FORD FALCON (NORTH AMERICA)

The 'Ford Falcon' was an automobile produced by Ford Motor Company from 1960 through 1970. It was manufactured in the USA, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Mexico and Chile. It was a huge sales success for Ford initially, handily outselling rival compacts from Chrysler and General Motors introduced at the same time. During its lifespan, the Falcon was offered in a wide range of body styles: two-door and four-door sedans, two and four door station wagons, two door hardtops, convertibles, and a sedan delivery and the Ranchero pickup. For several years, the Falcon name was also used on passenger versions of the Ford Econoline van.

Contents

History

2008

Ford Falcons in popular culture

External links

History

Historically, the "Big Three" auto manufacturers (GM, Ford and Chrysler), focused purely on the larger and more profitable vehicles in the US and Canadian markets. Towards the end of the 1950s, all three manufacturers realised that that former strategy would no longer work. Large automobiles were becoming increasingly expensive thanks to wage inflation, making smaller European cars such as Volvos and Volkswagens increasingly attractive. Furthermore, many American families were now in the market for a second car, and market research showed that women especially thought that the full-size car had grown too large and cumbersome. At the same time, that research showed that many buyers would prefer to buy US or Canadian if the domestic manufacturers offered a smaller, cheaper car. Thus, all three introduced compact cars: the Valiant from Chrysler (becoming the Plymouth Valiant in 1961), the rear-engined Chevrolet Corvair, and the Ford Falcon. Competition also came from smaller Studebaker, with the Lark, and AMC with its Rambler.
By American standards of the 1960s the Falcon was a small car, but elsewhere it would be considered a mid-size car. It was powered by a small, lightweight 90 hp (67 kW), 144 in³ (2.4 L) straight-6 with a single-barrel carburetor. Construction was unibody, and suspension was fairly standard; coil springs in front, leaf springs in the rear. There was room for six passengers in reasonable comfort in the simple interior. Body styles available at launch were two and four-door Sedans, two or four-door Station Wagons, and the Ranchero car-based pickup, transferred onto the Falcon platform for 1960 from the Fairlane. A Mercury derivative, the Mercury Comet, originally intended for the defunct Edsel marque, was launched in the US midway through the 1960 model year.

In 1960, Ford's Canadian subsidiary introduced the Falcon-based Frontenac. It was designed to give Mercury-Meteor dealers a smaller model to sell since the Comet was originally intended as an Edsel, which was sold by Ford-Monarch dealers. Produced for the 1960 model year only, the Frontenac was essentially a re-badged 1960 Falcon with its own unique grille, tail lights and external trim including red maple leaf insignias. Despite strong sales (5% of Ford's total Canadian output) the Frontenac was discontinued and replaced by the Mercury Comet for 1961.
Robert McNamara, a Ford executive who became Ford's president briefly before being offered the job of U.S. Defense Secretary, is regarded by many as "the father of the Falcon". McNamara left Ford shortly after the Falcon's introduction, but his faith in the concept was vindicated with record sales; over half a million in the first year and hitting over a million sold by the end of the second year.
The 1961 model year introduced an optional 101 hp, 170 in³ (2.8 L) six, and two new models were introduced; a bucket-seat Sedan model with a higher trim level called the 'Futura', and a Sedan Delivery.
1962 saw a Squire model of the four door Station Wagon with fake wood trim on the sides. The bucket seat "Futura" model was offered with in slightly upgraded interior, different side trim (spears), and different emblems. Halfway through the model year, they changed the roof line at the back window to more of a Thunderbird design and offered a 4-speed transmission for the first time.
In 1963 even more models were available. There was now a 4-door Futura, a Deluxe Wagon and Ranchero. Later, Convertibles and then Hardtops, and the new "Sprint" model was introduced. Halfway through the model year (February 1963), a 260 in³ (4.3 L) V8 engine was offered for the first time. The Falcon was climbing in trim level from its budget beginnings as Ford attempted to wring more profit from the line.

A redesign changed the Falcon's looks for 1964. The new look was more squared-off, more modern, as Ford chased the youth market. Later in 1964, Ford's new offering for that market was launched: the Ford Mustang, based heavily on the Falcon's unitized frame design but with no compromises about its youthful, fun intention. The Mustang dealt Falcon sales in North America a blow from which they would never recover.
The Falcon received another redesign for 1966, with a long-hood/short-deck look much in the Mustang vein. This body was based on a shortened Fairlane platform with different body sheet metal. The two-door Hardtop and Convertible were dropped, while the Station Wagon and Ranchero were moved to a larger platform shared with the contemporary Fairlane. The Ranchero would leave the Falcon line and adopt the Fairlane's front sheet metal for 1967.

The final model year for the Falcon in North America was 1970. Continuing sales declines and the inability of the car to meet forthcoming safety standards resulted in a short run of 1970 models identical to the 1969 version being built through the end of December, 1969. On January 1, 1970, the Falcon name was transferred to a low-line version of the contemporary Fairlane/Torino. This "1970 1/2" Falcon was available as a two door Sedan, four door Sedan, and four door Wagon only, despite the fact that the 2-door "real" Falcon's replacement, the Maverick coupe, had already appeared in January 1969. But the 4-door Maverick Sedan would not be available until the 1971 new-model launch in fall of '70. While the number of luxury and convenience options available was limited, the car was available with the full range of Fairlane/Torino powertrains.

2008

The Ford Falcon 2008 model soon to be released in Australia has been said to be easy to convert to left-hand drive so that it may be exported to other countries. This has produced thoughts that the Falcon may make a 'comeback' to the USA.

Ford Falcons in popular culture

★ A 1963 Ford Falcon is driven by the character Peyton on the WB drama series One Tree Hill

External links

★ Falcon Club of America

★ FalconRegistry.com

★ The Ford Falcon News

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