The REAL original "pony car"...

[george 53]

Harry, that last one, just looks like a Camaro with an early Dakota grille in it. Din't Chrysler just kill the Car an keep the legalise for the name? like G.M.'s doin with the Pontiac?

[Harry P.]

Actually they're all the same design, just different colors. Yeah, it looks sorta like the Camaro... but better in front and back! I really like the rear view of the red one.

It would also look pretty cool with AAR strobe stripes and side exhausts!

[LUKE'57]

I'm not Harry, but about him putting a "true" fastback on that Falcon, my buddies out at the airport have already beat him to it by about 45 years. Here's a shot of it in progress out at Holman Moody.

[Rob Hall]

I'm not Harry, but about him putting a "true" fastback on that Falcon, my buddies out at the airport have already beat him to it by about 45 years. Here's a shot of it in progress out at Holman Moody.

That thing is hideous...looks like a '40s car humpy rear roof grafted onto a Falcon. Was it finished?

[Harry P.]

[LUKE'57]

That thing is hideous...looks like a '40s car humpy rear roof grafted onto a Falcon. Was it finished?

IIRC the roof was made all it one piece on an English Wheel in house.H-M more than just finished it, the chopped and sectioned reroofed Falcon hopped a ship and went down to Nassau with a couple of Cobras and raced in the 1963 Nassau Speed Weeks races. Nascar driver Marvin Panch handled the driving chores and liked the little car.

Marvin said that while the little car had trouble keeping up with the Ferraris it could handle most of the other "little pee poppers" fairly easily. He did mention that the fact the Nascar drivers were still racing when they got to crooked parts of the track unnerverved some of the sporty car set. LOL

Edited November 14, 2009 by LUKE'57

[Harry P.]

Could it be built using the new Camaro as the basic kit?

[Craig Irwin]

Bluesman Mark gave us the answer back on page one. Even thoe the Barracuda was first, it was a REACTION by Chrysler Corp. to the news that Ford was coming out with the Mustang. The Barracuda was reaction to the Mustang, just like the Camaro, Firebird, Javelin, Challenger, ect.

Could it be thought that the Studebaker Advanti was the real first pony car? It fits the bill better than a "Valiant with a fastback roof" doesn't it?

[MrObsessive]

Could it be thought that the Studebaker Advanti was the real first pony car? It fits the bill better than a "Valiant with a fastback roof" doesn't it?

That's a good thought Craig! I was wondering though if the Avanti was more of a reaction to Chevy's upcoming 1963 Corvette Sting Ray.

The Avanti was originally to be intro'd in the fall of 1961 as a '62 model, but Studebaker ran into problems with the fiberglass, and production was held up for nearly a year. By that time buyers were stunned by the all new Corvette putting the Avanti as an also ran.

Too bad, because I think the Avanti is one of the more beautiful cars of the '60's.

[Craig Irwin]

I've always thought of the Avanti as a "better sized" personal car such as the T-Bird and Grand Prix.

I also think that's what the Pony cars were too. ( with a bit of budget in mind too)

[Jon Cole]

IIRC the roof was made all it one piece on an English Wheel in house.H-M more than just finished it, the chopped and sectioned reroofed Falcon hopped a ship and went down to Nassau with a couple of Cobras and raced in the 1963 Nassau Speed Weeks races. Nascar driver Marvin Panch handled the driving chores and liked the little car.

Marvin said that while the little car had trouble keeping up with the Ferraris it could handle most of the other "little pee poppers" fairly easily. He did mention that the fact the Nascar drivers were still racing when they got to crooked parts of the track unnerverved some of the sporty car set. LOL

I just found something on a 1962 Falcon 4-cam fastback

http://bringatrailer.com/2009/07/30/ready-...2-4-cam-falcon/

[Roger U]

Interesting thoughts Craig and Bill. The Avanti does sort of have the pony car "look". It was a very unique style for the early '60s. I've always thought it is one of the nicest looking cars produced. The price and being new and "unknown" probably hurt it's sales.

I remember looking at the Avanti with my parents and hoping they would buy one but they didn't want to spend that much for a car (they bought a '63 Chevy Impala instead).