Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/eBay seller dounolt0
The Ford Falcon was a hit from the very first days, with the American carmaker shipping more than 500,000 units in the car's first year on the market. The number of Falcons on the road surpassed the 1 million threshold by the end of the next year, so Ford became more committed to improving the nameplate with every new model year.
1963 witnessed the introduction of more versions, including a four-door, convertible, and sports convertible Futura, Sprint hardtops, and Deluxe wagons. Ford wanted to offer something for everybody so the Falcon could be able to target an audience as varied as possible.
It's also why the carmaker expanded the engine lineup with the addition of a 260 V8 unit known as the Challenger. It developed 164 horsepower and became the most powerful Falcon engine for the first-generation model.
The 1963 Ford Falcon that landed on eBay earlier this week has something even more powerful under the hood. The car no longer has the original engine but a 289 donated by a late '80s Mustang. The 4-barrel mill starts, runs, and drives like new. It's paired with a C4 transmission.
The car's condition is amazing, and I'm certain someone already restored the Futura, though it's unclear if the owner retained the original setup – except for the engine, which has already been swapped with a more powerful unit. The power top is the only "ugly" (the owner's own word) part of the Futura, but the good news is that it still works.
The engine swap is likely to make many people walk away, especially if they are particularly interested in an original Futura. However, the Mustang muscle under the hood isn't necessarily bad news, especially as the Falcon Sprint served as the starting point for the first Mustang.
Ford used the Sprint as the foundation for the 1964 1/2 Mustang, using its mechanical components to create the pony that eventually pushed its sales through the roof.
Unsurprisingly, seller dounolt0 has high expectations from their Falcon, as they believe the car should be sold for a small fortune. They listed the car on eBay with a $12,000 starting price, but they also enabled a reserve, hoping the selling price would go significantly higher. Nobody has entered the race to buy the Falcon so far, and the reason likely comes down to a mix of the high selling price and the engine swap.
The car is no longer original, but considering its shape, it'd make for a great occasional driver on a sunny day. However, I'm certain it wouldn't remain available for too long at a fair price, so go see the car in Mission Viejo, California, and discuss the selling price with the owner. It should be able to return home on its wheels.
It's also why the carmaker expanded the engine lineup with the addition of a 260 V8 unit known as the Challenger. It developed 164 horsepower and became the most powerful Falcon engine for the first-generation model.
The 1963 Ford Falcon that landed on eBay earlier this week has something even more powerful under the hood. The car no longer has the original engine but a 289 donated by a late '80s Mustang. The 4-barrel mill starts, runs, and drives like new. It's paired with a C4 transmission.
The car's condition is amazing, and I'm certain someone already restored the Futura, though it's unclear if the owner retained the original setup – except for the engine, which has already been swapped with a more powerful unit. The power top is the only "ugly" (the owner's own word) part of the Futura, but the good news is that it still works.
The engine swap is likely to make many people walk away, especially if they are particularly interested in an original Futura. However, the Mustang muscle under the hood isn't necessarily bad news, especially as the Falcon Sprint served as the starting point for the first Mustang.
Ford used the Sprint as the foundation for the 1964 1/2 Mustang, using its mechanical components to create the pony that eventually pushed its sales through the roof.
Unsurprisingly, seller dounolt0 has high expectations from their Falcon, as they believe the car should be sold for a small fortune. They listed the car on eBay with a $12,000 starting price, but they also enabled a reserve, hoping the selling price would go significantly higher. Nobody has entered the race to buy the Falcon so far, and the reason likely comes down to a mix of the high selling price and the engine swap.
The car is no longer original, but considering its shape, it'd make for a great occasional driver on a sunny day. However, I'm certain it wouldn't remain available for too long at a fair price, so go see the car in Mission Viejo, California, and discuss the selling price with the owner. It should be able to return home on its wheels.
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