My white '63-1/2 Galaxie Fastback has a 260 w/Cruiso...Got a deal on it, straight Calif car, no rust 'til the trim caught water on the end of the deck lid. Numbers matching, all original. P.O. also had those horrendous 'solid' chrome disc wheels with the spoke baskets! Sears, I think... It's O.K., I have original Torq Thrusts, also built some 8" X 15" steelies and some 6" X 15" graced with '60 Starliner 'Poverty Caps'...(for that 'husky Super Stocker look'!) Engine I have for it is 406, top loader 4 speed, Jeep tower. 3.55 rear is nice, 60K miles on car.
I love my 64 galaxie I bought off fellow hamber. It has A 352 2brl now but i bought a 390 and its out to the doctor right now.
Great Start!....Here is mine.....its a 289. Flowmasters make it sound like more....but its got the look.
I always liked'em cause that what I drove to get my "restricted-license"......first "new car" my Dad ever owned...... first speeding ticket.....first blow out and tire swap on the side of the road with NO flash light... Lotsa firsts for me. We had those lumpy plastic Finger Hut seat covers use to leave little ripples on naked skin! Jus say'in... Ours had the T-Bird roof with 4 doors and 260 engine and NO AC Whew.....summer in the Deep South was "interesting" back then. One of the "interesting sales facts was.........the taillights are larger than an adults head, so easy to see". (Why do I remember crap like that?! 6sally6 Sometimes we post stuff we regret later...(that's me!) Like un ringing a bell though. Sorry for the "lapse" in good taste Remember when the 'light-weight' Gals came out with the 427 side-oiler/4 speed/race ready! One fella from 'upstate' SC that could row that 4 speed so quick it sounded JUST LIKE an A/T or a Lenco now days! Was a regular at Starlite Drag strip in Ware Shoals and 13 Forks drag strip in Elberton,Ga. Heck uva race piece!!!
Good on ya. Found mine many years ago all bent up, a 390 so neglected and ill-maintained even after several days of vatting steel rods needed to be pounded through the oil galleries, resulting in what appeared to be asphalt snakes. His first trip after putting him back together was the first Lonestar Roundup at House Stadium. '01, '2, what was that? Despite looking after Paco 20 years, he still feels like he just showed up. Old Galaxies are straight-up really good cars.
Love those old Fords . If you have oil fill into the timing cover and you decide to swap a motor Id be interested in the timing cover out the early motor if it ever goes for sale . Thanks
Sorry, but if I do swap it out, I'm going to hang onto the 289. I have a 460/c6 combo available to put in.......
OK, just gotta ask..... What color you gonna paint it? Black and red seem to be the most popular colors, followed by white and blue. Greens and browns are more rare, but I have seen a couple of gold ones. That 460 /C6 should provide plenty of power. That big area needs to be filled with engine, I bet the small block looks like a toy in there.
My 63 XL 390 with Cruise-o-matic. The PO installed a complete 64 XL interior. Car needs a 63 XL interior and some more attention.
I sure like your car VintageAuto. My oldest brother had one in 1965 that looked cosmetically just like yours but his was a 406, 4 - speed car. I was a lucky 13 year old at the time and my brother used to drop me off at Jr. high school in it. I'll never forget the sound that car made. - EM
I'm probably going with white body and red interior. My other one was black with black interior. Nothing carved in stone yet.
My 63&1/2. Z code 390 4 speed car. Chassis, engine and trans are new and ready to go. Doing body work now. Trying to decide paint color. I'd like to go red but I have a complete XL interior in turquoise and don't think it would match up well with red. Will probably go with the original white color.
If its a BBF its gotta have a killer cam in it! The snotty-er the idle....the better. Who wants a smooth sounding classic anywho?! Geeez..a smooth idling Big block Ford??? Blasphemy.... For shame for shame! 6sally6
Hey I'm glad this thread just got on my radar because I was doing one of those exacerbating online trivia things with all the pop ups earlier and it said the XL in Galaxie XL stands for Extra Lively. Is that true?
One of my high school rides was a 63 more door hardtop. Painted it dark metallic blue with a white top. It was a 352 4 barrel auto. Created a lot of great memories in that car and still like them. I look forward to your updates.
My Grandma had a '63 four door with a six cylinder and three on the tree...she was good at getting that old sedan up and down the streets of Duluth. It took forever to get to highway speeds, though...
Believe it or not, police departments preferred the big six because it could move that car off the line quicker than the v8. Not necessarily needing top end speed, the six could "get the jump " on the average scofflaw of the time. Seen a lot of police cruisers with the 223/240 sixes.
Btw, the bucket seats from a four door; how do you enable the folding mechanism to use them in a two door?
Ya, some of the advertising did suggest XL stood for extra lively. My wife seems to think it means extra luggage.
Some Ford seats you can remove a bolt on each side of the cushion and make the seat backs fold. You may have to fab up a stop to keep them from laying too far back. Got a pic of the area where the back meets the cushion?
Got a decent day for doing little things to the Galaxie so installed some new horn ring parts and reinstalled the horns. Cleaned up the stock air cleaner and figured out why it doesn't fit. Need to either cut a hole or make a dimple in it to clear the fuel inlet on the Holley. Tracking botched up wiring is fun too. Ever onward!!
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