Originally Posted by
westcoastfalcons.com
Ford was encouraged by the successes of the ‘63 Rally Falcons and the resulting favorable publicity. The '64 Rally Falcons were part of the continuing "Total Performance" advertising strategy that was highly effective for Ford during the mid 1960s.
Ford decided to center their rally efforts on the newly restyled 1964 Falcon "Sprint" through the mid-year of 1964 until the new Mustang model was introduced. The new Falcon body lines were less rounded than the 1960-1963 Falcons and had a more squarish pony car look. The '64 Falcons (and later '65 Falcons) were based on the same basic unibody structure of the earlier falcons.
Alan and George traveled to Dearborn to make arrangements for the delivery of eight rally cars and eight practice cars. The Falcons were selected from the factory line and shipped to Lincoln Cars Ltd. in England for final preparations. Special equipment for the Rally Falcons was developed by John Holman of Holman & Moody fame.
The '64 Rally Falcons were outfitted with significant performance improvements compared to the '63 Rally Falcons. The homologated Falcons had an array of optional performance characteristics that were supposedly available from your friendly Ford dealer.
The '64 Monte Carlo Rally Falcons were powered by the new high performance 289 motor rated at 305 horsepower. The power plant was equipped with hi-po goodies including a special high-lift camshaft and a 10 to 1 compression ratio. The motor was topped with two (as in dual) 4 barrel Carter carburetors. The beastly engine had its lifeblood cooled by an oil radiator. This was the same hi-po motor that was to achieve similar racing glory in early Cobras, GT 40s and Mustangs.
The motor was mated to Ford’s T-10 Transmission box with an optional set of gear ratios. The differential was Ford’s bullet proof 9-inch type that was borrowed from the full-size Galaxie. The differential was "limited slip" and outfitted with the larger rear drum brakes and axle from the Galaxie.
The front-end spindles were borrowed from the luxury Lincoln and outfitted with Thunderbird brakes. Fifteen-inch wheels were the smallest size that would accommodate the brakes. The brakes were an example of the parts listed that brought into question the validity of the homologated Falcons. Thirteen and fourteen inch wheel sizes were your only choices on 1964 Falcons in reality.
The front and rear springs were stiffer than the stock versions, and adjustable shock absorbers were mounted at each wheel.
The '64 Rally Falcon weighed only 2,156 pounds, almost a thousand pounds less than the stock Sprint. The weight savings was mainly gained from the fiberglass pieces that were specially made for the hood, rear deck lid, front fenders and doors. The front windshield was made from safety glass, but the remainder of the windows were made from Lexan which is a lightweight polycarbonate material.
The interior of the Falcon was also furnished in a manner to reduce weight. The front seats and the dash were the main components of the interior. Standard trim such as door panels and carpeting were removed. The dash was outfitted with a tachometer and rally equipment, and the rear seat area was fitted with an array of tools.
The July 1964 Car and Driver Magazine included a Road Test that covered a 1964 Falcon Sprint Rally car. The test driver (David Phipps) was suitably impressed with the performance characteristics of the Falcon. Here are some of the impressive performance characteristics that I gleaned from this article.
In four runs from 0-60, times ranged from 5.7 seconds to 6.3 seconds. These are still respectable times thirty-five years later.
The Monte Carlo Falcon turned the 1/4 mile in 14.2 seconds at 89 mph. This is a time that could undoubtedly could be improved on by a professional driver.
The new Falcon utilized the High Performance 289 engine that would freely rev to 7,000 rpm!
Reply With Quote