For Sale: 1963 Ford Galaxie in Ft Worth, Texas

For fans of full-sized Ford muscle, there aren't many holier grails than a real-deal R-code Galaxie. Well, here's your chance, because this 1963 Ford Galaxie 500XL hardtop sports what is believed to be its original 427 and 4-speed manual, dual quads, and a rare chestnut-on-chestnut color combination. This was by far the biggest, baddest car on the streets of 1963, and it's been beautifully restored to top quality condition. If you want one of the best Galaxies 500XLs out there, you won't do much better than a dialed-in R-Code hardtop like this.

Code V Chestnut is this car's original color and now that you've seen it, it's hard to imagine any more suitable color for a car with so much potential. It was treated to a cost-no-object restoration a few years ago but we can't find many issues or nits to pick with the finish, it's just that darn nice. Sure, a super close examination might unearth a small imperfection here or there, but it's not like this car was built to sit in a museum anyway. The glossy copper-tinged paint is surely worlds better than it was in 1963 and you can tell at a glance that there's a ton of money and time invested in the final result. Look how beautifully straight the quarters are, the exacting panel gaps, and the deep gloss that only comes from high-quality work. Reflections are distortion-free in our pics and in real life and the doors close with the most wonderfully solid THUNK we've ever heard on a hardtop. Of course, the chrome and stainless trim is all in great shape as well, and the upscale 500XL carries quite a bit of the shiny stuff, so you know that wasn't cheap. Most importantly, the factory '427' emblems still live on the front fenders, perhaps the only warning that anyone's going to get about the beatings that this car regularly hands out.

The Code 89 Medium Chestnut bucket seat interior is equally nice. Buckets and a console in a full-sized Ford is simply awesome, and the driver's compartment is every bit as beautifully detailed as the body. Chestnut vinyl upholstery is newer, the carpets are plush, and the ornate chrome-accented door panels are, of course, in fantastic shape as well. The deep-dish steering wheel has a performance look and it's joined on the column with an aftermarket tach that keeps an eye on the revs, and there's just nothing cooler than a 4-speed shifter in a full-sized car like this. The gauges are original-spec and cover only the basics, so a trio of aftermarket units were added under the dash, which is just smart thinking with an expensive engine like that up front. The only other notable options are a working heater and AM radio, but you'll note it's the original radio and it remarkably still works, although if you want less static and more tunes an upgrade might be in store. The back seat is virtually untouched, and out back even the trunk is correctly finished with factory mats and includes a full-sized spare wearing a correct bias-ply blackwall and jack set.

But the real reason this car is special is the 427 cubic inch V8 under the hood which was Ford's most potent powerplant and one which also landed in the legendary Cobra. We've done our best to find as many casting numbers and date codes as possible since nothing was VIN stamped back then (see accompanying pictures), but save for the rear end, it all looks to be very correct for this car including the engine, transmission, both Holley carbs, intake, heads and even the distributor. When the owner purchased this Galaxie several years ago, this engine was out of the car and on an engine stand, having been preserved for future generations while a measly small block did the daily driver grunt work. But when it came to cash in on the investment, the original unit was reinstalled and it sits there today, in all of its beautiful big block glory. So yeah, it's ready to show or go. Correctly detailed with shiny chrome valve covers and that long oval air cleaner adorned with a correct '427' badge, it looks just like it did in 1963 and is ready to be shown off with great pride. The Borg Warner T10 4-speed manual gearbox muscles through the gears with ease and it was fitted with a non-locking conventional rear end with 3.50 gears out back to make it friendly on the street. Nevertheless, we guarantee you've never driven something this big that's also this fast. The undercarriage is fully painted and detailed and you'll note details like the cast iron exhaust manifolds, color-matched pans, blacked-out framework, and a throaty H-pipe Flowmaster dual exhaust system that sounds fantastic. Steel wheels with bright hubcaps and spinners are the right choice, and carry correct yet woefully skinny 6.70-15 whitewall bias-plys that don't have a chance against all that horsepower, so hang on tight!

Offered with its original window sticker, numerous restoration and maintenance receipts, and a folder full of Dyno sheets and other miscellaneous information about the car, this is a stunning piece of classic car lore in every sense of the word. Awesome colors, awesome pedigree, and an awesome restoration. If your blood flows Ford Blue, this is the car you've been waiting for. Call today!