1960 Falcon Two Door Wagon

Perhaps because the original gauges did not work, the previous owner installed the pictured mechanical gauges under the dash. Although a new wiring harness repaired the issue with the original gauges in the instrument cluster, I will retain the supplementary gauges under dash but will replace them with either Stewart Warner Green Series units that are period correct or the nostalgic Mooneyes trio.




I am leaning towards the Mooneyes trio as I prefer the simplicity of the design which suits the utilitarian aesthetic of the Falcon wagon.

 

I like the moon eye gauges as well.

As far as the dash goes, it's ultimately up to you. Just do what will make you smile every time you slide behind the wheel.
If you re-do the dash and then look at it with discontent each time you drive the car then it's probly best to leave it the way it is.

 

If you absolutely have to have guages, I'd get rid of the radio or at least relocate it to a suitable place. Then, try to get your hands on some 1960 Continental guages or modern copies. At least, the design interpretation would remain FoMoCo inhouse.

 

Thanks Poison_Ivy for the recommendation on the Continental gauges which look great but would not monitor the engine any better than the Falcon's original gauges which are working properly.



Unfortunately, the Falcon's gauge cluster, like the Continental's, only provides a warning light if the oil pressure drops and a second warning light if the electrical system stops charging. Moreover, the temperature gauge does not provide a degree reading and simply moves a needle from C to H which can prove unreliable, especially on a 57 year old gauge.



Dakota Digital offers a modern interpretation of the Falcon cluster that fits the original surround perfectly.
I wish it had more chrome accents or colored needles to break up the stark white numbers against the black background.

 

I had a similar problem with my Skoda Felicia. Being colorblind between red and green, I couldn't make out the needles from the background. I ended up removing the guage cover and then painting the needles with a bold orange gold-looking nail polish. I take it that only your clock and odometer are digital, as far as what I can see. Chip Foose was able to get his hands on professional looking instrument clusters which retain factory design interpretation.
If you're nut in a hurry with the guages, you might consider shoehorning some aftermarket VDOs into Continental housings. Some of these are way closer to the Continental look than those cheap Made in China half-digitals.
Replacing your Falcon cluster with a Continental-styled brushed aluminum plate, there would be enough room in there, in order to fit all those Continental-sized replacements:

https://www.google.nl/search?q=vdo+aftermarket+gauges&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiv35vujKHUAhVFb1AKHdUNCqkQsAQINg&biw=1280&bih=918#tbm=isch&q=vdo+nachrüstung&imgrc=megpcwrVIkuZBM:



Here are some aftermarket guages implanted into a 100 ls. Intersting modifications. Don't have time, right now, to browse. I wan't to get the manufacturer's brand, later tonight:

http://www.boersch-net.de/13801.html

 

The Pomona Swap Meet is a huge event held seven times a year and avails an opportunity to buy a completed car, project car or some hard to find parts. As Mooneyes had a booth at the event, I purchased their trio of nostalgic gauges for the wagon.

The best purchase was a set of four lug Truspoke wire wheels which are rare as hen's teeth. The seller advised his father bought the wheels in the 1980's and ran them on a 1963 Falcon sedan. They are 40 spoke and still have the spacers attached to the rear of the wheels.



I started to polish one and can't believe how great the wheel cleaned up. I will finish polishing all four and plan to order some 5.20 14 tires from Coker to give the Falcon wagon the "Boulevard Cruiser" look I am after.

 

After a brief build hiatus, I drove the wagon out of the garage yesterday and had the Truespokes mounted to the Coker 5.20 14 tires. Surrounded by late model cars as it waited its turn, the Falcon drew a crowd like a beer keg at a fraternity party.

 

I believe it! It looks great! Thanks for sharing the photo. Keep enjoying it.

 

Although not clear in the last picture posted, the Australian visor has been installed on the wagon. My wife and I visited friends in the Inland Empire this weekend which used to be filled with Citrus groves when the Falcon was new in 1960. Unfortunately, the mural on the side of this building is all that remains of the citrus industry in the area.

 

Looks great. I like the setting with the mural and the palm tree.

 

My family is relatede to the Cooley family, which owned the Cooley Ranch out in the Colton area in San Bernardino County or thereabouts. Skip and Dorothea Cooley (she was my paternal Grandpa's sister) sold the property in the early '70s, a substantial parcel that went to a prominent cliff somewhere on the North side of the area (Indian Cliff? I can't remember the name), and all that farmland was turned into more city sprawl. Anyway, your post on the long-gone citrus groves reminded me of that. And your Falcon is gorgeous with those wire wheels.

 

Getting hot under the collar. Eh? Time to erect an electric fence around that car. I knew a Derrick Carson from Texas who claimed that he was a decendant of Kid Carson. Whatever.
Every time I bump into this thread, I keep seeing my post, to the point where I just had to adopt that image onto my desktop. Styled, of course, with vintage Windows 95/98 print and symbols. Too bad, that yellow tag wasn't removed first. Could've been a perfect photo. Sorry. I couldn't help it. I just had to do it:

 

The crate labels for Upland growers provide a glimpse of what the area looked like when citrus was a primary industry.



The gazebo in the following label has been restored and there is a restored trolley car that was originally pulled by mules next to it. A historian told us travelers would take the trolley from the train station up Euclid Avenue to the orange groves or the residences along Euclid Avenue from Ontario to San Antonio Heights. There are beautifully restored homes on Euclid Avenue which date back to this era.

 

Living in an agricultural area I can appreciate the scene of endless orchards, or groves as they are probably revered to with citrus trees. It's a great a glimpse into the past. Thanks for sharing.

 

Some shiny new parts were acquired for the wagon which included a new rear bumper, NOS rear window handle, NOS Ford tailgate emblem and NOS Falcon tailgate emblem.





The rear window handle, tailgate emblem and Falcon emblem are not reproduced so locating NOS parts proved quite the find.





I also purchased this finned fuel cap which came without a box so I do not know who manufactured it.



Here is a picture of the wagon with the new parts installed.