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Author
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Topic: 63 Falcon
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bibbs68
Gearhead Posts: 1688
From: Jackson, TN
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 05-22-2003 09:34 AM
   
Okay, need some input. I found a 63 Falcon original owner car with a whopping 45,000 miles on it. No rust, bondo or other damage. The only thing on the car that isn't original are the covers on the seats. It is a 6cyl car w/ 3spd on the column. What are the pros/cons of these little cars? Are there any reasons to stay away from a 63? It has new exhaust, rebuilt carb and distrib. and 2 yr old coat of paint that looks good. I was thinking of making this a little hot rod but how much work is involved? I know, it depends on what you want to do.Anyway, asking price is $2500. Maybe less w/ cash in hand. Are these cars worth that? ------------------
Jeremy
'68 Coupe
M&M Member #685
MCA Member #49134
Help make the world a better place, drive a Ford and race a slot car!
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BlueMule
Gearhead Posts: 1547
From: Kent Island, MD USA M&M # 2423
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 05-22-2003 09:56 AM
Hot roddding the 6 banger, no issues. Transplanting a SBF into it should be no problem either since the 260 ci was a Sprint option. The 62 needed slight butchering of the trans tunnel to handle V8 swaps. Whether or not FoMoCo changed that for 63, I don't know. I seem to recall seeing a yellow one around this site somewhere sporting an alky Cleveland in it.Is it a 2 for 4 door? ------------------
-Paul 70 Mach1 351C
79 Ranchero GT
97 Expedition XLT 5.4
00 SVT f150 Lightning 4149 of 4966 Born on: 06/26/2000 'life's tough... it's tougher if you're stupid.'
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bibbs68
Gearhead Posts: 1688
From: Jackson, TN
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 05-22-2003 09:59 AM
quote:
Originally posted by BlueMule:
Is it a 2 for 4 door?
2 Door
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BlueMule
Gearhead Posts: 1547
From: Kent Island, MD USA M&M # 2423
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 05-22-2003 10:16 AM
Additional thoughts...
The asking price is something you have to answer yourself. If I was hunting for a sweet project car for a resto-mod project, I'd jump all over it. Remember it's going to have the funky non-removable carrier, 4 lug rear. Likewise, 4 lug drums up front. 221-260-289-302 swaps should be pretty easy. 351W might be a different story. Swapping out the 3 speed for a T10, top-loader, or C4 will require surgury to the transmission tunnel. Something else. The fuel tank is shifted off to the left and is not centered under the car. (I always hated that.) ------------------
-Paul 70 Mach1 351C
79 Ranchero GT
97 Expedition XLT 5.4
00 SVT f150 Lightning 4149 of 4966 Born on: 06/26/2000 'life's tough... it's tougher if you're stupid.'
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BlueMule
Gearhead Posts: 1547
From: Kent Island, MD USA M&M # 2423
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 05-22-2003 10:21 AM
one more...If you go with a 4 speed on the floor with a Competition Plus, you WILL bash your knuckles on the dash  ------------------
-Paul 70 Mach1 351C
79 Ranchero GT
97 Expedition XLT 5.4
00 SVT f150 Lightning 4149 of 4966 Born on: 06/26/2000 'life's tough... it's tougher if you're stupid.' [This message has been edited by BlueMule (edited 05-22-2003).]
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Dad Vishus
Gearhead Posts: 913
From: Moscow, Iowa, USA
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 05-22-2003 10:23 AM
quote:
Originally posted by BlueMule:
I seem to recall seeing a yellow one around this site somewhere sporting an alky Cleveland in it.Is it a 2 for 4 door?
The yellow one has a full tube chassis, so that comparison is not applicable.I would imagine that shoehorning a Cleveland between the spring towers would be a PITA. Any Windsor block motor should work pretty well, as Blue Mule mentioned, they came with 260's from the factory. I would also think a C4 would be no problem as the factory installed those. I'm kindof speculating on that, but it shouldn't be a big deal. Personally, if I was re-doing one for a cool street car, I'd tend to make a Sprint clone out of it. A good small block with a 4 speed would make a great driver that would be lots of fun! I'd even think about cleaning that one up and just driving it. The little 6s are good motors and will run a long time . I had a couple of 65's with 200 sixes that were great drivers.  ------------------
63 Falcon 377 Cleveland stroker Flying Toilet alchohol injection. 6.19 @ 110 MPH 1/8 mile
2002 Ranger FX4 daily driver
2000 F350 PSD Crew cab dually - Like commuting in a B52!!
98 US Cargo Phantom II 28'
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bibbs68
Gearhead Posts: 1688
From: Jackson, TN
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 05-22-2003 10:28 AM
Thanks for all the input so far. Those are definitely things to think about. Any other thoughts?
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BlueMule
Gearhead Posts: 1547
From: Kent Island, MD USA M&M # 2423
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 05-22-2003 10:42 AM
I think they used the puny little 2 speed for automatics (or was that a 61-62 thing that was upgraded for 63?). If it's the smallest 6 banger, 144 ci I think it was, I say ditch it, but that's me. The 170 might be a keeper. Once you get tired of the 6, the sky's the limit as is Dad's ride (The neatest 'coon I've seen in a long time.) At any rate, the car is light as a feather and by virtue of that fact is a blast to have. ------------------
-Paul 70 Mach1 351C
79 Ranchero GT
97 Expedition XLT 5.4
00 SVT f150 Lightning 4149 of 4966 Born on: 06/26/2000 'life's tough... it's tougher if you're stupid.'
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bibbs68
Gearhead Posts: 1688
From: Jackson, TN
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 05-22-2003 10:44 AM
I dont' have the VIN/body codes with me right now, but is there a site I can go to to show me what the numbers mean?
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BlueMule
Gearhead Posts: 1547
From: Kent Island, MD USA M&M # 2423
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 05-22-2003 10:57 AM
I did a search on "ford falcon" and came up with a gob of sites. I picked the first in the selection falconclub.com and it looked pretty nice. Not sure if they have a forum or not but I'm sure ther's one out there.------------------
-Paul 70 Mach1 351C
79 Ranchero GT
97 Expedition XLT 5.4
00 SVT f150 Lightning 4149 of 4966 Born on: 06/26/2000 'life's tough... it's tougher if you're stupid.'
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BlueMule
Gearhead Posts: 1547
From: Kent Island, MD USA M&M # 2423
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 05-22-2003 11:13 AM
here's a one with a forum, vin decoder and all kinds of stuffhttp://www.falconregistry.com/ ------------------
-Paul 70 Mach1 351C
79 Ranchero GT
97 Expedition XLT 5.4
00 SVT f150 Lightning 4149 of 4966 Born on: 06/26/2000 'life's tough... it's tougher if you're stupid.' [This message has been edited by BlueMule (edited 05-22-2003).]
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bibbs68
Gearhead Posts: 1688
From: Jackson, TN
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 05-22-2003 11:24 AM
Thanks Paul! That should get me started.
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Dad Vishus
Gearhead Posts: 913
From: Moscow, Iowa, USA
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 05-22-2003 12:21 PM
quote:
Originally posted by BlueMule:
I think they used the puny little 2 speed for automatics (or was that a 61-62 thing that was upgraded for 63?). If it's the smallest 6 banger, 144 ci I think it was, I say ditch it, but that's me. The 170 might be a keeper. Once you get tired of the 6, the sky's the limit as is Dad's ride (The neatest 'coon I've seen in a long time.) At any rate, the car is light as a feather and by virtue of that fact is a blast to have.
One of the ones I had years ago was a 4 door with a 200 six and a cast iron cruis-o-matic that was a 3 speed. That was a 65 so the trans was likely different. The other 65 was my Dad's but i took possesion of it several times. It was a 65 Ranchero with a 200 six and a 3 speed on the column.Both were great winter cars. Keep decent snow tires on them and add a little weight in the back and they would go anyplace. I think front to rear balance had alot to do with that. I'd put one of those up against any of these front drive cars today.  I would think if that car is as good as reported, it would be worth the asking price. You can't buy much for that anymore and regardless what you decide to do with it, it will be fun and something you don't see every day. ------------------
63 Falcon 377 Cleveland stroker Flying Toilet alchohol injection. 6.19 @ 110 MPH 1/8 mile
2002 Ranger FX4 daily driver
2000 F350 PSD Crew cab dually - Like commuting in a B52!!
98 US Cargo Phantom II 28'
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Thud
Gearhead Posts: 1332
From: Cumming,Ga.,USofA
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 05-22-2003 12:25 PM
Jeremy,
'63 Falcons make sharp little toys IMHO, whether they're 2dr. hardtops like Dad Vishus's (my favorite body style), 2 dr. sedans, wagons or Rancheros. I've just always liked them. If I was looking for a project and had something like you've described offered... weeeell, I'd have to grab it.A neighbor has a guardsman blue (or whatever the Shelby color is called) '63 Sprint V8 his folks bought new that they've restomodded for his son. With the American TTD's, and warmed up 289... it is beautiful! ------------------
"My doctor says I have a malformed public duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber; and that I am, therefore, excused from saving universes." ... Ford Prefect If you drink, don't park. Accidents make people. Dwayne M&M Member #18
'94 Lightning #942 of 4007
'70 Mach1
'75 Cougar
'65 Galaxie 500 + parts car
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fordfan
Gearhead Posts: 3130
From: Walla Walla, Wa, USA
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 05-22-2003 03:55 PM
'62 2dr Wagon here 
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falcon64
Gearhead Posts: 410
From: Pa.
Registered: May 2003
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posted 05-24-2003 09:48 AM
Hi Bibbs68,
Here's some links to a couple of my favorite Falcon related forums. Hope this helps!
http://www.fordmuscle.com/phpBB/viewforum.php?forum=9&1848
http://www.falconforums.com/
 [This message has been edited by falcon64 (edited 05-24-2003).] [This message has been edited by falcon64 (edited 05-31-2003).] [This message has been edited by falcon64 (edited 06-06-2003).]
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bibbs68
Gearhead Posts: 1688
From: Jackson, TN
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 05-30-2003 05:13 PM
Well, that one got away from me.  It was one nice original unrestored car. I had big plans for it. I guess it just wasn't meant to be.I hate to think how I will feel when I see it cruising thru town with a sweet paint job, cragar mags and a nice running 289.
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Riley
Journeyman Posts: 73
From: Jefferson City, MO, USA
Registered: May 2002
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posted 06-03-2003 01:04 PM
The 63 is the most popular round body Falcon. If you like the looks and want to use it as is, go for it. 6 Cyl Falcons are fun and fairly collectible. If you want a V-8 car, don't buy that one for a project. It would be much cheaper and far easier to start with a V-8 car. You will need to change almost the entire undercarriage and you will ruin a low mileage collectible in the process.
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