SPORTS COUPE FALCON FUTURA, 289CI MOTOR, DRIVES GREAT, 3 SPEED MANUAL

1966 Ford Falcon Futura Description

With the Mustang's runaway success, the Ford Falcon got a full makeover in 1966. Packing a 289 cubic inch V8, a manual gearbox, and a clean, uncluttered look, this 1966 Falcon Futura 2-door offers Mustang performance and value with a distinctly sporting look and a very reasonable price tag.Just try to find a Mustang coupe this nice for anything close to this price. You won't. But with this Futura you not only get the same performance but also a look that will get people to notice. Moving away from the dowdy big car styling of the earlier Falcons, the all-new 1966 models looked grown up yet sporting, with trim proportions and clean lines. Wearing a coat of silver metallic paint, this one seems pared down to the bare essence, a clean shape that offers nothing beyond what you'd need to have some fun on the road. Workmanship is quite good overall, showing clean gaps and smooth bodywork that took a pretty serious investment in time and effort. The silver finish shows off the car's interesting side sculpting, as well as the dramatically curved rear quarters, which give it a muscular look. Nice chrome bumpers, a bit of stainless trim, and familiar Ford jet-exhaust taillights make this car easy to recognize, even at a distance, and it is all in very good shape.The handsome dark blue interior is a pleasant surprise, and the bucket seats and simple instrument panel are cool in a '60s minimalist kind of way. The seat covers, carpets, and door panels are in excellent shape for being mostly original and anyone who has driven a vintage Mustang will probably feel at home here, too. Instrumentation is basic, with two big round dials just ahead of the driver, as well as a color-matched steering wheel with chrome horn ring. That's a genuine shift-it-yourself 3-speed manual on the column, which is a lot of fun with the V8, and there's an updated AM/FM/cassette radio in the center of the dash that's probably decades old but still sounds better than the original AM unit. The dash shows some cracking and has a cover for camouflage, but that's the only notable demerit in an otherwise very nicely preserved passenger compartment. And unlike the Mustang, the Falcon offers a giant trunk, which is neatly finished and ready for your next road trip.Glancing under the hood, you'll find the same C-code 289 cubic inch V8 used in the Mustang. With 200 horsepower and a featherweight body to haul around, performance is bright and the Falcon delivers on its serious looks. The engine is bathed in Ford Blue and dressed up with chrome valve covers and a matching air cleaner, so you won't mind opening the hood now and then. Service access is great in the cavernous engine bay, and with a big radiator up front, it never gets cranky in traffic. The aforementioned 3-speed manual transmission spins an 8-inch rear end and a brand new dual exhaust system features turn-downs just ahead of the rear axle for an awesome soundtrack. It's all original underneath, so it's not all detailed for show, but you can easily see that this car has always lived someplace warm. Flashy chrome Torque Thrust wheels add just the right period performance look and are wrapped in 215/60/15 front and 235/60/15 rear blackwall radials.Affordable fun is still out there, and this 1966 Falcon stands out simply because it's unusual. This is more V8 fun than you'll find just about anywhere else, so call today!