My Dad had a 63.5 Galaxie XL when I was a kid so has always been on my bucket list. Recently I purchased a solid 64 XL that needs a lot. I've never been one to worry about all the nut/bolt details but am concerned with having "driver" quality cars and can live with them being incomplete and/or imperfect. All that being said, I purchased a 63 Galaxie XL boxtop that is a running/driving solid old car. I purchased for the drivetrain but am considering swapping bodies instead. Are the frames the same? Is this a crazy idea?
Drive that Box top while you do all the other stuff needed to get the 64 to the point you want minus drivetrain. No way would I use that box top as a parts car, it looks way too straight. Don't frame swap them, that's just asking for the snowball of problems that come with doing that.
You found that nice '63 when you weren't looking for a '63. That's the way it works a lot of the time. I'd bet that if you sidelined the crusty '64 and started working on the '63, while you're not looking, a much nicer '64 would practically fall in your lap.
Couple questions . why do the frame swap ? how bad is the fast back ? the square top looks to be in good shape from the one side . a 302 and modern trans drops in these things easily and scoots them down the road nicely
Here's the Golden Encyclopedia of Galaxie interchange and mega parts supply. Call Stan the Ford man 360-687-1216 be prepared to leave a message.
The boxtop is in good shape. Has an amateur paint job and 60 year old everything but is pretty straight and is complete (other than trim). The 64 has a sound body/floor less 2 patches needed on left quarter. It is a Z code 390 currently housing a 289. Why do the frame swap? Because if I can get it in "road worthy" condition I am more apt to keep forging ahead with it. Experience has taught me that if I can't hear something run and see it move under it's own power in a reasonable amount of time my interest will wane. Probably best to swap what I need from the BT to the FB.
The frames are essentially identical and everything will swap over, but be prepared for the typical nickle and diming of about 30 trips into town to get this, that, or the other thing. Frame swaps are a metric **** ton of work, and you will undoubtedly uncover other issues when stripping both cars down to the bare frame that will require or demand attention. If I was going through all that work, I would just do a proper frame-off restoration/build of one them and have a really cool and nice car at the end that I built and was proud of. If you need something running for motovation, put the good engine on a run stand in the corner, and start it up every once in awhile to get the juices flowing.
The frames are similar, but up front I believe they are different in the way the front end sheet metal and radiator support mount. It's been a long time but I think much of everything else is the same for 63 and 64. Personally, I wouldn't use that boxtop as a parts car. I'd drive the boxtop and look for a better '64 or fix the one you have, but I'd be driving a very cool 63 right now. It's only my opinion but that boxtop is a lot closer to a 63.5 XL than a '64 ever will be, but I am a little biased.
I'm with the others drive one then do a frame off resto on the other .... great cars. My father inlaw has a 63 mordor. 352/3 on the tree Grandpa bought it for Grandma when it was just a few years old. Think it was around 50k miles on the car .... Grandpa said it needed a valve job & pulled the heads. Had them rebuilt but never installed them. ...... Just gave his wife something else to drive. Grandpa was a grumpy old fart .... some think there was never anything wrong with the car, just did not want Grandma driving it. The car was always parked in the shade that protected the paint, the interior was always covered with cardboard ..... The engine was covered .grandpa just put the car away & saved it. In the 70's during the gas shortage, Grandpa filled every gas tank he had in the yard to stock pile it. So the fuel tank was full, the gas was bad but the tank cleaned up really nice. Just amazing the car survived all those years sitting outside in a wrecking yard. Today it is a beautiful White with red interior all original driver. Only mods are spiffy tires/wheels & dual exhaust.
That 63 was only made the first half of the year if I am not mistaken because in the last half of the year they went to the fastback roof. So its "rare"/ I used to have a 63 boxtop 2door hardtop, 390 auto. That was a great car. You should keep it as it is.
Can’t offer better advice than has been given already, but I’d be really leary of the fastback, cars repainted white are done so for a reason, usually involves dodgy repairs. My vote, drive the box top while picking away at the fastback
The boxtop was available all year in '63, but once the Sportsroof appeared sales of it dropped almost off the map. Ford dropped it in '64.
Personally I like the style of the sides of the ‘63 a bit more than the ‘64. But I’d go like others have said with Drive the ‘63 and work the ‘64.
When the 63 Galaxie came out, it was only offered in a "formal" similar to older t-birds. The 62 also had that roof. It proved to be a real aero problem in NASCAR. very poor airflow over the roof and rear deck. Ford changed the roof to a semi fastback roof in mid 63 and called it a sports roof. Suddenly the new roof Ford got considerably faster on the NASCAR super speedways. It also looked much more attractive that the formal roof. That roof style was carried over to 64, the last year of that basic design. I had both 63 and 64 Galaxies with that roof and preffered the 63. More business like and the body appeared slimmer to me. Both are excellent cars with the 390 or 427 and 4 speed. Although the 63 used the T-10 behind the 427 and proved weak. The 64 got the first of the top loader 4 speeds and held up much better.
I’ve always preferred the 64 model year over the 63. and I really like the Custom 500 version of the 64. When done right they look bad***.
I forsee 2 cool Galaxies in your future, keep gathering parts and fixing stuff. Before you know it you'll have two. Or you can flip one and use the dough for some cool stuff on the other. Either way good luck and have fun
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