Vehicle Description
Let's not dance around the issue: if this 1963 Ford Galaxie 500
were an Impala, it would cost twice as much. Yet this Ford offers
equally handsome looks, full-sized comfort, and a torquey 289 under
the hood, all nicely preserved to give it the look of a survivor
with the heart of a muscle car.
The first thing you notice about this big Galaxie is that wonderful
all-of-a-piece look that only cars that have been well maintained
for decades can offer. Look at how the light works on it, showing
off the soft gloss of the unusual Chestnut paint, bringing out the
details and drawing the eye along its smooth flanks. The door tag
says this car was originally code VM which is Chestnut with a
Corinthian White top, so it's the right combination. It probably
isn't original paint, it's just too nice for that, but it sure
looks wonderfully vintage and has been applied over very straight
sheetmetal. It's in very good condition and shows the work of guys
who seemed to care about what they were doing, and on a Galaxie,
that's a lot of real estate to manage. Of course, a paint job is
nothing without the details being right, and all the original Ford
trim remains in place with a lot of shiny details that still look
good despite being more than five decades old. And nothing says
speed and performance like those twin jet-like taillights out
back.
Neatly straddling the original/restored fence, the interior appears
to be wearing its original code 69 medium and light Chestnut vinyl
on the factory bench seat, and things like the door panels and dash
are also original and in decent shape for their age. The factory
instrument panel covers the basics of speed and fuel level, and the
band of bright trim running the width of the dash looks awesome.
It's possible that even the carpets are original and they're in
good order and the dash pad hasn't been cooked by the sun. Upgraded
with a wood-rimmed steering wheel, modern AM/FM/cassette radio in
the dash, and an under-dash A/C system that looks very much like
the dealer would have installed in 1963, it's a pleasing cruiser
that doesn't need any excuses. The trunk is pretty basic, but at
least it's obvious that there are no nasty surprises waiting for
you there, and it does have a full-sized spare, just in case.
In a big car you need horsepower, and the C-code 289 cubic inch V8
was a mid-year addition to the roster. Originally equipped with a
2-barrel carb, there's now a 4-barrel unit to help make a bit more
power. A chrome air cleaner replicates a period Hi-Po look and
matching valve covers add some flash to the all-black engine bay.
It isn't super-detailed but that's not really the point with this
car. However, upgrades like the modern A/C system are very welcome.
It's backed by a 3-speed automatic feeding a 9-inch full of 3.25
gears so it cruises easily and moves like a much smaller car. The
chassis is quite original and very clean, with a dual exhaust
system that sounds more like a Mustang than a big luxury coupe.
Polished Torque Thrust carry fat blackwall radials to give it a
traditional performance look.
A great old-school muscle car with a bit of luxury on the side,
this big Galaxie can still play with the younger kids. Call
today!
