Diego Percivaldi drove his 1981 Argentinian Ford Falcon “Rural Deluxe” almost 10,000 miles, over 47 days, through 11 countries to see Ford Motor Co.’s headquarters on Thursday.
“The Ford Falcon, in Argentina, it’s very sentimental for all the Argentine people,” Percivaldi said, adding that he drove the Argentine version of the four-door wagon that featured a luggage rack and sported several sponsorship stickers.
Ford of Argentina produced the Falcon from 1962 to 1981. In fact, the vehicle was imported from North America and given a face lift at the Pacheco, Argentina plant. The car became popular with the military “junta” government, and many people identify the car with that era of rule.
Here are a couple of great Spanish sites dedicated to the Argentinian version of the Falcon:
http://www.todofalcon.com.ar/Galerias.htm
http://galerias.netfirms.com/galmodel.htm
The trip took three years to plan, he said, and the Falcon’s original 221-cid engine was rebuilt in preparation for slow ride north.
“If you don’t love cars, it’s impossible to travel with this car,” Percivaldi said.
Percivaldi, 32, declined to say how much the trip cost, but did say sponsors helped with half the expenses. He said he paid as much as $8 per gallon for gas in Peru and $1.40 in Ecuador.
Cecilia, Percivaldi’s 32-year-old wife, said the trip has long been a goal for the family of four. They brought along their two sons, age 3 and 10 months.
Upon arriving unannounced at the Dearborn headquarters of No. 2 U.S. automaker, the family walked up to the security desk at about noon and asked to speak to someone from Ford, spokesman Tom Hoyt said. Hoyt said he will be talking to senior management to see if they will do anything for the family.
In the meantime, Percivaldi said they’ll stay in Michigan for a few more days before heading home — by plane.
The Falcon will be shipped back home, he said.
Diego’s website: http://www.desafiolasamericas.com.ar
By MARGARET HARDING, The Associated Press
Editors Note: Diego, if you are out there we’d like to send you a FordMuscle T-shirt - reply to this blog and send us an email!
I was in contact with Diego and offered him my house when he was in Dallas. Unfortunately he couldn’t call me for some reason and being a tight schedule and Dallas not being in his intermarry for long we missed each other. It would have been cool to meet in person the man and the family!!!
I wanted my wife to meet his to see if she gets some of her!
I mean, I have a hard time convincing my wife to go to the local GTGs let alone a 10000 mile trip
By Rogelio Hernandez. July 8th, 2008 at 1:46 pmActually Roger, out side of the US, Ford has redesigned and rebuilt the Ford Falcon. You can find pics and specs all over the web. It is a very sharp and appealing new design. I would hope that with the new hype and interest of the new Interceptor, Ford Motor Co. might bring the Falcon back home as well as possibly the fuel efficient economical KA.
By Pope. June 14th, 2008 at 12:33 pmWhat, No 2 doors?
By Beoweolf. June 10th, 2008 at 10:06 amActually the Falcon was produced until 1991, not 1981
By Roger Currie. May 30th, 2008 at 8:18 amThat’s so cool, c’mon Ford give them a new car for the ride home!
Cheers
By Roy Editor of Street Fords. May 30th, 2008 at 5:12 am