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Thread: Out for a spin.

  1. #61

    The Falcon Ambassador

    There is an area in Tampa with a concentration of Middle Eastern grocery stores and restaurants. I was driving though there on my way home from work and a young guy about fourteen years old in the back seat of an SUV on my left said "Nice car!" as I stopped at traffic light. I said "Thanks" and noticed that they were a Muslim family as I coasted a car length past to stop. A couple of women in the car wore head scarves. I stopped and thought about it and then backed up and motioned to the kid to roll his window down. Then I briefly explained before the light changed that it was a 1963 Ford Falcon and it had been the compact car of its time. The girl in the front passenger's seat looked about eighteen and must have been the kid's older sister. I said good bye when the light changed and she gave me the most wonderful big, beautiful, beaming smile as I drove away. It had made her happy that someone had taken the time to chat with her younger brother. That was nice.
    Last edited by ew1usnr; December 13th, 2015 at 04:39 AM.
    Dennis Pierson
    Tampa, FL
    "The Wonder Falcon"

    '63 Futura Hardtop (260, Ford-O-Matic, bench seat)

  2. #62

    A new record!

    Happy 2016.

    I keep track of how many miles I drive the Falcon each year and noted the following:

    Miles in 2015: 4,305
    Miles in 2014: 4,280
    Miles in 2013: 3,999
    Miles in 2012: 291 (I bought the car mid-year and had a lot of things to fix).

    Yaaay! A new distance record. I will try to break the 5000 mile mark in 2016.
    Dennis Pierson
    Tampa, FL
    "The Wonder Falcon"

    '63 Futura Hardtop (260, Ford-O-Matic, bench seat)

  3. #63

    Car Show

    We drove The Wonder Falcon 110 miles north to Silver Springs in Ocala this past weekend for the 22nd All Ford and Mustang Roundup.

    "“The show is Totally Free to 1993-earlier vehicles. Set your sights on the most fun-filled gathering of Ford enthusiasts on the east coast. Come join us at Florida's Nature Park - Silver Springs, home of the world-famous Glass-Bottom Boats. Spend a relaxing weekend in a natural garden setting to visit with fellow hobbyists and friends. This is a just for fun event! Day of Show Registration/Check-in: 7am-10am sharp."

    See: http://www.npdlink.com/store/pages/ss_ford.html

    There were twenty-three Falcons there. That was the most that I have seen in one spot probably since looking at a grocery store parking lot in 1974. They had us parked in front of the Mavericks. Someone had brought their four-door Maverick. I hadn't seen one of those in decades.
    Falcon Club 1.jpg

    Falcon Club with Francine.jpg

    I fell in love with the 1958 Lincoln Continental. The beach seats are so wide that they will accommodate four adults sitting abreast for both the front and back.
    IMG_0257.jpg

    The front bumper has bullets! Wow! It would punch holes in the side of a Hyundai.
    IMG_0252.jpg

    It has fins on top and the bottom. The bumper wraps around to include the trunk lid. The trunk is gigantic.
    IMG_0251.jpg
    Last edited by ew1usnr; January 12th, 2016 at 06:59 PM.
    Dennis Pierson
    Tampa, FL
    "The Wonder Falcon"

    '63 Futura Hardtop (260, Ford-O-Matic, bench seat)

  4. #64
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Federal Way
    Posts
    906
    Whoa....thanks for sharing Dennis!
    That is one beautiful Lincoln. That is Love at first sight. I love the old Lincoln's and old T-Birds. There's a guy close to a sandwich shop dive I go to sometimes...it'a s typical Washington older house with huge trees and lots of stuff in the yard with green stuff growing all over it...and this one has at least four classic Lincoln's in the yard. A few years newer than that green one, but not much. I just hate to see them outside and neglected like that. The guy obviously loves them- but clearly doesn't restore them for some reason (I assume he values eating as a priority.) If I'd won the lottery I'd stop by and buy them all. Maybe some day when I have nothing to do I'll stop by just pay him a visit.

    I think it's really cool to see you've driven your Falcon a little more each year too.

    Slooowww progress on mine, but I dropped the exhaust pipe off at the ceramic coater yesterday, got the dipstick tube installed, and got oil in the motor. At least I checked a few boxes...headed out to see if I can take care of another baby step before bed time.
    Don Bartlett
    Federal Way, WA
    61 Four Door Sedan
    144-6, 3 on the tree



  5. #65

    Zephyr V-12

    Quote Originally Posted by dhbfaster View Post
    I love the old Lincoln's and old T-Birds. ... got the dipstick tube installed.
    Check to see that the dip stick tube comes up through the hole in the generator bracket. I had someone at the car show that my dip stick tube is incorrectly placed in front of the generator bracket. Oh, well.

    Take a look at this Mighty 1941 Lincoln Zephyr that a guy drove to the show:

    IMG_0273.jpg

    IMG_0191.jpg

    Behold the awesome magnificence of a Zephyr flathead V-12. When the show ended, I watched the owner start this car and drive away. It was very quiet! A flathead has no push rods or rocker arms to make valve train clatter.

    IMG_0192.jpg

    Someone drove their four-door Maverick. You don't see these cars very frequently anymore:

    IMG_0240.jpg

    And a 1925 Model-T Touring car that was driven to the event. Those seats look very comfortable. I thought that this Model T was beautiful.

    IMG_0204.jpg
    Last edited by ew1usnr; January 13th, 2016 at 07:19 PM.
    Dennis Pierson
    Tampa, FL
    "The Wonder Falcon"

    '63 Futura Hardtop (260, Ford-O-Matic, bench seat)

  6. #66

    Cold Weather Driving

    Cool weather arrived in Tampa about two weeks ago. It was 42° at 7:00 this morning and and 55° and clear while I drove home from work at 5:00.

    The new heater that I installed last year works great and really pumps out the heat.

    09-heater box opened.jpg

    The car warms up without having to use the fan and then I can maintain a pleasant temperature and "drive in living room comfort" with the control knob only pulled 1/4 of the way out. (Two comments on the attached ad: The driver looks like President Obama, and the little girl should not be riding in her mother's lap in the front seat, especially when it is raining.)

    Ford Heater.jpg

    My automatic choke starts the car with a 900 rpm idle that slows to 450 when the engine warms up.

    I last filled my tires when it was around 85° and had to add 5 psi to all four tires when I checked them when the temperature was 60°.

    It's going to be 39° tomorrow morning!!!
    Last edited by ew1usnr; January 19th, 2016 at 04:30 PM.
    Dennis Pierson
    Tampa, FL
    "The Wonder Falcon"

    '63 Futura Hardtop (260, Ford-O-Matic, bench seat)

  7. #67
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Fredrickson
    Posts
    977
    Is your car a RH drive car also?


    Gene Smith
    Fredrickson, WA
    '65 Ranchero Deluxe
    302, EFI, 4-Spd
    Granada Discs

  8. #68
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Mill Creek
    Posts
    1,224

    Out for a spin.

    That's probably the worst insult that driver ever received. Larry
    Larry Smith
    1964 Futura
    347 stroker



  9. #69
    Quote Originally Posted by SmithKid View Post
    Is your car a RH drive car also?
    I was tripping on that Readers Digest image too! Right-hand drive. But also the little girl riding on the lap of the mom. Makes me think of that crashed Ranchero image again. How we ever survived prior to the 60's still amazes me.


    Quote Originally Posted by BadBird View Post
    That's probably the worst insult that driver ever received. Larry
    Who insulted who and why? I'm confused. I'm reading this statement and trying to understand the impetus for it in the context of any previous images or statements.
    Last edited by Luva65wagon; January 20th, 2016 at 11:31 AM.
    Roger Moore

    63 "Flarechero"
    powered by: 347ci stroker | Tremec T5 | 8" 3:45 TracLoc rear



  10. #70
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Mill Creek
    Posts
    1,224

    Out for a spin.

    Sorry, my humor zone was going weird that night I guess. See the quote below. Larry



    The car warms up without having to use the fan and then I can maintain a pleasant temperature and "drive in living room comfort" with the control knob only pulled 1/4 of the way out. (Two comments on the attached ad: The driver looks like President Obama, and the little girl should not be riding in her mother's lap in the front seat, especially when it is raining.)
    Larry Smith
    1964 Futura
    347 stroker



  11. #71
    Ah - that makes better sense then.

    Gotta use them quote tools.
    But if you think about it... President Obama would definitely drive on the left, not right.

    Roger Moore

    63 "Flarechero"
    powered by: 347ci stroker | Tremec T5 | 8" 3:45 TracLoc rear



  12. #72

    Ford show in Geneva

    Geneva Florida, not Switzerland. Geneva is a little town northeast of Orlando

    All Ford, Geneva 4-30-16.jpg

    My local club, the Suncoast Falcons, explained in our last newsletter that they will have our club meeting at this show this coming Saturday on April 30. That was a good excuse to go for a drive so I went ahead and entered "The Wonder Falcon".

    You guys would not believe how nicely my Falcon is performing now. The more and more I drive it the better and better it runs. I love the way it sounds, the way it steers, the way the suspension rides, and the way the transmission shifts. The engine runs so smooooth, and I can smoke the right rear tire if I punch the throttle. Gosh, this car is nice. In my mind, I feel like I am driving a sports car every time I take it out.

    The daytime temperatures have started rising and I noticed this afternoon when I started the car to leave work that the automatic choke did not come on. Evidently the automatic choke releases when its internal bimetallic spring warms up to about 85-degrees. Those Ford engineers of 1963 were geniuses. I love how they did everything mechanically, not electronically, and that everything works just fine.
    Last edited by ew1usnr; April 28th, 2016 at 07:25 PM.
    Dennis Pierson
    Tampa, FL
    "The Wonder Falcon"

    '63 Futura Hardtop (260, Ford-O-Matic, bench seat)

  13. #73
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    1,430
    Quote Originally Posted by ew1usnr View Post

    The daytime temperatures have started rising
    Maybe it's time to start gathering the parts for a FOMOCO under dash A/C unit and compressor.

    I think I would try and use one of the newer type compressors. I believe they are smaller and rob less horsepower from your wonderful 260.

    They also make the evaporator coil that hides inside the stock heater box - but I think the big, vintage, under dash units look dynamite. I have one that I will be using on mine, but instead of cooling, mine will hold a small amp and speakers that connect to my ipod.

    Jeff Watson
    Seattle, WA
    '63 Tudor Wagon (170 - 3 spd.)

  14. #74
    Quote Originally Posted by ew1usnr View Post
    Those Ford engineers of 1963 were geniuses.
    It was 1967 or 1968 that they starting thinking up all their "better ideas."
    Roger Moore

    63 "Flarechero"
    powered by: 347ci stroker | Tremec T5 | 8" 3:45 TracLoc rear



  15. #75

    Update

    The Wonder Falcon made it to the car show in Geneva and back to Tampa.
    While heading home, I was doing 70 mph in the right lane of I-75. My lane ended due to road construction. I needed to move left, but could not fall back and merge because it was a line of bumper to bumper cars. So I sped up and swung over ahead of the car to my left. I looked at the speedometer and I was doing 80! Yowsa! I was impressed that even while doing 70 mph, the engine still had enough reserve power to be able to speed up and pass someone.

    IMG_2135 MFF.jpg

    I saw a sweet 1963 two-door wagon at the car show.

    IMG_2138.jpg

    It had the cow head upholstery, a 144 engine and a Ford-O-Matic transmission. It would be slow, but would get good gas mileage. I had the same tan steering wheel cover on the Falcon wagon that I had while in high school.

    IMG_2140 SW.jpg

    IMG_2144 F.jpg

    I also liked this 1963 Mercury Monterey. It's trunk lid looked as big as the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. The back window rolls down for extra ventilation. I would enjoy driving this car.

    IMG_2152 MM.jpg

    I passed 15,000 miles since I have owned my car as I drove home from work today. Yaaay!

    Note to Jeff: My Falcon has a four-belt pulley and evidently had air conditioning at some point in the past. I considered adding a modern AC unit, but decided against it for multiple reasons. I already have two newer cars that have air conditioning, so if I really need AC I can just drive one of them. Also, my Falcon is a big nostalgia thing for me. Call me nuts, but driving in the heat with all the windows down takes me back thirty and forty years ago to the cars I had in high school and community college. As it is now, I sit in an air conditioned office all day and the heat actually feels good as I drive home. Plus, the AC would add unwanted complexity, weight, drag, and would require window tinting on my clear glass to be effective. So, .... no AC in The Wonder Falcon.
    Last edited by ew1usnr; May 2nd, 2016 at 08:13 PM.
    Dennis Pierson
    Tampa, FL
    "The Wonder Falcon"

    '63 Futura Hardtop (260, Ford-O-Matic, bench seat)

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