1964 Ford Galaxie 500

Description

In the early and mid-1960s, if you wanted big block muscle, the only place to get it was in a full-sized car. The ideal mixture of luxury and performance, this 1964 Galaxie XL500 packs big block power and a few thoughtful upgrades, as well as a gorgeous paint job that makes it a great piece of luxury muscle.

A lifelong warm climate car, it's no surprise why this Galaxie is in such good condition, and today it's the ideal example of Ford's gentleman's express. The sloping rear roof was a recent addition to the Fairlane and Galaxie lineup, and helped as much on the NASCAR big ovals as it did in showrooms. The paint is late-model Ford Laser Red, which looks perhaps even better on the big Galaxie than it did on a Mustang. It was done a few years ago and still presents nicely, with a brilliant shine that really makes this car stand out. You'll also appreciate the Galaxie 500 trim, which was restored and installed on the car to give it an upscale look. The bumpers have obviously been restored and there's a very good shine on the stainless. Ford's jet-inspired taillights were still evolving in 1964, now enclosed in a very neat and tidy rear end, and those on this white hardtop are in excellent condition. Finished off with a black vinyl top, it has a high-class look with just a bit of an edge.

The bucket seat interior is extremely handsome, reupholstered using burgundy vinyl that looks expensive, which was entirely the point in 1964. The seats are in excellent condition and thanks to correct materials, they'll probably look awesome for years to come, flanking a center console that's purely style for style's sake. The wide gauge cluster spans half the dash in front of the driver, and includes a massive speedometer and a fuel gauge, all with trick white faces that look awesome in the serious-looking interior. The extra gauge underneath is for the Air Ride system. The original AM radio still lives in the center of the dash, but a modern AM/FM/CD stereo head unit has been neatly installed in the center console and powers speakers throughout the interior. In back, the cavernous trunk is filled with more stereo gear, including a massive subwoofer enclosure and amplifier.

This car packs a correct Z-code 390 cubic inch V8, which is topped by a 4-barrel carburetor and mated to a Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic transmission. The tidy engine bay shows signs of maintenance, with proper Ford Blue on the block plus a chrome air cleaner assembly and matching FE series valve covers. Power brakes and steering are also part of the equation, and as a lifelong warm-weather car, you know rust is a total non-issue underneath. The recent Flowmaster exhaust system gives the Galaxie an appropriate muted rumble without being excessive, a fact you'll appreciate with a rear end full of highway-friendly 3.00 gears. The Air Ride system has been very neatly integrated into the original suspension and provides not only a smooth ride, but the adjustability to give it a stock look or a slick "in the weeds" profile. Bright chrome Torque Thrust-style wheels are always the right choice on a '60s Galaxie, and they're wrapped in 205/70/15 front and 225/75/15 rear BFGoodrich T/A radials

This lovely hardtop is the most desirable of the Galaxies except for perhaps the convertible, and you can't argue with its performance credentials. With lots of power options, it's a car that you can still drive every day, or save it for warm summer days when you want to feel like you're at the wheel of something special. Call today!