Back in 2012 I bought a 63 Falcon and started a build thread here which Photosuckit has killed with their corporate greed. I stopped driving it about a year and a half ago and last month I put it back on the road.
Instead of trying to fix that old thread I figured I would start a new one
Cliffs notes. I went through a few suspension and wheel variations. Settled on modified upper and lower control arms, converted the front to coilovers. Granada discs made their way onto the front and a narrowed 8.8 from a 94 Explorer wound up on the rear. A .200ci six from a 68 mustang was hooked up to a WC T5 from a 4cyl fox body mustang and dropped in to replace the stock 3spd and 170ci . Some 17" Dodge Charger steel wheels with beauty rings and Ranger hubcaps are its current rolling stock and it was my year round daily driver.
I had several different plans to add power and EFI that never came to fruition. In the end I would have been sort of content with a later automatic choke carb as I was just fine with the low and slow lifestyle.
I ended up acquiring a BMW E28 535i and parked the Ford for over a year and a half. I have pulled it out of stasis and am getting it ready for daily duty again. This new thread will be picking up at this point.
Other than the BMW as a distraction I couldn't remember why I parked it. After driving it for a hundred or so miles and reaquainting myself with its particular brand of noises, squeaks and rattles I had a forehead slap moment when it became clear the rear end was making lots of noise. Then I remembered the box on the shelf labeled "Falcon pinion bearings" by the time i got it parked and inspected there was 3/4" of play at the flange. Experience told me that the gears would be pretty chewed up as well. My good buddy Ransom also had need of a short side axle to narrow his 8.8. We went in together and bought a 3rd rear end. The new axle had discs and a limited slip as a bonus.
The brakes were spruced up with new parking shoes and hardware, rotors, pads and a seal kit. Some rattle cans did the rest
Woohoo it's back!
This car has just the right look. Beautiful car!
The new gearset is 3.73 instated of 3.55 that was in before. That is actually ok since I am planning an engine swap
Since I was in there doing pinion bearings I did the diff bearings, wheel bearings and seals. Might as well not need to get in there again
Discs look rad back there.
I made new parking brake cables that will work with the new bits
I had to make the forward half cable too. I had also forgot that I drove it for like a year with no parking brakes 
So pinion is set, lash is set, contact pattern on the ring gear matches the existing wear. Brakes on, new hard lines on the axle and bled. Cables on and tight so it should have a functional parking brakes. Gear oil and friction modifier in diff. Pretty much ready to pull off the lift and drive.
I'm redoing the shock mounts up front before I roll it out. I think that is all that's on the list for now
Both straight sixes, both 5spd RWD four door sedans. Very different despite their similarities.
Anyhow what the BMW taught me was that I missed horsepower. The Falcon managed to tickle the dyno rollers with a belly laugh inducing 53 horsepower. The torque makes it just fine around town but merging into traffic moving more than 45 is a bit sketchy.
I could easily bolt in a 5.0 but then it would be just another bellybutton. I happen to have a low mile Merkur haunting my driveway that with a salvage title and lots of cosmetic issues isn't worth repairing.
Seems like a no brainer. The Falcon actually only weighs about 2800lbs. 200hp should be child's play on the 2.3t
So yeah. That is the plan. Now to find the spare time
I love this car. Glad to see it back in the rotation.
pres589
PowerDork
2/28/18 12:10 a.m.
The wheels and related trim look the business on this car. Ranger caps on Charger steel wheels? Crazy to think that it all fits together so well.
Glad to see this one back
I'm liking where this is going.
I've dreamed of a similar-year ranchero with a 2.3L swap. Can't wait to see how this comes out.
mrhappy
HalfDork
2/28/18 12:49 p.m.
Im glad to see this back!
gumby
New Reader
2/28/18 8:45 p.m.
berkeleying stellar; keep that E36 M3 up
Which ingredients did you use to mate the T5 to the 200? I have those same pieces and need them to work together. I have located an SROD bell to modify but not a 9" flat flywheel or block separator as yet.
Always had soft spot for the Falcon. Same as above only blue. My second car I owned, after flipping over my VW, and wrecking it. Put stop signs in it, as it had no floors. Drilled holes in the trunk floor to make a cooler for the beers. That was a long time ago. Had a lot of fun in that old girl.
I’m happy to see this back here !
In reply to gumby :
I got very lucky and found the bellhousing, California pony cars adapter and flywheel on Craigslist. I later switched the clutch and pressure plate to a Fairmont unit to have a diaphragm pressure plate. I much prefer the feeling compared to the earlier variety .
I also have a soft spot for Falcons. I have a 64 2 door hard top that is getting a 3.5 EcoBoost swap.
I'm glad this one is getting used again, and better yet upgraded!
How do you have those center caps attached to the newer wheels? Mount some spring-tabs to the wheels?
In reply to Nitroracer :
That was one of the things that made the ranger cap decision. The factory retaining clips are held to the wheels with two screws and made installing them a breeze. It did however take forever to find a full set of the clips. Around here junk yards scrap steel wheels immediately.
2.3t lima, the only way I would fuel inject my zephyr. The 200 certainly leaves alot to be desired once your out of first gear!
Well thanks to a mishap with the daily driver last night
I am now playing a game I will call "one problem a day" wherein i will attempt to fix or at least make headway with one of the Falcons issues each day.
Today I reconnected the defroster vent on the drivers side, fixed an exhaust leak by replacing the fiber ring at the manifold and in doing so noticed the starter (and therefore the ground strap) was about to fall out, so I gave it the gorilla and tightened the heck out if it.
I also adjusted the carb so it has a better hot idle and retensioned the clips on the beauty rings to stop the racket they were making
I think tomorrow it is time for a new turn signal cam.
This is certainly going to put a damper on the engine swap plans. Thinking about getting a little pickup to replace the E28 though
