1961 Ford Falcon | KV Dahl III Garage

🚗 This week on KV Dahl III Garage, we swap full-size muscle for Ford’s compact pioneer—the 1961 Ford Falcon Fordor (6-cyl). Built for thrift and simplicity, the Falcon’s unibody, 13-inch wheels, and bench seats for six made it America’s practical sweetheart—easy to park, easy to own, and the platform that would soon help launch the Mustang.

Under the hood? Ford’s 144 cu in “Thriftpower Six”—rated at 85 hp with honest low-rpm pull—paired to a 3-speed column shift or the smooth 2-speed Ford-O-Matic. On the road it’s light and unpretentious: 109.5-inch wheelbase, about 181 inches bumper-to-bumper, and real-world economy that made “up to 30 mpg” more than just ad copy.

We’ll show why this understated four-door still charms: the straightforward mechanics, the tidy engine bay, and the value-first design that kept America rolling in ’61.

Inside the episode:
🧰 Standard vs. Deluxe (58A vs. 58B): what you got—and what you didn’t
🛠️ Thriftpower details: 144 vs. optional 170 cu in, 1-bbl simplicity, ~8.7:1 compression
⚙️ Gear choices: 3-spd column, optional Ford-O-Matic; typical axle ratios and how they drive
🏗️ Unibody & suspension 101: light, simple, serviceable
📏 Numbers that matter: 109.5" wheelbase • ~181" length • ~2,3xx–2,5xx lb curb • ~14-gal tank
🧽 Ownership pointers: drum-brake feel, 13" tire realities, smart radial/brake upgrades, cowl/shock-tower checks
🧭 Walk-around cues: round tail lamps, straight-edge body lines, data-plate decoding tips
🚚 Family ties: how Falcon underpinned early Mustang thinking and shared DNA with Econoline

🎼 Soundtrack vibe: 1960–61 AM-radio gold—doo-wop, early Motown, proto-surf (Shirelles, Marvelettes, Sam Cooke, the Ventures). Authentic, toe-tapping, era-right.

Whether you remember riding three-across on the bench or you’re meeting Ford’s compact cornerstone for the first time, the Falcon proves that simplicity, space, and sensible speed never go out of style.

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KV Dahl III Garage — capturing the stories that ride on steel, chrome, and history.

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