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A 1963 Ford Falcon Sprint built to chase the glory of Ford's Monte Carlo Rally heroes is crossing the block at no reserve on Hagerty Marketplace, and it arrives with a résumé most collector cars can only dream about. This red Falcon, known to its owner as the "Falcon Flyer," has finished multiple runs of La Carrera Panamericana, and the bidding is open until Thursday, November 5.
The story starts in 1963, when Ford launched the V8 Falcon Sprint at the Monte Carlo Rally and Bo Ljungfeldt won every special test. The following year he finished second, losing to Hopkirk's Mini only on handicap. Those results proved an American car could hold its own on the international rally scene. This Falcon was built around 2007 to echo that success, and it has spent its life doing exactly what it was built for.
A Rally Résumé That Goes Beyond the Panamericana
The Falcon is a multi-time finisher in Historic C at La Carrera Panamericana and has also completed the Chihuahua Express. It has run the Pikes Peak Hill Climb and the Silver State Classic, where it took a class win. Race preparation came from Vintage & Historic of Los Alamitos, California, and the roll cage was built to meet FMAD, VARA, HMSA, and SVRA rules at the time. Rally-ready touches include a Terratrip intercom, rally computer prewiring with dual wheel sensors, and redundant ignition and fuel systems. A 24-gallon Fuel Safe cell sits in the back, and a Crow five-point harness and AutoMeter gauges keep the cabin business-like. It was even honored with a 1/18 scale diecast model by Sun Star, which says plenty about its reputation.
Blueprint 302 Power and a Four-Speed
Under the fiberglass hood is a 302ci Ford V8 built by Blueprint Engines for rally use. It runs 10.25:1 compression, a Holley 600 double-pumper, an Isky hydraulic flat-tappet cam, and a McLeod clutch, and it can still run on pump gas, a handy trait when the route covers hundreds of miles. A Borg Warner ST10 four-speed with a Hurst shifter sends power to a Hoopers-built 8-inch rear with a limited-slip. The suspension uses Shelby-modified A-arms, Koni shocks custom-valved for the car, and Maico front disc brakes, with Ford quick-ratio steering and American Racing 15-inch wheels. Even the seller says it sounds fantastic, and one bidder who has heard it called it "a pretty rowdy sounding car."
No Reserve, Real Bargain Territory?
The listing shows 10,700 miles indicated, a clean Texas title in the seller's name, and build receipts included. It is listed as race-worn, which is exactly what a rally veteran should be, and the gallery runs to 89 photos, with the seller adding underside and trunk shots after bidders asked. The chassis number decodes to a San Jose-built Falcon Futura two-door hardtop that originally left the factory with a 260 V8, so this is a proper Falcon underneath all the competition hardware.
The car is part of the Driven Eclectic Collection, a single-owner group of cars offered entirely without reserve from Round Rock, Texas, and represented by Ramsey Potts of Broad Arrow Auctions, a Hagerty subsidiary. As of this writing, the high bid sits at $21,250 after 25 bids, with the auction scheduled to end at 2:25 p.m. EST on Thursday. Few cars at any price can claim a real Carrera Panamericana history, and fewer still are available with no reserve. If you like your vintage Fords with some gravel under the fenders, this one is worth watching.
For more no-reserve race machinery, check out this Ford Flathead V8-powered 1949 MG TC race special.
