Classic Ford

[G M 2]

Hi fellow St'ers.



I am looking for some "serious" suggestions and/or assistance. Over the winter I want to puchase a classic car for my grandson. I will do a restoration if needed. I would strongly prefer a smaller car. Maybe a Maverick, a Falcon would be great. Engine need not be big HP, in fact I will switch over to 289 or even inline 6. He is turning 16 this summer. I intend to pay somewhere around $5000. I would also prefer he not have the "usual" Mustangs, Cougars etc. No/little rust would be nice too.



There are only two limitations.



1. It must be a Ford or Ford Product.



2. I want a 12 volt system. Not interested in doing a total electrical rework.



Do you know of any or have anything like this. I would like to buy from someone more or less known to me. location is not critical, I will ship it to Canada.



Thanks



Gerry

 

[Nelson Atwell]

I owned a 1973 Maverick as my first car. It will be hard to find one without body rust. Mine was riddled with it, and it took my dad and I about 30 lbs of Bondo to get it to look good again. I still loved that car though.



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[Travis Munday]

Mavericks aren't bad, my brother's girlfriend has one, forget the year, however.



Personally, I would recommend a '66 Flacon 2-door. They are a good lookin' car, look similar to Mustangs really, and parts really aren't too hard to find for it. Some earlier years, 61-63 in particular it can be difficult to find some parts for it.



In '66 you could get a 200 CID inline-6, or the 289, three on the tree or automatic. I belive some even came with a floor shift...and a Mustang floor shift is real easy to swap in.

 

[Frank Marano]

how about an old Ford truck......that would be super bad a**!:wub:

 

[G M 2]

I already have a 1956 F100. But that was a good suggestion. He lives in the city and a car would be better. Now you have me thinking though, I wonder if its still possible to find a Ranchero or a Falcon Ranchero?

. I have looked through the Old Car Auto Trader and seems mostly big HP stuff out there. I can't have him in a rod, he's a kid and I'll be busting his chops every couple of days.



What I'm thinking is "all show.....no go"



Gerry

 

[Travis Munday]

Ranchero's are still out there. My project truck is a '66 Ranchero.



The '57-'59 Rancheros were Fairlane based.

The '60-'65 were Falcon based.

The '66 Was Falcon/Fairlane based (Falcon front, engine/tranny and interior, Fairlane everything else)

The '67-'68ish were Fairlane based.

The '69ish-'77ish were Torino based (Fairlane based if you want to be technical)

And the last few years were LTD/Thunderbird based.



The '57-'65 are small vehicles, the '66-'77ish are about the size of a Ranger extended cab or so, with the LTD ones being HUGE land yahcts. I really like the '66 the best, with the '67 a close second. Good looks, right size, lends itself well to mods, and can be made really nice.



The problem with Ranchero's is, in general, parts are quite hard to find for them. I looked for a hood for mine for over a year before lucking up and finding a '66 Falcon parts car. Forget about patch panels if you've got rust, although floorpans are out there, which is a common rust area. If you've got to get a taillight for one....good luck. I would stay away from the Ranchero's for the simple fact that parts can be hard to find, depending on what year you have, and what you need. Other then that, they are quite unique, and when "done up" look great.

 

[Jeffrey Travis]

Used to drive a powder blue and white '69 Ford Fairlane - maybe a little bigger than a new driver should have but it would be good for protection. Metal, lots of metal!



JT#14