THE SONOMA COUNTY FALCONS FOR FUN CHAPTER

The Rally Falcons
by Al Aiello, FCA #2502 
1/2001

PART V

  PART V--This is a continuation of the Rally Falcon articles that appeared in previous newsletters. The previous articles are posted on the SCFF Webpage at www.westcoastfalcons.com

After the 1963 Monte Carlo Rallye was over in January, Ford sponsored Rally Falcons in many events for the remainder of 1963.

A Rally car was sent to Ford of France to participate in the French Rally program. Henri Greder and Martial Delande used the Falcon in four domestic rallies between January and May of 1963.

The Jopp/Jarman Falcon was shipped to the United States and displayed at the Chicago Auto Show.

Three Falcons were sent to Canada to participate in the Shell 4000 Rally event. These cars were prepared by the Dearborn Steel Tubing Company prior to their shipment to Canada. It appears that these cars were not Monte Falcons, but Falcons that were taken from the factory floor and specially prepared for the event. The Falcons won class prizes in this event.

The interior of a Rally Falcon lacked much in the way of creature comforts!

The Anne Hall Monte Falcon was entered in Holland’s Tulip Rally and took first place in the event. The Tulip Rally covered 2000 miles through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Although the road sections were considered somewhat easy, there were 14 special sections, which included the grand prix courses at the Nuerburgrin in Germany and the Zandvoort in Holland. The Falcon (driven by Henri Greder) won every one of these special speed runs in its class. This was the first major win in a European rally for an American car since World War II. Interestingly, Mercedes Benz withdrew its large sedans from this rally when it learned that they would compete against the Falcons.

Two Falcon Sprints were entered in Sweden’s Midnite Sun Rally in June, 1963. One car was eliminated early in the event when it collided with a truck. The other Falcon was also scratched early in this event.

At the Alpine Rally, a Falcon won several speed stages as well a class victory. Bo Ljungfeldt and Henri Greder drove the two Falcons entered in this event. Ljungfeldt did not complete the race, but Greder made a decent showing.

A 1963 Rally Falcon--strictly business!

The Monte Carlo Falcons were part of the old theory of "Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday". This beautiful '63 Futura is owned by club member Chuck Shaffer.

Two Falcons were entered in the brutal Liege-Sofia-Liege Rally. None of the Falcons finished the event due to mechanical problems. There were 120 entries in this Rally, but only 20 cars finished the event due to impassable roads and brutal rains. Bo Ljungfeldt and French driver Jean Vinatier were the two-car team for this event.

A Falcon won the Geneva Rally in Switzerland. Greder and Delalande entered this event in a refurbished Monte Carlo Falcon. The two Frenchmen roared through the French Alps in their Falcon and narrowly defeated other famous rally drivers from the Porsche and Volvo teams.

The final ‘63 Rally was the RAC held in Great Britain in November. The Falcons did not fare well. The tiny forest roads were to narrow for the Falcons. Three Falcons were entered and ended up of off the road and never go back on it.

There was no time to dwell this on this final Rally for 1963, the 1964 Monte Carlo Rallye was just around the corner. Things were looking good based on the results of the 1963 Monte and the experience gained at all of the other Rally events held in the past year.

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