scozim 

I have to be patient and wait a week but I got some fantastic news today that will equal a big N+1.

In 1988 I married my lovely wife as a 22 yo college student. From 1982 until just after we got married my car was a 1965 Ford Falcon Futura 2 dr hardtop with a 289 V-8. As college students we didn't have a lot of money and needed furniture so I sold the car for $600 to a guy back home where I grew up. Frankly, my wife didn't really like the car - it was 2 tone brown (repaint) with velour door panels and a really loose front suspension. That said - it was my first car and I loved it. Heck, it was from the year I was born.

In 2004 I saw the car in the local auto show when I went back home for a summer visit. I've thought about that car all the time in the past 12 yrs. Last week I decided to take a long shot and sent a letter to the guy who bought the car from me. My dad didn't know if he still had it or not. Two days later his wife called - he was in assisted living, still had the car and had talked about selling it for a few years. I explained why I was interested and she was suddenly on my side.

My dad took a look at it yesterday (cell phone photos below) and said it was really, really nice. Today I got a phone call with the price - $2500 less than I thought I'd have to pay. I consider it a C&V bargain. They just wanted me to have the car again. So, next Saturday I'll go pick it up with a huge smile on my face after 28 yrs.

Of course, this may also mean getting rid of a few bikes to appease my wife a little bit.

Kactus

What a great story. It looks like the guy you sold it to took great care of it.

oddjob2

You got lucky on two counts.
Your bride, who obviously liked you for you and not a 17 year old Falcon.
Getting a car you coveted back in better condition than when you probably had it.

Cool story all around, congrats!

scozim 

The best part is this is the second of three Falcons we had during those year that we will have back in the family. My brother located my dad's 65 Sprint hot rod in Reno 2 yrs ago and bought it back 15 yrs after my dad sold it. Now we just need to find the 64 Sprint that we had.

carbomb

Heck yes! What a great story =)

qcpmsame 

I love those small body, V-8 engine cars, Falcons, Novas, Darts and such. Yours is a great story, glad you managed to retrieve it. It sounds like you managed to pull of a good deed on two parts, good for you.

Bill

seedsbelize 

Nice find. My first car was a 64 Falcon Sprint convertible.

DMC707

looks like a worthy trade off --- I had a '64 Fairlane - sadly I never really got it road worthy but was a great looking car

Occasionally I will reminisce and search ebay for another - but then I get bummed at the prices

Ride-Fly

I call dibs on your Gitane Sprint!!!!

Hahaha. Great story! But yeah, I once had a Gitane Sprint that I sold to one of my old college roommates. Have always wished that I stil had it. Maybe if you sold it to me (for cheap ) I could be completed.

Kobe 

It was really nice of the family not to take advantage of your interest and history with the car. A lot of sellers would have jacked the price up.

When I read the title thread I thought this was going to be another divorce thread. Glad that's not the case.

scozim 

I feel fortunate that the wife was on my side in negotiating a price. I'll be picking up some flowers for her.

I was worried my wife would have me sleeping in the car. But, she's also understands this is something I've dreamed about for years.

I also understand this will severely curb the additions to the bike stable for the forthcoming future and I'm fine with that as coaching my daughter is more important right now and I ride when I can

northbend 

That's a cool story!

rootboy 

Wow. Three on the tree? Four?

I used to think many 60's cars were ugly. Including this one. But since then , of course, I've come to think of them as beautiful classics.

Great story, Scozim.

Fahrenheit531 

Great story and congratulations!

FNS32

Great story and great car!

daf1009

Great story...and great car...thank you for sharing...

tiger1964 

IMHO the ideal is 64 grille and 65 taillights, but YMMV

Maybe it needs a bike rack with a -- ahem -- Falcon on it.

scozim 

I would completely agree on the 64 grille and 65 taillamps. The "floating" 64 grille is just cool.

And, yes, I had that thought of have a Falcon bike painted in the same colors to have in a car show. Some year I'll have to make that happen, maybe after the kids are gone.

scozim 

C-4 automatic, pretty sure he kept the original in the car. Not sure if it was rebuilt.

squirtdad

a mustang in stealth mode....the 289 was a really nice motor

scozim 

Paid for my Falcon today. It's really in fantastic shape. Found only one or two paint blemishes and a scrape on the drivers door that will hopefully buff out. Other than that it's shiny chrome. Just a thin layer of dust was on it under the car cover. Had to buy a new battery but it fire right up after having sat for 3-4 years. It was definitely my steal of the year.

A couple of outside shots from my parents house:

Pompiere

Often, when we are reunited with something from our past, it doesn't live up to how we remembered it. Your Falcon looks like it exceeds in every way the car from your earlier years. Hopefully your wife will like this version better, as well.

RobbieTunes

Good on you for all the right reasons.

gomango

Really a fun car you have there.

Looks like it is in super condition.

Congrats!

FWIW My quest for my 1967 S3 Lotus Elan continues.

Never should have sold the first one..........

I'll probably have to sell most of my bikes if the right one shows up at a reasonable price.

scozim 

Yeah, those Lotus Elans aren't cheap if they are in good shape. That's one other car we've periodically looked for that our dad owned - 1969 Elan 2+2. I was allowed to drive it once - my last day of high school in 1984.