Would Like Some Info Please]

[karenna]

Today an investigator for the dmv,discovered a door tag under the door tag whose numbers matched the numbers on the engine strut and under fender. I bought a Falcon that was sold and titled as a 61, when in reality the real vin numbers say it's a 62. It has the grill, hood, fenders and front bumper of a 1961, but the trim, and tail lights are 1962.The investigator is checking to see if it's stolen and whatever other info he can get on it. My question is this; It was made on july 30, 1961. Does anyone know if it's possible that the assembly plant would have used parts (grill, fenders etc..) of a 61 on an early 62 model?? The engine mounts are also 1961, because it was made prior to April 1962. The mystery just keeps getting deeper LOL.
Thanks, Karenna

[justahairFalconloopy]

sorry but NO...they wouldnt have mixed the years

unless they built it during the Ford factory's New Years party:D

lets hope I'm wrong...that would be one of the rarest cars ever made!![thumb]

[karenna]

I would like an opinion if the factory didn't put those parts on, someone went thru a lot of trouble making a '62 look like a '61. There is always the possibility it was stolen :NERVOUS: and the investigator is looking into that. However, if it was stolen too many years ago we won't be able to find out. Why would someone go thru all that trouble to make it look like a 61 and even title it that way?? I am pretty smart but beyond it being stolen I can't think of any other reason. Of course there's also the chance that someone for some reason (what :confused:) wanted to sell it as a '61. Sixty ones aren't that rare that it would garner more money. So that doesn't really hold water. I feel duped. :(

[redfalken]

I'm guessing over the last 45 years that someone was just patching together parts to keep an old car on the road. I mean...I love my Falcon and all but it's not (and never will be) a rare enough car that anyone would steal it and go through the trouble of trying to make it something it isn't.

I guess anything's possible but they would have to be pretty bored and stupid.

Ford did supposedly have an "empty bin" policy meaning they would use some parts from one year on the next model year until they ran out of inventory but never on cosmetic parts particular to a certian year or model. If an engineer changed some minor thing on a bolt, screw, starter, etc., they would probably use all the parts they had until the new ones arrived. They wouldn't just throw the old ones away!! BUT, they wouldn't put a `61 grill on a `62 model year. People would notice that one!!

You have to be a real detective (and psychcologist) sometimes to figure out why people do what they do. I'm sure if one of us were to crawl around the car long enough and get some clues we could figure out what PROBABLY happened but I doubt you'll ever know for sure.

Do the best you can to make sure you're not driving around in someone's stolen pride and joy and other than that, just enjoy it! Also, look on the positive side. You're learning more now about the history of the Ford Falcon than you ever thought you would!

[Jeff W]

Lot's of people "meld" stuff together just to be different or they are cheap and found a good deal while performing a repair. Here is an example of a "Ford Falcon Ranchero" the someone turned into a "Mercury Comet Pickup" that never existed.

I agree with Kenny, just enjoy the novelty.

[Jeff W]

I probably shouldn't have posted that Falcon/Comet hybrid. Now Thor will be trying to buy back the Comet fenders and hood he just sold...

[Luva65wagon]

I want one of those! [thumb] Maybe I should have bought that Comet stuff... :doh:

Karenna... as I posted sometime in the past... is there any sign of front end damage under the hood? If you can take a digital picture under the hood on the drivers side and the passenger side... about the area of the battery and windshield washer bag area, these areas wrinkle really bad if the front end was hit and the picture might show it. This might explain the "why" of where the front end change came from.

Like everyone else, I agree it's unique, but this sort of mystery clearly isn't going to let you sleep at night until it is solved. Open the hood, take a bunch of pictures, post them, and we'll all scrutinize them.:cool:

[karenna]

Here's some pics of the inside and I will be posting more

[karenna]

heres more I hope they help if not let me know and I will post more. Also there are metal tags under both front seats can;t tell what they say w/out damaging them. Does anyone know what they are?