(first posted 10/27/2018) Curtis Perry has uploaded some new shots at the Cohort, and I’ll start with this one. I was going to title it something like “Classic Hipstermobile”, but then I noticed the young woman all in black as well as the skeleton in black behind her. The composition has a Goth feel to it, although I’m not sure that’s still much of a thing anymore. But the Falcon still is, as it long ago developed a cult following with a certain slice of the population, one that has a particularly strong presence in Portland.
it’s been too long since we’ve had an early Falcon here. I’ve had a soft spot for them since waayyy back, so maybe I was a proto-hipster? I’ve always had a thing for wimpy six cylinder cars, and I imagined having one of these with the rather rare factory four speed to give the wheezy six a bit more help. Anyway, just putting on a high-flow muffler turns the Falcon’s nasal wheeze into a nice subdued growl not at all unlike a Triumph six or such.
A Euro-sized American car with a Euro-sized 2.8 L six and a four speed on the floor. Are my bi-continental roots showing?
I think it’s those red wheels that caught your eye, like the xBox.
I’ve seen this car around town. For some reason it’s the Falcons that are out and about, not Corvairs or Valiants.
I’ve never understood fashions or trends, and this one makes less sense than most.
Among that generation, Corvair was intentionally Euro, a direct answer to VW. Falcon was a direct answer to Rambler, which made it uncool by definition. Valiant was often called Euro but it was really Martian, an answer to a question nobody was asking. By that logic, Valiant should be the Goth choice.
Obviously I don’t understand!
This looks like a ’62 from here and sadly there was no 4-speed available yet. You had a choice of three-on-the-tree or 2-speed automatic. This was when Ford managed to get Charles Schulz and the Peanuts gang to shill for their cars.
The four speed, which was from Ford UK, arrived in mid-year 1962, along with the new roof style for the Futura. But it was also available on all Falcons. Revised 1962 brochure specs attached below.
“Ford Falcon: the aspirational car for Welsh coal miners.”
Would RICHARD BURTON and STANLEY BAKER have agreed? 😀
Linus agreed in the cartoon.
I stand (or sit) corrected.
The UK MK3 Zephyr debuted in 62 with standard 4 speed column shift that would have been the Falcon 4 speed, perfectly adequate for the gutless falcon, but race tune your Zephyr and the gearbox casing will warp, they were favoured as swap ins to other cars here they disintegrate behind a 272 V8 in a 56 Customline, that was replaced with a 4 speed from a big Humber.
She seems to even have a matching goth electric scooter beside her! The coordination required to be goth seems really exhausting.
I’m also surprised to see a goth in 2018, I would have thought that fad passed by now.
Oh no, there are definitely goth girls still out there, I see them in Seattle frequently.
I suspect the Falcon’s hipster appeal lies in its minimalist approach. The early sixties Falcon is much more spartan and basic than its contemporary competitors, the Corvair and Valiant (which is really saying something). I would also think that finding parts and keeping an old Falcon running would be quite a bit easier than sourcing parts for either of the other two.
When I look at the hipster affinity for the Falcon, I think of the same sort of favor some hipsters seem to have for those ‘fixie’ bicycles which are completely devoid of any accoutrements, including brakes. On those bikes, the rear hub does not freewheel (‘fixed’), but is directly driven by the pedals. IOW, the pedals are always moving in sync with the rear wheel which, to me, would make for a very difficult, and rather dangerous, way to ride (not to mention stop).
A fixed wheel does give good control in traffic once you’ve got used to stopping, though without a second independant brake it would be illegal in the UK. Mine had brakes on both wheels (but that was back in the ’70s).
What control do you refer to
Through your legs, either using them to accelerate or decelerate. It quickly builds the calf muscles up too. You do need the feet strapped in; toe-clips and straps back in the day, with a quick release on the strap so you can get a foot out when you stop. I never was good enough at track stands.
That’s not control that’s rationalization. Your legs get plenty of build up riding. Brakes are a mature technology .and inability to coast is no benefit. If you like Fixedgears because it seems cool great. Please enjoy but please stop trying to justify it for any reason other than that
I don’t do things because they ae cool. Never have done. I did it because my Dad said it was a good idea and he spent 20+ years riding in rush hour traffic to and from work. I really hated it the first week but got used to it. It did make the brake pads last longer and really forced you to think ahead. And there’s less to go wrong, of course. The route was largely flat, save for the flyover at Bow which taught me how to ‘spin’ – keeping the pedal action smooth even at speed.
On the other hand I rode gears elsewhere where hills were encountered and in the end that was the only time I rode fixed regularly as I left that job and went to Uni.
Sorry but you are still trying to justify it. Riding in traffic or really riding anywhere you better be planning ahead. And for the event that just can’t be planned for I have 2 easily modulated braking systems.Spinning? I can already do that with my gear bike. Brake pad lifetime….really? That is why you would drive a performance compromised bike with pedals that will absolutely not stop turning unless you are stopped or lock the pedal? Less to go wrong? Let me think how many times my mountain and road bike have had drivetrain issues in the 10 and 15 yrs I have had them…2 times. One front derailleur. One shifter cable. I accept that it might be fun and “challenging”..but just stop trying to say it has any advantages
It’s like an automatic car vs a manual car in traffic, you’re primarily using the brake to control speed with an auto because of the torque converter, with a manual the engine and trans are “locked” by the clutch, and the engine’s deceleration acts as a moderate brake when you let off the accelerator, so until you come to a complete stop the engine can solely be used to modulate speed. Same applies to fixed wheel bicycles, but with your legs as the engine.
Tried a fixed wheel bike once couldnt get the hang of it not enough flat going, prefered the back pedal brake set up foolishly placed hills were on my paper route.
I think you’re right, rudiger. Now I’m definitely not a ‘hipster’, but I can tell you the minimalism of my ’64 is what grew on me by leaps and bounds as time went on. That was one of my motivations for keeping it. Still is. I don’t believe a truly simple car exists anymore because it wouldn’t be legal. There’s so many things/parts/stuff I don’t even know about on modern cars that are simply omitted from an old Falcon. But, hey, if you want an old car that can travel at medium speeds (40, 45, 50 mph) a Falcon can do that.
And one doesn’t need any back-up cameras as the rear window offers plenty of visibility for changing lanes.
My first bike I learned on was like that, you kick your legs out to coast and brake with the pedals which is kind of fun, but I couldn’t imagine doing that on an adult bike with bigger wheels.
Falcons seemed to have a higher survival rate and remained cheap. Corvairs are mildly collectible with some enthusiast connotations that might be seen as poison – both image and financially – to hipsters (same goes for the very Falcon like Chevy II) and Valiants are just uncommon, same with Rambler Americans and Larks. They fit the hipster formula just as well, but good luck finding any.
The Falcon wasn’t more “minimalist’ than the Corvair or Valiant. They all came in very basic versions as well as better trim ones. The reason the Falcon became popular with hipsters is this: it was always dorky, and never popular as a hot rod, unlike the Chevy II. Corvairs always had a cult following, based on its unique sporty qualities and handling, The Valiant and Dart were the closest to the Falcon, as basic dorky transportation. But they were rather popular in their own right. Something about the early Falcons just clicked with hipsters, precisely because it had been overlooked for so long. It was the nerdiest of the bunch, and that’s the best explanation. Some fads are difficult to pin down, as they’re not exactly rational in principle.
It always pleases me to see Falcons out and about. I don’t recall ever seeing a Goth-oriented Falcon, however, until now.
♠A happy Falcon is a driven Falcon.♠
My Falcon was a 1960, same color as the photo. The wheels had been sent out to be painted in Ford white, circa 1961. I bought the car from my grandfather in 1968 with a little more than 45,000 on the clock. Had only a heater and defroster. Great to see these – great cars for someone who wants an old car with some practicality. Just check for rust. You can fix anything else. I sure do miss the one I had!
If equipped with the 144 cu in six cylinder engine and the smooth-but-power-zapping, 2 speed Ford-O-matic transmission, a better name would be “Gutless Gothmobile:.
I never gave Falcons much thought until I started hanging out here. I was always more of a Mustang guy. I like the looks of the ’66-’69 better. However, these earlier ones have grown on me a bit. I do have a liking for simple(ton) machinery. I did have a ’72 Maverick once. ’60’s and ’70’s trucks affect me the same way. I’ve owned two 4 cylinder Rangers, an S model and the Sport I drive now.
Goth… popular 20 some odd years ago. It’s probably still going to be around forever, just not like it was in its heyday. Kinda like heavy metal. I still listen to Ozzy.
Username checks out.
We never had the two door version and Ford Australia didnt think to offer the MK3 Zephyr four speed in any of them, Zephyrs out sold Falcons by a huge ratio in NZ anyway, four speed & disc brakes standard with mac phearson struts up front it was simply a better car for the conditions with a proven track record, Of course Ive seen two door US models some have washed up used so now theres a demand only 50 years too late.
Strange then Ford hadn’t thought of offering the 2-door Falcon in Argentina. It would had been a cool rival against the IKA-Renault Torino and the Argentine Dodge GTX.
Of the Falcon, Corvair, and Valiant, the Plymouth is the rarest one, at least in my experience. Except for the engines and automatic transmissions, are parts for Valiants as easy to find as those for Falcons and/or Corvair?
Each car has its own sort of charms, but if I was going to buy a Falcon it would be a 64 or a 66. A car like the one pictured just strikes me as too minimalist. If I really wanted minimalist I would go for a Valiant.
I wouldn’t think Valiant parts would be easy to come by (especially 1st generation cars) for a couple of reasons. The easiest is simply that they didn’t spit out nearly as many as the Falcon so the market just isn’t there.
But more critical was Lee Iacocca’s ruthless cost-cutting. Unlike Studebaker, who actually sold off their parts inventory after they shuttered, one of Iacocca’s first acts as new Chrysler CEO was the unceremonious dumping of all of Chrysler NOS parts, virtually eliminating a huge cache of parts for old Mopars. So, yeah, it would be a whole lot tougher to source old Valiant-specific parts.
Conversely, Ford has always been the best of the Big 3 at keeping an inventory of parts for their cars from long ago.
So you’re saying that one can buy parts for a ’60 Falcon at your Ford dealer? Seriously? Me rather thinks not. Of course I’ve been wrong before…
Parts.ford.com, which seems to be the official Ford-sanctioned, OEM parts search website, allows the entry of a Ford vehicle all the way back to 1928.
Probably not many parts available from Ford for a model from 1928, but you get the idea.
Mechanical parts are no problem. There are some aftermarket companies that sell interior upholstery and dash parts. Between forums, eBay, and the aftermarket you should be able to find what you need. Good sheetmetal and intact trim would be high on the list for a project car. My coworker has a 1970 Valiant 4 door project going. The body was laser straight and rust free. The interior was straight trash. His is more of a resto mod project with Duster buckets and either a GT or GTS dash for upgraded gauges. Most of the interior came from parts cars and eBay. The forums help you figure out what years fit and which ones don’t and what can be made to work. The Valiant isn’t the easiest but it’s not unduly hard either.
“The Valiant isn’t the easiest but it’s not unduly hard either.”
This might be a clue as to the question, “Why the Falcon?”. Simply put, it is the easiest, most basic old-school compact to keep running. When you think about it, the Falcon was a lot like the American version of that big anti-establishment car of the sixties, the VW Beetle, which was quite ironic in that the Corvair was the car which GM aimed directly at the burgeoning Beetle market.
But the Corvair was a radical departure for a domestic car. Likewise, the Valiant was rather progressive in its engineering advances (and it sold in nowhere near the numbers of either the Corvair or Falcon). The Falcon was not advanced in any way, shape, or form, but sold in huge numbers, and therein lies its charm and appeal to the hipsters. In effect, the Falcon is a serviceable version of the Model T. Taken in that context, it’s easier to understand why hipsters have chosen the Falcon as their vehicle of choice instead of the more interesting and advanced Corvair or Valiant.
If that Falcon were mine, I’d put Batman stickers on each door just to keep em guessing.
I bought a 63 with a six in 1982 for $900 gave it a paint job and drove it for 25 years. Sold it for for $5000.
When I lived in Seattle in the early 1990’s I always found interesting how many old American compact & intermediates I would see, but no biggies. Valiants, Satellites, Falcons, Darts, Cougars, Mustangs, and Coronets were common. A friend of mind purchased a ‘64 Falcon, which I thought was cool (preferred the 1960-63), but it scared me riding down the many steep hills in that then nearly 30 year old car.
Goth has been around since the 1960’s – in the 1966 Sally Field sitcom “Gidget”, Gidget is a member of a band, that uses ghoulish makeup & black clothes as one of many shticks to set them apart.
Do the blacked out grill & wheels make this one ‘goth lite’?
Taken at Chrome Bar Bonanza, Lakeside Raceway. For anyone who is interested, racing at Lakeside is under threat. I’d put a link up, if it would be OK to do so.
Looks like Gambier Blue/Merino White, possibly the most common colours for an XL. Dad and our two neighbours all had matching sedans. Five-stud wheels hint at serious mechanical upgrades on this wagon.
Pretty wimpy for a goth-mobile – this ’65 from north of the border would have that Portlandia poseur for breakfast, with a Molson chaser.
(Apparently it’s a Falcon wagon on a Bronco frame, but image is everything.)
I have a 1962 Futura that I know one of the cohorts ignored to instead take pictures of an old Valiant in the same parking lot and post a write up here (not bitter, just disappointed) . I can attest to the low cost and ease of maintenance and availability of parts that makes an old Falcon a great car for someone just starting out in this hobby. It is a fun car to drive and to work on and makes people smile everywhere you go.
6 years later, what has happened to all those hipster Falcons? Did the hipsters keep up with the old car maintenance?
Mine is still on the road and driven regularly! I had to rebuild the rear brakes/parking brake about 3 years ago. Cost around $40 lol.
In Australia and Argentina they gave more life to the Falcon. In the US I think they could have done it at least until the 80s. But their objective was only to supply the Mustang’s chassis.
Falcons, humph .
-Nate
In my town there are a handful of ‘64-65 Falcons, in sedan/coupe, wagon and even Ranchero form, but I haven’t noticed a similar-vintage Dart or Valiant in a while. Pre-1968 Chevy II? Probably haven’t seen one for 20 years.
Are hipsters a thing anymore? I see more Goths.
Tank you I had no idea a 4 speed was available.
Ever see a Falcon six block?
I thought it was from a GT6
Also shocking are the curb weights.
Fiat 500 territory