Vail’s Classic Cars always brings something incredible to the Indy World of Wheels, and this show is no exception. Ron from Vail’s introduces us to a beautiful blue 1964 Ford Falcon with an interesting backstory. The owner buys the car in 1987 just to have fun driving it, and it becomes a family heirloom that is passed on to several family members before it is garaged for a period. All the beneficiaries enjoy driving it back in the day, although it sits idle for quite a while until the original owner eventually decides to get it running again. That’s when Vail’s gets their hands on it. Ron advises the owner to do a few upgrades on the blue Falcon that would make driving the classic even more enjoyable. After all, this car has always been about driving pleasure for the whole family.
Modernized Falcon Takes Flight
Many enthusiasts remember this car from a 1964 advertising campaign that features characters from the Peanuts comic strip, written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. In the ads, Charlie Brown tells Linus, “If you can name just one car as beautiful and economical as the Falcon, I’ll give you $1,000.” The car’s original deep royal blue color is called Ford Guardsman Blue and it rolls off the line as part of the first model year of the square-body design. From a distance, it still looks 100% original. Get closer and you’ll see some modern updates. The team at Vail’s adds features like air conditioning, rack and pinion steering and fresh radial tires. One of the biggest changes is under the hood. Vail’s installs a V8 in place of the 6-cylinder engine to give it more power. Just a few days before the start of the 2019 World of Wheels, the motor is fired up for the first time.
Reconsidered, Refurbished and Re-energized
It’s old, it’s new and it’s something totally unique. Ron calls the car a “2019 1964 Falcon” because it’s a complete blend of new and original features. Updating it took a lot of thought; the Vail’s team didn’t want to rush it, and neither did the owner. Every single part is carefully reconsidered, replaced or refurbished. Now, it drives like a brand new car. The owner took time to fully research each change they make along the way, spending days poring over the details of every part and option. For example, he struggles to find just the right wheels – it takes him 10 to 20 hours of research. It all pays off, though – the ones he chooses are the perfect mix of curb appeal and performance.
Restoring for Love and Stupidity
When Classic Auto’s Drew Yagodnik asks the owner, what motivates him to have all this work done on his 1964 Falcon, he jokes, “Stupidity.” He simply adores the car and wants his family to continue enjoying the car with the added benefits of safety and drivability. When you slide into the driver’s seat today, you can see that the steering wheel is still emblazoned with the original chrome “Falcon Sprint” checkered flag logo – and you also have the peace of mind that comes with modernized features. The owner’s crazy, stupid love actually creates a sharp-looking, re-energized car that he and his family can enjoy for decades to come.
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