Gerry I - My Dad bought a '65 for Falcon, 170 cu in - 6 cylinder, 3 speed on the column. It was a 4 door. I learned to drive on a '67 Bronco with 170 cu-in engine and 3 on the column.
We built a trailer using a straight front axle out of a '37 Chevy and cut fenders out of a 50 gallon drum. It looked like something the military used. Towed it with the Falcon - which I called the Fal-co as to me it was a cross between a Falcon and Bronco the way my Dad would take it off road! Who know how many cords of firewood we hauled with that trailer. Fed cattle off of it sometimes - pretty much did everything with it except haul livestock. Sometimes if we were on a hill, in the pasture and the rear wheels would slip due to frost or just wet grass when you would let out on the clutch, my Dad would leave the clutch out, hit the starter, the car would roll with the starter motor turning the engine, fire and off we'd go. I think back on it as the original hill holder clutch - LOL.
We also had a Mercury Comet wagon, 1964 with a 200 cu in engine and auto. That thing was bad about over heating on long trips in the summer, not to mention the gas tank under the back fell loose to the ground TWICE while driving - YIKES!!!!!!
In the early 80's my parents bought a Ford Ranger truck and Mercury version of the Escort - in a wagon. Those were incredibly bad pieces of crap and highlighted the black days of Detroit. After that and to this day, my parents buy Honda, Nissan or Mazada.
My brother finally broke back to Ford with a new F-150 a couple of years ago and so far it seems to be a quality truck - BUT the bed height on these new trucks, even on a 1/2 ton, require some reaching to get over the bed side to grab any cargo!
