Excellent Bones: 1961 Ford Falcon Futura
Most people believe the Model T was the most important vehicle in Ford’s history. Picking the next most significant is more challenging, but I think that honor should fall to the humble Falcon. It is easy to underestimate the impact of the Falcon. However, it served as the base for the First Generation Mustang, its underpinnings found their way under the Maverick, and it garnered the company some valuable foreign earnings from countries like Australia and Argentina. In fact, the original Falcon survived in mildly updated form in the latter country until 1991. Our feature car is a 1961 Falcon Futura that has what the seller describes as strong bones. Its minor rust issues would be easily addressed, leaving the new owner to choose between preservation or restoration. It is listed here on Craigslist in West Islip, New York. The seller set a price of $8,500 but may consider trades. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Mitchell G. for spotting this fantastic classic.
Describing this Falcon as honest would seem a fair assessment. Its Raven Black paint shines well for its age, but a close inspection reveals checking and other minor imperfections. None of those issues are severe, meaning the new owner could take their time to consider their future plans for this classic. The panels are straight, and there is no evidence of exterior rust. The seller says the floors and trunk pan are rock-solid, identifying the typical area under the battery as the only rust requiring attention. The sparkling trim and chrome contrast the Black paint, and the glass looks crystal clear.
The Falcon’s interior is a work in progress, with equal servings of good and bad points. The seller recently installed new carpet, but work is required to smooth some of the rough edges of their work. The radio is missing, and the seats sport a few seam separations and splits. The door trims and remaining upholstered surfaces look okay, with deterioration of the armrests and wear on the wheel the only other flaws requiring attention. Replacement seatcovers and armrests will lighten the buyer’s wallet by around $1,000, but readily available kits for approximately $50 would allow the new owner to restore the wheel to its former glory.
It is unclear what version of the company’s six-cylinder powerplant originally occupied this Falcon’s engine bay, but this 1968-vintage 200ci unit should provide a significant performance boost. The buyer will have around 115hp at their disposal, a 15% increase over the range-topping 170ci engine available in 1961. The transmission is the original three-speed manual that retains its column shifter. The mere sight of that brought back some wonderful memories from my youth because I learned to drive in a car with the same feature. The seller indicates this motor has received a top-end rebuild, and the spark now comes from an HEI ignition. They replaced the carburetor but believe they made a wrong choice. They suggest swapping the existing Holley with an Autolite. Otherwise, this Futura has no pressing mechanical needs.
Preservation or restoration? That is the biggest question facing the new owner of this 1961 Ford Falcon Futura. The seller’s price is probably fair, and even though values have climbed by around 10% in the past year, there isn’t much room to move on any work before the financial viability becomes questionable. If I were to buy this classic, I would probably address the minor rust, whip the interior into shape, and preserve the exterior. Do you agree, or is your vision different from mine?
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Comments
Great write up Adam, it does look like an honest car with improvement potential. As a matter of fact I learned how to drive in a three on the tree and it just so happened to be a 1961 Falcon 170 CID. 6cyl. If I had more time and money and fewer projects that could be mine. I’m
Memories. We had a ‘61 four door Falcon as a daily driver when I was a kid. Imagine a family of 9 piling into the Falcon going to church. No PCV valve on these six bangers. A rubber hose ran from the valve cover to the underside of the car. Ours would blow smoke rings at idle LOL.
All cars in the 40 and 50s and early 60s had that used to call it the stink pipe great smell the falcon futura was same as 1964 mustang just different body great cars mostly in convertibles
also brought in the sports ute craze we’re still on (if U ask me) Adam – the one U keep reviewing here (bronk). Muscle, suv… that’s alot for something made to stop the ve dub bug from decimating the merican auto industry. Of the 6 i6 ThriftPower (3 “SB”, one odd ball, 2 “BB”) this one is a rev dog. Yes the 4.9 or 300 “the gasser that’s a diesel’ is the hauler but the 200 sure adapts to hier revs w/abloom. Try this head tho:
https://www.vintageinlines.com/product-page/deposit-only-aluminum-head-package
a stout bottom end ’65 + in the full line of them, the head still ‘cant breath’ w/the intregal log. Loose the DUI, replace w/ DSII (oem ’77 +) a/some nicer carb(s), more goodies & red line near 7K. Datil wake’er up.
???????????
Haha…and true…and the Falcon is what the 1960 Edsel morphed into the next production year….
true the new for 1960 comet was really a Edsel than in 1961became a mercury
I always thought the ’61 with its convex grille was the most attractive of the early Falcons. This one is too blah-looking with those blackwalls and dog-dish hubcaps but that’s easily corrected.
Being a Futura model is a definite plus.
Had the identical car in white. Same interior, three on the tree.
I’m not a ford fan, but I would restore this Falcon and be proud to drive it
Many years ago, we had an LOL customer with one of these. Hers was turquoise with an automatic trans. It was in 98% perfect shape when I last saw it. No clue what happened to it.
Ignition switch located at the “most left hand side” of any car I’ve seen.
like this….
Ford loved their left-side ignition switches, even late ’70s (into the ’80s?) Econoline vans had ’em.
My dad bought a black 1960 Ford Galaxie in 1962. 292 V8 with 2-speed transmission. Key was on the left and they stayed there for years. I loved that car. Soft ride.
last post on this ‘un deleted? Was gunna cite the falcon’s market entry purpose to stem the ve dub bug’s decimation of the merican auto industry and it spaun of the muscle car (stang) & suv (bronk) categories the last, an era we’re still in but may B should not? Get errased too?
I read the first and last sentence fragment – all I could endure. Some of us don’t talk/write in text message slang.
You forgot the other cars that used the Falcon platform:
Fairlane
Comet
Montego
Torino
Cougar
Granada
Monarch
Versailles
There may be more