1960 FORD FALCON MANUAL
1960 FORD FALCON PLUS

That gave good cruising economy, but made the gap between 2nd and 3rd gear of the manual column-shifted transmission downright problematic. The problem was that Ford specified a very high (low numerical) 3.10:1 rear axle ratio. The made a point of noting that its real-life performance was decidedly less than its tested 0-60 time of 17.3 seconds. But it was all-too painfully clear that Ford tuned the engine and set its rear axle ratio to maximize fuel economy at the expense of performance. There’s no question that the Corvair had a better all-round ride quality, most especially so when the road turned rough.Īs to the Falcon’s new 144 CID (2.3 L) inline six, it’s noted upfront that economy is good, averaging 24.6 mpg. The ride was a bit firm, “but with less bounce and float than the big Fords”.

I don’t think anyone is going to accuse the Falcon of being a canyon carver, especially in direct comparison to either the Corvair, Valiant or most imports. That needs to be put in perspective, as Car Life was not an enthusiast magazine, and the frame of reference was normal driving, and the comparison was with the typically ill-handling big cars of the time. And cornering was termed “excellent”, “capable of taking turns well beyond the capabilities of most American sedans”. So yes, the base price of a 1960 Falcon Tudor at $1912 was almost twice that amount.ĭue to its light weight (2,380 lbs as tested), power assists were unnecessary, and the steering was light, although a bit slow with 4.6 turns. A 1930 Model A Tudor sedan cost $495, which was only $878 in 1960 dollars ($7700 in 2019 dollars). Motor Life notes that in addition to being the long-awaited return of the Model T and A, it also wasn’t quite as cheap or austere either. Motor Life reviewed the new Falcon, in two parts: in an instrumented test as well as a longer over-the-road trip. A rough four cylinder, like the 153 in the Chevy II to come would have suited him much better. The only element he would have objected to was its six cylinder engine, as he had a distinct bias against that obviously ideal configuration. As such, the 1960 Falcon was something of the second coming of Henry Ford: compact, upright, sensible basic and economical. This was a painful reality for many who longed for more elemental transport, but weren’t ready to buy an import, especially Ford loyalists, of which there were many. And this trend accelerated in the ’50s, reaching a zenith (or nadir) in the 1960 full-size Ford, the widest car ever sold in the US. But starting in the 1930s, even Fords began swelling.

Ford preached the gospel of minimalism, with no excess of size, weight or other unnecessary elements. Production for 1963 slipped to 18,533.A huge swath of Americans in 1960 had grown up or lived with Henry Ford’s Model T and A. More importantly, if was now available with a V-8: Ford's fine 260-cid small-block with 164 bhp. Actually, the standard upholstery, a brown vinyl stamped with a western steer-head pattern, was quite attractive in its own right.įor the final year for this Falcon styling generation, the 1963 Ford Ranchero sported another new grille.

1960 FORD FALCON PLUS

In all three years of the 1960-1963 Ford Falcon Ranchero, the deluxe trim package provided bright metal exterior accents plus such goodies as a white steering wheel, chrome horn ring, dome-light door switch, and a choice of black/white or red/white all-vinyl upholstery. The 1962 Ranchero - like the 1962 Ford Falcon car - earned a facelift with bolder, vertical-bar grillework and a dummy scoop in a hood bulge. The compact Falcon Ranchero's 800-pound payload capacity was higher than the larger Chevrolet El Camino's, though the Chevy had more power. Under the hood, however, buyers could opt for a larger, 170-cid six producing 101 bhp. Aside from a new convex grille, the 1961 Ford Ranchero differed little in appearance from the 1960 model.

Two-tone paint jobs were available, the second color limited to the 'A' pillars and roof 'B' pillars were two-toned starting in 1961.

1960 ford falcon