Out With The Old In With The New 61 Starliner

The last thing I need is another project but I happened upon this one more or less by chance and things just fell in to place perfectly and now I have one more car.






1961 Ford Starliner 390, 3spd auto, ps, pb, Z code but no 3x2, padded dash, raven black with matching interior. Over all nearly complete with minimal rust through but rust through in some of the weirdest places. After a full day working on it I got the fuel lines blown out finally and suprisingly enough after 30+ years of sitting it actually fired right up but trans fluid started pouring out the front seal of the trans. Currently the carb is off and sitting in carb cleaner to be rebuilt this weekend.

 

Yes! Great purchase.

 

Very cool!!

 

Nice! Who doesn't like a Starliner.

 

I envy you...

 

Nice find. What direction are you planning on going with this build? I have a '61 I'm working on as well, check out my photo album.

 

I have no clue what I might do with it right now as it just kind of fell into my lap. I have no . funds for it currently as I have everything tied up with my woody. I am hoping to get it running and driving with original engine and trans. for the front either rebuilding the original or if equal to the price of mustangII then maybe going fatman front end just for ease. The rest of it I guess will just be rust repair, chrome and stainless repair, interior, then lastly repaint raven black. So plans are more or less to go original maybe chrome window trim, lowered a little, and custom interior but nothing too expensive as I cant afford too cool right now.

 

Very cool and very much the inspiration behind my '62 Falcon project. Z-code is the 375 hp 390, right?

 

Rebuild the existing front end. Bushings and ball joints are available, bushings of the kevlar type, not the poly type...

The Galaxies' and Starliners' front suspension design was superior. (ask Parnelli Jones)

 

very cool car and a great find!!!

 

Worth the work. Great find!

 

Excellent car. I love Starliners. That one looks to have sat a LONG time.

 

I'm primarily a Chevy/GM guy, but have always liked Starliners.
Thats a slick car and a great start to a killer ride!!

Tony

 

Love the '60, '61 Starliners.

 

Nice find and looks like most of the trim is there.. I have a 61 Sunliner....great cars..roll like a cloud, don't take much to make a nice mild Kustom out of...lower it, chrome reverse wheels, white walls, big or small, some mild shaving and you are rolling in style

 

Very nice I bet it's going to be a fun Build and good Luck

 

My bud Eddie Souza (San Jose, CA) bought one of Gas Rhonda's retired black '61 Starliners...410 H.P. 390, B.W. 4 speed. That car would roll the street up behind it.
Sat a little taller than stock, station wagon springs all around...traction masters underneath...3" 5-point seat belts, both buckets.

I was envious, but drove it once. Felt like I had the world in my hands...

 

Nice! Did you trade that F-250 for it??

 

Nice score! rather a coincidence, I was picking up some '63 and '64 Galaxie parts cars the other day, and there was a '61 Starliner there on the property.

Unfortunately, it was not for sale.

---John

 

nice....looks like one from Dallas I was chasing for years - never for sale....it was the same black/red combo that was popular with all the makes...

have had a 62-63-64 hrtps....buy always wanted one of those 60-61's....

have fun !

 

Love those starliners. Ford really nailed that one. Great project. Congrads.

 

I am not too sure on the horsepower ratings on these 390s. I have heard everything from 300 to 400 with the 3x2. the one thing I have heard is they run 10.5 to a cr so I need to run premium in it. Thanks that is very good to know that the front suspension is good and does not need updating. I did a partial trade with the f250 for the car as the guy who I got it from wanted the 460 in it for another galaxie he was building. Oh for all those who want one the person who I purchased this from was talking about selling another 61 starliner at some point in the future.

 

looks great! its on my must have list!

 

Nice !! PM Me when its for sale. Fed

 

Im not a huge ford fan past 1940 but these Starliners are so cool. Looks like a great project. Nice find ! Gary

 

Got a 62 xl ht,390 300hp crane rv cam FPA long tube headers holley 4bbl.All original,.Always liked the 61s.

 

Always liked the 61,s you don,t see to much of them

 

My ref says a '61 390 4 bl is 9.6 or 10.6 C/R, 300, 330 or 375 HP. The 300 has iron intake & hyd cam, the other ones have alloy intake, solid cam & adj rockers.

 

DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want one

 

Ok so tearing into this thing it looks as if the engine has been rebuilt at some point. I do have a question as to the casting numbers. The numbers cast into the p***anger side front of the block are EDC6015C. According to this code it puts the engine as a 1960 352. Can anyone advise me as to what I have. Thanks
Note with the num 1 spark plug at tdc and 4 from what i understand at bdc i stuck a dowel down each cylinder and got 1/4 inch under a 3.5 inch difference.