I walked past the jack a few times this morning and figured I'd take a pic of it - it's hold down bracket behind it.



About 9" fully extended and not much of a base for stability - the bottom is even somewhat rounded of all things. I use a stable block of wood to put this on to give it some additional height but it's still pretty wobbly. Not hydraulic, just a screw jack. Sort of a joke really. Takes about 200 turns to fully extend it...

 

Matt,
Your list looks a lot like what I have in our turquoise 66. Hoping you can find some of the important items to complete your list. The AOD, power steering, power brakes sound like very positive things to improve Lucy's drive-ability. I think you may be able to get a repro center console from the Falcon folks at Car Kraft??
I have not driven mine enough to even know how it all works. Probably drives like a 66! If you get up north during your trip to the states your welcome to stop in. Heck I might have a driving truck by then too??

 

While the center console came from the Falcon lineup the cut along the floor is quite different than the trucks.

Here you can see the Falcon console at this link - will work and better than nothing if you need one but you'll probably want to cut it down some to match the floor.

1965 falcon console replacement Search Shopping



Like so for an automatic truck

 

Thanks Chad, I will download and start my education. I seem to remember a link to some reference material a few months ago, that I have totally forgotten about. was this the same one?

Anyway, I can see I have my work cut out for me, but it will be good as I continue to learn and help narrow down my search a bit. I was once pretty good at this with old BMW's, but that seems like a lifetime ago.

 

Probably was the same. Here's a couple of pictures from the 1965 Ford Falcon literature. The 'Sprint' model with bucket seats.

 

Chris,

Thanks for the encouragement and offer, I don't know how far I will venture this visit. My father turns 90, and that with some other family commitments, will take up most of my time. In my free time, I hope to hit some boneyards and look for parts.

I do have a vision of what I would like to do, but it also keeps changing. Not in any big way, but I am discovering as I get older, less is more. Then again, in the words of my old customer and friend Neil, "yes... but more is delightful". I will post a couple pictures of what he meant.

In the meantime, my vision, is to keep the outward appearance looking original or subtly modify in what I hope even a purist would consider tasteful. The power steering, would make it much more practical for here in Germany, where a large car is half the size of an American midsize and people design parking lots as if most folks have magic wands. The disk brakes, might be nice, but I have never disliked the all drum setup, and honestly, I like the look of the original single pot master. As for improving my drive...I love the truck the way it is. The AOD, is purely a nice idea based on wanting to be able to afford to drive further than the bakery. "Honey, I picked up fresh rolls and a few croissants, and it only cost forty-seven euros and eighty cents, if you include the fuel it took to drive Lucy the six blocks there and back."

Keep the photo's coming, and I will post a few I took from Neil's "more is delightful"



A sixteen foot tall mantle based on Neil's drawing on a napkin...wish I had kept that napkin, the mantle was nearly a perfect match to his vision....mind you that is where I started by insisting "less is more."


My good friend and mentor Uncle Mike getting ready to give it some color.

"you want griffins? Neil...What the hell is a griffin anyway..."


Well that was fun....now back to Old Ford trucks.

 

Ok, I am sold on what you wrote, I only thought it would be nice, as I was reading in some long forgotten threads about where people wrote that theirs were mounted. But I can see that it would be impractical. Maybe a light weight LandRover hydraulic jack would work, I mean, I have a spare, but no jack...

 

Is it wrong of me to covet the red console...I mean I know it's a sin...but it's so...so red and beautiful....and as a carpenter, I am sure I cut it down to fit like the original in my truck...

 

Lastly, at least for tonight, as I am only a few hours away from tomorrow here in Germany, I will add the '65 ford falcon to my list of cars to look for in the boneyards in hopes that I might find a console. In the meantime, if anyone knows of one for sale, that I wouldn't have to sell my children to buy, I am all ears...or would the be eyes? Well...hopefully someone reading this knows what I mean...then again, my inside voice and sometimes my real voice are loud and clear when I read something, so maybe "all ears" still works.

 

Specifically, a 1964 or 1965 Ford Falcon Sprint with bucket seats. Pretty rare car in their own right. Available in a 2-door hardtop or a convertible. The 1964 XL trucks used the same console - but cut yet again different than the Falcons or the 65-66 Rangers. That one on eBay sold April 13th. $565 isn't bad for a genuine one. The reproductions are al la carte. The main body, 3 trim pieces around the opening, the front tray, the hinge, the lid, etc. etc. all sold separately. At least I've not seen a complete unit for sale in a reproduction ever but maybe there are. Just the lid in red is typically $150. I haven't seen the reproduction main bodies for a while - almost like they stopped making them.

You're more of a Car penter...

 

Here's a black one. You'd have to use some SEM on it to dye it red to match and it's got the racetrack trim on top of the lid which was not used on the trucks from what I've seen, but it's also got a broken hinge and the screw holes to hold it down inside the compartment appear to be busted out larger. I'm thinking keep looking but I thought I'd post it.

Yet again a different cut along the floor line than any I'd seen before. Almost looks like it'd be for an XL truck with automatic.

1964-1965 Comet Falcon Console Futura Sprint FoMoCo | eBay

Only truck I've seen with the racetrack trim was in this late 1964 factory photo showing a pre-production 1965 Ranger. May have been some made like that. The black console above on eBay is missing one thing from the top of the lid near the front edge that is shown in the photo below. Almost looks like the number 8 or an infinite symbol ∞.

 

Matt, Chad,
That console looks a lot like the one in our 65 Comet (below). Humm.... Missing the now non existent rare red, white, and blue emblem in the lid. Like finding dinosaur bones! But it could work in a Ranger truck too??

 

I just added to my post above about that same emblem. Check out the rare factory photo that I added. You can see what I'm talking about on the top of that one.

 

Wow Chris, that is great info to add to my list, and yes, that does look like the same style that Chad gave us the link too. I added that one to my watch list, and might consider making an offer, as I do believe I could order a reproduction lid with the single chrome stripe, trim the console to fit, and dye it all to match...humm, this all has me thinking.

Thanks for the info, and...only 39 more days until I fly....

 

Matt,
I have not seen repro lids for this Comet style, unless the Falcon type lid might fit, on that black unit? I had to repair the back edge the best I could on ours. The black one has similar issues I think not good pictures of the back edge of the lid. The vinyl cracks due to age.
Might look like this?


My low budget repair on the back of the lid using some epoxy:




Chad,
Yes that center console in the white truck looks just like the 65 Comet. Since I am not a Ranger truck guy at all, I don't know if Ford used that console? My small emblem was missing, I searched for a while. Then just made a piece of black walnut to match the other wood grain in the car. Perfect!