Not everybody can turn a rusty old relic into a clean restoration. It’s a process that takes time, patience, and a considerable chunk of your hard-earned money. Michael Wagner of the Budget Buildz YouTube channel knows this too well. On a recent upload, he stumbled upon a 1960 Ford Falcon that had been sitting for 37 years.
Wagner’s find is a 1960 Ford Falcon with a 6-cylinder engine and a 3-speed manual transmission. It’s been off the road since 1985. He’s looking to get it running for the first time in 37 years.
Thirty-seven years is a long time. It’s a complete adult’s life with room for a couple of children. While some older cars were built to last, a lot can happen in three decades.
Rust, critters, poachers, and nature can take a toll on the life of an abandoned car. However, on rare occasions, it only takes a little bit of work to get them running again.
“One thing you will notice is, it’s not in perfect shape under here, but as crusty as this car is, it’s surprisingly not terrible looking in here,” Wagner revealed.
The first step in reviving these relics is checking the condition of the cylinders. Since it has been sitting for a couple of decades, there’s a high chance moisture sipped into the engine.
The cylinders had good compression, and the plugs looked clean after a simple inspection. He also did an oil change to be on the safe side.
It didn’t fire up the first time he tried to crank it. The starter had some issues. But after troubleshooting and minor fixes on the fuel line, the old hot rod came to life.
“Well, it runs. It’s not perfect. There’s a lot to dial in, but it actually sounds really good and really healthy,” Wagner revealed.
Based on the tests, the 1960 Ford Falcon’s engine sounds healthy. Wagner thinks the carburetor needs a rebuild. They’ll also need to put in a ton of work on the deteriorated exterior and interior.
We recommend watching the video below. There’s lots of good restoration knowledge to pick up.