From my, "that's not what it looks like", file, today's soliloquy is about one of the more curious cars the Ford Motor Company came out with in the 1970's. Nope, it's not an early 1970's Ford Torino or Fairlane, although no one would blame for thinking it was. but a 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon. I know, you're thinking, "wait, wasn't the Ford Falcon a compact car?" Well, yes, it was. From 1960 through halfway through the 1970 model year it was a compact but for the latter half of 1970 it was an intermediate or mid-sized car.
The story goes that Ford's 1970 compact Falcon, above, wasn't compliant with new, federally mandated safety standards that went into effect, somewhat oddly on January 1, 1970. Rather than update it, seeing the Falcon's replacement was already in showrooms, Ford discontinued production by December 31, 1969.
Real or imagined, seeing that the Maverick (above) was launched only as a two-door sedan in April of 1969 and was designated a 1969 1/2, it left a hole in Ford's "entry-level" sedan lineup. Ford had a thing for half model-year releases back then. For more information, please google, "original Ford Mustang".
Rather than roll out a Maverick four-door in mid-year 1970, Ford continued to use the "Falcon" nameplate as their entry level sedan on a bone-stripped, rental grade Torino\Fairlane 500. Voila, the 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon was, err, hatched. What makes things even more confusing is Ford offered the '70 1/2 Falcon not only as a four-door sedan but as a wagon and a two-door sedan like my Facebook Marketplace find here.
Come 1971, though, Ford introduced a four-door Maverick replacing the Falcon as Ford's entry-level four-door sedan. Ford then sunset the Falcon nameplate here in the United States although in Australia, they used the "Falcon" moniker on a number of different models through 2016. Some of them quite interesting.
Begs the question, though, if the Ford Motor Company felt they needed a four-door, entry level sedan after they discontinued production of the compact Falcon at the end of 1969, why didn't they come with a four-door Maverick when they introduced the nameplate in April of that year? Or at least at the start of the 1970 model year in September of 1969? I find it hard to believe that the four-door, 1971 Maverick wasn't ready for sale by the start of the 1970 model-year.
The marketing wonk in me would like to know Ford's rationale in branding the "new", intermediate sized Falcon as such. Giving their marketing and product planning departments the benefit of the doubt that there was clear, concise and succinct thinking if not logic behind that decision, hopefully, I'll uncover something that makes me go, "oh, ok. That's why". As it was, though, from a marketing and branding standpoint, it makes no sense.
Ironies of ironies, during a truncated "half" model year, the Falcon outsold the Torino and its mid-level model the Fairlane 500. Then again, America loves a bargain. Especially when it's a stylish one like the 1970 1/2 Falcon was. Especially these swoopy two-doors; what teenage me would have done to have one of these even with the pokey six-cylinder. The four-door sedan, again, the alleged impetus for the the moniker anarchy, I have no use for. Same for the clumsy wagons.
This Facebook Marketplace find is no "bargain", though. Asking price is $10,000 and for that princely sum you get a mostly original, the engine was rebuilt in 1988, and all but unrestored 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon with no power brakes, no power steering and Ford's 250-cubic inch, inline six rated generously at 155-gross rated horsepower. I find it amazing the sixer wasn't tossed sometime over the last 53-years for a V-8, don't you? From the looks of things this car has been generally pampered it's entire life. Originally a Florida car, it came to western New York in 1996 and has been a garage queen ever since.
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