Incredible professional build. 514 cubic inch big block, 600
horsepower. 4-speed manual. Beautiful black bodywork, zero rust,
fully finished interior and trunk. Gorgeous and fast!
The fellow who built this car was a talented body man, a guy who
insisted on painting all his cars black. As a result, you know how
nice the bodywork really is, because there’s nowhere for
half-hearted workmanship to hide on a black car. Those giant
quarter panels are mirror-smooth, the black paint is so deep that
you can almost go swimming in it, and panel gaps are at least as
good as they were when it was new. There are plenty of
modifications under the skin, all designed to make it go fast, but
the exterior is restored to a very high standard and still wears
all its beautiful original brightwork. And on the Starliner,
there’s plenty of it, all beautifully refinished. There’s that
highly ornate grillework up front, beautiful little ornaments on
top of the fenders that are miniature works of jet-age art, and
crisply rendered ‘Starliner’ script on the front fenders. And, of
course, you get a pair of lovely Ford taillights that look like
afterburners, and they’ve never looked better.
When you think of Pro-Street, you think of roll cages, sheetmetal
interiors, and racing harnesses, but when you open the door on this
Starliner, you think, well, Starliner. It’s beautifully restored
but there’s absolutely no trace of the modifications within beyond
a set of updated instruments. The factory bench seats are
beautifully reupholstered in black vinyl that’s luxurious-looking
and correctly stitched into narrow pleats. The original dashboard
is intact, but there’s a custom gauge insert full of white-faced
Auto Meter dials that monitor all the engine’s vitals, plus a big
tachometer up high where it belongs. A fat Grant steering wheel
looks right in the black and chrome interior, and there’s a Hurst
cue ball shifter for the 4-speed manual gearbox. Note that the
original knobs and levers control the secondary systems and they
all work properly. An OEM Ford AM/FM/cassette/CD stereo system was
neatly installed in the center of the dash and looks like it was
born there. There’s still a sizeable trunk, too, although it has
obviously been modified with wheel tubs and a new floor designed to
clear the fuel cell living underneath, although the neatly tailored
carpets make those modifications all but disappear.
The thunder comes from a built 514 cubic inch Ford big block that
fits neatly in the Galaxie’s massive engine bay. It’s a 460 block
that’s been bored and stroked and puts out an estimated 600
horsepower on pump gas, and you’d better believe it’s nasty.
There’s a lumpy cam in there, so it’s got that race car idle, but
it smooths right out at speed and there’s thrust available at any
engine speed. There’s a massive Holley 4-barrel carburetor up on
top of a Weiand high-rise aluminum intake and an MSD ignition
system lights the fires. It’s nicely dressed with Ford Blue on the
block, a set of polished Ford Motorsports valve covers, and a bunch
of braided stainless just to keep with the race-ready look. A thick
Griffin aluminum radiator with two electric fans helps keep the big
guy cool and a serpentine belt drive for the accessories is a nice
upgrade. Prod the accelerator a few times and it springs to life
easily with a bark from the custom exhaust system, which includes
long-tube headers and a custom stainless steel exhaust system
ending in Supertrapp mufflers (which can be tuned for sound level).
It’s got that big engine lopey idle and wicking the throttle is
sure to draw attention two blocks away. But it’s actually quite
streetable for such a beast and happily drinks high-octane pump
gas, so no worries about special fuel requirements.
The Toploader 4-speed manual seems to shrug off the big torque
churning through it and shifts crisply with light clutch action,
and there’s a custom-made driveshaft that goes back to a
custom-built 9-inch rear end. 4.11 gears on a Track-Lok limited
slip and 31-spline axles ensure that all the power reliably reaches
the giant tires, so don’t be afraid to use it to its potential. And
as long as you’re looking around underneath, check out the spotless
floors and the beautiful back-half job that neatly bisects the
original frame to make room for the oversized tires. The front
suspension is stock, although it’s been augmented with a set of big
disc brakes, lowering springs, and a fat sway bar. Polished
aluminum Centerline wheels with Ford hubs look great and carry
195/65/15 radials up front and those monstrous 15-inch wide Mickey
Thompson Sportsman meats out back.
Let the haters say that Pro-Street is dead, but when you show up
with this Starliner nobody is going to say a thing about it. This
is an apex predator, a car that requires you to be at the top of
your game before dipping into the vast horsepower reserves on tap,
but one that will also consistently put a smile on your face,
whether it’s on the road, on the track, or at a show. Call
today!
For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com
