The latest burden - 1964 Ford Galaxie 500

[Turbowomble]

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:

[Dick Longbridge]

Yes. Yes. Yes. 

More! 

[danthecapriman]

Awesome! Can’t wait to see more on this one, looks a great project.

Has it got an engine in it now or is it just a shell?

[MJK 24]

Lord above 🙏 

[Matty]

Just now, Turbowomble said:

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:

Blimy. Could you have not bought a motorbike or summat? 😄 (well done though)

[Turbowomble]

4 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Awesome! Can’t wait to see more on this one, looks a great project.

Has it got an engine in it now or is it just a shell?

The owner’s son, the seller, had plans to turn it into a rat-look low rider (so I feel I’ve saved it from a certain doom) and had procured a 428 from a ‘68 Thunderbird for it. While I had notions to use this motor, as a Galaxie and a big-block are natural bedfellows, I’ve no idea of the engine’s provenance - or if it’s even functional - while the 347 is sitting ready to go; the fact that this car started out life as a 289 car means that the 347 will just strap right in, while the 428 would require a little massaging. Plus, I’m hoping that the smaller capacity with the longer final drive will mean less of a thirst!

[Turbowomble]

4 minutes ago, Matty said:

Blimy. Could you have not bought a motorbike or summat? 😄 (well done though)

If I hadn’t already played that card, I would’ve - had a bit of a headstagger during Covid and took on a brand-new Honda Super Cub. However, my CBT is due to run out in a couple of weeks and I’ve only put 2500 miles on the bike since it’s arrival, so I suspect it may end up being punted on to make (financial) room for this one.

On a different note: does anyone want a 2020 Honda Super Cub? 

[JeeExEll]

Do not paint.

What a gorgeous coupe shape.

Those rocket tail-lights actually provide extra thrust upon acceleration if you switch them on.

Vulg on here fitted 4 to his Austin Princess. 

[outlaw118]

Fucking Hell.

 

That is all.

[Asimo]

 

[vulgalour]

Now where have I seen those rear lights before..?

[hairnet]

@PhilA can you tell him what an excellent idea hes having?

who has the 4 door galaxie on here? 

[HMC]

3 minutes ago, hairnet said:

@PhilA can you tell him what an excellent idea hes having?

who has the 4 door galaxie on here? 

@sdkrc

[doug]

 

Watch this years as well. Great stuff.

Sent from my SM-A127F using Tapatalk

[stuboy]

satin lacquer the body?

[sutty2006]

YES!!!!! 
 

 

you win. Everyone else pack your bags and fuck off. 

[Turbowomble]

2 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

Do not paint.

 

7 minutes ago, stuboy said:

satin lacquer the body?

The patina/rat-look thing isn’t something I’m a massive fan of; the closest real-life comparison I can think of is Jonny Smith’s Charger with its artful* rust (though the fact he ‘washes’ it with WD40 tickles me, must smell fantastic) and it does nothing for me. That, and the fact that the whole front clip is pretty shagged tin-worm wise and thus I’m on the hunt for a new bonnet and likely 2 new wings as well. If the car’s finish was consistent and I’d be better able to visualise the overall finish, then maybe, but alas I feel it’s a bit far gone to leave as is.

[Turbowomble]

Another side-on, to give you all a wide-on:

[Schaefft]

Great car to be saved, I keep thinking about getting something similar (without having to bring it over from the states) but I'd realistically need a workshop to store and work on it. My mate has a thunderbird project that he's chipping away at (right now he only has a gazebo so progress could be faster), there certainly is appeal in not having to worry about MOT or complex engineering.

Also my vote goes to gloss black, there's plenty of matte black junk out there pretending to be more than a half-assed attempt at painting a car. Or just keep the patina.

[eddyramrod]

3 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

Do not paint.

What a gorgeous coupe shape.

I have quite a soft spot for these, as there was a 4 door sedan festering away on a driveway in the late 70s, in a part of Southport I probably wouldn't have been around if I hadn't gone to art college.  Also the great Ed Bishop drove one in an episode of UFO giving us the history of "his" organisation.

DO paint, absolutely; preferably not black but you know... your choice.  It'll be a knicker-dropper when it's done!

2 hours ago, Asimo said:

 

What he said.

[Six-cylinder]

I was loaned this 1964 Galaxie for a year, a while ago, what a wonderful experience.

[eddyramrod]

Oh that is pure beauty!

[Turbowomble]

3 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

I was loaned this 1964 Galaxie for a year, a while ago, what a wonderful experience.

Be still my throbbing erection

 

EDIT: suppose I should use this opportunity to ask what it was like to live with on UK roads - anything to note?

[morrisoxide]

That's brilliant.

Someone on a forum gave me these years ago for my 64 Mercury.  

64 Ford & Mercury Workshop manual might come in handy. You don't have to sign in to look or download them.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8qa27ku783u0x6n/1964ford-mercuryshopmanual.pdf?dl=0

A link to a forum with other manuals etc.

https://www.fordmuscleforums.com/threads/using-dropbox-to-share-manuals.518657/   Edit link to page one.

Oh and have a pic of my Mercury Pretty much the same car only with a nose job and trim, oh and no spire down the side .

P.S. Rock auto is your friend.

[Six-cylinder]

Wonderful to use, every journey is special.

It does need a bit more road space and Tesco car park you need a bit more than a single parking space, but no worse than a Range Rover. 

If it cuts out across a road it takes a whole ruby team to push it up a mild gradient! (Turned out to be the after market battery cut off switch)

It was fitted with side exit exhaust and set the alarm off on Mrs6C's Volvo v70.

The only real down side is fuel consumption, this car was fitted with a 390 cu inch that had been breathed on. Unfortunately there was a bit of a miss match and with no extra performance it only did 10 mpg! I was expecting around 15 mpg and on my first decent drive the engine cut on a roundabout, fortunately it recovered enough to make a filling station 2 miles away.

I liked it in my garage, even if it did fill it.

[Pieman]

Oh my god!

Strapping in and following the ride on this thread.  And yes, please give it a beautiful paint job!

[danthecapriman]

I was watching Sleeperdude on YouTube doing a sort of NASCAR type tribute with one he dragged out of a field.

He’s got a wagon too. 
Id love to do something similar at some point!

[hairnet]

1 hour ago, Six-cylinder said:

Wonderful to use, every journey is special.

It does need a bit more road space and Tesco car park you need a bit more than a single parking space, but no worse than a Range Rover. 

If it cuts out across a road it takes a whole ruby team to push it up a mild gradient! (Turned out to be the after market battery cut off switch)

It was fitted with side exit exhaust and set the alarm off on Mrs6C's Volvo v70.

The only real down side is fuel consumption, this car was fitted with a 390 cu inch that had been breathed on. Unfortunately there was a bit of a miss match and with no extra performance it only did 10 mpg! I was expecting around 15 mpg and on my first decent drive the engine cut on a roundabout, fortunately it recovered enough to make a filling station 2 miles away.

I liked it in my garage, even if it did fill it.

 

if you can run and dont find a rangie big then these would be no problem right

 

[PhilA]

Should slush around quite well in a sloppy dive/pitch sort of way.

Does not look as rotten as I would expect from a NC car either- lots of pine around there which drop needles and make the road wash acidic.

Not a bad find for the money- in that condition that's more of a 3500-4000 car these days.

[eddyramrod]

All the American cars I've had have had PAS, PB, electric this-and-that, so the actual driving of them is no problem.  Once you're used to hugging the kerb, that is... @dollywobbler can back me up here, he took Huggy out for a drive.  In the Lake District!  That Galaxie will be nearly as big as Huggy.  Just remember to keep left, hang back from obstacles and if you make a decision, stick to it.  If you've driven anything bigger than a Sprinter on a fairly regular basis, you'll be fine.