[Tigers] Falcons and Mustangs

[James W. Burruss, Jr.]

According to the May 2014 issue of Road & Track, the lowly Falcon was hardly
a marketing dud, selling 417,000 units in its first year, 1960.  That was
said to be a record at the time.  The Mustang, in its first year on the
market, sold almost 419,000 units, a new record but not very much more than
the first Falcon.



As a young man of 24, the 63= Falcon Sprint hardtops and convertibles
certainly caught my attention.  Just out of the Army in late 63, I bought a
new Sprint convertible with four on the floor and drove it out of the
dealers showroom.  It had the stamped wire-style wheel covers with 3-bar
spinners, a small tach on top of the dash, bucket seats and a slightly raspy
muffler.  I had the dealer add seat belts.  It had a powered convertible
top, while many other domestic small convertibles did not. It was a peppy
little car that Impressed several friends who were previously unimpressed by
Falcons in general.



The following spring, I stood in another Ford dealers showroom admiring the
new Mustang and thinking that if I had only known it was coming, Id have
waited for it.  But the Falcon Sprint convertible was a good car that my
wife and I enjoyed a lot.



I bought my 65 Tiger from the original owner in late 68.  I still have it.



Jim Burruss