Turbowomble

Evening all,
I’m blown away by the positive reception this has gotten, and don’t know whether to be grateful for the support or curse you all for acting as enablers…
Nothing has changed physically since the original post, only that my credit card is wheezing from all the purchases I’ve made of parts and go-faster bits - these include, but are not limited to:
- the 428 and C6 auto the car was delivered with being swapped for a 347 stoker short block, which I believe started out life as a 5.0 from a Fox-body of some description. Also procured for this are an Edelbrock F4B inlet manifold, some NOS ‘Powered By Ford’ valve covers, a fancy new sump pan and oil pump, and a Brawler 650cfm carb, replete with electric choke. Turns out that Holleys are a king’s ransom, and that Brawler is Holley’s ‘economy’ sub-brand, so it’s basically a Holley…right? All that’s left are GT40 cylinder heads, which I’m told can be got fairly easily, some short-tube headers and a slightly lift-y camshaft, as I want that nice lumpy idle.
- an AOD transmission, out of a different Fox-body car
- all new weatherstripping for the doors and windows, and a full headliner
- a full set of floorpans, as the current ones are Swiss cheese
Next on the shopping list, requiring immediate attention:
- a front disc conversion kit, given that reports of the standard brakes are less than glowing and that there’ll be 150+ hp more to contend with than it originally came with. There’s a Wilwood conversion kit that looks mighty tempting, however lll have to write Ms. Truss a letter asking her to pull the pound up by a few points in order for the man-maths to work on that one…
- a shorter final drive, probably 3.73; I’ve spent quite a few work hours this week dicking around with the Tremec ratio calculator and have determined that this appears to be the sweet spot between a moderate level of motorway RPM (2500rpm = 75mph, based on current tyre sizes) and also not turning the transmission into muesli, as AODs have quite a low pain threshold it seems and the 347 would be right at that limit of ~350hp/350lb/ft. If I can get a limited slip as well that’d be a bonus 
- for the paint, I’ve taken on board the collective’s opinion of Dinnae Paint It™️ and have elected that I’ll only re-do the front clip while leaving the rest as is; I’m told the wings are save-able, save for a light patch-n-fill, but that I’ll definitely require a new bonnet. I haven’t seen the car’s vehicle ID plate - only it’s VIN; it was born in Dearborn, MI, it started out life as a 289 2bbl car and was #59,356 off the line in 1964, for those who care - to determine the car’s paint code, however extensive Googling during an office comfort break* leads me to believe that this car was originally Holly Green, which is a handsome bastard colour if I do say so myself, and so I reckon I’ll re-do the front end and then clearcoat the whole thing, hopefully to the delight of all you patina-lickers.
I’ll be seeing the car in person for the first time on the 12th November, hence I’m working quickly to get as much sorted as possible so I can get stuck straight in as soon as I’m there. I figure that if I can get the oily bits and the bodywork in good order while I’m there (and have access to suitable facilities, equipment and professional help/expertise) that anything cosmetic/non-essential can come later, such as sorting the interior…

…which, as you can see, is a touch fucked. The headlining I’ve bought is black, as originally I’d planned that the car be black body/black interior/black steels, although now I’m moving a different direction with the exterior colour I’m wondering if this creamy-beige scheme inside is worth sticking with. Again, all suggestions on this welcome.
As a final side note, by pure chance I stumbled upon the thread for @sdkrc’s ‘67 4-door, and have poured myself a generous* Rusty Nail to settle in for a night’s reading…figured that was an appropriate beverage, given the community I’ve found myself in and the automotive choices I’ve made!

Dat’s real purdy
Funny you mention the wheels, these 8-hole ‘phone dial’ wheels are some of my favourite Mercedes alloy designs; they’d be my ideal wheel for a R129, if ever one manages to grace my garage.

Forgot to stick this in the last comment: stumbled upon this when I was researching the colour and got very wistful over the thought that this is probably very close to what the car looked like both inside and out when new, save for the white roof. 

Evening all,
I’m blown away by the positive reception this has gotten, and don’t know whether to be grateful for the support or curse you all for acting as enablers…
Nothing has changed physically since the original post, only that my credit card is wheezing from all the purchases I’ve made of parts and go-faster bits - these include, but are not limited to:
- the 428 and C6 auto the car was delivered with being swapped for a 347 stoker short block, which I believe started out life as a 5.0 from a Fox-body of some description. Also procured for this are an Edelbrock F4B inlet manifold, some NOS ‘Powered By Ford’ valve covers, a fancy new sump pan and oil pump, and a Brawler 650cfm carb, replete with electric choke. Turns out that Holleys are a king’s ransom, and that Brawler is Holley’s ‘economy’ sub-brand, so it’s basically a Holley…right? All that’s left are GT40 cylinder heads, which I’m told can be got fairly easily, some short-tube headers and a slightly lift-y camshaft, as I want that nice lumpy idle.
- an AOD transmission, out of a different Fox-body car
- all new weatherstripping for the doors and windows, and a full headliner
- a full set of floorpans, as the current ones are Swiss cheese
Next on the shopping list, requiring immediate attention:
- a front disc conversion kit, given that reports of the standard brakes are less than glowing and that there’ll be 150+ hp more to contend with than it originally came with. There’s a Wilwood conversion kit that looks mighty tempting, however lll have to write Ms. Truss a letter asking her to pull the pound up by a few points in order for the man-maths to work on that one…
- a shorter final drive, probably 3.73; I’ve spent quite a few work hours this week dicking around with the Tremec ratio calculator and have determined that this appears to be the sweet spot between a moderate level of motorway RPM (2500rpm = 75mph, based on current tyre sizes) and also not turning the transmission into muesli, as AODs have quite a low pain threshold it seems and the 347 would be right at that limit of ~350hp/350lb/ft. If I can get a limited slip as well that’d be a bonus 
- for the paint, I’ve taken on board the collective’s opinion of Dinnae Paint It™️ and have elected that I’ll only re-do the front clip while leaving the rest as is; I’m told the wings are save-able, save for a light patch-n-fill, but that I’ll definitely require a new bonnet. I haven’t seen the car’s vehicle ID plate - only it’s VIN; it was born in Dearborn, MI, it started out life as a 289 2bbl car and was #59,356 off the line in 1964, for those who care - to determine the car’s paint code, however extensive Googling during an office comfort break* leads me to believe that this car was originally Holly Green, which is a handsome bastard colour if I do say so myself, and so I reckon I’ll re-do the front end and then clearcoat the whole thing, hopefully to the delight of all you patina-lickers.
I’ll be seeing the car in person for the first time on the 12th November, hence I’m working quickly to get as much sorted as possible so I can get stuck straight in as soon as I’m there. I figure that if I can get the oily bits and the bodywork in good order while I’m there (and have access to suitable facilities, equipment and professional help/expertise) that anything cosmetic/non-essential can come later, such as sorting the interior…

…which, as you can see, is a touch fucked. The headlining I’ve bought is black, as originally I’d planned that the car be black body/black interior/black steels, although now I’m moving a different direction with the exterior colour I’m wondering if this creamy-beige scheme inside is worth sticking with. Again, all suggestions on this welcome.
As a final side note, by pure chance I stumbled upon the thread for @sdkrc’s ‘67 4-door, and have poured myself a generous* Rusty Nail to settle in for a night’s reading…figured that was an appropriate beverage, given the community I’ve found myself in and the automotive choices I’ve made!

I’ve had a bit of a crisis upon turning 30 (I’m loathe to refer to it as ‘mid-life’, as that seems a pessimistic guess of my life expectancy, however the amount of sausage rolls and Guinness I go through on a weekly basis is helping that dream become a reality), and so decided that I needed one last automotive hurrah, preferably one with a big lumpy V8 and was old enough to be tax- and MOT-exempt and low enough insurance to justify the eye-watering fuel consumption.
Enter: this clapped-out ol’ hog:

A 1964 Ford Galaxie 500, held together by its own corrosion and some misplaced hopes and dreams.
Found on FB for the princely sum of $1,500 (so about £10k at the exchange rates I paid) this has been owned by the same chap since 1974, when it was parked in his cattle shed about 30 years ago and then moved out into the paddock about a decade later when the cattle needed more room. A North Carolina car its whole life, it will live there in my father’s workshop until I get over and am able to spend a couple of weeks getting it into shape and stuffed into a container, destined for the UK and eventually NI.
The plans for it include:
- a 347ci stroker motor with some go-faster bits like an Edelbrock inlet manifold, Holley 650ci carb, GT40 heads and other odds and sods; hoping that this combo will be good for 350hp or so.
- an AOD 4-speed slush-o-matic with some 3.55 rear gears, which should hopefully* make it sprightly enough in its first 3 gears while making for a decent cruiser in its 4th.
- painted black (I’m currently undecided between gloss and satin; this will be dependent on the standard of the bodywork, as satin will hide the multitude of sins better than gloss but I feel gloss will look less ‘thuggy’ than a matte satin finish), set off with some painted steel wheels and white-line tyres
- some other creature comforts in the form of a Bluetooth stereo, maybe cruise control and a ‘knee-cooler’ A/C unit.
I don’t have much else to add right now - I’ll mainly just be making a list of what’s needed and getting all the parts delivered (while also trying not to get completely fleeced by the exchange rate). But I’m excited by this and just wanted to share with the rest of the parish.
One final pick for how it sits now - these won’t be the final wheels for it, however they’re definitely growing on me:

Just after going through this one from start to finish, what a rollercoaster and what a transformation for the old girl! Such a shame that the latest developments involve having to hide it in a safehouse  due to attempted scrote-baggery. 

I think mainly not enough paint/Underseal at the factory. 
Some of it is poor design - dirt trap behind front wheels on lower wing, and the fabric arch liners hold water. 
Also sills get peppered by stuff thrown up from front wheels, then blisters grow into big rust. (Probably not exclusive to Puma).
But I have a feeling that some/all of the underside paint and protection was applied by hand rather than robot, so depended on how Klaus in Cologne was feeling that day. (I don't mean with a brush, but with a spray gun).
Ultimately though it was spun off mk4 fiesta, a cheap supermini not designed to last 20+ years. 

Evening all,
I’m blown away by the positive reception this has gotten, and don’t know whether to be grateful for the support or curse you all for acting as enablers…
Nothing has changed physically since the original post, only that my credit card is wheezing from all the purchases I’ve made of parts and go-faster bits - these include, but are not limited to:
- the 428 and C6 auto the car was delivered with being swapped for a 347 stoker short block, which I believe started out life as a 5.0 from a Fox-body of some description. Also procured for this are an Edelbrock F4B inlet manifold, some NOS ‘Powered By Ford’ valve covers, a fancy new sump pan and oil pump, and a Brawler 650cfm carb, replete with electric choke. Turns out that Holleys are a king’s ransom, and that Brawler is Holley’s ‘economy’ sub-brand, so it’s basically a Holley…right? All that’s left are GT40 cylinder heads, which I’m told can be got fairly easily, some short-tube headers and a slightly lift-y camshaft, as I want that nice lumpy idle.
- an AOD transmission, out of a different Fox-body car
- all new weatherstripping for the doors and windows, and a full headliner
- a full set of floorpans, as the current ones are Swiss cheese
Next on the shopping list, requiring immediate attention:
- a front disc conversion kit, given that reports of the standard brakes are less than glowing and that there’ll be 150+ hp more to contend with than it originally came with. There’s a Wilwood conversion kit that looks mighty tempting, however lll have to write Ms. Truss a letter asking her to pull the pound up by a few points in order for the man-maths to work on that one…
- a shorter final drive, probably 3.73; I’ve spent quite a few work hours this week dicking around with the Tremec ratio calculator and have determined that this appears to be the sweet spot between a moderate level of motorway RPM (2500rpm = 75mph, based on current tyre sizes) and also not turning the transmission into muesli, as AODs have quite a low pain threshold it seems and the 347 would be right at that limit of ~350hp/350lb/ft. If I can get a limited slip as well that’d be a bonus 
- for the paint, I’ve taken on board the collective’s opinion of Dinnae Paint It™️ and have elected that I’ll only re-do the front clip while leaving the rest as is; I’m told the wings are save-able, save for a light patch-n-fill, but that I’ll definitely require a new bonnet. I haven’t seen the car’s vehicle ID plate - only it’s VIN; it was born in Dearborn, MI, it started out life as a 289 2bbl car and was #59,356 off the line in 1964, for those who care - to determine the car’s paint code, however extensive Googling during an office comfort break* leads me to believe that this car was originally Holly Green, which is a handsome bastard colour if I do say so myself, and so I reckon I’ll re-do the front end and then clearcoat the whole thing, hopefully to the delight of all you patina-lickers.
I’ll be seeing the car in person for the first time on the 12th November, hence I’m working quickly to get as much sorted as possible so I can get stuck straight in as soon as I’m there. I figure that if I can get the oily bits and the bodywork in good order while I’m there (and have access to suitable facilities, equipment and professional help/expertise) that anything cosmetic/non-essential can come later, such as sorting the interior…

…which, as you can see, is a touch fucked. The headlining I’ve bought is black, as originally I’d planned that the car be black body/black interior/black steels, although now I’m moving a different direction with the exterior colour I’m wondering if this creamy-beige scheme inside is worth sticking with. Again, all suggestions on this welcome.
As a final side note, by pure chance I stumbled upon the thread for @sdkrc’s ‘67 4-door, and have poured myself a generous* Rusty Nail to settle in for a night’s reading…figured that was an appropriate beverage, given the community I’ve found myself in and the automotive choices I’ve made!

Evening all,
I’m blown away by the positive reception this has gotten, and don’t know whether to be grateful for the support or curse you all for acting as enablers…
Nothing has changed physically since the original post, only that my credit card is wheezing from all the purchases I’ve made of parts and go-faster bits - these include, but are not limited to:
- the 428 and C6 auto the car was delivered with being swapped for a 347 stoker short block, which I believe started out life as a 5.0 from a Fox-body of some description. Also procured for this are an Edelbrock F4B inlet manifold, some NOS ‘Powered By Ford’ valve covers, a fancy new sump pan and oil pump, and a Brawler 650cfm carb, replete with electric choke. Turns out that Holleys are a king’s ransom, and that Brawler is Holley’s ‘economy’ sub-brand, so it’s basically a Holley…right? All that’s left are GT40 cylinder heads, which I’m told can be got fairly easily, some short-tube headers and a slightly lift-y camshaft, as I want that nice lumpy idle.
- an AOD transmission, out of a different Fox-body car
- all new weatherstripping for the doors and windows, and a full headliner
- a full set of floorpans, as the current ones are Swiss cheese
Next on the shopping list, requiring immediate attention:
- a front disc conversion kit, given that reports of the standard brakes are less than glowing and that there’ll be 150+ hp more to contend with than it originally came with. There’s a Wilwood conversion kit that looks mighty tempting, however lll have to write Ms. Truss a letter asking her to pull the pound up by a few points in order for the man-maths to work on that one…
- a shorter final drive, probably 3.73; I’ve spent quite a few work hours this week dicking around with the Tremec ratio calculator and have determined that this appears to be the sweet spot between a moderate level of motorway RPM (2500rpm = 75mph, based on current tyre sizes) and also not turning the transmission into muesli, as AODs have quite a low pain threshold it seems and the 347 would be right at that limit of ~350hp/350lb/ft. If I can get a limited slip as well that’d be a bonus 
- for the paint, I’ve taken on board the collective’s opinion of Dinnae Paint It™️ and have elected that I’ll only re-do the front clip while leaving the rest as is; I’m told the wings are save-able, save for a light patch-n-fill, but that I’ll definitely require a new bonnet. I haven’t seen the car’s vehicle ID plate - only it’s VIN; it was born in Dearborn, MI, it started out life as a 289 2bbl car and was #59,356 off the line in 1964, for those who care - to determine the car’s paint code, however extensive Googling during an office comfort break* leads me to believe that this car was originally Holly Green, which is a handsome bastard colour if I do say so myself, and so I reckon I’ll re-do the front end and then clearcoat the whole thing, hopefully to the delight of all you patina-lickers.
I’ll be seeing the car in person for the first time on the 12th November, hence I’m working quickly to get as much sorted as possible so I can get stuck straight in as soon as I’m there. I figure that if I can get the oily bits and the bodywork in good order while I’m there (and have access to suitable facilities, equipment and professional help/expertise) that anything cosmetic/non-essential can come later, such as sorting the interior…

…which, as you can see, is a touch fucked. The headlining I’ve bought is black, as originally I’d planned that the car be black body/black interior/black steels, although now I’m moving a different direction with the exterior colour I’m wondering if this creamy-beige scheme inside is worth sticking with. Again, all suggestions on this welcome.
As a final side note, by pure chance I stumbled upon the thread for @sdkrc’s ‘67 4-door, and have poured myself a generous* Rusty Nail to settle in for a night’s reading…figured that was an appropriate beverage, given the community I’ve found myself in and the automotive choices I’ve made!

Forgot to stick this in the last comment: stumbled upon this when I was researching the colour and got very wistful over the thought that this is probably very close to what the car looked like both inside and out when new, save for the white roof. 

Evening all,
I’m blown away by the positive reception this has gotten, and don’t know whether to be grateful for the support or curse you all for acting as enablers…
Nothing has changed physically since the original post, only that my credit card is wheezing from all the purchases I’ve made of parts and go-faster bits - these include, but are not limited to:
- the 428 and C6 auto the car was delivered with being swapped for a 347 stoker short block, which I believe started out life as a 5.0 from a Fox-body of some description. Also procured for this are an Edelbrock F4B inlet manifold, some NOS ‘Powered By Ford’ valve covers, a fancy new sump pan and oil pump, and a Brawler 650cfm carb, replete with electric choke. Turns out that Holleys are a king’s ransom, and that Brawler is Holley’s ‘economy’ sub-brand, so it’s basically a Holley…right? All that’s left are GT40 cylinder heads, which I’m told can be got fairly easily, some short-tube headers and a slightly lift-y camshaft, as I want that nice lumpy idle.
- an AOD transmission, out of a different Fox-body car
- all new weatherstripping for the doors and windows, and a full headliner
- a full set of floorpans, as the current ones are Swiss cheese
Next on the shopping list, requiring immediate attention:
- a front disc conversion kit, given that reports of the standard brakes are less than glowing and that there’ll be 150+ hp more to contend with than it originally came with. There’s a Wilwood conversion kit that looks mighty tempting, however lll have to write Ms. Truss a letter asking her to pull the pound up by a few points in order for the man-maths to work on that one…
- a shorter final drive, probably 3.73; I’ve spent quite a few work hours this week dicking around with the Tremec ratio calculator and have determined that this appears to be the sweet spot between a moderate level of motorway RPM (2500rpm = 75mph, based on current tyre sizes) and also not turning the transmission into muesli, as AODs have quite a low pain threshold it seems and the 347 would be right at that limit of ~350hp/350lb/ft. If I can get a limited slip as well that’d be a bonus 
- for the paint, I’ve taken on board the collective’s opinion of Dinnae Paint It™️ and have elected that I’ll only re-do the front clip while leaving the rest as is; I’m told the wings are save-able, save for a light patch-n-fill, but that I’ll definitely require a new bonnet. I haven’t seen the car’s vehicle ID plate - only it’s VIN; it was born in Dearborn, MI, it started out life as a 289 2bbl car and was #59,356 off the line in 1964, for those who care - to determine the car’s paint code, however extensive Googling during an office comfort break* leads me to believe that this car was originally Holly Green, which is a handsome bastard colour if I do say so myself, and so I reckon I’ll re-do the front end and then clearcoat the whole thing, hopefully to the delight of all you patina-lickers.
I’ll be seeing the car in person for the first time on the 12th November, hence I’m working quickly to get as much sorted as possible so I can get stuck straight in as soon as I’m there. I figure that if I can get the oily bits and the bodywork in good order while I’m there (and have access to suitable facilities, equipment and professional help/expertise) that anything cosmetic/non-essential can come later, such as sorting the interior…

…which, as you can see, is a touch fucked. The headlining I’ve bought is black, as originally I’d planned that the car be black body/black interior/black steels, although now I’m moving a different direction with the exterior colour I’m wondering if this creamy-beige scheme inside is worth sticking with. Again, all suggestions on this welcome.
As a final side note, by pure chance I stumbled upon the thread for @sdkrc’s ‘67 4-door, and have poured myself a generous* Rusty Nail to settle in for a night’s reading…figured that was an appropriate beverage, given the community I’ve found myself in and the automotive choices I’ve made!

Well shit. Someone had broken into the visa and the Galaxie. They tried to hotwire the visa but fuck knows why. They left the door and windows open on the Galaxie. 

I've been on the waiting list for a council lockup for 4yrs, any ideas on how I can secure my car asap? A steering wheel lock won't stop someone with a low loader and it sounds like the banger racing world championship is coming around soon

Evening all,
I’m blown away by the positive reception this has gotten, and don’t know whether to be grateful for the support or curse you all for acting as enablers…
Nothing has changed physically since the original post, only that my credit card is wheezing from all the purchases I’ve made of parts and go-faster bits - these include, but are not limited to:
- the 428 and C6 auto the car was delivered with being swapped for a 347 stoker short block, which I believe started out life as a 5.0 from a Fox-body of some description. Also procured for this are an Edelbrock F4B inlet manifold, some NOS ‘Powered By Ford’ valve covers, a fancy new sump pan and oil pump, and a Brawler 650cfm carb, replete with electric choke. Turns out that Holleys are a king’s ransom, and that Brawler is Holley’s ‘economy’ sub-brand, so it’s basically a Holley…right? All that’s left are GT40 cylinder heads, which I’m told can be got fairly easily, some short-tube headers and a slightly lift-y camshaft, as I want that nice lumpy idle.
- an AOD transmission, out of a different Fox-body car
- all new weatherstripping for the doors and windows, and a full headliner
- a full set of floorpans, as the current ones are Swiss cheese
Next on the shopping list, requiring immediate attention:
- a front disc conversion kit, given that reports of the standard brakes are less than glowing and that there’ll be 150+ hp more to contend with than it originally came with. There’s a Wilwood conversion kit that looks mighty tempting, however lll have to write Ms. Truss a letter asking her to pull the pound up by a few points in order for the man-maths to work on that one…
- a shorter final drive, probably 3.73; I’ve spent quite a few work hours this week dicking around with the Tremec ratio calculator and have determined that this appears to be the sweet spot between a moderate level of motorway RPM (2500rpm = 75mph, based on current tyre sizes) and also not turning the transmission into muesli, as AODs have quite a low pain threshold it seems and the 347 would be right at that limit of ~350hp/350lb/ft. If I can get a limited slip as well that’d be a bonus 
- for the paint, I’ve taken on board the collective’s opinion of Dinnae Paint It™️ and have elected that I’ll only re-do the front clip while leaving the rest as is; I’m told the wings are save-able, save for a light patch-n-fill, but that I’ll definitely require a new bonnet. I haven’t seen the car’s vehicle ID plate - only it’s VIN; it was born in Dearborn, MI, it started out life as a 289 2bbl car and was #59,356 off the line in 1964, for those who care - to determine the car’s paint code, however extensive Googling during an office comfort break* leads me to believe that this car was originally Holly Green, which is a handsome bastard colour if I do say so myself, and so I reckon I’ll re-do the front end and then clearcoat the whole thing, hopefully to the delight of all you patina-lickers.
I’ll be seeing the car in person for the first time on the 12th November, hence I’m working quickly to get as much sorted as possible so I can get stuck straight in as soon as I’m there. I figure that if I can get the oily bits and the bodywork in good order while I’m there (and have access to suitable facilities, equipment and professional help/expertise) that anything cosmetic/non-essential can come later, such as sorting the interior…

…which, as you can see, is a touch fucked. The headlining I’ve bought is black, as originally I’d planned that the car be black body/black interior/black steels, although now I’m moving a different direction with the exterior colour I’m wondering if this creamy-beige scheme inside is worth sticking with. Again, all suggestions on this welcome.
As a final side note, by pure chance I stumbled upon the thread for @sdkrc’s ‘67 4-door, and have poured myself a generous* Rusty Nail to settle in for a night’s reading…figured that was an appropriate beverage, given the community I’ve found myself in and the automotive choices I’ve made!

FIFY

Dailying a 1966 Galaxie as the most practical and reliable vehicle on your fleet.
Winning at life.

I once tried using a store discount card to remove ice from my windscreen but I only got 20% off.

I had a failed business, a baby, a promotion and bought my first flat in the last 15 months so I have limited time to combine with limited funds and limited practical skills. Awesome car to learn with though. Everything is insanely simple and there is enough room for even the fattest hands.
Getting parts has been a problem. I've got 3 air filters, none of which fit. New windscreens don't seem to exist and kits for disc brakes are massively out of my budget.
Below is the current list of things that need done. I have negative money so will hopefully be doing some work in January 
✓ Fuel tank seal
Air filter
Hub cap
Idling carburettor
Windscreen
Rear footwell welding
Upholster rear bench
Roof lining
Paint (do not paint!!)
All rubber seals
Rustproofing/waxoyl
I love the colour and I like it looking beat up and shitty. I fully intend to use this as a daily.

Low effort thread warning:
I bought this Galaxie after seeing it on the bay with ~10mins left to run. Coolest thing I've ever seen in my life but my goal for 2019 was to not buy any cars. One high adrenaline, guilty bid later and I've completely ruined my life.
Called the guy up and asked could I drive it home. He said "not a hope in hell"
It was in a barn in the US for 25yrs sitting and rotting. Imported to the UK in May 2019.
Old mate was a classic rally man back in his day and had one exactly like this back in the 70s. He planned on restoring it but had a f*cking awful run of luck (ill health, son chopped his fingers off, garage burnt down with the seats in it). 
39k miles. 390 cubic inches. Pillarless. 1966.
It's had a new fuel tank, new wheels and tyres, new battery, new pipes, new brake cables and the drums rebuilt all around. I've found a lot of crazy stuff since buying it though - ran it for 100miles until I noticed no air filter. Found out the fuel tank wasn't sealed whilst I was on the motorway. The lights also intermittently turn off completely every so often which I found out at night. 1 hub cap fell off and nearly hit a man walking.
Good: Chassis is solid. Interior is bone-dry. Drives straight and I think the engine runs well. No fluid leaks.
Bad: Gear changes are insanely clunky. Dash is warped. Boot taking on water. Interior looks like it's had several generations of mice + a fire.

I’ve had a bit of a crisis upon turning 30 (I’m loathe to refer to it as ‘mid-life’, as that seems a pessimistic guess of my life expectancy, however the amount of sausage rolls and Guinness I go through on a weekly basis is helping that dream become a reality), and so decided that I needed one last automotive hurrah, preferably one with a big lumpy V8 and was old enough to be tax- and MOT-exempt and low enough insurance to justify the eye-watering fuel consumption.
Enter: this clapped-out ol’ hog:

A 1964 Ford Galaxie 500, held together by its own corrosion and some misplaced hopes and dreams.
Found on FB for the princely sum of $1,500 (so about £10k at the exchange rates I paid) this has been owned by the same chap since 1974, when it was parked in his cattle shed about 30 years ago and then moved out into the paddock about a decade later when the cattle needed more room. A North Carolina car its whole life, it will live there in my father’s workshop until I get over and am able to spend a couple of weeks getting it into shape and stuffed into a container, destined for the UK and eventually NI.
The plans for it include:
- a 347ci stroker motor with some go-faster bits like an Edelbrock inlet manifold, Holley 650ci carb, GT40 heads and other odds and sods; hoping that this combo will be good for 350hp or so.
- an AOD 4-speed slush-o-matic with some 3.55 rear gears, which should hopefully* make it sprightly enough in its first 3 gears while making for a decent cruiser in its 4th.
- painted black (I’m currently undecided between gloss and satin; this will be dependent on the standard of the bodywork, as satin will hide the multitude of sins better than gloss but I feel gloss will look less ‘thuggy’ than a matte satin finish), set off with some painted steel wheels and white-line tyres
- some other creature comforts in the form of a Bluetooth stereo, maybe cruise control and a ‘knee-cooler’ A/C unit.
I don’t have much else to add right now - I’ll mainly just be making a list of what’s needed and getting all the parts delivered (while also trying not to get completely fleeced by the exchange rate). But I’m excited by this and just wanted to share with the rest of the parish.
One final pick for how it sits now - these won’t be the final wheels for it, however they’re definitely growing on me:

Absolutely adore this, I still think Ford's New Edge era was a high point. 

I wasn't going to bother but as a few of seem interested i thought I'd start a thread on the Capri that i bought last month.
It all started when a lady in the village who knows my wife asked her if I'd be interested in her husbands relatives old Capri they have in a garage, both him and his wife have died of old age and they have inherited the property and this old Capri had been in the garage for 20 years since he gave up driving at 83 and it was now being a 'burden', her words, not mind.
The car was over a hour away near Harlow so i shot down there to visit the ladies mother in law who was at the bungalow sorting it out, she gave me the key to the garage and told me to take a look whilst she made me a cup of coffee.
This is was i viewed when i opened the up n over door.






I admit i got a bit excited at this point! the story is what he bought the car new in 1986, used it up until 2003 where he got Parkinson's and was too ill to drive anymore racking up 95000 miles, whilst he maintained the car well he probably would have benefitted from parking sensors these days!
The lady said she'd been offered £900 by a neighbour but thought it was a bit low, i offered £2000 and she was more than happy! a few days later by mate helped me collect it.

Access wasn't great as it was at the rear garden with a short drive with no room for pulling the car out easily and onto a road that was rat run and blind pulling out on, nothings easy!


fortunately my mates truck managed to drag it out with locked brakes and big hammers!

we then dragged it backwards down the roads, swapped ends and pulled it into a nearby school entrance and onto the trailer


on the way back we got lost and managed to go past the original dealers, Gates in Harlow so we pulled in a got a photo!


eventually we managed to drag it into my garage, phew! that was hard work!

Make sure you get good pics from the seller.

If you test drive it and the seller makes no mention of the fact that half the interior trim is in a box in the back seat then you shouldn't either. It's rude and obviously of no consequence.

It’s often best practice to mention to any prospective seller that your giro clears next Wednesday, once they know your domestic circumstances they’ll likely cut you slack. 

When you ring up always ask ‘I’m calling about the car’. When they say ‘Thankyou for Contacting Arnold Clark, press 1 for sales, 2 for parts...’ it may be a dealer masquerading as a private seller.