i’m hoping to buy a Ford Falcon (2nd Gen. 1964-65),later on this year/early next…makes no sense,but i love them! anyone else own,or owned a Yank tank? any pic’s? 
There’s only two downsides generally left hand drive and price and insurance costs.
Parts and pushrod simplicity to maintain and performance and style easily outweighs all that.With hindsight I should have bought a classic American from when I started I’d have saved a fortune maintaining Euro/Brit car types over the years.
I should have known having grown up around the trade and American stuff was usually sold before it was parked on the forecourt and very sought after in the day and since.Also knowing a few others in the car scene who had American stuff when it was relatively more affordable but still very difficult to insure even then for under 25’s.Which is mainly what put me off buying one in the day.
It’s very rare that you’d ever get less back for a classic American motor than you paid for it.Which is a double edged sword if you’re looking to buy one especially classic 1960’s styles.
So let’s say something like a 390 Galaxy with a four speed manual box is worth two V8 Mercs and I wouldn’t even swap it for three of em.If you’re very rich and can afford it go a 427.Or a licence to print money convert the 390. 
1962 Thunderbird 390ci , metallic burgundy with white leather , as she left the factory . Wont set the world alight but nice to potter about in occasionally .
i love that ‘B’ reg Rambler 
lovely looking motor.as for insurance,i insured my Triumph Herald last week,and asked the lady on the phone for a rough quote for a '65 Falcon,and she said around the same as my Herald 
(£114).the car i’m hoping to buy is a straight 6 so perhaps that makes a difference? valued at £10-11,000.
carryfast-yeti:
i love that ‘B’ reg Rambler
I had that Rambler in 1986-7, it had been in Britain from new and had a 3.2 litre straight six and auto , a nice little car but I just couldn’t get to love the right-hand drive - it felt like driving a Zephyr! After I sold it, the next owner stuffed a Rover 3.5 in and painted it a very nice metallic mid-blue and white. It was last recorded on the road in 1992 but may still exist in the back of a garage somewhere.
My youngest son imported a ‘68 Mercury Cougar from the States 2 years ago when he was 19 and managed to get it insured for £1000 through a specialist broker. He bought the car unseen on the strength of loads of pictures and videos the vendor sent.
It’s been a very good buy, a rock solid California car with low miles [49,000] and has only needed minimal work, a new brake master cyl, upper ball joints, power steering pump overhaul and servicing which we did ourselves, nothing complicated. I’ve got a MK3 Zodiac and Triumph 2000 but I want a Yank now!
bigstraight6:
My youngest son imported a ‘68 Mercury Cougar from the States 2 years ago when he was 19 and managed to get it insured for £1000 through a specialist broker. He bought the car unseen on the strength of loads of pictures and videos the vendor sent.It’s been a very good buy, a rock solid California car with low miles [49,000] and has only needed minimal work, a new brake master cyl, upper ball joints, power steering pump overhaul and servicing which we did ourselves, nothing complicated. I’ve got a MK3 Zodiac and Triumph 2000 but I want a Yank now!
i’ve had loads of old bangers/classic cars over the years…Hillman’s Capri’s A40’s Ford Consul etc,and at present my Herald.never had a Yank,but feel it’s now or never
bigstraight6:
My youngest son imported a ‘68 Mercury Cougar from the States 2 years ago when he was 19 and managed to get it insured for £1000 through a specialist broker. He bought the car unseen on the strength of loads of pictures and videos the vendor sent.It’s been a very good buy, a rock solid California car with low miles [49,000] and has only needed minimal work, a new brake master cyl, upper ball joints, power steering pump overhaul and servicing which we did ourselves, nothing complicated. I’ve got a MK3 Zodiac and Triumph 2000 but I want a Yank now!
Just put a 302 V8 in the Zodiac and if there’s some left also put a Rover V8 in the Triumph.
You’ll increase the value of both by more than the cost of the conversions.
The 302 goes in the Zodiac as if it was designed for it which it probably was and the Triumph is similar.
carryfast-yeti:
i’ve had loads of old bangers/classic cars over the years…Hillman’s Capri’s A40’s Ford Consul etc,and at present my Herald.never had a Yank,but feel it’s now or never
Do It !
It’s probably never been easier than nowadays with Ebay and the internet to find cars and parts. If you pick a car from the eighties or earlier, before computers started finding their way into everything, the mechanicals are so simple and well engineered that you should have no problems looking after the thing. Parts for many of the fifties and sixties cars are really easy to get as original or repro, and most won’t break the bank. There are still quite a few American car and parts specialists around this country, but certainly a lot less than there were ten years ago. As you will know from your son’s experience, importing a car yourself is fairly straightforward, if a little nerve-wracking, and a lot easier with the internet - no more standing in freezing phone boxes at daft o’clock at night with a bagful of 10 pences and a ream of papers and a torch, talking to someone on the other side of the Atlantic! I use mine as everyday cars, even when I had two or more at the same time they were usually all American, or a classic Brit and Yanks, never anything “ordinary”. Because I put a fair bit of mileage on them. I’ve had some of them converted to LPG, so my current Dodge Ram van (at 57.7p per litre LPG from Morrisons) costs about the equivalent of 35 mpg if it was on petrol, not bad for 5.2 litres and just over 2-1/2 tons. They are normally over-engineered, high mileage is nothing to be scared of, and things last for ages and ages. My front axle, for example, has ELEVEN grease ■■■■■■■ - no need for it ever to wear out, given a bit of attention now and again. The driving experience might take some getting used to, but I for one couldn’t be happy driving anything else.
if you get anything along the lines of the sunhunter coming up for sale,gives a pm as theres a good chance il always know someone who might be a possible victim…?
dieseldog999:
if you get anything along the lines of the sunhunter coming up for sale,gives a pm as theres a good chance il always know someone who might be a possible victim…?
That one came from The Car Warehouse in Middlesborough, imported from Japan with only 14000 documented genuine miles on a rust-free '96 van, immaculate inside and out, tested, registered and waxoyled and change from ten grand 18 months ago. They are Jap import specialists and only source clean low-mileage motors, worth a call as they do get lots of off-the-wall stuff and can find vehicles to order. Otherwise, keep an eye on Ebay and the car mags. Car shows are also a good place to see and chat to owners, but of course there aren’t any this year. Good luck with your search.
Carryfast:
Just put a 302 V8 in the Zodiac and if there’s some left also put a Rover V8 in the Triumph.
You’ll increase the value of both by more than the cost of the conversions.The 302 goes in the Zodiac as if it was designed for it which it probably was and the Triumph is similar.
I see your thinking, and you’re right, but I think his point is that he wants an American car as opposed to a British one with an American engine.
fodenway:
Carryfast:
Just put a 302 V8 in the Zodiac and if there’s some left also put a Rover V8 in the Triumph.
You’ll increase the value of both by more than the cost of the conversions.The 302 goes in the Zodiac as if it was designed for it which it probably was and the Triumph is similar.
I see your thinking, and you’re right, but I think his point is that he wants an American car as opposed to a British one with an American engine.
To be fair some of that might have also been my own personal bias showing.
I don’t like driving autos and I’m left handed and prefer the left hand gear shift of rhd.
I also think the Mk3 Zodiac and Cresta PB can hold their own own on style and character v their Ford and GM US counter parts.I really like and miss those typical three box 1960’s US styles.
I also think that a 6 cylinder American defeats the object regardless but probably would by one for the price with the aim of then having the choice of V8’s to put in it.Probably the same 302 as the Zodiac would do fine in the case of yeti’s example.
fodenway:
dieseldog999:
if you get anything along the lines of the sunhunter coming up for sale,gives a pm as theres a good chance il always know someone who might be a possible victim…?That one came from The Car Warehouse in Middlesborough, imported from Japan with only 14000 documented genuine miles on a rust-free '96 van, immaculate inside and out, tested, registered and waxoyled and change from ten grand 18 months ago. They are Jap import specialists and only source clean low-mileage motors, worth a call as they do get lots of off-the-wall stuff and can find vehicles to order. Otherwise, keep an eye on Ebay and the car mags. Car shows are also a good place to see and chat to owners, but of course there aren’t any this year. Good luck with your search.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
thanks for that.
im trade myself and generally dont buy from trade,but ebay does pop up a goody now and again from someone who dont know the true value if your in quick before the dreamers/watchers start asking their stupid questions to make the owner think its gold plated.
.
il be on the ferry tomorrow to birkenhead to lift a van from ebay that should throw around £4k wages my way for driving it home and giving it a wash…( hopefully)…obviously this trip comes under the heading of essential journey…
Only had a couple, a 71 Mustang 5.7 V8 (wish i still had that now, pimp owned before me the name of the previous owner was straight from teh bible) and an 86 Camaro T top with the strangled 5.0 litre V8.
Nearly bought a two year old Mustang GT about 10 years ago, until i stuck me head underneath and saw the rust on the rear live axle and suspension, and there is the only real problem running American cars, you want them as soon as they arrive in the country so you can get to work painting and rustproofing the undersides/cavities, many people don’t bother and they don’t fare well in the fankly ridiculous annual salting frenzy this country is addicted to.
LHD doesn’t bother me, no way would i buy a manual anyway.
If it’s a Falcon you want, consider sourcing from Australia. The Falcon was introduced here in 1960 (XK), manufactured as a right hand drive. Like all the early Falcons and Mustangs, they had to be engineered to stop the struts punching through the bonnet and finding other novel ways to drag the sump on terra firma. With bracing, re-enforfcement and an extra front crossmember they became a reliable car by the second model (XL). Improvements were made through to 1966 and engine capacity of 144 ci and 170 cu were available. Many of these first generation cars have been retrofitted with later, larger motors of 200 cu, 221 cu or 250 cu.
The last two gen 1 models (XM and XP) are the most desirable of this generation. They received further improvements to the front end an suspension whilst being offered in a two door, four door and wagon.
The second generation (XR, XT, XY, XW) were the first Australian Falcons to offer an optional V8 with capabilities ranging from 289, 302 or 351. Initially these were Windsor blocks but changed to Cleveland in the XY. Six cylinder motors were much more common, offered in capacities of 170 ci, 188 ci, 200 ci, 221 ci 250 ci… This generation had more uniquely Australian styling with the final two models bearing no esthetic resemblance to its American equalivellent. There were also far more trim levels available.
Falcon - base model, poverty pack.
Facon 500 - still pretty austere by today’s standards but the most popular and prolific.
Fairmont - snob value, great profit margin for Ford but you did get carpet and bucket seats.
GT - the performance model, only available in V8.
GTHO - produced only in homolgomation numbers, a road registerable race car.(Phases lll & lV)
The GTHO was, in its day, the fastest four door production car in the world.
There would now be more than twice as many 'HOs about than Ford ever pushed out the door, variously proffered as genuine, replica, tribute, but the reality is all but 500 are fakes.
Genuine Hoeys comand well into six figures.
Consider also ZA, ZB, ZC and ZD Fairlane. These are Falcon based with 9" (?) extra wheelbase, flasher trim and different frontal and rear quarter panel treatment.
The next iteration was purely and uniquely Australian, I believe the Yanks had dropped the Falcon by then.
XA, XB, XC; mechanically pretty similar to the predecessing model with a larger, coke bottle styling. The two door hardtop is worthy of note, being particularly attractive. The XC hardtop offered a limited edition Cobra, the reality being a marketing ploy, by Ford, to rid themselves of about 300 excessive two door bodyshells, just prior to the introduction of the next model.
ZF, ZG and ZH were the companion model Fairlane. The ZH in 500 and the higher spec Marquis were IMO, amomgst the most attractive cars ever produced anywhere at anytime. The ZG and F were too visually similar to the bread and butter Falcons to take full advantage of the snob appeal.
After a series of newspaper articles proclaiming the folly of selling lethal, 200 kph racing cars to 17 year-old kids, aided by rapidly rising fuel prices, Ford stopping producing V8s. They entered a number of years producing ho hum, large family cars and withdrew from direct involvement in motor sports, along with Holden and Chrysler.
Although possibly newer than you were considering, BA, BF and FG Falcons alongside the BA and BF Fairlanes are world class, reliable, robust, refined and cheap. They were produced in the first six years of this millennium. Only cars fitted with the legendary Barra motor would worth importing.
Other cars you might want to consider would be Valliant Hardtop and Valiant Charger. I’ll guarantee you’ll be the only person in your street who drives a Charger. 
Sites to research for these vehicles would be:
Carsales.com.au
Gumtree.com.au
eBay.com.au
All of the above mentioned cars are also available in right hand drive from South Africa.
thanks for that detailed report,star down under certainly seems to be quite a selection to choose from! however,still hoping the local guy will sell me his '65,later in the year.if not,i will be casting my net.
https://www.drive.com.au/motor-feature/ford-australia-the-falcon-of-the-1960s-20160923-grmt4e
The rather attractive 1965 Australian XP hardtop in the upmarket Futura trim level.
The far more common Deluxe sedan with the optional Super Pursuit 170 ci six, according to the twin flag badge forward of the front wheel arch.
