What makes a Falcon a Futura?

The title pretty much says it all. What's the difference between a Futura model and non-Futura?

 

In the early Falcons, the Futura was the top-of-the line model. It had nicer upholstery, and a bit more chrome. It also probably came with a bit more equipment, such as courtesy lights and such. I learned to drive in a '63 Falcon Futura 4-door sedan. IIRC, the window frames were chrome as well. There was a 2-door sport coupe that had buckets and a console instead of the bench seat. I've even seen a couple of Falcon Squires with the buckets and console.

In the first few years, I believe there were three trim levels - the 'plain' Falcon, the Falcon Deluxe, and the Falcon Futura. You could get a Futura wagon, but a step up was the Falcon Squire, which of course had the wood paneling. I believe that inside it was the same as the Futura, though.

For reference, here's a 'plain' '63 Falcon (this may actually be a 'Deluxe' model - I'm not sure)


Here's a Futura.......



(This one has been modified by the owner a bit, but you get the idea......)

 

I lived down in Melbourne Australia for much of 2002, and discovered they never discontinued the Ford falcon-It is still being made today. In fact, it remains their biggest seller- But I did find it weird to see 62' Falcons with mag wheels- i just never thought of them as muscle cars...

 

The family car when my mom was growing up, she's from a ford famliy, was a Ford Falcon 2 door. She doesn't know what year, but she was born in 65 and she was very young. It was black with a red pin stripe, she says she'll know if if she sees a pic of it. I gotta just call my grandpa one of these days and ask him.

 

Hey that's Kelly's Futura, that's a pretty special car!

 

I assume you're talking about the white one?
Who's Kelly?

( I just took the photo off the web at random.....)

 

It has a turbo-charged inline 250 and now has an aluminum cylinder head being produced by Classic Inlines. Kelly is a breast cancer survivor who is using drag racing to promote the cause (and have some fun too, I suppose):
http://www.mclearranracing.com/
http://www.carcraft.com/featuredvehicles/ccrp_0603_1963_ford_falcon_futura/index.html
http://www.mustangandfords.com/featuredvehicles/mufp_0605_1963_ford_falcon_futura/index.html
http://www.mustangandfords.com/techarticles/mufp_0710_turbocharged_six_cylinder_mustang/index.html

And for up to minute news:
http://fordsix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=56299

 

the diff is 'mostly' the interior/exterior trim package
my 68 Futura wag has pearl white interior(car option)...
and all the ext trim from a 4dr Futura car

I think theres pics of my red one in the garage...i think

 

I think just bucket seats and trim were the basic differences between a Falcon and a Futura.

 

^^^

The Futura came out in mid-year 1961 as a 'sport' oriented model, available on the 2-door coupe only - it had the buckets and console. 1962 was the same, except they may have brought out a convertible in '62 as well (not sure on this fact). In 1963, the Futura was its own full model line, with 2-door coupes, 2-door hardtops, convertible, and 4-door sedans and a wagon. The 4-door cars came with bench seats.

 

What I heard was...

...Falcon is the Model and Futura is the TRIM LINE. I'm guessing (based on mine) that it is the electric key switch for the rear window, shiny rocker panels, disc brakes...stuff like that. I don't have a Non FUTURA to compare it too, but I have leather interior and the tilt on the rear view (for the guy behind you w/ his high beams on.) I think this was the first year for those... Anyway, There's MY two cents.


-Sterlenstringman

 

My 67 Country Sedan has that. Or did you mean it was the first year for the Falcon to get that?

 

like I said...the Diff is just a exterior/interior package....
...Falcon not fancy....Futura is

 

This may be of interest to absolutely no one, but it would not be the first time for me.

My 1967 Ford Wagon brochure states that the Futura wagon comes with the following over the standard Falcon wagon:

Choice of 4 Pleated all-vinyl interior trims
Rear arm rests
Rear ash tray
Cigarette lighter
Color-keyed carpeting
Color-keyed vinyl-rubber cargo area mat.

 

There 'ya go.....
That covers 1967, but the trim differences vary from year to year. (I always thought it depended on predicted profit margins - in good years they would add equipment to the mix; in lean years they would dial it back and put more of that stuff on the regular option list........)