Projects **Galaxie Find!! '63 500 XL in a Garage Since 1973!!**

subliminal message time-
(Super Stock! Super Stock! Super Stock! Super Stock! Big inch FE w/ 2 4 barrels, 4 speed, steelies w/cheater slicks, and an ouija board to contact the spirit of Gas Ronda )

 

From the pictures it looks like the front end is a different color. It might have been wrecked so check out the frame for damage.

 

Nice!

In the early 90's had a '63 boxtop two tone car, 390 P code, 4 spd with bench, I should scan a pic.

 

Very cool! The Six Flags sticker is cool too! Six Flags opened on August 1, 1961, so it was still just a new park then. That car has been places!

 

Nice to see another Galaxie!

 

love them big Fords, sweet find.

 

NICE!!!!

I had a red one with red interior. It had 390 with a close ratio 4-speed. First order of business when I got it was rebuild the front end, change to disc brakes and a dual cylinder master. I drove that car daily for 4 years and it is still on the road in San Diego. I really miss that car..........

 

ah what a beaut. lucky you.

 

It's odd... when you see it in person, the doors and roof appear to be a little lighter in color than the rest of the car. I really think the paint is mostly original and has just faded/discolored differently.

Also, the title says the car is blue, but there is no way it was ever blue.

Yes it has! He said they drove it down to Texas a few times to see his sister, I think.

 

Good luck with it!Ive been restoring my 62 xl for 7 years its just about ready for paint,Im a slow worker

 

Very nice.
A universe fulla Galaxies.

 

Good going, Nick...you be da man!

 

I had to look at that license plate five times before realizing it ain't "C3PO".

Nice score, man!



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I'm a huge fan of 63 500Xl's. That appears to be a great project.

 

I recall that approximately 13,000 4-dr HT XL's were built, which less than the number of XL convertibles for the year. I wanted to think around 35,000 XL boxtops, but I was overly optomisitc. Following is in part from Hemmings Muscle Machines circa December 2004 http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/2004/12/01/hmn_feature20.html:

"While 500XLs were not the only Galaxies built with the hi-po engines, they are the most sought-after for their combination of luxury and brute strength. The four-door hardtop is the most rare 1963 500XL, with 12,596 built, followed by our feature convertible, which is one of 18,551. Production of the two-door hardtop (29,713) was topped by the fastback coupe, of which 33,870 were made. In the abbreviated early 1963 run, 3,465 Fords were built with the 405hp, 406-cu.in. V-8 and 1,157 came with the 385hp version. After that year's changeover, 3,857 cars were motivated by the 425hp 427-cu.in. V-8, and a mere 1,038 used the 410hp variant."

 

I think someone has changed the engine or the intake.A 352 that year is supposed to come with the 4 barrel.Should be a black block and heads with gold air cleaner and valve covers.But a car that old is bound to have changes even if it was sitting since 73. I once had one just like it only it was not an XL.I bought an XL interior and put in it and changed the 352/4 barrel for a 390/2 barrel I had, drove it for years and sold it for 6 times what I gave for it.One of the best driving cars I have ever had.I love old Galaxies, I still have a 64.I am pretty sure that the boxtop hardtop was just made for half a year and then the fastbacks came out.

 

very nice

 

Take the plugs out, marvel mystery oil the cylinders,let it set a day or two and see if you can get it to turn over.
I have gotten a few engines unstuck and running,they ran fine.

 

Cool! nice find! I just love the '63 and even better with Falstaff.

 

You're identifying a 390 cu.in./300 hp "Thunderbird Special" if you're thinking 4-barrel and Castillian Gold air cleaner/valve covers for '63. Castillian Gold's a greenish-silver-gold, not a brassy gold like the Mustang/Falcon or the '60 352-360 hp, or Oldsmobubble gold: not a lot of people get it right. The 352 for '63 had a 2-barrel Ford 2100, medium blue valve covers/air cleaner (a shade or so lighter than Ford Corporate Blue) over a black engine like you noted (heads, intake, block, front cover, oil pan, etc.). My 4-door XL had the 352-2v/Cruise-O-Matic, strong-arm steering and manual brakes: I sure wish it had a 4v, but I'd have only been buying more gas to wash down all the oil that got past the rings .

 

great find....congratulations

 

Uhh.................Gas is still alive.

 

I saw that in the World Herald Saturday morning, gave him a call a little later an they said it was "SOLD". That must have been record time!

Great get and I'm sure it has a great future.

 

nice boxtop. '63 was the prettiest Ford of the 60s, IMO.

 

Last night Jason (jho), my buddy that bought the car and another friend, Clint, messed around with the car for a couple hours and got it running!! The rings must've been just barely stuck to the cylinder walls, because it didn't take much to break it free.

Here's the really unbelievable part --- The brakes still work, the power steering works, the transmission goes into gear and shifts!!! The exhaust isn't rotted out --- you can barely hear the car run! It even idles just fine. After 37 years of sitting, it was driven down the block and back last night. I still can't believe it!

I have a couple videos that I'll try to get posted tonight, probably on a new thread.

 

Cool car! I Always wanted a 61-63 Galaxie Can't believe the brakes still work! And it drives fine. WOW that is a great score.

 

I heard that. Anyone need a nice '79 F-250 Supercab???
This must be why I didn't check the paper Friday. I'm glad you got it Nick, great job!
Missed you Sunday in Gretna, we should chat some time I think.

Mark

 

Could be. I am no expert.Just mostly going by the one I had.It was an original unmolested 50,000 mile car when I got it.It came with 352/4barrel,gold valve covers and air cleaner and black long block.It might have been changed,but it was a one owner old lady car so I always figured it was factory original.

 

Hey, Ive seen that sticker before.... Cool! Love the car, great score!

 

Great score! Congrats.