Stunning resto-mod, 351C/5-speed, disc brakes, power leather seats. Fast & fun!

Millions of Ford Mustangs were built, tens of thousands survive. But its older brother, the Falcon, is a much rarer bird. Ford’s fraternal twins make a fascinating study in marketing, but today if you are a Ford lover who wants performance in a reasonably-sized package, great parts availability, and a bit of a different look from the usual pony car, the Falcon remains an outstanding choice. In fact, every Falcon (or corporate cousin Mercury Comet) we’ve featured has sold in a matter of days, not weeks or months. That speaks volumes about the growing popularity of these slightly less visible members of the Blue Oval family. And they really are wonderful cars, offering a pure 1960s look that’s part simplicity and part chrome-plated glamour, and the performance they offer per dollar is undeniable.

This 1964 Ford Falcon Futura hardtop is probably the best we’ve featured yet. We have a stack of receipts in a binder almost three inches thick, so obviously someone spent a huge pile of money on this modest little hardtop and it shows. The most obvious thing—and something you should be ready to discuss with enthusiastic onlookers—is the color, which is a Lexus paint called Claret Red Mica. That’s kind of a ritzy way to say “burgundy metallic” but you can’t argue with the way this sucker looks. It’s gorgeous! It’s not so radically modern that it looks wrong on the early Falcon sheetmetal, but it does have enough metallic and pearl in it to highlight the many interesting curves and details stamped into the bodywork. Note the way the light plays over the arrow-shaped trim on the sides of the body, the glow from the tops of the fender crowns, and the subtle lights and darks on the hood. If anything, this car looks better in person than it does in photos, and that doesn’t happen very often. The bodywork underneath is quite nicely done, with good panel gaps all around, a hood that sits flush with the fenders, and nothing requires more than a gentle push to latch securely. All the trim was likewise restored, or, if it was in good condition, it was left as-is. Very few Falcon pieces are reproduced, so getting it all in such great shape is no easy task, and while there are a few dings in the stainless in the high-traffic areas along the flanks, they’re minimal and don’t detract from the overall presentation. And yes, you’re seeing that correctly: those are ‘351’ emblems on the front fenders, but we’ll get to that in a moment.

If you own a late-model Mustang, you might recognize the black power leather seats, which were taken from a 2007 Ford Mustang GT. They’re a surprisingly neat fit in the Falcon and yes, all their power adjustments work correctly, making it very easy to get comfortable. The rest of the interior is nicely done and mostly OEM, from the door panels to the carpets to the small mini console between the seats that provides some storage and an arm rest. The wood-rimmed steering wheel is a little thicker than you might have received in 1964, but its extra size and heft are much appreciated when you’re running hard. A full complement of Auto Meter gauges monitors the engine’s vitals, with a fuel level gauge and working clock taking the place of the original pieces in the dash, and the auxiliary dials hanging underneath. There’s also a Sunpro tachometer up top where it’s easy to see and has a traditional performance look that dates back to Shelby’s favorite Mustangs. You’ll also note the Hurst shifter on the floor now controls five gears, not four, thanks to the Tremec TKO manual gearbox underneath. A Kenwood AM/FM/CD stereo head unit fits neatly in the dash and doesn’t look like it required a lot of cutting, because the original dash is in good order, and there are great-sounding speakers on the rear deck. The trunk is also plenty spacious for road trips and it’s nicely finished with a gray mouse-fur mat and the rear-mounted battery that improves weight distribution and performance.

Falcons were available with a V8, the 260 and later a 289, so most Ford small blocks will drop right in. This one wears 351 emblems on the front fenders, and it’s a 351 Cleveland, whose slightly taller valve covers make it a snug fit in the Falcon’s engine bay. But fit it does and transforms this cool little hardtop from merely pleasant to downright vicious if you really run it hard. There’s an upgraded “Thumpr” roller camshaft inside, plus a full roller valvetrain, so this sucker loves to rev with those high-flow Cleveland heads. There’s a big Holley 4-barrel double pumper carburetor under the open-element air cleaner and a fresh Edelbrock aluminum intake manifold. The heads were ported and polished, the bottom end was completely rebuilt and blue printed, and, well, it’s ridiculously over-built for the job it’s got to do. Ford Blue paint was used on the block and heads, and there are Ford Racing aluminum valve covers up top which work well with the new aluminum radiator up front. There’s a powerful electric fan on the radiator, which frees up some horsepower, and it’s thermostatically controlled so you don’t have to worry about turning it on and off. In our experience, the car runs right around 190 degrees, even sitting in the sun idling for 20 minutes, which is pretty impressive. A Monte Carlo bar reinforces the front end and gives the satin black engine bay a purposeful look.

The car starts remarkably easily, usually with a single turn of the key and one or two pumps on the accelerator. It idles well, even on the choke, suggesting that someone spent their time getting it tuned right, and it doesn’t seem to have any bad habits at idle or at speed. The 5-speed manual transmission shifts as sweetly here as it does in a late-model Mustang, and thanks to the Hurst shifter you can bang it through the gears without worrying about hurting the mechanism. Out back there’s an 8-inch rear end, which was standard issue on V8 Falcons, and there are 4.11 gears inside on a Track-Lok limited slip, which, thanks to the tall overdrive gear in the transmission, still makes this a pleasant highway cruiser. However, around town those tall gears and the quick-shifting 5-speed make this Falcon a definite weapon that will catch a lot of drivers unsuspecting.

And no worries about its competence on the road, either, because it’s been fitted with upgraded front disc brakes, new steering components, oversized sway bars, fresh urethane bushings, and a set of robust subframe connectors, all designed to keep the tires planted. The headers are a little scruffy because they’re uncoated, but they’re beautifully built and are obviously the scavenging type, because they cross under the block to ensure the pulses exit in an orderly fashion. The floor pans are original and in excellent condition with no patches or evidence of rust issues and there’s a mellow-sounding exhaust system that makes this a comfortable cruiser at highway speeds. Fresh Torque Thrust wheels and new 205/65/15 blackwall radials round out the list of upgrades that make this Falcon a joy to drive.

When this car floated past our radar, we quickly grabbed it knowing that Falcons are red hot. It’s by far the nicest we’ve had yet and with a host of valuable upgrades, full documentation on the work, and an awesome look, we know it won’t last any longer than the others. No disappointments, just a car that measures up in every way that matters. Call today!