1960 Ford Falcon. My first car. I can't remember if I bought it in '67 or '68 but it was my car in High School. You never really fall out of love with your first car.
My first car was a Opel Corsa B with a 3 cylinder engine that made 55hp and rattled like a diesel schoolbus at stoplights. Hard to fall in love with such a car, but I surely respected that it took me everywhere without ever breaking down.
My first car was a rusty subaru outback from 2001. It shuddered at highway speed because of rusted suspension components. 18 mpg. I hated that car. Anyway I eventually bought a Crown Vic and that thing still gets 18 mpg but at least it has 100 more horsepower and rides like a cloud.
My first car was a 1968 Falcon XT 3.6 six 3 speed column,4 door bought in mid 80s off my father $800-travelled many miles round NZ Cape Rienga to Wellington Wish I still had it
In Argentina, it was a very successful tube. It was made until 1991. It basically contained the same body with some aesthetic changes and mechanical improvements up to 166 HP. some quarter-mile teams managed to get around 600 HP from the old 6-cylinder
Last car show I went to: 15 '57 chevys generically modified. 10 knockoff boss 302 and other mustangs (No 6 cylinders present, like most mustangs were sold) 5 chevelles SS (fake of course) G E N E R I C Then there was a 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis wagon. The most interesting car there, the least valuable, sure, but at least it actually represents the era it comes from correctly.
1960 Ford Falcon When new 4-Dr Sedan $1974.00 Heavy Duty Battery $8.00 Deluxe Trim Package $66.00 Fresh Air Heat /defrost $54.00 Two Tone paint $17.00 Manual Radio $54.00 Safety Equipment padded dash and visors $19.00 Front seat safety belts $21.00 Whitewall tires $29.00 Automatic Transmission $159.00 Wheel covers $16.00 Windshield washer $13.00 Electric windshield wiper $10.00 . Minimum wage in 1960 was exactly $1.00 per hour or $2080.00 per year.
@@MrSnek do you have the VW up in the us? You could get a decent up for that cost. If not, the up is a tiny VW economy car with a 1.1 engine popular in the UK and Europe. They are genuinely great little cars, although slow.
That one quote basically shuts up every complaint people have had about the Vagabond Falcon build. Why automatic? Because regular car. Why a muffler? Because regular car. Why the stock cams? Because regular car. Why didn't you-- BECAUSE REGULAR CAR! GRR!
Some cars can be regular cars, but the VF is now not a regular car, it's a v8 disc overdrive front end yadda yadda hot rod. Its no longer 6 cylinder, 2 speed, drum brake. I begged him not to do it, but I understand that young men need to fuck with stuff. It's still cool now, but it's no longer a regular car.
bcubed72 McNamara worked as an analyst for the U.S Airforce during its participation in the second world war. It was his report on the effectiveness of firebombing civilian population centers via unguided carpet bombing that made the United States Navy and Airforce focus away from precision strikes on Japanese infrastructure but instead focus on firebombing the entire country. I really didn't want to have to explain the joke.
An Australian classic too. From 1961 made in Australia ! The engine went on to become totally made in Australia. As the Barra 6 it grew double overhead cams, alloy head, cross flow and sophisticated computerised engine electronics.
Yes, but the early ones just fell apart on Aussie roads. The rest of them were generally ok. I was never a great fan, but then, I wasn't overly keen on most of the Holdens. Liked a lot of the Valiants, and LOVED the P76. Maybe I'm weird.
"The world must understand that classic cars are not all Chevelle's, and Boss 302's, and Oldsmobile 442's, and Grand National's, and rat rod Cadillac's... Some classic cars, are just regular cars." This was an awesome quote to end an awesome review.
Add the fact that the restoration fad is to find a rare muscle wreck and use the VIN and other vehicle id on a better survivor which was less rare. The future will be only rare survivors. The collector market may tank for some of these models due to over supply. I saw one TH-cam clip where the barn owner cut rooves 55-57 GM coupes into convertibles. He had parts wrecks to get VIN and fabricated in the frame X supports on the coupes. He had survivors to take measurements and use to fabricate matching hardware. The mid-50s GM convertibles were selling for 1000% or more than a sedan, 500% more than a top trim-line coupe or sedan hardtop. The fabrications were concours quality convertibles, probably better than factory stock, too. The valuble parts were the VIN and frame id.
I dont mean to be so off topic but does any of you know a method to log back into an Instagram account..? I was dumb forgot my login password. I would appreciate any assistance you can give me!
I love the manual steering and huge wheel in my Ford. Combined with the long hood, it definitely takes you back to when cars had no computers or crumple zones.
I just now saw your video,and as the owner of a falcon for over 40 years now,i was pleased to hear your final words!!. My plain jane 4dr 65 with 6cly engine gets alot of attention at car shows. If you do see another falcon,its very often hot rodded or the high end sprint v8 or convertible models.
I LOVE this car, my favorite aunt owned a 2 door 1960 Falcon, and I used to love going cruising with her. My brother later during high school owned a 2 door 1963 Falcon with a 170 cubic inch 6. This thing was so tail-light it was very easy to to do burnouts in it making everyone think you had a v-8 under the hood. This video inspired a few nostalgic flashbacks. Thank you very much!
When my dad lost his job in the 1960's -- and his company car -- he purchased a used Falcon for $600. Black. No radio. Manual choke. Vacuum powered wipers. Incredibly simple, reliable, easy to repair, and inexpensive. It was a god send.
My father, upon his return from a one-year stint in Viet Nam -bought a dark blue 1960 Falcon to act as a second car for the family. My parents were married almost 17 years by that time (September 1968) and had been going one car for as long as they’d owned them. I wasn’t born yet...but my 3 sisters were, so my Mom needed our 1965 Country Squire for carting them to school, doing the shopping, and all the other things 1960s housewives did. So, Dad went to a local Ford dealer and bought a one-owner 1960 Falcon so he could commute to his job at Bolling AFB, and later - after leaving the Air Force - his job for the Fairfax County (VA) school system. One day, the steering wheel came off as he was driving home on the Beltway. He did his best to get the wheel lined up again and held it into place the rest of his way home. Oh...he had to shift the three-on-the-tree, as well! Another time, driving over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, the gear shift snapped off while he was shifting. My ever-resourceful Dad grabbed a vise grip out of the bag of tools he kept with him for such emergencies, and stuck it in the hole where the gear shift had been. The next day, he limped that tired gal back to Clinton Ford where he’d bought her two years before, and traded her in on a 1968 Fairlane 500 wagon.
When I lived and worked in Buenos Aires in the 1990s, brand new Falcons were common as taxicabs. They were pretty much identical to earlier Falcons except the taillights were updated to 1980s standards. They were manufactured locally in Argentina.
i was thinking that too! Straight out of a period tube powered NARCO 12, when we called Bangor radio on one frequency and told them were were listening on Houlton VOR. that was the Big Time in a Piper Vagabond or an Ercoupe
Really well done, thanks for the memories. My buddy had a 60 in 64, few years before I could legally drive, it was a three on the tree, it might have had a radio white two door. That was a fun summer in Chicago. Dumped the clutch at every light and bicycles would pass us, it was crazy. At night a ton of room in the back seat to watch submarine races at the Planetarium. I had a lot of memorable cars over the years but that dog of a Falcon still holds a special place and it wasn't even mine.
Mirrors are a safety option? No hazard lights? Automatic is the thing to have and the car companies lied about the cars specs? This seems just like a new car, amazing!
The Falcon was off-the-shelf design. It drove and handled like a mid-50s car. The roads at that time, 1960, were also different. The interstate highway system was still being completed. State highways were also being flattened and straightened. Travel averaged 30 mph. When you got to the next town on the highway there was a speed zone and traffic signals. There were very few truck routes or by-passes to avoid the central business district of the county seat. There were many older vehicles still on the road in 1960, too. They didn't all have power assist and high compression engines. Many didn't have radios or automatic transmissions. People used hand signals to turn and brake. There weren't any 1961s yet, but probably some 1956 Nash, 1954 Hudson Hornet, 1951 Kaiser with Dragon Skin, and a few pre-war Model A Fords.
My first car in 1967 was a 1960 Falcon, white with blue interior, 2 speed automatic, 4 door and it was a good car for the era. Paid $100 and my dad and me spent several weeks fixing it up as it had been driven unfortunately into a beauty salon, literally , by an underaged minor who thought they would do their mom a favor and pick her up at the front door. Lol, what wonderful memories of a time long gone. Thanks for sharing.
Mind you people didn't have the options they do now back then, Younger people like myself can't afford American muscle/pony if they want a performance car, so we turn to the Japanese market, that wasn't an option in the 60s
My b.I.l. Had one, a two door, automatic, white top, red bottom. I got to drive it once. They were okay, but, they wouldn’t pass muster today. The little 144, 140, cu.inch 6s were okay for the highways then, but, we travel at high speeds in some towns and cities at or above 60 m.p.h., they would struggle. These little cars were great back then, but, the car manufacturers were just slapping them together for cheaper cars. No one ordered a/cond. back then. Now if we had the four cylinders and 6s of today, wow, what cars. Great vlog. Thanks for posting and sharing this vlog.
Right after high school (Class of '70) my buddy, Dave, bought a 62 Mercury Comet (Falcon clone) and I bought a 62 Rambler Classic. Both were "3 on the tree" manuals. Both cars had vacuum wipers, a nightmare in a rainstorm on the highway! I'm pretty sure the Comet was not synchromesh first gear, don't remember on my Rambler. I loved the Classic as it had a DUAL master brake cylinder which meant you had some brakes if a brake line failed whereas the Comet didn't. That's important if you've ever been in a car with a single master and had a brake line or wheel cylinder crap out on you! Happened to Mom with me in the car. We lucked out because weren't going fast and Mom knew to pump the brakes like crazy and crawl the car to the repair shop 2 blocks away. Both cars were tanks with 2 squirrels on a treadmill for an engine. But not real safe: no seat belts, collapsible steering column nor padded dash. I found out when a woman in a 69 Plymouth Fury (think Ford Crown Vic) made a left right in front of me. I broke the steering wheel clear through in one spot with my chest and left the imprints of both knees in the metal dashboard. No broken bones but sore for about a month and all at less than 20 mph! Cars were a lot more dangerous then until the Feds started a series of safety requirements beginning in 1963 and another additional set in 1968 and incrementally after that.
I love this era or American cars, I love the Falcon, I have to admit I'm a sucker for the Corvair, I love it's styling and the engine being an air-cooled flat6 like a Porsche also drew me to it.
Whats ironic about that is the Corvair did the air-cooled flat 6 before Porsche. The issue is that the Corvair was not engineered enough to actually handle its layout. Just as a thought, if GM redesigned the Corvair then, we could of had a well handling mid-engine H6 Pony Car instead of the Camero. Be awesome if that happened, but it didnt.
CWDTrixie Yeah thats true with the first generation, with its swing axle and lack of anti-roll bar, however the 2nd generation had double jointed rear axles and a proper anti-roll bar setup front and rear. I do sort of agree however, the engine was mounted way back over the rear wheels to allow 4 seats, but they can handle well with some modifications, just look at the Yenko series of Corvair's named "Stingers" they're pretty serious cars
I have a soft spot for the 60-62 non sporty looking Corvairs. Particularly the 4 door. Dunno why, they arent particularly good looking really. Something about the combo of innovative and conservative at the same time. I like the first gen Prius for the same reasons.
I owned a '61 Corvair Monza when they first came out. It had the H.O. engine (98HP) and sad to say the 3spd manual. Didn't want to wait for a 4spd. I liked the car even with the 3spd, had to double clutch to downshift into first (non synchro). The car was WELL built, paint was very smooth and vehicle was tight. If you jacked up one corner of the car, you could still open and close a door without undo force. The handling of the car (oversteer) you learned the hard way. The first time I entered a curve too fast, I almost got into a head on. From that time on I learned to NOT get off the throttle instead to power thru a turn. I loved that car, but I traded it for a '62 Buick Skylark, so I did not experience any of the Corvair's problems, ie. oil leaks and smells getting into the heater system.
I have a Honda that everybody is telling me to get rid of. I am like aren’t you the person who keeps tell me you wish you didn’t get rid of the car you had back in the day? My Honda is a beast always rolls! And the air conditioner always blows cold air unless I got my heater on! So I will keep my old Honda! 😃
That a fault u dont want , Im escort and i had the pinto . That baby died in a chase i lost that race .i ditched im with a mavrick thunder didnt know how to lose cougar was bizzare . Rancho. 351 windsor. 352 Galicia 500 ltd loaded. Old cop car the green ghost fords u gotta fix daily. Ok. I Dr hard hard hard 2nd CLUTCH gone third clutch . 1800 cc . 2006 . I dont think i sell. It 5000$ canadian if you want . It yota.s classic . Bringer er back i a pro. You gotta have the best clutch . New sound system yet to come . Yota factory junk electric cars CANT work. TRUCK next yota. And i need a truck ford ranger loaded hmm. Brand new i heard rumours of legend 2.3 4 imm 6 gears 260 hrs. Power . That gotta be hmmmm supercharged factory x . L.O.L CONSERVATIVES JOKES IN CANADA SAYS BORDERS CLOSED JOE great niegbours. South of the 49th. Ok. 1 29 er calling engage the enemy time the enemy live out your Dreams. I have. I am i cried . L.O.L CONSERVATIVES JOKES IN CANADA 2 wheel dr rear. Hmmmmm. Well a man can Dream. L.O.L
I never knew I could care so much about such regular cars. This channel is beautiful in its celebration of the ordinary and basic. Thank you for the hard work you do to teach us about these cars and why they matter. "Some classic cars, are just regular cars..."
Bought a "66 in 1971 as my first car. No synchro 3 speed so you had to come to a completely full stop before re-engaging first gear and this made it a real pita.
I have been to Argentina twice in the 80's and all I saw there were 1960 Falcons on the streets! All they did to change the model styling was headlights/tail lights/grill! Falcons were made there starting in 1962 ending production in 1991! The in line six cylinder engine with ether 170 CU IN or 200 CU IN displacement were the power plants. They were so reliable, they went often well over 500,000 miles before rebuild!
Love it! What a ride. My first car in 1971, bought from my sister for $100. A baby blue 1960 (or 61, can't remember) that even then was "embarrassing" to drive to school but it was a car and it ran and it got me to school, work and more. Sold it for $50 a year later after the rings went and it was trailing a ton of blue smoke. LOL. Fun stuff. Like he says in the video, almost none around. I don't think I've seen more than a couple in the 35 years since I had mine. Thanks for making this car the "face" of Regular Car Reviews.
I owned 3 Falcons back in the 60s. They were reliable and fun cars. 30 mpg. They were all standard trannies and wagons. Big con was how fast they rusted. Pros were a great car for the price and reliable/economical/fun cars.
My wife has a classic she bought when she was 15. It's a 1969 Chevy Nova. Not the SS. The base model. And not the two door. The four door. You know, the ones that used to be common cop cars? Yeah that one. The one where the back doors usually rusted off? Yeah. That one. And she's in love with that car in all its stock glory. Good on you for showing the world that classic cars don't have to be fast or loud to be special.
As an American who's lived nigh on twenty years in the developing world, I loved this video. I loved it because when I was a kid in the 60s, performance cars were not typical family cars. I loved it because where I've lived for so many years, I see people everyday who are happy simply to have a vehicle, even if it only goes 29 mph up a hill, and we all accept it as normal even though if we were driving in the US or EU, etc., steam would be blowing from our ears with road rage.
I had one of these. I loved it. Always started right up, few problems. It was the smoothest ride over railroad tracks I have ever experienced. You hardly knew you had driven over them. I finally got rid of it because I had two cars and the Falcon I parked on the street and kept getting tickets for not moving my car often enough, so I sold it. But I have fond memories of it.
I love the simplicity, that’s why I mostly drive old cars. I can repair them at home. I used to drive modern cars but I was tired of always having to plug it into a computer to diagnose the problem. Then I would have the problem of mechanics lying to me. You need your transmission rebuilt, when the only problem was a sensor somewhere. My daily driver is a 1979 Thunderbird. And yes the air conditioning still works.
Great voiceover. Keeps my interest. Great delivery. Great show. I grew up with these Fords. We all learned how to work on cars with these. No choice in the 60's. Mowed our own lawns, painted our own houses...
The narration in this video was truly.......entertaining......I don't know anytime before this I was so entertained by narration such as on this video.....great job.....interesting car also.....
Very good video. Say hello to your newest subscriber! One thing everyone should remember, though, is that several complaints (brake system, steering, etc.) were typical for the era, including high priced cars. They weren't complaints back then all cars did it. You nailed it on the transmission. A status symbol, but a lot more work than today. The shaking gas line in your photo car is mesmerizing!
I'm not american, I'm from Argentina, where the Falcon was in production for around 30 years, so I came here looking for a honest reviews and I'm glad I did because you're channel it's sooooo much more than that. I think you're doing a great job with the ironic lyrics, the history and view of the world every time you review a car, the videogame winks, the car selections, the humor and the way you speak so I can get everything you say (and also youtube with it's auto CC). But most of all, you get the audience attention every f-time, it's like cruising with a friend who's opening it's heart to let hear his sensations and thoughts after purchasing a new car. So, you've made a new fan.
When I was in 2nd grade the family got a Falcon. I loved that car. It had four doors and I thought that was really cool. By the 5th grade dad got a real job and we moved up to a Galaxy 500.
Correction... at least in Canada. In 1963 my mother bought a brand new Falcon that came with the 144 cubic inch inline six that you claimed was abandoned in 62. I do have my doubts that it was discontinued in the US but still available in Canada. Other than that, yes, the car was a dog and watching snails in the ditch pass you did hurt ones ego. With the 2 speed auto it could hold highway speed in the right lane. Passing a semi on a 2 lane highway required on coming cars to be near invisible in the distance or they were too close. Having a good chuckle at the way you present lemons of days gone by. Keep up the good work!
Interesting fact about the Ford-O-Matic 2-speed. It was, in fact, a 3-speed, but lacked the internal parts needed to automatically engage 1st gear. It only used 2nd and 3rd, and it called them 1st and 2nd. If you put the shifter-lever in "D", you definitely only had two gears. However, if you came to a complete, dead stop, and put the shifter lever into "L", it would start off in the actual 1st gear -- not the mis-named 2nd gear that it called 1st gear when you were in "D". Then you could stomp on the gas, when it got to red-line pop it into D and back into L quickly and it would shift into 2nd gear (the gear it called 1st gear when it was in D). And then, when you hit red-line again, you shift into D and that would be the 1:1 gear, which was the 3rd gear (mis-named 2nd gear when it was in D). My Father's 1955 T-Bird with the Ford-O-Matic does this. There are three distinct gear ratios available, but only the two higher ones will be used when the selector lever is in "D".
No, it was a fully automatic transmission. No clutch. It just didn't use it's first gear -- only 2nd and 3rd under normal conditions. But you could force it to use 1st gear by doing what I said above. Ford sold it as a "2-speed automatic" when it was in fact a 3-speed.
There was an analogue in small cars with stick shifts in that era. Some of them had an "emergency low" or "granny gear" that was only supposed to be used for climbing, because the engines had so little power. Normally you started in what was effectively second gear. The Ford-o-Matic mimicked this (at least in the Falcon), it would seem.
thats kinda interesting, but i don't really get the point of a even lower gear. If you top out at 29mph "1st/2nd"- gear seems kinda okay ratio even for steep hills, add the torque converter you are pretty much covered. There should have rather been a third gear between "1st/2nd" and 1:1, the gap is huge :D
My dad bought a new Falcon in 1960, we were a family of six, seven by 1963. Took three trips from KCMO to Ontario, Canada as a family. In 1965 my Mom took myself and four sisters from KCMO to Vancouver B.C. I can remember her coming to a complete stop and shifting into first gear going through the Rockies. We had the Falcon for about 12 years.
My dad had 62 with the 170 6. He was a mechanical engineer and a depression era baby born in 1924 and it was his type of car. Need AC open the windows, open the vents , use the heater, open the door vents under the dash. No reason to go over 60. In fact we took 5 road trips camping all over the United States. Even out to the Grand Canyon and back from Pennsylvania. It was great. Wish I had one to see as an adult what it is like
My father had a 69. It was originally a company car, but he liked it so much he bought it from the company when the started replacing them. He always said that the only things needed to keep one going was a pair of pliers and bailing wire.
We gave it 56 years of research and development in Australia. The Barra 4.0L in 2016, was an evolution of the 170 Thriftpower Six on closing day. Obviously loads had been done to it by that stage but the Broadmeadows factory; was still making sand casts with help from the equipment they got in 1960.
It had a lot of success in Australia, and is still manufactured today. Course it looks like a Ford Taurus now, but has very minor aesthetic differences. They also got muscle variants in the 70's, with Mad Max using one as the Interceptor. We did get a 2 door variant that looked decent, but was discontinued immediately after 1970.
A guy in my area puts around in a 50's Nash Metropolitan that makes the dude with the local 64 Falcon Sprint look like he has a Caddy in comparison. Those Nash's are SCARY small for the era in which they were marketed.
I imagine it is even scarier trying to keep up with freeway traffic having that tiny Austin engine going flat out at 65mph. Cute car though. Would be a nice car for city driving.
Actually, it does exist. The "power-band" when cycling is your cadence. It's the pedal rhythm you can maintain at a given velocity, elevation and incline without significant loss of momentum. If you were to put it in car terms, it would be the optimum torque point for your legs. In long distance cycling, all you do is manage the cadence to maintain the highest average speed you can compared to others. This is only interrupted at the end with a burst of speed, if necessary, and it is why cycling is a "boring" sport to spectate.
+vtr0104 Hey man, I enjoyed watching the London 2012 Olympic road race. I think it was like 6 hours and I was sick, in bed, with nothing to do. Looking forward to it again this year.
My good sir, my I recommend you to review the original air cooled VW bug? I think it has a lot in common (meaning the market and the vision for the car) with your falcon. People would be excited to see it on here! Also, thanks for making such entertaining videos!
Id convert to dual master for safety, that is a wise move, other than that its fine like it is. Mechanically its not much differnt from my 71 Maverick that was my first real car.
If you like old cars this is a fun video to watch. I believe the Ford Falcon was the first unibody american car. Also, seat belts in the early years were an option. The crankcase vented into the atmosphere, there was no PCV system. I had a friend who's father LOVED these cars and had the Sprints, Futura's and Rancharo's. I still get a bit excited when I see one on the road. Thanks for putting the video together.
I owned several in the youth and had 200 cu engine..best car ever...lots of great times and solid engine could not kill it.. Think I paid usually around $500 cash for them back in circa 1980..moved on to the Fairmont later True about the master cylinder..mine went out and no brakes.. scary I'm devoted
Surprisingly unified design. Unpretentious, but complete. A Pinto in great condition can dominate attention at the right car show. This is the kind of car your dad REALLY drove . . . so it means a great deal. Great video.
I have the 1980s version of your Falcon! A 1980 Mercury Zephyr 4 door with a 2.3 4 cyl. The only options on it are a/c, power steering, power brakes, and automatic transmission. It was ordered with no radio. I'm swapping in a 302 and 5 speed, and your build of the Vagabond Falcon has been an inspiration for me.
AMEN TO THAT, BRO....WE ACTUALLY HAD 2 FALCON WAGONS ; ONE WAS A 1960 WHITE 2 DR WAGON WITH THE 144 c.i. 6cyl & A 1963 DARK MAROON 2 DR WAGON WITH THE 170 c.i. 6cyl. BOTH WAGONS WERE THE " 3 ON THE TREE" MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.. I LIKED THE 'DOG-DISH' HUBCAPS ON THE '63. THEY STOOD OUT THE MOST.....THE '60 HAD THOSE " NON-DESCRIPT" DOG-DISH CAPS. MY DAD SAID THAT BETWEEN THE TWO, THE '60 WAS MUCH EASIER TO DRIVE & THE '63 ALWAYS HAD UPPER BALL JOINT PROBLEMS IN THE FRONT. WE ENDED UP MOVING DOWN TO FLORIDA IN THE '63...ONCE WE GOT DOWN THERE, MY DAD TRADED THE '63 IN ON A 1967 RAMBLER REBEL CROSS COUNTRY WAGON.
@@shwt121 A cousin of mine had a 62 Falcon and my parents bought a 64 Fairlane wagon with the 200 CID and 2 speed auto transmission in it. That 64 Fairlane was the car I learned to drive in.
You oughta find a slant six a-body Valiant for your next vagabond car, like a mid-60s model. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised that not all economy cars were gutless.
1960 Ford Falcon. My first car. I can't remember if I bought it in '67 or '68 but it was my car in High School. You never really fall out of love with your first car.
I had one in High School too, and I LOVED IT ! Still do. Super easy to repair, and took a lot of abuse.
My first car was a Opel Corsa B with a 3 cylinder engine that made 55hp and rattled like a diesel schoolbus at stoplights.
Hard to fall in love with such a car, but I surely respected that it took me everywhere without ever breaking down.
My first car was a rusty subaru outback from 2001. It shuddered at highway speed because of rusted suspension components. 18 mpg. I hated that car.
Anyway I eventually bought a Crown Vic and that thing still gets 18 mpg but at least it has 100 more horsepower and rides like a cloud.
1973 Datsun B-210, easily forgettable, especially because my step-dad traded a '69 ford falcon that needed front end work for it.( He meant well)
My first car was a 1968 Falcon XT 3.6 six 3 speed column,4 door bought in mid 80s off my father $800-travelled many miles round NZ Cape Rienga to Wellington Wish I still had it
In Argentina, it was a very successful tube. It was made until 1991. It basically contained the same body with some aesthetic changes and mechanical improvements up to 166 HP. some quarter-mile teams managed to get around 600 HP from the old 6-cylinder
Australians never stopped improving it too.
"Some classic cars... Are just regular cars."
*starts a slow clap*
that english degree tho
roll credits
Last car show I went to:
15 '57 chevys generically modified.
10 knockoff boss 302 and other mustangs (No 6 cylinders present, like most mustangs were sold)
5 chevelles SS (fake of course)
G E N E R I C
Then there was a 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis wagon. The most interesting car there, the least valuable, sure, but at least it actually represents the era it comes from correctly.
until you spend a year modifying it
@@Demosthenes409 Try "English".
1960 Ford Falcon
When new
4-Dr Sedan $1974.00
Heavy Duty Battery $8.00
Deluxe Trim Package $66.00
Fresh Air Heat /defrost $54.00
Two Tone paint $17.00
Manual Radio $54.00
Safety Equipment padded dash and visors $19.00
Front seat safety belts $21.00
Whitewall tires $29.00
Automatic Transmission $159.00
Wheel covers $16.00
Windshield washer $13.00
Electric windshield wiper $10.00
.
Minimum wage in 1960 was exactly $1.00 per hour or $2080.00 per year.
Explains how my dad could afford a car just working minimum wage for a year before he got his license
I'd live on that country, I'd have plenty of cars.
@@MrSnek do you have the VW up in the us? You could get a decent up for that cost. If not, the up is a tiny VW economy car with a 1.1 engine popular in the UK and Europe. They are genuinely great little cars, although slow.
@@NPCDCBA The Falcon with the 144 and an even the auto transmission got a lot better mileage.
@@ty2010 motorway or city?
"Some classic cars,
Can just be regular cars."
*Applause*
*ding*
*Mic Drop*
That one quote basically shuts up every complaint people have had about the Vagabond Falcon build. Why automatic? Because regular car. Why a muffler? Because regular car. Why the stock cams? Because regular car. Why didn't you-- BECAUSE REGULAR CAR! GRR!
Some cars can be regular cars, but the VF is now not a regular car, it's a v8 disc overdrive front end yadda yadda hot rod. Its no longer 6 cylinder, 2 speed, drum brake. I begged him not to do it, but I understand that young men need to fuck with stuff. It's still cool now, but it's no longer a regular car.
+Kip Amore I think he did most of the stuff to make it more driveable , so he could drive long distance to review cars and go to car shows
here, in Argentina, it was made untill 1991... and they made some unique versions. I used to own a 1974 falcon sprint with 166hp stock
Hicieron unos verdes muy lindos
@@raptor_boquita El auto no tiene la culpa. Ford en esa epoca suministraba a la policia federal autos.
He was also very good at seeing Japanese wooden buildings as numbers- but always in excess of 451 degrees.
Rekt
You mean Vietnamese wooden buildings, right? McNamara was a bit young for WWII...
bcubed72
McNamara worked as an analyst for the U.S Airforce during its participation in the second world war. It was his report on the effectiveness of firebombing civilian population centers via unguided carpet bombing that made the United States Navy and Airforce focus away from precision strikes on Japanese infrastructure but instead focus on firebombing the entire country.
I really didn't want to have to explain the joke.
@@Shamino1 There's a great film, The Fog of War, where he talks about his number-crunching work during WW2. There's something chilling about it.
And napalming Vietnamese. I hope he is in Hell
An Australian classic too. From 1961 made in Australia ! The engine went on to become totally made in Australia. As the Barra 6 it grew double overhead cams, alloy head, cross flow and sophisticated computerised engine electronics.
If anything, what the Australian Falcon became is probably the most notable version of the Falcon.
Yes, but the early ones just fell apart on Aussie roads.
The rest of them were generally ok.
I was never a great fan, but then, I wasn't overly keen on most of the Holdens.
Liked a lot of the Valiants, and LOVED the P76.
Maybe I'm weird.
"The world must understand that classic cars are not all Chevelle's, and Boss 302's, and Oldsmobile 442's, and Grand National's, and rat rod Cadillac's... Some classic cars, are just regular cars."
This was an awesome quote to end an awesome review.
Add the fact that the restoration fad is to find a rare muscle wreck and use the VIN and other vehicle id on a better survivor which was less rare. The future will be only rare survivors. The collector market may tank for some of these models due to over supply.
I saw one TH-cam clip where the barn owner cut rooves 55-57 GM coupes into convertibles. He had parts wrecks to get VIN and fabricated in the frame X supports on the coupes. He had survivors to take measurements and use to fabricate matching hardware. The mid-50s GM convertibles were selling for 1000% or more than a sedan, 500% more than a top trim-line coupe or sedan hardtop. The fabrications were concours quality convertibles, probably better than factory stock, too. The valuble parts were the VIN and frame id.
u r right
Like the VW Beatle!
Rat rods are not "classic" cars. They are just cobbled-up juvenile junk. PS: Learn when to use an APOSTROPHE.
@@lancasterritzyescargotdine2602 Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today xD
Whenever I see or hear the name "Lee Iacocca", all I can think of is James Pumphrey saying it the way he said it on Up To Speed.
I dont mean to be so off topic but does any of you know a method to log back into an Instagram account..?
I was dumb forgot my login password. I would appreciate any assistance you can give me!
@Hezekiah Ricky instablaster =)
I always think of the eighties Saturday Night Live spoofs of him blurting out BUY A CHRYSLER!
The regular falcon owned by mr regular in a regular car review
Regularception !!
I'd love to see him driving the car in a regularity rally xD
That's a fourth wall break inside a fourth wall break!
It's a regular, regular car review of a regular car lol
Thats like.....16 walls.
I bought a year old 1963 Falcon Futura. convertible when I was in college, loved the car.
"Some classic cars... Are just just regular cars." Well said, mr regular
it just makes so much sense now.
It was freaking deep. Awesome.
Double just
I love the manual steering and huge wheel in my Ford. Combined with the long hood, it definitely takes you back to when cars had no computers or crumple zones.
That slow walk from the Falcon combined with that quote at the end made me shed a manly tear. Mr. Regular, you're a goddamn work of art.
someone's cutting onions in here!
art
It took me a couple of viewings of this to realize he was revealing himself for the first time
I just now saw your video,and as the owner of a falcon for over 40 years now,i was pleased to hear your final words!!. My plain jane 4dr 65 with 6cly engine gets alot of attention at car shows. If you do see another falcon,its very often hot rodded or the high end sprint v8 or convertible models.
was gonna go to bed, but what would 12 minutes hurt
giggity
Ye
3 hours later...
And then another.. And then another.. AND ANOTHER AND ANOTHER.. its 4 am now and you have work at 8.. Good luck
i owned several Falcons in the late 60's great cars ! also had a Merc Comet !
that one liner at the end thoooooooo
I LOVE this car, my favorite aunt owned a 2 door 1960 Falcon, and I used to love going cruising with her. My brother later during high school owned a 2 door 1963 Falcon with a 170 cubic inch 6. This thing was so tail-light it was very easy to to do burnouts in it making everyone think you had a v-8 under the hood. This video inspired a few nostalgic flashbacks. Thank you very much!
"Some classic cars are just regular cars." Nice quote actually
good
When my dad lost his job in the 1960's -- and his company car -- he purchased a used Falcon for $600. Black. No radio. Manual choke. Vacuum powered wipers. Incredibly simple, reliable, easy to repair, and inexpensive. It was a god send.
My father, upon his return from a one-year stint in Viet Nam -bought a dark blue 1960 Falcon to act as a second car for the family. My parents were married almost 17 years by that time (September 1968) and had been going one car for as long as they’d owned them.
I wasn’t born yet...but my 3 sisters were, so my Mom needed our 1965 Country Squire for carting them to school, doing the shopping, and all the other things 1960s housewives did. So, Dad went to a local Ford dealer and bought a one-owner 1960 Falcon so he could commute to his job at Bolling AFB, and later - after leaving the Air Force - his job for the Fairfax County (VA) school system.
One day, the steering wheel came off as he was driving home on the Beltway. He did his best to get the wheel lined up again and held it into place the rest of his way home. Oh...he had to shift the three-on-the-tree, as well!
Another time, driving over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, the gear shift snapped off while he was shifting. My ever-resourceful Dad grabbed a vise grip out of the bag of tools he kept with him for such emergencies, and stuck it in the hole where the gear shift had been.
The next day, he limped that tired gal back to Clinton Ford where he’d bought her two years before, and traded her in on a 1968 Fairlane 500 wagon.
When I lived and worked in Buenos Aires in the 1990s, brand new Falcons were common as taxicabs. They were pretty much identical to earlier Falcons except the taillights were updated to 1980s standards. They were manufactured locally in Argentina.
11:16
That was the happiest wave I think I've ever seen. Great video.
i was thinking that too! Straight out of a period tube powered NARCO 12, when we called Bangor radio on one frequency and told them were were listening on Houlton VOR. that was the Big Time in a Piper Vagabond or an Ercoupe
Really well done, thanks for the memories. My buddy had a 60 in 64, few years before I could legally drive, it was a three on the tree, it might have had a radio white two door. That was a fun summer in Chicago. Dumped the clutch at every light and bicycles would pass us, it was crazy. At night a ton of room in the back seat to watch submarine races at the Planetarium. I had a lot of memorable cars over the years but that dog of a Falcon still holds a special place and it wasn't even mine.
Mirrors are a safety option? No hazard lights? Automatic is the thing to have and the car companies lied about the cars specs? This seems just like a new car, amazing!
The Falcon was off-the-shelf design. It drove and handled like a mid-50s car.
The roads at that time, 1960, were also different. The interstate highway system was still being completed. State highways were also being flattened and straightened. Travel averaged 30 mph. When you got to the next town on the highway there was a speed zone and traffic signals. There were very few truck routes or by-passes to avoid the central business district of the county seat.
There were many older vehicles still on the road in 1960, too. They didn't all have power assist and high compression engines. Many didn't have radios or automatic transmissions. People used hand signals to turn and brake. There weren't any 1961s yet, but probably some 1956 Nash, 1954 Hudson Hornet, 1951 Kaiser with Dragon Skin, and a few pre-war Model A Fords.
"Dogs in the park would just lick it and die." 😂😂
I love this. all cars are cars. I drive a 73 AMC Gremlin and some get it and some don't
My first car in 1967 was a 1960 Falcon, white with blue interior, 2 speed automatic, 4 door and it was a good car for the era. Paid $100 and my dad and me spent several weeks fixing it up as it had been driven unfortunately into a beauty salon, literally , by an underaged minor who thought they would do their mom a favor and pick her up at the front door. Lol, what wonderful memories of a time long gone. Thanks for sharing.
nice clarkson reference, I love that bit
The Falcon looks so simple, I'd expect it to be something from the high-end Soviet lineup.
no kidding. It could easily be a Volga or something like that. Except for the 2-speed automatic, the Soviets had more sense than that.
@@steve1978ger To be fair, the Volga was partially copied from a Falcon
THE RUSSIANS AND THEIR COLONIES MADE IT BETTER, WHAT
Modern Mustangs only sold 134,000 units, and car show curbside crowds are relieved. Image the carnage at '65 numbers.
Savage
Mind you people didn't have the options they do now back then, Younger people like myself can't afford American muscle/pony if they want a performance car, so we turn to the Japanese market, that wasn't an option in the 60s
most mustang owners knew how to drive back then... and more people were scared of jfks caddy limo than a 64n1/2
The Silvia was Nissan's answer to the Mustang.
My b.I.l. Had one, a two door, automatic, white top, red bottom. I got to drive it once. They were okay, but, they wouldn’t pass muster today. The little 144, 140, cu.inch 6s were okay for the highways then, but, we travel at high speeds in some towns and cities at or above 60 m.p.h., they would struggle. These little cars were great back then, but, the car manufacturers were just slapping them together for cheaper cars. No one ordered a/cond. back then. Now if we had the four cylinders and 6s of today, wow, what cars. Great vlog. Thanks for posting and sharing this vlog.
been waiting long and hard for this review
long
and
hard
Oh, haven't seen you here before
Sick. I didn't know you watched this channel, Skeptic.
Ok. I wait long and hard for alot of things ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Right after high school (Class of '70) my buddy, Dave, bought a 62 Mercury Comet (Falcon clone) and I bought a 62 Rambler Classic. Both were "3 on the tree" manuals.
Both cars had vacuum wipers, a nightmare in a rainstorm on the highway! I'm pretty sure the Comet was not synchromesh first gear, don't remember on my Rambler. I loved the Classic as it had a DUAL master brake cylinder which meant you had some brakes if a brake line failed whereas the Comet didn't. That's important if you've ever been in a car with a single master and had a brake line or wheel cylinder crap out on you! Happened to Mom with me in the car. We lucked out because weren't going fast and Mom knew to pump the brakes like crazy and crawl the car to the repair shop 2 blocks away. Both cars were tanks with 2 squirrels on a treadmill for an engine. But not real safe: no seat belts, collapsible steering column nor padded dash. I found out when a woman in a 69 Plymouth Fury (think Ford Crown Vic) made a left right in front of me. I broke the steering wheel clear through in one spot with my chest and left the imprints of both knees in the metal dashboard. No broken bones but sore for about a month and all at less than 20 mph!
Cars were a lot more dangerous then until the Feds started a series of safety requirements beginning in 1963 and another additional set in 1968 and incrementally after that.
I love this era or American cars, I love the Falcon, I have to admit I'm a sucker for the Corvair, I love it's styling and the engine being an air-cooled flat6 like a Porsche also drew me to it.
Whats ironic about that is the Corvair did the air-cooled flat 6 before Porsche. The issue is that the Corvair was not engineered enough to actually handle its layout.
Just as a thought, if GM redesigned the Corvair then, we could of had a well handling mid-engine H6 Pony Car instead of the Camero. Be awesome if that happened, but it didnt.
CWDTrixie Yeah thats true with the first generation, with its swing axle and lack of anti-roll bar, however the 2nd generation had double jointed rear axles and a proper anti-roll bar setup front and rear. I do sort of agree however, the engine was mounted way back over the rear wheels to allow 4 seats, but they can handle well with some modifications, just look at the Yenko series of Corvair's named "Stingers" they're pretty serious cars
Josh Briggs Thats good, wasnt sure how many generations there were. Its been a long while since I looked up anything on the Corvair.
I have a soft spot for the 60-62 non sporty looking Corvairs. Particularly the 4 door. Dunno why, they arent particularly good looking really. Something about the combo of innovative and conservative at the same time. I like the first gen Prius for the same reasons.
I owned a '61 Corvair Monza when they first came out. It had the H.O. engine (98HP) and sad to say the 3spd manual. Didn't want to wait for a 4spd. I liked the car even with the 3spd, had to double clutch to downshift into first (non synchro). The car was WELL built, paint was very smooth and vehicle was tight. If you jacked up one corner of the car, you could still open and close a door without undo force. The handling of the car (oversteer) you learned the hard way. The first time I entered a curve too fast, I almost got into a head on. From that time on I learned to NOT get off the throttle instead to power thru a turn. I loved that car, but I traded it for a '62 Buick Skylark, so I did not experience any of the Corvair's problems, ie. oil leaks and smells getting into the heater system.
I don't recall my 1966 XP falcon having reverse lights. In 1977 I drove from one side of Australia to the other in it.
No need for reverse lights if you are not reversing. Actually very few cars had reverse lights in the 60s. I used to use the indicators.
"Some classic cars are just Regular Cars." BOOM! *Mic drop*
@9:26 “who saves Ford Escorts?”
(I slowly raise my hand.)
It’s 25 years old. That means it’s a classic. Right?
Nah it just means you need a new car ;)
Nah man, in a decade or two it’s super cool to see a bone stock Focus.
Keep it going man!
No.
I have a Honda that everybody is telling me to get rid of. I am like aren’t you the person who keeps tell me you wish you didn’t get rid of the car you had back in the day? My Honda is a beast always rolls! And the air conditioner always blows cold air unless I got my heater on! So I will keep my old Honda! 😃
That a fault u dont want , Im escort and i had the pinto . That baby died in a chase i lost that race .i ditched im with a mavrick thunder didnt know how to lose cougar was bizzare . Rancho. 351 windsor. 352 Galicia 500 ltd loaded. Old cop car the green ghost fords u gotta fix daily. Ok. I Dr hard hard hard 2nd CLUTCH gone third clutch . 1800 cc . 2006 . I dont think i sell. It 5000$ canadian if you want . It yota.s classic . Bringer er back i a pro. You gotta have the best clutch . New sound system yet to come . Yota factory junk electric cars CANT work. TRUCK next yota. And i need a truck ford ranger loaded hmm. Brand new i heard rumours of legend 2.3 4 imm 6 gears 260 hrs. Power . That gotta be hmmmm supercharged factory x . L.O.L CONSERVATIVES JOKES IN CANADA SAYS BORDERS CLOSED JOE great niegbours. South of the 49th. Ok. 1 29 er calling engage the enemy time the enemy live out your Dreams. I have. I am i cried . L.O.L CONSERVATIVES JOKES IN CANADA 2 wheel dr rear. Hmmmmm. Well a man can Dream. L.O.L
I had a 60, 62 and 64. My favorite was the 60. All three were wagons. 30 mpg ! Sadly they rusted out quickly here in N.E.
I never knew I could care so much about such regular cars. This channel is beautiful in its celebration of the ordinary and basic. Thank you for the hard work you do to teach us about these cars and why they matter.
"Some classic cars, are just regular cars..."
Beautiful ending to the narration.
I had a '61 Sky blue. I bought it for $100 in 1980 and drove it for years. It was a tank.
I didn't really get why you guys chose a falcon till you explained it in the end of this video.
I still don't get why they went for that pos
Bought a "66 in 1971 as my first car. No synchro 3 speed so you had to come to a completely full stop before re-engaging first gear and this made it a real pita.
I have been to Argentina twice in the 80's and all I saw there were 1960 Falcons on the streets! All they did to change the model styling was headlights/tail lights/grill! Falcons were made there starting in 1962 ending production in 1991! The in line six cylinder engine with ether 170 CU IN or 200 CU IN displacement were the power plants. They were so reliable, they went often well over 500,000 miles before rebuild!
Just love the looks on that car.
He plays it down but I think the beauty is in the simple lines :)
Love it! What a ride. My first car in 1971, bought from my sister for $100. A baby blue 1960 (or 61, can't remember) that even then was "embarrassing" to drive to school but it was a car and it ran and it got me to school, work and more. Sold it for $50 a year later after the rings went and it was trailing a ton of blue smoke. LOL. Fun stuff. Like he says in the video, almost none around. I don't think I've seen more than a couple in the 35 years since I had mine. Thanks for making this car the "face" of Regular Car Reviews.
Falcon is such an interesting car - in all its pros and cons it's just fascinating.
I owned 3 Falcons back in the 60s. They were reliable and fun cars. 30 mpg. They were all standard trannies and wagons. Big con was how fast they rusted. Pros were a great car for the price and reliable/economical/fun cars.
so true. it was a mcnamera creation
Car looks really good. Great review. You guys did one hell of a job with the Falcon
Goodness, that was a beautiful ending. Very well done, sir.
My wife has a classic she bought when she was 15. It's a 1969 Chevy Nova. Not the SS. The base model. And not the two door. The four door. You know, the ones that used to be common cop cars? Yeah that one. The one where the back doors usually rusted off? Yeah. That one. And she's in love with that car in all its stock glory. Good on you for showing the world that classic cars don't have to be fast or loud to be special.
thats "recirculating ball" steering... not reciprocating ball, isnt it?
I remember the repair manuals describing them as 'recirculating ball' steering.
The balls do circulate albeit in both directions.
As an American who's lived nigh on twenty years in the developing world, I loved this video. I loved it because when I was a kid in the 60s, performance cars were not typical family cars. I loved it because where I've lived for so many years, I see people everyday who are happy simply to have a vehicle, even if it only goes 29 mph up a hill, and we all accept it as normal even though if we were driving in the US or EU, etc., steam would be blowing from our ears with road rage.
Look at that temp gauge! Its like a VOR indicator!
I had one of these. I loved it. Always started right up, few problems. It was the smoothest ride over railroad tracks I have ever experienced. You hardly knew you had driven over them. I finally got rid of it because I had two cars and the Falcon I parked on the street and kept getting tickets for not moving my car often enough, so I sold it. But I have fond memories of it.
that ford escort comment hurt my heart
mk1's are fairly sought after now
I love the simplicity, that’s why I mostly drive old cars. I can repair them at home. I used to drive modern cars but I was tired of always having to plug it into a computer to diagnose the problem. Then I would have the problem of mechanics lying to me. You need your transmission rebuilt, when the only problem was a sensor somewhere. My daily driver is a 1979 Thunderbird. And yes the air conditioning still works.
#MakeAmericaRegularAgain
BROWN
Which BROWN is best BROWN?
#ILLCHARGEYOUMONEYTOSMELLMYCOCK
The year I was born ... my parents got a FALCON , White Sedan ... I loved that car.
It's so strange to see the Falcon stock after watching OVF all the way through
Great voiceover. Keeps my interest. Great delivery. Great show. I grew up with these Fords. We all learned how to work on cars with these. No choice in the 60's. Mowed our own lawns, painted our own houses...
Same here
You don't see many of these any more because north of the Mason-Dixon line, they dissolved in the winter salt in about 5 years.
The narration in this video was truly.......entertaining......I don't know anytime before this I was so entertained by narration such as on this video.....great job.....interesting car also.....
Can't wait for the V8 review.
Very good video. Say hello to your newest subscriber!
One thing everyone should remember, though, is that several complaints (brake system, steering, etc.) were typical for the era, including high priced cars. They weren't complaints back then all cars did it.
You nailed it on the transmission. A status symbol, but a lot more work than today.
The shaking gas line in your photo car is mesmerizing!
I'm not american, I'm from Argentina, where the Falcon was in production for around 30 years, so I came here looking for a honest reviews and I'm glad I did because you're channel it's sooooo much more than that. I think you're doing a great job with the ironic lyrics, the history and view of the world every time you review a car, the videogame winks, the car selections, the humor and the way you speak so I can get everything you say (and also youtube with it's auto CC). But most of all, you get the audience attention every f-time, it's like cruising with a friend who's opening it's heart to let hear his sensations and thoughts after purchasing a new car. So, you've made a new fan.
Not the first american economy car, the Studebaker Lark was out the year before
Its hilarious watching you, trying to keep the car straight.
The driver drives like he's drunk.
When I was in 2nd grade the family got a Falcon. I loved that car. It had four doors and I thought that was really cool. By the 5th grade dad got a real job and we moved up to a Galaxy 500.
As an Australian the idea of a falcon as an economy car is so foreign you might as well be speaking Greek
Explain yourself. I own a 70 Falcon myself and ive noticed there seems to be a large following in Australia.
falcons have been made in Australia since the 80's and there very common and bad on fuel. but yes very big following
Yeah, like the Commodore. My Commodore included. God I wish I had enough money to take that thing on daily drives.
mad max?
+be ef I'm aiming to get a 1962 ford falcon deluxe XL, don't know if you could help but.. Any tips?
Correction... at least in Canada. In 1963 my mother bought a brand new Falcon that came with the 144 cubic inch inline six that you claimed was abandoned in 62. I do have my doubts that it was discontinued in the US but still available in Canada.
Other than that, yes, the car was a dog and watching snails in the ditch pass you did hurt ones ego. With the 2 speed auto it could hold highway speed in the right lane. Passing a semi on a 2 lane highway required on coming cars to be near invisible in the distance or they were too close.
Having a good chuckle at the way you present lemons of days gone by. Keep up the good work!
Interesting fact about the Ford-O-Matic 2-speed. It was, in fact, a 3-speed, but lacked the internal parts needed to automatically engage 1st gear. It only used 2nd and 3rd, and it called them 1st and 2nd. If you put the shifter-lever in "D", you definitely only had two gears. However, if you came to a complete, dead stop, and put the shifter lever into "L", it would start off in the actual 1st gear -- not the mis-named 2nd gear that it called 1st gear when you were in "D". Then you could stomp on the gas, when it got to red-line pop it into D and back into L quickly and it would shift into 2nd gear (the gear it called 1st gear when it was in D). And then, when you hit red-line again, you shift into D and that would be the 1:1 gear, which was the 3rd gear (mis-named 2nd gear when it was in D).
My Father's 1955 T-Bird with the Ford-O-Matic does this. There are three distinct gear ratios available, but only the two higher ones will be used when the selector lever is in "D".
No, it was a fully automatic transmission. No clutch. It just didn't use it's first gear -- only 2nd and 3rd under normal conditions. But you could force it to use 1st gear by doing what I said above. Ford sold it as a "2-speed automatic" when it was in fact a 3-speed.
There was an analogue in small cars with stick shifts in that era. Some of them had an "emergency low" or "granny gear" that was only supposed to be used for climbing, because the engines had so little power. Normally you started in what was effectively second gear. The Ford-o-Matic mimicked this (at least in the Falcon), it would seem.
thats kinda interesting, but i don't really get the point of a even lower gear. If you top out at 29mph "1st/2nd"- gear seems kinda okay ratio even for steep hills, add the torque converter you are pretty much covered. There should have rather been a third gear between "1st/2nd" and 1:1, the gap is huge :D
No, sorry, you are mistaken. Falcon's is 2-SPEED ONLY. Is not the same as the 1950s Ford-O-Matic. Source: 48 years of ownership.
A cheat code for acceleration!
My dad bought a new Falcon in 1960, we were a family of six, seven by 1963. Took three trips from KCMO to Ontario, Canada as a family. In 1965 my Mom took myself and four sisters from KCMO to Vancouver B.C. I can remember her coming to a complete stop and shifting into first gear going through the Rockies. We had the Falcon for about 12 years.
when are we gonna get another bike review? believe it or not, you sparked my interest in motorcycles.
My dad had 62 with the 170 6. He was a mechanical engineer and a depression era baby born in 1924 and it was his type of car. Need AC open the windows, open the vents , use the heater, open the door vents under the dash. No reason to go over 60. In fact we took 5 road trips camping all over the United States. Even out to the Grand Canyon and back from Pennsylvania. It was great. Wish I had one to see as an adult what it is like
"who saves escorts?"
half of europe my friend! and their prices go up every day!
My father had a 69. It was originally a company car, but he liked it so much he bought it from the company when the started replacing them. He always said that the only things needed to keep one going was a pair of pliers and bailing wire.
The Ford Falcon is pretty much the perfect car. There was no need for any more research and development afterwards.
I owned a 64 Futura , a great car. A couple years ago I bought and sold a 60 Ranchero.
We gave it 56 years of research and development in Australia. The Barra 4.0L in 2016, was an evolution of the 170 Thriftpower Six on closing day. Obviously loads had been done to it by that stage but the Broadmeadows factory; was still making sand casts with help from the equipment they got in 1960.
It had a lot of success in Australia, and is still manufactured today. Course it looks like a Ford Taurus now, but has very minor aesthetic differences.
They also got muscle variants in the 70's, with Mad Max using one as the Interceptor. We did get a 2 door variant that looked decent, but was discontinued immediately after 1970.
rip mad max pre sequel
A guy in my area puts around in a 50's Nash Metropolitan that makes the dude with the local 64 Falcon Sprint look like he has a Caddy in comparison. Those Nash's are SCARY small for the era in which they were marketed.
I imagine it is even scarier trying to keep up with freeway traffic having that tiny Austin engine going flat out at 65mph. Cute car though. Would be a nice car for city driving.
that falcons auto is in fact a stealth three speed. had a 63 falcon, first car. loved it.
Fuck, my bike has 21 speeds. Too bad the powerband is non-existant.
I see what you did there.
Actually, it does exist. The "power-band" when cycling is your cadence. It's the pedal rhythm you can maintain at a given velocity, elevation and incline without significant loss of momentum. If you were to put it in car terms, it would be the optimum torque point for your legs. In long distance cycling, all you do is manage the cadence to maintain the highest average speed you can compared to others. This is only interrupted at the end with a burst of speed, if necessary, and it is why cycling is a "boring" sport to spectate.
+vtr0104 I think he was more making a joke about himself.
+vtr0104 Hey man, I enjoyed watching the London 2012 Olympic road race. I think it was like 6 hours and I was sick, in bed, with nothing to do. Looking forward to it again this year.
Alliana Cordova
I am aware, miss, I used the opportunity to also share some general knowledge information :P
Such a Regular Review for a Regular car. This was by far probably the most tamed I seen RegularCar guy act.
good ending quote
Love the 1960 Plymouth Valiant 4 door. I know this is about the Ford Falcon. But that Plymouth was beautiful.
My good sir, my I recommend you to review the original air cooled VW bug? I think it has a lot in common (meaning the market and the vision for the car) with your falcon. People would be excited to see it on here! Also, thanks for making such entertaining videos!
I've been watching you since the beginning but stopped watching in the past 3 months or so. This one brought me back to why I love your channel.
And then all the stuff that was so regular about it from that era gets yanked out...
But I don't blame him, make it more fun.
It made it possible to daily it.. you don't daily a car that cant advance or stop or turn... single master 4 drum brakes.. thats just foolish
Correct. It just wasn't safe on modern highways.
Id convert to dual master for safety, that is a wise move, other than that its fine like it is. Mechanically its not much differnt from my 71 Maverick that was my first real car.
If you like old cars this is a fun video to watch. I believe the Ford Falcon was the first unibody american car. Also, seat belts in the early years were an option. The crankcase vented into the atmosphere, there was no PCV system. I had a friend who's father LOVED these cars and had the Sprints, Futura's and Rancharo's. I still get a bit excited when I see one on the road. Thanks for putting the video together.
The slow motion walk away while delivering your thesis was great. But you missed an opportunity to slowly remove your glasses while delivering it.
I owned several in the youth and had 200 cu engine..best car ever...lots of great times and solid engine could not kill it..
Think I paid usually around $500 cash for them back in circa 1980..moved on to the Fairmont later
True about the master cylinder..mine went out and no brakes.. scary
I'm devoted
That ending though. God you're a beautiful man.
Surprisingly unified design. Unpretentious, but complete. A Pinto in great condition can dominate attention at the right car show. This is the kind of car your dad REALLY drove . . . so it means a great deal. Great video.
Had a 63 Pontiac Tempest with 4cyl in college in the 70s. 😜
I have the 1980s version of your Falcon! A 1980 Mercury Zephyr 4 door with a 2.3 4 cyl. The only options on it are a/c, power steering, power brakes, and automatic transmission. It was ordered with no radio. I'm swapping in a 302 and 5 speed, and your build of the Vagabond Falcon has been an inspiration for me.
I would still take a 1960 Falcon over 99 percent of the cars built today.
AMEN TO THAT, BRO....WE ACTUALLY HAD 2 FALCON WAGONS ; ONE WAS A 1960 WHITE 2 DR WAGON WITH THE 144 c.i. 6cyl & A 1963 DARK MAROON 2 DR WAGON WITH THE 170 c.i. 6cyl. BOTH WAGONS WERE THE " 3 ON THE TREE" MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.. I LIKED THE 'DOG-DISH' HUBCAPS ON THE '63. THEY STOOD OUT THE MOST.....THE '60 HAD THOSE " NON-DESCRIPT" DOG-DISH CAPS. MY DAD SAID THAT BETWEEN THE TWO, THE '60 WAS MUCH EASIER TO DRIVE & THE '63 ALWAYS HAD UPPER BALL JOINT PROBLEMS IN THE FRONT. WE ENDED UP MOVING DOWN TO FLORIDA IN THE '63...ONCE WE GOT DOWN THERE, MY DAD TRADED THE '63 IN ON A 1967 RAMBLER REBEL CROSS COUNTRY WAGON.
@@shwt121 A cousin of mine had a 62 Falcon and my parents bought a 64 Fairlane wagon with the 200 CID and 2 speed auto transmission in it. That 64 Fairlane was the car I learned to drive in.
@@shwt121 Loved my 3 on the tree 1960 ford falcon...
Yep Agree I would just put a Australian Ford Barra engine in it and upgrade the brakes!
I had a pair of '62 Corvairs at different times, both convertibles. Sweet, SWEET vehicles.
And the Falcon legacy lived on in Australia right up until last year!! RIP Falcon - Australia misses you dearly already
You oughta find a slant six a-body Valiant for your next vagabond car, like a mid-60s model. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised that not all economy cars were gutless.
Plus, you could always add a hyper pak to the Valiant.
Can this dude get more thumbs up? Real shit.
KE7SFR By the mid 60s Falcons were not gutless.