HISTORY

A redesign changed the Falcon's looks for 1964. The new look was more squared-off, more modern, as Ford pursued the youth market. Later in 1964, Ford's new offering for that market was launched: the Ford Mustang, based heavily on the Falcon's unitized frame design but with no compromises about its youthful, fun intention. For the 1964 year Ford added a Sprint Package which gave the Falcon the 260 V8, a stiffer suspension, and a louder exhaust. Because the Mustang had the same options that the Sprint had for only a small amount more the Sprint never caught on. Even with the addition of the 289 V8 in late 64 the Sprint was overshadowed by the Mustang, and was discontinued after 1965. The Mustang dealt Falcon sales in North America a blow from which they would never recover.

From 1965, the three speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission was available.

THE KIT

This is the first of Trumpeter's 1/25 car kits that I've actually taken the time to look at. I picked this one up because at one time I had my grandfather's four door 1965 Falcon. He was residing in St. Petersburg when he passed on and so my father brought back his car. It had no radio, no heater, rubber floor mats, the smallest engine Ford made for a car (a 144 cubic inch 6) and a manual transmission. It also had a rear door that couldn't be opened from the outside. It was gutless and got decent fuel mileage, but was not a winter car.

So when I saw that Trumpeter had decided to mold this particular year of Falcon, I was intrigued.

When opening the box, you find a lot of bags. Trumpeter bagged each sprue (and some are small) individually. The chrome sprues are additionally protected with foam wrap and the chrome is very well done. The rest of the molding is equally nice with no molding glitches that I could find. This is not a curbside and you get a full engine. Interior panels are separate items as are the seats. A nicely molded full body is supplied. That and the chassis are in a segregated area protected by additional cardboard. Red tail light lenses and a one piece windows section are also in there.

The kit does not have a lot of options. You can do the stock 260 engine with a single four barrel or a dual four barrel 289 with Cobra valve covers. Other options are for different wheel covers and you have a choice between a dual exhaust and a single exhaust. This latter has no muffler though you can add a resonator to the end of it, so it leads me to believe that the dual exhaust with mufflers is the stock set up. Trumpeter doesn't go into much detail as to what is stock and what is not so you have to sort of make that determination yourself.

You get full front and rear suspension pieces and a goodly amount of plumbing for the engine compartment. Decals are used for logos and most of the dash instrumentation. The model will roll on rubber tires.

Instructions are well done with not much color info supplied during the build process. Apparently Trumpeter feels the engine block and transmission housing are to be steel, though I'm pretty sure Ford painted their blocks and used an aluminum case for the transmission, though I could be mistaken as I'm not a Ford expert by any means. Unless you want most everything in semi-gloss black, some research will be needed.

CONCLUSIONS

It really is a very nice kit. Not sure if it is $50 MSRP nice, especially when you can find a new tool Revell kit for half that, but fortunately, it can be found for less. It is a kit of a car that few thought they'd actually see done and adds another interesting subject for the automotive fan.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact the editor or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

KIT #:	02507
PRICE:	$37.95 at GreatModels ($49.95 SRP)
DECALS:	Logos and dash markings
REVIEWER:	Scott Van Aken
NOTES:	New tool kit