1965 Ford Flying Falcon With Huge Scoop Is Perfect for Drag Racing, Only Needs an Engine

The Falcon was a very short-lived car on the American continent. It was introduced by Ford in 1959 as the first compact coming out of Detroit, and that should have ensured it some sort of success. It turns out it didn’t, and just eleven short years later, in 1970, the model was pulled from production.

During its time on the market, the Falcon has been made in three generations, each of them offering a rather extensive choice of body styles and engines. Being related to many other Ford models of the time, it shared a lot of its components with them.

Even if it wasn’t that much of a hit back in its day, the connections the Falcon had with the likes of the Ranchero, Comet, or later in its life with the Mustang itself, should have made it a solid choice for custom shops, and a collector’s favorite. For whatever reason, that didn’t happen either, so the Falcon is not necessarily the type of car we come across very often in this segment.

There are a few high-profile Falcons doing the rounds of drag strips across the country though, and the one we have here was once one of them. I say “once” because despite the car being properly equipped and more than willing to race the quarter mile, it did so in very few occasions over the past decade, and not at all over the past three years.

We’re not specifically told why that’s so, but if you look under the hood a possible explanation reveals itself: the Falcon has no engine, only a very cold and shiny bay. We don’t know what powerplant the drag car previously packed, but we’re told it is now set up in such a way as to receive a Ford 460ci big block and a SuperGlide transmission.

Or one could go for something a lot bigger, as the absolutely huge hood scoop seems ready to cool whatever people want to be fitted in there. After all, the car’s body rests on a drag-bred chassis put together by Pennsylvania-based Ed Quay Race Cars. And by drag-bred I mean it’s NHRA certified to 7.50 seconds!

Pretty much all of the vehicle's original body panels have been replaced. With the exception of the roof, rear quarter panels, and doors, everything else has been remade in fiberglass in a bid to cut down weight. The doors, even if they are still made of steel, help with that by being lighter than their former, original selves. They can also be removed if there’s a need for that, while the glass windows on the car are now made of Lexan, also as a means to cut weight.

The pounds saved through these changes are however pounds gained elsewhere. Unlike a road-going Falcon, this one comes with all the bells and whistles expected from a drag car. That includes the aluminum spoiler on the trunk lid, the wheelie bars at the rear to keep the nose from taking off, and of course the parachute needed for the racer to come to a safe stop.

Visually, the car is a purebred racer, with red, pink, yellow, and a bunch of other colors playing catch over its body with the proper racing markings, including the car’s name inscribed on the doors: The Flying Falcon.

The connection to the ground is made by means of 15-inch Weld wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson tires. Behind them, there is an independent suspension system, but also braking hardware supplied by Mark Williams.

Don’t expect anything less than a race-ready setup on the interior as well. With the roof closer to the driver’s head thanks to a 2-inch chop, there is a single seat in there, properly protected by roll cages and nets. Everywhere you look the cabin is simply flooded by gauges, dials and switches, transforming the custom-made aluminum dashboard into a visual overload.

We don’t have the exact racing history of this Ford Falcon, but it’s more than obvious that it is no stranger to going fast for brief seconds. Absent from the drag scene for a long time, it is looking to get back out there, provided someone is willing to pay the big bucks.

The Flying Falcon is currently listed for sale by Pennsylvania dealer Classic Auto Mall, with an asking price of $28,500. That’s not bad at all, at first glance, but do keep in mind this drag car comes with no engine under that huge scoop.