this....this was my first car... my grandfather gave it to me when i was 16 years old. he had promised to buy me a new car of my choice as a graduation gift. we had looked at a lot of cars and in the price range was a 97 Probe GT.. dark green, 5spd, black interior..that was the car he was going to get me. unfortunatly, he got sick with cancer and allowed to instead, pick a car that he owned to have as my first car. i chose this car over a 57 Bel Air, a 64 F85, a 61 LeSabre, an S10 and a couple unmentionables. i chose this car because the last thing that he showed me how to do on a car was shift a 3spd manual trans with a column shifter. i can remember it like it was yesterday..blocking the right rear tire and him in the passenger seat and me in the driver's seat and him showing me how to work the trans. i promised him at his request that i would not install a V8, cut the floor for a 4spd or generally hot rod the car. before i left for the army, i sold the car o an older gentleman who wanted to restore it. fast forward six years and i run into the guy at the grocery store. he offers to sell me the car back and when i see it, i can hardly believe how nice it looked. a deal was struck and i bought the car back in 2007. its in my garage for a couple months or the winter, whichever comes first, lol, for an exhaust manifold replacement. i took some pics of the car the other day and i will update with more pics tomorrow if the weather cooperates:

 

That car is no joke! Props to you sir, beautiful ride. What is under the hood, if I may ask?

 

its a 170cid I6.. i have pics i'll post later.. its not a good pic. out in the sun it should look a little better, lol.

 

sweet car .... awesome story .... gramps car is back in the family

 

Classic.

 

Very cool car. It's clean and has a family history. You can never sell this car Dave. Not that you would. I'm just sayin.

 

that is a really nice looking car there, though a 289 would be awfull nice under the hood lol

 

Very nice survivor you've got there Dave. My grandmother had the same car, same year, 4 door, except in black with an auto shifter on the column.

When I was 16 (back in '68) I was really hoping she'd give it to me, she was getting older and not driving so much then. Alas, it went to a cousin.

What is it about grandparents and Ford Falcons?

 

as promised, here is a pic of the engine.. poor pic given the light but i wanted to get one up for now:

 

not sure, but older people love these cars.. my wife's grandfather who is in his late 70's says he can remember when he was driving a new Falcon in 1960!

 

took a few interior pics. i'll post them up if i get soem free time at work tonight!

 

I know where there are a couple sitting locally but I prefer this rounded version

 

You know its a special car, it says so right on the air cleaner!!!

 

the 170 was kind of a special engine of sorts... it was optional over the 144..

 

took a couple pics of the interior a few days ago. they finally uploaded from my phone tonight and i thought i'd post them:

 

Those sure were simpler times.

Dave, you're probably not old enough to know this, but that leather wrapping on the steering wheel wouldn't have been there back in the '60's.

That style didn't come in until the mid 70's.

If you want that truly original look and feel you could always remove it.

 

that is a beautiful little car you have there!

 

Ray, i would remove it and debated it, but it was there when my grandfather owned the car and i don't know if i could remove it... its been there a long time. never know though, i could break!

 

Now that you mention it, that does look like a Grandpa-style leather wrap. I'd keep it!

 

nice, my next door neighbor has a black 2 door convertible, fully restored and it only comes out during gay events coz he is gay lol

 

^^^that...that's.. uh...well understandable i guess...

 

A beautiful car and a beautiful story. I had a 64 F-85 coupe I got from my grandfather. V6 2 speed auto, radio delete. . I drove it from 84 til 91.