I recently obtained my dad's 63 galaxie XL convertible, 352 auto. Rebuilt motor and trans . He got the car when he has 17. I am now 25 and the car has been in the fam that long. It runs/drives great. Has a few minor problems. rockers and quarters have bondo. Interior needs attention, top skin is missing. Otherwise not too bad. Right now the plan is to get the body sorted out. I am used to working on newer cars so I may stopping by with questions that seem obvious to you guys. any other early 60's galaxie drivers here?
of course now I just realized there is a members introduction forum. the back end does ride low on this thing. I really love the stance. Do you know of any good galaxie parts places aside from concours parts?
Welcome, Mines a '64. Get catalogs from dearborn www.dearbornclassics.com and macs www.macsautoparts.com Tom
Welcome aboard! Here's an old HAMB thread with some Galaxie Customs... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=206866 And here's an older thread- everyone with 60-64 Ford/Lincoln/Mercs... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155936 You probably know by now, but there are lots of parts available for the Galaxies. I have one exactly like yours (only rustier). Good luck with yours.
hey, quick question for you galaxie owners. My dash pad is cracked pretty bad. I have seen some with metal dashboards, may have been a 62 or 64. I can't remember. What is under my dash pad? Is it a paintable metal dash? In other words could I take the pad off and paint the dash? If not I am guessin the 62 or 64 whichever has the same dash that came in metal with no pad would fit, correct?
From what I've been able to figure out (and I'd love to hear that I'm wrong). '63-'64 Galaxies came with either padded or steel dashes. If you remove the padding, there will be lots of holes to fill. Replacing the padded dash with a steel dash is also more work than I want to deal with. Reproduction dash pads are available from dearborn for $300. I'm planning on trying an Accuform Dash-cap on mine when I redo the interior this spring. The dashcaps are less than $90 on ebay, $100 from dearborn. Here's a tech article on installing the dashcap: http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/howto/5139_dashboard_rebuild/index.html The install looks easy and the reviews I've read on them have been good. Anyone else tried a dash-cap? Tom
On the Galaxie dash-the upper part of the pad is held on by the defroster garnish plates and the windshield inner trim. The holes are where the lower edge attach under the front edge of the dash. These holes are rectangular-for the clips for the dash pad to snap into. The holes are not too obvious, if you want to run with no dash pad. I have a '63 fastback that had the pad ripped out before I got it-have not yet decided if I want to spend $300 to replace it at this time. Welcome to the HAMB! alex
what about the place in california called 'just dashes" that refurbish dash pads. i have seen their ads and watched a segment on the repair process and it looked like it did a nice job. worth checking into if $300 bucks for a repop is your only option. sure wish i still had my hardtop.
Have a '62 here. Autokrafters also has a catalog with a ton of parts: http://www.autokrafters.com/ Welcome to the HAMB - your car doesn't look too bad at all in the photo. I think it's very cool that it's an XL, also. I love the buckets & console XL interior in the mid-60s Galaxies. Malcolm
malcolm- the car really isn't too bad, Main downfalls are the bondo in the quarters and one of the quarters has separated so it bows. The car is 100% complete so that means a lot. It has also been stored 100% in doors since 1982. The tires on your 62 are what I would like to run on mine. Probably the first thing I do to it this spring will be tires. I am debating if I should grind mine to show more white wall or buy some. Where did you get yours? Also what suspension mods do you have? rustrodder - have any pics of your dash w/o a pad?
Big Cruisers Rule!!! Yeah, yeah I like it all but there ain't nothing more comfortable than a big car toolin down the highway!!!!!! My first car was a 63 Galaie more door, still slammed it with a shave and a haircut and a set of skirts, it didn't look bad. Anyway welcome!!!!!!
uh man...... seeing this car is making me even more stoked to get my convertible lincoln back on the road. i like it... welcome. -scott noteboom
Tires are from Diamondback Classics. 225/70r15 on Mopar wheels, 15X6 or 15x7, I forget. The tires are kinda spendy, but good quality. The whitewalls always clean up to a nice bright white. They also wear well, I should get over 30k miles out of them, and that's driving my car hard. Coker also sells WWW radials. Air Ride Technologies 'bags all the way around. One leaf removed in back with "helper" 'bags between the spring and frame and 2" lowering blocks. Quite the combination to get it low, like I wanted it, but it works quite well. Up front, just replaced the springs w/ 'bags and relocated the shocks. In that photo I still had the stock spindles and drum brakes. I trimmed approx. 1/2"-3/4" off the rubber bump stops and it is resting on them in the photo. I've since switched to Granada spindles and disc brakes. Those spindles lowered the car another 1" to 1-1/2", compared to the photo. Any more questions, just ask. I'll try to help ya out where I can. Malcolm
28, great car, my 63 ragtop is in a hundred pieces. I didn't care about keeping mine original as it was a cobbled piece of crap when I got it. The body will be coming off the frame shortly. It looks like you can reverse your shackles in the rear and get several inches of drop before spending a dime. I believe factory cars came that way and it worked on mine. I can send a picture if it will help. I have the worst time trying to get replacement parts. I need a windshield and a good trunklid and I think they were made of unobtanium cause there are not any around here! Good luck on your project and feel free to pm any questions you have. I don't know much but every little bit helps.
hmm... A new windshield should not be that hard to get. Do you know if it is convertible specific? My uncle runs an auto glass shop and he was able to get a new windshield for my '62 for less than $150 (his cost). As for the trunk lid, try "Desertratrodder" on here. It seems like he had quite a few Galaxie parts. Or, try "FLAT-TOP BOB", he has Owens Auto Salvage in Texas. "28", sorry to hi-jack your thread, just tryin' to help out and pass along some info that might also be helpful to you. Malcolm
don't worry about it. I am always up for galaxie talk. topless - I PM'd you a guys email that was parting a galaxie and may have a lid
If you take off the dash cover, underneath it will be steel and it looks fuckin cool. The steel dash has the same shape around instrument cluster, but it looks better and it has a nicer curve to it L
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