1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL R-Code 427
Back in 1963, Ford was about to become the performance king, both on the track and in the showroom, with its legendary 425 horsepower, 427ci big block V8 with dual four-barrel carburetors available in its Thunderbirds, Galaxies and Fairlanes. Of the cars fitted with the new powerplant, it was Ford's full size Galaxie 500XL that stole the show. Appearing as a 1963 ½ model, the 500XL was based on Ford's newest NASCAR efforts and proved to be an instant success. Ford built 18,551 Galaxie 500XLs in 1963, but fewer than 100 had the R-code engine.
In the early 1960s, Ford, GM, and Chrysler slugged it out door handle to door handle on the nation's drag strips, NASCAR ovals and road-racing circuits. Manufacturers stuffed the largest possible engines into their full-sized two-door models to create true performance versions. To meet FIA and NASCAR displacement rules, these immensely powerful motors were limited to seven liters, or just over 427 cubic inches. Thus were born the 426-inch motors from Dodge/Plymouth, 421s from Pontiac, and 427s from Chevrolet and Ford.
This is a real R-code with the correct date coded 427ci 425hp V8 with 2-4's, standard bore and the required manual 4-speed. It comes with a build sheet and photo album. It has all the factory markings under the hood and beneath the car. The complete nut/bolt restoration was performed by Kevin Westmoreland and no panels were replaced, with all being original to the car. The interior has an NOS headliner, dash trim, seat covers and door panels. Other NOS parts include the exterior trim and the exhaust. The engine was done by Gary Dingler.
