I grew up under the hood of cars.  If I wasn’t out playing with neighborhood kids, I could usually be found hanging out with my Dad in the garage.  He really taught me everything I need to know about working a wrench.  As a result, I am also kind of a car junkie.  This is evident by the long list of cars I have owned over the years, now well over 20.

So it would seem right that as I am walking around, I can always spot cars that I have owned.  I am not talking about something like, “Look, there’s a Buick Regal, I used to own a Regal” (which I did, by the way).  But rather, I have a keen eye for locating exact matches for previous cars I have owned, down to the year, trim package, and engine.

Walking around Gerstle Park a few weeks ago, I came across a 1964 Ford Falcon Futura convertible, the only convertible that I have owned.  This, of course, was not the same one but it caught my eye because it was a ‘64 Futura.  Unfortunately it was pink.

As I checked it out, and took some pictures, I told Dorothy how I knew it was a 1964 and not a ‘63 or ‘65.  Ford changed the body style for the Falcon in 1964, to a more chiseled look than the first generation models (1960-63).  This second generation Falcon body style was only around for 2 years, 1964-65.  There is one main difference between the ‘64 and the ‘65, and it lies in the tail light.  In 1964 they used an all red tail light.  No reverse lights to be found.  1965 brought some safety to the car, adding a white reverse light within the center of the unique tail light design.  And that is what I always look for first when I check out old Falcons, the tail lights.  
As I explained to Dorothy, one of the coolest parts of the Falcon was the interior.  I always loved the vast amounts of metal and chrome used in these old cars, and the Falcon mixed it just right.  I told her that my car’s inner door top area (which was painted metal) had been worn down to the metal, from years of driving around with the driver’s arm perched up there.  The steering wheel had (like many cars of that era) a horn ring inside the wheel instead of a big pad with an airbag stuffed into it like we see today in cars.  This sense for detail is one of the things that really appeals to me.

My Falcon was a pretty funny car.  It had an engine that idled nearly silently, but there was an exhaust connector donut that was kind of rotten so it kind of made a lot of noise when the pedal was floored.  With the 200CID straight six engine it got good mileage but had pretty good power.  It was equipped with the two speed “Ford-o-matic” transmission.  The best part (tongue firmly planted into my cheek here) was the Flinstone’s style floorboard.  Being a Michigan car, road salt had taken its toll on the underside.  As a result there was little left of the floor pan in the back seat area.  Any passengers in the back had to make sure they were prepared to help stop the car in true Fred Flintstone style.

Nevertheless, anytime I see a ‘64 Futura (even a pink one) I kind of miss my Falcon.