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I ENJOYED THE ARTICLE ABOUT THE Ford Starliners in HCC #191, but you left off a fact that might have affected the Ford Falcon selling 450,000 units. The 1960 Fords were over 80 inches in width. Because of this, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration threatened to tax them like trucks, because 80 inches was the maximum width for a car. Although the Imperial was the first to go over the 80-inch mandate, when Ford went over, it was different. After the NHTSA chastised Ford for the design, the 1961 models were 79.9 inches. The size also probably scared owners of 1955-’56 Fords, who were concerned about trading up to (and housing and feeding) a monster that was bigger than a Mercury of not that long ago. A Falcon would cause less frustration when it came time to park in a downtown space or a suburban garage.
The article on the Pontiac Ventura also brought back memories of the renaissance of compact cars from 1975 to 1978. General Motors had the Nova LN, Pontiac Ventura SJ, Oldsmobile Omega Salon, and Buick Skylark and Apollo S/R. They had a choice of engines and could ride on Camaro suspensions. The Ford Granada and Mercury Monarch were as classy as any full-sized luxury Ford product. The Maverick and Comet were well proven and had upgraded interiors. The same was true for the Dodge Dart and Plymouth Valiant. If the Aspen and Volare had been put together decently, they would have been driven for years. The Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr were the base for Ford products to come. I would love to see more articles on these cars, as they were the backbone of post-gas-crisis households.
Charles Winingham Alton, Illinois
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