLuxe. (White steering wheel! Oooooo! ) It had the 144 w/ 2sp Fordomatic (Too Low + Too High) <span style="font-style: italic">and</span> the "early car" open element air filter (look that one up in your rare parts guide, it's a doosey!) You haven't lived until you tried that combo.

Absolute top speed was 72 MPH (indicated) unless there was a strong tail wind. And it took at least 2 minutes to get there. Gas milage would vary on the highway by 14 mpg (18-32 measured) depending on wind speed and direction. Would NOT start below 10 degrees F w/o ether, and at -10 it was hopeless. The strongest headwind I ever drove in (40 mph sustained) limited the (unladen) car to 45 mph max on (flat) I-78 near Allentown PA.

And be careful driving in deep snow. Ice builds up on the downshift linkage, which bends under simple gas pedal pressure and you then loose your "too low" passing gear!

[Al Smeraldo]

That Comet wagon that I mentioned in my last post had a 200" six with a three speed stick. Even though by 1966 the car was the size of a Fairlane it wasn't that slow. However the trans was too weak. I think I rebuilt it at least four times. I got so adept at it that I could pull it in 15 minutes.

[Buicks Rule]

On the other hand, a relative had a 62 Falcon Squire Wagon-white with wood trim, white bolsters, red inserts piped in silver mylar that looked really sharp. She drove it every day from new until 1969 in the rust belt of NE Ohio. Sold it to a private party in the neighborhood who bought it about 15 minutes after the for sale sign went up in 1969. The 62 had less rust on it than the new replacement 69 Torino Squire wagon did when the 69 wagon was replaced with a new 72 Squire.

I was too young then to pay attention to the engine but I do recall that it had an automatic tranny and a manual choke. The car never let her, or the second owner, down due to mechanical failure, cold or whatever. That red and white interior was also very attractive--much more so than the monotone red interior in a neighbor's 63 Falcon Convertible.

I also recall that the owner considered the 62 Falcon Squire her favorite car and would have traded her current new car even up for that car if it were offered to her in the same condition that she sold it in up until the early 80's.

But then this was a car that was purchased new by that individual, driven almost exclusively by her on a daily basis through an approx 20 mile each way commute work to home with excellent maintenance-mechanical and cosmetic. Don't recall the mileage when sold but it was probably around 60000 to 80000 miles.

Based on the two Falcons that I have known, my impression of them is different from Dave's, but then the cars I'm talking about were excellently cared for cars bought new by the owners that I knew.

It's also funny how two different cars of exactly the same model can exhibit very different durability, build quality, longevity and so forth. Some cars off the line are just better built than others and if you got a good one, then you remember it positively and think about finding another. If you got a bad one, you can't understand why anyone would want one. That's part of what makes this hobby great--we each get to have our favorites--or at least dream about having them.

[ex98thdrill]

....ahh the Falcon..... The car that later had different bends in the metal to become a Mustang.

[Guest DeSoto Frank]

And then a Maverick...and finally a Fairmont...

None of which were glamorous, but they sure ran forever...

While I'm not particularly a "Ford man", I am fond of the Falcon...

[Guest imported_Dwight V.]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's also funny how two different cars of exactly the same model can exhibit very different durability, build quality, longevity and so forth. Some cars off the line are just better built than others and if you got a good one, then you remember it positively and think about finding another. If you got a bad one, you can't understand why anyone would want one. That's part of what makes this hobby great--we each get to have our favorites--or at least dream about having them. </div></div>

Which is my only defense as to why I own a Fiat.

[R W Burgess]

Well now. A Falcon? Should've tried the 260 cu. in. 4 speed version. I inherited one of those 2 door hard top jewels along with the first wife. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> The car was pretty quick, but boy a little power and a wet road did not go together. That thing would spin wheels all over the road, including "off" of it! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Wayne

PS; Almost forgot. Our car had a "nail" to keep the reverse gear lever in place. That nail tore up many stockings of it's day. Wish I could say more about that! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[ex98thdrill]

Yeah Frank and the Mustang II's were on the Pinto platform.

[Guest DeSoto Frank]

Yeah, those pot-metal gearshift sockets on the steering column were pretty fragile at that...never saw one of the predecessor "exposed" shifter rod gizmos break...

"Stockings", eh?