How Much Do You Know About Ford Cars From the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s?

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
How Much Do You Know About Ford Cars From the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s?
Image: Pixabay by zulugin

About This Quiz

Henry Ford started his auto manufacturing company back in 1903 which quickly became, and has remained, one of the biggest companies in the world. And while those early models set the stage for what was to come there's no doubt that the biggest most influential years of auto manufacturing were in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Those were the years when Ford vehicles really grew out of the very basic and utilitarian models and became the iconic, stylish machines people didn't just need to have, but they wanted to have. Cars were no longer wagons with motors, they were performance machines. They were art. Look at those early Mustangs, or the GT40, or the Cobra. Gorgeous vehicles that had incredible performance and to this day are the kinds of things collectors and drivers just can't get enough of.

You can't discuss the history of cars without discussing Ford vehicles. They may have their haters out there but there's no denying what kind of amazing impact they've had and what kind of amazing vehicles were produced in these three decades. Let's shift into drive and take a tour down memory lane to see how much you know about the Fords of the '50s, '60s and '70s!

29 - Ford Fairmont
Wiki Commons by dave_7
Do you know which model was released in 1978 as a compact, fuel-efficient car?
Fairmont
Supra
Sunliner
Verona
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford Fairmont was rolled out in 1977 for the 1978 model year as a compact car that could be sold worldwide and would be economical and efficient. It was released alongside a Mercury counterpart called the Zephyr.

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2 - 1967 Sheby GT 500
Wiki Commons by sv1ambo
Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors, only ever owned one car. What was it?
1967 Sheby GT 500
1968 Ford Capri
1956 Ford Parklane
1958 Ford Del Rio
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The only car Jim Morrison ever owned was a '67 Ford Shelby GT 500, and he didn't even buy it himself. The president of his record label offered a gift to all the band members— whatever they wanted — and Jim wanted a car.

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17 - country squire
Wiki Commons by Morven
Do you know which of these came with some optional wood side panels?
Tempo
Country Squire
Taurus
Super Deluxe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

By 1950, every car company was pushing the all-steel "modern" station wagons. Ford decided to keep it old school with its Country Squire that still maintained its wood side panels for that rustic country look.

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3 - 1955 Ford Thunderbird
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
This may have been the first personal luxury car on the market. Do you know what it was?
1950 Ford Crestliner
1955 Ford Squire
1955 Ford Thunderbird
1960 Ford Starliner
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford Thunderbird hit the market for the 1955 model year and it was not positioned as a sports car initially, but rather as a luxury car. It evolved from a two-seat convertible and eventually grew to a six-seater hardtop coupe.

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22 - 1958 Edsel
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
In car history, this is considered one of the biggest flops of all time. What is it?
1958 Edsel
1960 Anglia
1972 Elite
1962 Verona
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ford was hyping the Edsel and expecting it to be the next big thing only to have it blow up in their faces. The public hated the Edsel and it was considered hideously ugly and overpriced. Word is Ford lost upward of $250 million on it.

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27 - Shelby Cobra
Wiki Commons by Patrick
After Shelby helped Ford with the Mustang, he moved on to this car. Do you know it?
Futura
Fairlane
Panama
Cobra
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Cobra didn't have the long life of the Mustang but nonetheless the 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 was a beast of a vehicle with an incredible 427 cu in 7.0L V8 engine that gave the Cobra an impressive 425 horsepower and a top speed of 164 mph.

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10 - Ford GT40
Wiki Commons by François de Dijon
Which car was introduced in 1964 specifically to spite Ferrari?
Consul
Mainline
GT40
Prefect
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the early 1960s, Ford and Ferrari were working on a deal together until Ferrari ended it abruptly which, according to legend, enraged Henry Ford II. He went out of his way to design a car that could outrace a Ferrari, and the GT40 was born.

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28 - Mercury Cougar
Wiki Commons by Mr.choppers
Which of these vehicles did Ford sell under the Mercury name starting in 1967?
Pinto
Edsel
Cougar
Grand Marquis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mercury Cougar was another pony car on the market starting in 1967 through 1973. After that year, it moved on to more of a luxury car. It's the best selling car that was offered under the Mercury name.

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14 - Gran Torino
Wiki Commons by lrumiha
The TV show "Starsky and Hutch" made this car extremely popular in the '70s. What is it?
Focus
Corsair
Gran Torino
Fairlane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ford's Gran Torino has had a curiously popular life on the screen. Not only was it the iconic car of TV cops "Starsky and Hutch" but it featured prominently in "The Fast and the Furious" and, of course, in the Clint Eastwood movie "Gran Torino."

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7 - Fairlane 500 Skyliner
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
What Ford had the first retractable hardtop in the world?
Ranchero
Custom Deluxe
Crown Victoria
Fairlane 500 Skyliner
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner showed up in 1957. By 1959 they had changed the name to the Ford Galaxie Skyliner, but either way, this was the first vehicle that had a fully automatic retractable hardtop which tucked away with one of the most complex systems ever devised for a car.

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23 - Pinto
Wiki Commons by Joost J. Bakker
Which 1971 Ford model is still considered one of the worst marketing mistakes in automobile history?
LTD
Corsair
Pinto
Fiesta
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though the Pinto survived for a number of years, the 1971 Pinto has gone down in history as a monstrous mistake. Thanks to issues with the fuel system that led to fires, lawsuits, and terrible PR, the Pinto is now a black eye in the company's history.

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9 - Shelby GT500
Wiki Commons by Sicnag
Unsold 1969 models of this iconic car were just relabeled as 1970s. What was it?
Shelby GT500
Galaxie
Lincoln Continental
Ranchero
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the Mustang may be one of Ford's most famous cars if not the most famous, the Shelby Mustang GT500 was a monster that has stood the test of time. Shelby designed them for several years before Ford took over fully in 1969 and then, for 1970, they just resold the 1969 models which was apparently done with the FBI's approval.

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 1 - 1964 Mustang
Pixabay by marcart
In what year did Ford introduce its iconic Mustang?
1960
1954
1964
1970
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1964 the Ford Mustang wasn't just big, it was pretty much a game-changer in the world of cars and the public loved them. How much did they love them? They sold 93,000 pedal-powered versions for kids for the next Christmas.

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30 - Torino Talladega
Wiki Commons by Carl Sharp
Ford made this car to be competitive on the NASCAR circuit. Do you know what it is?
Cougar Eliminator
Torino Talladega
LTD
Futura Falcon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Torino Talladega was Ford's answer to the Dodge Charger and the Plymouth Superbird. Ford built 736 of the model, as NASCAR required that at least 500 be built for them to qualify for a race. It's referred to as "a gun in NASCAR's knife fight" by some racing pundits.

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13 - Ford Galaxie  1965
Wiki Commons by Duston15
Do you know which model introduced a new coil suspension in 1965?
Galaxie
Capri
Elite
Telstar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ever the innovators, Ford redesigned the 1965 Galaxie to do away with the leaf-spring suspension most cars were using and introduce a coil-suspension that drastically improved comfort for riders and also reduced noise.

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6 - Falcon Peanuts
Ford/Peanuts
Ford advertised this car with the Peanuts, who appeared for the first time on TV in its commercials. What was it?
Falcon
Fairlane
XL
Torino
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Introduced in 1960, the Ford Falcon was partnered with Snoppy and the Peanuts gang for advertising and, in fact, the Peanuts made their first television appearance ever in a Falcon commercial, discussing just how great the Ford Falcon really was.

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32 - Customline Ford 1952
Wiki Commons by Sicnag
In what year did Ford introduce the Customline?
1952
1959
1961
1975
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford Customline hit the scene in 1952. Ford had clearly fallen in love with the "line" theme, as the Customline was sold alongside the Crestline and the Mainline. Over 400,000 Customlines were made in that first year.

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15 - Crestliner
Wiki Commons by Don O'Brien
Ford surprised itself by selling over 17,000 of these cars in 1950. Do you know what it is?
Crestliner
Edsel
Corsair
Scorpio
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Crestliner hit the market in 1950 and put Ford back on the map after some serious downturns post-World War II. Starting in 1949, Ford outsold Chevy for the first time since the war and the Crestliner became more popular than even Ford corporate had predicted by 1950.

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12 - Lincoln Continental 1961
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Which model was completely redesigned in 1961, effectively saving it from financial disaster?
Country Sedan
Tempo
Fairmont
Lincoln Continental
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lincoln is a division of Ford, and the Lincoln Continental hit a brutal bump in the road during the late '50s when the brand suffered $60 million in losses on some terrible design decisions for the 1958-1960 Continentals that no one liked at all. 1961 was a total redesign and an all-around success.

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16 - Ranchero
Wiki Commons by Detectandpreserve
Ford introduced this cross between a pickup truck and a station wagon in 1957. What is it?
Cougar
Country Squire
Ranchero
Del Rey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ford's Ranchero was a station wagon with a flatbed in the back. It was actually so popular that Chevrolet knocked it off with its El Camino model in 1959. Ironically, the El Camino is much more well-known today.

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20 - California Special Mustang
Wiki Commons by sv1ambo
Ford made under 5,000 of this model in 1968. Do you recognize it?
California Special Mustang
Cobra
Falcon Futura Sprint
Torino GT
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The California Special Mustang was just what the name suggests: a special edition meant only for the West Coast market. Interestingly, several hundred were actually rebranded for Colorado and sold as High Country Specials.

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24 - Mustang II 1974
Wiki Commons by Kieran White
People loved the Mustang except for this 1974 version. What was it known as?
Shelby Mustang
Mustang II
Mustang GT350
Cobra Mustang
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1974, Ford rolled out the Mustang II which was really a Mustang in name only. The car was based on the Pinto body and even had the same fuel line problems as the Pinto making it both unattractive and inefficient.

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35 - Ford Parklane
Wiki Commons by JOHN LLOYD
Which rare car was only produced in the year 1956?
Parklane
Corcel
Granada
Orion
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Parklane was Ford's high-end, two-door station wagon that clearly was not a popular entry to the marketplace as it was axed after a single year. On the upside, it's currently considered one of the rarest and most desirable vintage Ford models.

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21 . - Ford Capri
Wiki Commons by Charles01
Which of these is basically the European Mustang?
Zephyr
Pilot
Scorpio
Capri
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mustang had been a great seller since it showed up in 1964 and it was popular in the European market as well. The problem was, as an American car, there were a lot of fees and tariffs on the model. The Capri was very much the same car but made in Europe for some added value.

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25 - Ford Fiesta
Wiki Commons by Kieran White
Which car's engine put out a paltry 54 horsepower when it came out?
Fiesta
Cortina
Consul
Orion
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1978 Ford Fiesta wasn't just a small car, it was a very small car. It rolled onto streets with a 100 cu in, 1.6-liter engine. It was essentially a go-kart masquerading as an actual car. Originally the company only wanted to sell it in Europe but, with the fuel crisis, it started being sold in the US as well.

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18 - Ford del Rio
Wiki Commons by Morven
Which of these vehicles came about in 1957 to compete with the Chevrolet Nomad?
Pronto
Ten-Ten
Model 82
Del Rio
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ford had somewhat bummed out on the sport wagon market in 1956 with its poor-selling Parklane model. In 1957 and then in 1958, it rolled out the Del Rio. In '57, sales were good, but by '58 they had plummeted to under 13,000.

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19 - Boss 429 Mustang
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
When did Ford first offer the Boss 429 Mustang?
1964
1967
1969
1972
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Boss 429 Mustang was offered in 1969 and 1970. These days it's one of the rarest vehicles in the Mustang line and therefore one of the most valuable as well. It helps that only 1,358 of them were ever produced.

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26 - Cortina
Wiki Commons by Jeremy
The handling of this model suffered because its engine was originally designed for the Falcon. What was it?
Probe
Focus
Cortina
Galaxie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Cortina was not the kind of car that needed a 4.1L V6 engine thanks to its relatively small size and while European models had much more manageable engines, the 4.1L models were known for terrible handling.

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8 - 1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt
Wiki Commons by PMDrive1061
The 1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt is famous for what kind of engine?
390 CID Big Block V8
427 CID 7.0L V8
Hemi
260 CID 4.2L
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

1964 was the only year that the Fairlane Thunderbolt drag racer was available with its incredibly powerful 427 CID 7.0L V8 engine. Only about 100 were ever made, but with that engine, they pulled 657 horsepower.

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11 - 1964 Mustang
Wiki Commons by Sicnag
Do you know where the 1964 Mustang was introduced to the world?
The Detroit Auto Show
The New York World's Fair
The Las Vegas Auto Show
Nationwide at dealerships
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

1964 was the first year of the Mustang, and unlike many cars of today which just show up in the world at dealerships, the Mustang was rolled out at the New York World's Fair. It's gone on to become one of the company's greatest contributions to auto history.

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33 - Ford Galaxie starliner
Wiki Commons by Morven
The Starliner and the Sunliner were part of the special series of what model?
Fairlane
Mustang
Galaxie
Thunderbird
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Galaxie Special Series included both the Starliner and the Sunliner. The Starliner was a fastback hardtop version and the Sunliner was the convertible version that, of course, let you see the sun.

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31 - Falcon XB
Wiki Commons by Sicnag
Which car did Mad Max drive?
Fairlane Thunderbolt
Mustang GT500
Supra
Falcon XB
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Falcon XB was available for several years in the '70s in Australia. In 1979, Mad Max himself drove a "Pursuit Special" edition of a 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT hardtop which was used again in the 2015 sequel "Fury Road."

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4 - seatbelts 70s
kate_sept2004/E+/Getty Images
Seat belts are important. When did Ford introduce retractable ones?
1959
1963
1969
1972
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ford introduced seat belts as an option back in 1956 but it wasn't until 1972 that they came up with the delightful innovation of retractable seatbelts to make safety somewhat less cumbersome overall. Weirdly enough, it's still not legally required that you wear them in every state.

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5 - Ford Country Sedan
Wiki Commons by sv1ambo
The Country Sedan was a full-size station wagon. When did Ford stop producing it?
1979
1974
1970
1968
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford Country Sedan's lifespan was from 1952 to 1974 and was quite the bus in its day. It was possible to have up to 9 passengers in one of those vehicles, though there was no guarantee everyone had a seatbelt.

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34 - Ford Prefect
Wiki Commons by Mick
Which car was also a character from the sci-fi novel "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?"
Ford Futura
Ford Aspire
Ford Prefect
Ford Landau
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford Prefect was actually a British model that existed from 1938 until 1961. Author Douglas Adams also opted to use it as the name of a character in his novel to represent just how lazy the alien Prefect was when it came to blending in with humanity.

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Pixabay by zulugin