by C.Asaravala

"It was supposed to be my winter car," says Robert Blante glancing over at his 1964 Falcon sedan. It seems cliché, but this car was indeed found in a barn. It hadn't been driven ten years and Robert's father knew the owner would be willing to sell it. "I drove it for one Massachusetts winter and then decided it needed a 351 Windsor." Soon he had the 170cid motor and two-speed tranny yanked out and the 351W from his 1969 Mustang ready to drop in. "My father freaked out when he saw me in the garage with the motor pulled out.

Robert says he had to clearance the shock towers to get the 351W in the Falcon. He went on to swap the transmission, front disk brakes and 9" rear end from the '69 Mustang as well. Eventually the C4 automatic was replaced with a T5 five-speed gear box from a late model Mustang. Robert, a medical device engineer by trade, designed his own cable clutch mechanism for the Falcon. The system uses a custom pedal fulcrum, or "quadrant", and a cable from a 2001 Mustang GT. We tried the pedal and it is so light and smooth you can depress the clutch pedal by hand.

An Unlikely Racer
Needless to say that was about the last time the Falcon would be just a winter car. Robert soon packed up his belongings and his cars and moved out to California in pursuit of a new life, family and career.

Soon he met an acquaintance who invited him for a ride along at an open track event. Robert knew at that moment exactly what direction he wanted to take the '64. The docile appearing two-door Falcon sedan was immediately wrapped in blue Shelby stripes to signify its new personality.

Robert entered in open track events at places like Sears Point and Buttonwillow. While running the car at its limits was a thrill, perhaps more appealing was the access to a wealth of experience in the other cub racers. He quickly learned and applied the secrets to making the Falcon handle predictably and run reliably. Just recently he took part in the Virginia City Hill climb, a 5.3 mile timed race on a blocked-off truck road in Nevada. While he fared well against the Ferrari's and Porsche's that dominate the race, even more impressive is that he drove the car 500 miles round-trip to and from the event - with wife, two kids, and gear all packed in to the little sedan.

Aside from the Momo racing seat and T5 shifter, the interior maintains its original form.		A simple piece of square tubing mounted to the headrest is the solution for an in-car video camera.
The fuel system on this car consists of a Holley "blue" fuel pump. Robert has it setup with a return line to keep the pump running quieter.		After an unsuccessful rebuild of the 351W, Robert had T.O.E. Performance in Suisun, CA build him a turnkey motor. The 351W features ported Edelbrock RPM heads and manifold, breathing through a 750 Holley double-pumper.
Squeezing a 351W in a 1964 Falcon isn't impossible, but takes a little creativity if you want a good full-length header. Robert fabricated these himself to clear the shock towers and give plenty of ground clearance.		The Falcon's exhaust system consists of a Dr.Gas X-pipe and Spintech mufflers. The piping is all 2-1/2".
The headliner is original - a testament to how well preserved this Falcon is. Robert plans to have a roll-cage fabbed up soon. The rear seats will remain so Robert's kids can ride along.		Robert tried his hand at sewing by wrapping the Falcon's package tray in white and blue striped cloth to match the paint scheme.
The engine is cooled via a radiator from a NASCAR Busch series car. The integral oil cooler is trick and very functional. Robert runs Amsoil synthetic 20W-50 in the Windsor.		To keep the warmed-up 351W cool Robert is using a less-than-ideal combination of a mechanical fan and a pusher electric fan. Robert says he plans to convert to a full electrical fan and controlled based on our Mark VIII article.

Robert says that while he loves racing and modifying the Falcon his foremost priority is to keep it streetable and reliable. His family loves to accompany Robert to the races and he intends to keep it that way. When he installs a roll cage in the near future he'll put in the extra effort and expense to retain the rear seat so the kids carseats will fit in. For guys wondering how to gain their spouse's tolerance for their hobby, you now know the formula.

The other secret, for you East Coasters looking for an excuse to buy another project: tell her you are buying a winter car, then move out west where the tracks run all year round!