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What’s This 1964 Galaxie 427 Convertible Worth?

1964-galaxie-427-convertible

One of my good friends named Sid invited me to go take a look at a car with him last week. He was attempting to advise his old buddy on what he should do with his late brother’s Ford Galaxie 500. This isn’t just any old Galaxie though, this is an all original 427/4-speed equipped convertible! Talk about cool. We stood around for a good half-hour just listening to it rumble! Sid has had a hard time finding much information on the car though and was wondering if we could help fill in the blanks.

owners-manual

This is what we do know. The car was special ordered by Don’s brother, Richard, with the 425 horsepower 427 V8 and floor mounted four-speed. That may not seem like that rare of a thing, but we couldn’t find any other 1964 convertibles with the factory installed 427 that have ever sold at auction. Plenty of guys have swapped them in, but this is a real deal R-code car! Without other sales to go off of, it is hard to pinpoint a value.

door-tag

All the price guides we have referenced don’t even list the 427 as an option in 1964. Perhaps we are using the wrong guide, but it does make us wonder if this is a very special car. Well, obviously it is very special. It has been with the same family since new and still looks great. The paint is supposedly the factory applied stuff and the interior still looks great. I had my doubts about the originality of the paint though because of a little over-spray on the door tag, but Don assured me that it has never been resprayed.

1964-ford-galaxie-interior

This family loves convertibles! Don listed dozens of them he has owned over the years and obviously Richard loved them too. In fact, when Richard bought this one, he traded in a 406 powered 1962 Galaxie convertible that he street raced on occasion. Don recounted to us about how his brother had cut bypass holes right under the headers and installed plates with thumb screws. He would removed them for races and then close them back up for the drive home. Don said you could hear him miles away when he was racing down Gowen Road because his car had a very distinct sound. Sounds like Richard was quite a guy!

mystery-hubcaps

As far as we know Richard didn’t modify this car. We did spot a tach under the dash though and Don mentioned that his brother installed these hubcaps shortly after purchasing it. He wasn’t sure what they were off of though. Any guesses?

1964-galaxie-427-rear

This car may look like new, but with 85k miles it has obviously been used and  well-loved its whole life. Accordingly, Don would like to make the right decision with regards to its future. He would appreciate any advice we can give him. He doesn’t have to sell it, but would like to ensure its future preservation. A realistic valuation would probably help make the decision easier though. Thanks for sharing your car with us Don. It really is a beaut!

Comments

  1. Avatar Mark

    My guess would be a lot. Well over 100k. I wouldn’t want it. I’d sell it at auction. More likely to get top price and less bs.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Danny Killman

      WOW ! This may help Don or not. I just saw this very thing in fast & loud & they go drag a 64 out of woods & is rusted junk BUT they said it was 1of 8 & been lost 40 years !
      The 8 was made for Ford executives & they knew where the other 7 were for years.
      They paid $12,500 & sold for $22,000 just as is. This car could be worth $100,000’s if dollars. *** They were saying the cars were Q code instead of R (that is what made me watch to see) they talk about working on a 62 but the 64 is a side deal & calling it a Holly Grail Car. Don I hope this gets to you. I could not get on to get message to you strait. (?)
      The way your car looks to the one on show is like comparing a broke toothpick to a giant Redwood. Amazing car !
      Please watch out for buyers.
      Richard sure knew what he was doing. Great job Richard.
      Sorry for your loss Don.
      Dan-O Killman Cookeville,Tn. Hope this helps

      Like 0
  2. Avatar Rick

    Pretty sure the tasteless hubcaps that were installed are aftermarket (JC Whitney?) can’t think of any car circa 1964 or earlier the came with anything that looked exactly like that. 57-58 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer had something along a similar theme as did late 50’s Studebaker. Lots of aftermarket hubcaps on car in the days before mag wheels and/or chrome reverse rims became cheap enough to be as common as they became just a few short years later. Are the original wheel covers available? Also the overspray means there is some non-factory paintwork on the car, whether it was done at the dealer pre-delivery or subsequent damage repair.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar jim s

    i would see if one of the high line auction houses would help value the car. can you post a video of the motor running so we too can hear that sound. great find

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Dolphin Member

    There’s a very blurry video of a similar car on the road & going thru the gears here:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJcT8DJLOBY

    Hagerty has the 1964 Galaxie sedans valued here, but no info whether the values are up to date:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJcT8DJLOBY
    There’s no convertible listed with the 427.

    Two values on the Hagerty list might be helpful.
    1) 1964 Galaxie 500 Sedan with 427/425 HP with two 4-barrel carbs: $46,484
    2) similar car (sedan), lightweight version: $164,740

    I hope for your friend’s sake it’s value is closer to the lightweight, but if these valuations are current it’s pretty likely that the car’s value is at least between those two figures.

    One way to find out: call Barrett-Jackson.
    I’ll bet they try to convince Sid to consign.

    Like 0
    • Avatar jim s

      thanks for the link, that motor sure sounds good.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Jim

    Back then you could get the car built the way you wanted. I knew a couple of guys who had special order cars. My friends brother had a 64 Galaxie with a 427 too, it was a beautiful car!! My brother-in-law had a 67 Olds 4 dr Cutlass that had all the internals of a 442, that was a real sleeper. Those were the days!! : )

    Like 0
    • Avatar MikeH

      You still can order a car. I ordered a Nissan NV 2500 for a tow vehicle. The dealer doesn’t want to do it. They want you to buy whatever is on the lot. But, it’s possible if you insist.

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Sam

    I’d drive it and enjoy it. Do preservation and restoration projects as you go and have fun.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Terry

    In ’64 you could order just about any thing the factory offered. The article didn’t say but if it is a 425 hp, it should have multiple carbs, in ’64. The tach could also be factory as Ford did offer one, seems like Faria or Rotunda was the mfg. I’m guessing the car as is would be in the $50 t0 $60k range due to being a heavy body.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Dave

    First thing I would do is try and pick that paint off the tag with your fingernail or something. Just don’t damage it in any way. That will help with the validity of this story being original. And as far as the hubcaps, I like them! If you want to sell them, let me know, I’ll buy them!

    Like 0
    • Avatar paul

      Laquer thinner!

      Like 0
    • Avatar Wayne Norman

      Agreed! This is an awesome car. I had a 64 sedan red, with the white top. Beautiful car back in the day.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar CArmudegeon

    Jesse,

    The May-June 2014 issue of CPI’s Collectible Vehicle Value Guide lists a 1964 “Galaxie 427 Convertible” with the following values: Fair: $26,875, Good: $48,000, Excellent: $81,000. I’d say $75K might be a good starting point for the car in question.

    I’ve found CPI’s numbers to be a bit more realistic than Hagerty’s; after all CPI/Black Book isn’t in the collector-car insurance business.

    Like 1
  10. Avatar Jim Porter

    lots of good info above from rick and dolphin, so not much to add there.

    my humble opinion on value $125K to $175K. If you consign it to barrett jackson or any of the top auction houses make sure you negociate the auction fee and they must feature it and sell it on prime time. If it where me I would find a buyer…cash is king.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Moxman

    My hunch is that this car is probably worth around $150K. Mostly because of the 427 engine. The fact that it is a convertible is added value too; as is the 4 speed trans. The fact that it is all original is a factor too. A car like this needs, and deserves, an appraisal from a professional, before it is offered for sale.

    Like 0
    • Avatar andy

      appraisals are a joke.

      Like 1
  12. Avatar Bruce Rolfe

    Look under 64 Galaxie 7 liter, not 427

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Rancho Bella

    Indeed it is an R code (according to the door tag) and, 5 for the trans does mean four speed. Yes they made them and they come up for sale from time to time. Because it is a vert doesn’t do anything for me.
    These are very heavy cars with room for five bodies in the trunk. No pix of the engine to see if it has important items, cast iron headers for instance. Is it the engine that was install at the factory? These issues are everything to the price. I guess the market will decide as I haven’t a clue.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Dave

    According to the NADA listing on the car. A 1964 Galaxie Conv. with factory installed 425/427 High retail is $36,395.00

    Like 1
    • Avatar vince Habel

      that is way too low. I would think at least 100k..

      Like 0
  15. Avatar Ric Parrish

    Those are ‘Fiesta Spinners’ You bought them at the Auto Supply Store.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar 3PedalRacer

    A 63 convertible 427 4spd car on eBay yesterday only went to 35,000 and didn’t meet reserve. It appears to me that the vin tag on this 64 has been taped off and spotted in around it. Definitely a partial repaint at some point. Overspray looks to fresh to be from 1964. Very nice car regardless! Just my useless 2 cents worth.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar JW

    Find a local classic car appraiser to do a value appraisal. That is what we did after restoring my wife’s 70 Mach1, check for appraisers in your area by googling them or superyellowpages.com , our appraisal cost about $140.00.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar John Allison

    The burgundy paint was known to fade and this car was poorly repainted..or at least poorly taped!

    Like 0
    • Avatar John Allison

      It’s got a dent in the trunk and rear trim and a possible repaint ..what else is the owner hiding??? I would keep the value in the lower range on this.. even the seats look redone!

      Like 0
      • Avatar Miles B.

        As a probate attorney, I have found that when a car passes through an estate, all the heirs can do is state what they believe to be the car’s condition. To allege the owner may be “hiding” something, is really not appropriate.
        I would have it inspected and appraised by someone who isn’t looking for a commission on a possible sale. Nice looking car in any event. I’m not a ford guy, but would be proud to drive this one every sunny day and cool night.

        Like 0
  19. Avatar Peter R

    If a price is key then Barrett Jackson are the people to call for a rare car like this one

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Cameron Bater UK

    Hmmm, I don’t really know, its not a car I would like all though I expect someone would and then you have to consider its actual value over possible sentimental value as we have seen recently with the Light Ivory Yellow Mach 1

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Jeff V.

    Nice, I believe the value would be similar to a 64′ Impala SS conv 409 or 64′ Pontiac Bonneville convt 421 (same class). A quick google search produced results ranging in price from 21K to 65K but I do believe this car is more rare. A respected appraiser is needed in this case if they want to sell, the rarity of it would attract an auction house.

    Like 0
  22. Avatar shawnmcgill

    There’s no way I would ever let this out of the family! You say he doesn’t “need” to sell it, so why would he? The only way this could be any better is if it was an XL!

    Like 0
  23. Avatar steve dauria

    Do your homework and decode the vin tag. cardex is for Porsche, marti is for Ford products. http://www.martiauto.com/reports2.cfm . Use the vin tag info and the vin number to gain a valuation. Don’t go looking for 427 Galaxie for some reason the web page doesn’t seem to be helpful. If it is a real “R” code car, establish its value with documentation. BTW, that is overspray not done by the factory. The paint itself can be tested for its originality. Still its a nice car. I hope this is helpful.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mike_B_SVT

      Unfortunately Marti only has data from 1966 and on, so this car won’t be in the database.

      *Ford destroyed all the pre-66 records when the Government mandated that manufacturers had to start keeping all of thier production data for legal reasons, starting in 1966.

      Like 0
  24. Avatar paul

    The car looks nice enough the tag over spray indicates something was painted could have been something small, who knows, the hub caps look right to me from what I remember, as for the value, not a clue.

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Rob

    Contact these guys. http://www.427galaxieregistry.com/

    Saw this in the classifieds:
    SOLD!!! 1964 Galaxie 500 XL R code Convertible This is a very solid car but currently has a 390 in it with the original cast iron
    headers & 4 speed. I have a 427 1963 block ,C3-d heads & dual 4 bbl intake & BJ – BK carbs to go with this. $37,500.00

    SOLD!!!! 1963 Galaxie 500XL 427 R code convertible. Fully restored with all the correct parts and date code correct. Painted in
    its original color of Heritage Burgundy with a white convertible top. The interior is Rose Beige with white. Many NOS parts were
    used throughout the car during restoration. There is way too much to list about this car so please call me with any questions

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Bob

    Hagerty has a low of $118K to a high of $169K for a 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 7-Litre 2dr Convertible 8-cyl. 427cid/425hp 2x4bbl. They don’t have a ’64 convertible listed but I suspect values would be similar. Values appear to have been steady for the last couple of years. I’m not sure how accurate Hagerty is, but it’s a start. According to the VIN tag it’s a 64, built at St. Louis Assembly plant as a convertible, R code engine, 427cid/425hp 2x4bbl Hi-Perf.

    Not sure about a few of the non-original looking issues on this car vs. Don’s recollection. Obviously it has had some touch up somewhere along the line.The interior also looks awfully good for it’s age.

    Hope they keep it in the family!! I wish Richard was around to be looking after my cars!!

    Like 0
  27. Avatar Sid Member

    Just as I suspected reader estimates are all over the board as are my own.
    I really loved some of the comments.
    That’s what makes barn finds dot com such a fun read ever morning.
    Here is a little more info on the car.
    Owner installed the factory inner fender mounted transistor ignition after getting tired of too frequently replacing dual points.
    He also installed the under dash tach which unfortunately is not a Rotunda.
    I can’t remember the brand.
    Original dog dish hub caps may be around but most likely chucked a long time ago.
    When asked about the over spray on the trim tag the owner said the car had never had any panels repainted.
    I believe this was an honest comment from his memory but the door line didn’t quite line up with the fender so I think there was some door damage in the past.
    Other than that this car has sufficient under hood and body patina to mAke it clear to anyone other than maybe John that this car is the real deal.
    Yes, is a dual quad car with original:
    Carbs
    Cast iron headers
    Alternator
    Etc
    Fuel pump is a maybe.
    The owners manual was filled out by the dealer with sale date, VIN, owners name etc

    Like 0
    • Avatar Dolphin Member

      Sid,

      Thanks for adding this to the story. There are “stories” about a car (excuses for negative things on the car), and then there are real-thing stories—information from the person who knows the car going back the furthest. Real-thing stories are always interesting.

      I hope you post back when you decide what to do with this special Galaxie, even if it’s to use it, in which case please supply a nice photo of the car at the Dairy Queen some warm night in the summer. I think a lot of us like that kind of photo a lot.

      Like 0
  28. Avatar Jim

    Big boat of a car. Very cool. It’s probably 40-50k on value in the real world. Might push 60-65 at a Barrett’s type auction. If it was an XL bucket console car add 5-7k. Restored 390 4 spds are generally doing high 20’s. Really, the 63 406 Tri power convertibles are the rarest and hold higher value. If it was a #1 condition car XL it might push 90-100 but they are very expensive to restore. I am an appraiser and my buddy is really into Galaxies. That’s still just an opinion. Cool ride. Best of luck.

    Like 0
  29. Avatar FRED

    i’ am a chevy major with a mopar minor and i would add another minor just for this one car. very nice find and good luck to whoever gets it.

    Like 0
  30. Avatar Rod Davis

    I really have no idea how rare these R code convertibles were in the 60’s but, I owned a ’64 K code Fairlane that was wrecked in early ’67. With insurance money in my pocket I went “looking”. Found a beautiful R code ’64 black/black 427/425 4 speed and took it for a spin. Wow, made my little 289 HyPo seem like a six. Awesome torque. I just could not come to terms with the dealer for a used Galaxie. Good move for me as I bought a new Lotus Cortina which led me to a life of sports car racing. The Locort is still in the family after being found years later and ‘brought home’. Still………..that really was a great Galaxie……..:-)

    Like 0
  31. Avatar Rod Davis

    @ Sid:

    Since this type of car tends to be valued by what someone is willing to fork out, I sure would be interested in knowing what it eventually sells for. Others here may feel the same.

    Like 0
  32. Avatar Keruth

    Nice, came from Ohio I see, look underneath, check the brake lines, we do have some hungry tin worms in the north!
    Best thing for Don, as stated in several posts above, is get it “professionally” appraised and insured and drive it. My ’67 500 ‘Vert (390 4v,auto) can hold all three grandbabies, car seats and go bags in the back seat for the DQ runs. Nothing but grins when “Papa punches it”
    I think a solid $50k at auction for this, but I’d keep it!
    Check with the Ford Galaxie Club of America, they have great knowledge of these cars and are a great group to converse with, like here @ Barn finds!

    Like 0
  33. Avatar Pollorey

    Some comments solicited from a Ford gearhead friend of mine:

    There’s a lot to be worried about here. You’d really need to see the car in order to tell what’s going on with it. I’m also immediately suspicious of anyone these days saying they “can’t find a value guide” for a car where there’s many sources of valuation, both in previous auctions, and from online sources like NADA, Hagerty, et al. That just sounds like someone trying to do something weird, or questionable.

    Judging from the pictures, the car looks nice, but has been repainted, and the interior to me doesn’t look original. The data plate trim code “74” was for beige vinyl bench seats, and these look kind of silver, so there might have been a replacement there, too. The re-spray is also suspicious, because if they didn’t tape off the data plate very well, what else did they mung up??

    It’s a lower trim level Galaxie 500 (not an XL), with a bench seat (not buckets with a console), which takes away a little bit of value. Also has a peg-leg rear axle in it, “5” meaning a non-posi 3.50:1. The “5” transmission checks out as a 4-speed manual. Strange that a guy who was supposedly a known street racer would have bought a non-posi in a low-ratio rear. I would have expected to see a 3.90 or 4.11:1 for a drag racer.

    Also quite a heavy car, not a real obvious choice for racing. Someone in the comments mentioned a “lightweight” coupe, but those are extremely rare. I think they only built 25 or so of them. They probably made more of these 427 convertibles than think.

    They go on and on about the engine, yet don’t show any pictures of it, which is also suspicious.

    More comments:

    Another thing that appears to be missing are the Thunderbird-esque bird with crossed flags, announcing that there’s a 427 under the hood. They should be on the front fenders, either right in front of or right in back of the wheel well.

    If they’re missing, might mean there was some serious body work/damage and they weren’t replaced, or the car never had them, a.k.a. it’s not a real 427. N They may also never have been installed, or might have been a “customer delete” option.

    And finally:

    Ford had three items that should be visible on their ‘60’s cars: the VIN tag near the windshield, the door tag they show in the pictures for this car, and usually (but not always) a “trim tag” stuck under the hood somewhere, usually on a fender apron. Those three things should all agree with each other. If one of them is missing or looks like it might have been altered in some way, that’s a red flag.

    Ford also worked to what they called a “build sheet” which often somehow got stuck underneath the seat somewhere, and it would have all the optional data in it, but it would be encoded in FordSpeak, so it takes a special decoder ring to read it. I’ve never found the sheet for my Mustang, but I never really looked all that hard.

    The trim tag under the hood was what the dealer more often relied upon, because it was “permanently” attached to the fender.

    But I’ve seen blank tags for sale in Hemmings over the years, along with stamping kits so a new set of tags could be made up. That way, someone could take the windshield VIN tag off a wrecked/hopelessly rusty car, transplant it onto a donor car, and make up new door and trim tags so they get the color, interior, transmission they want. The only thing the Ford VIN gives you is model year of production, assembly plant, what model line it was, engine code, and sequential build number.

    The VIN on my ’69 Mustang is something like “9T02RXXXXXX”, and I think it means the following:

    “9” – 1969 model year

    “T” – Metuchen, NJ Assembly Plant

    “02” – Mustang fastback

    “R” – 428 Cobra Jet engine, with Ram Air

    “XXXXXX” – sequential build number

    Nothing about paint, interior, transmission, rear end, etc. On the door plate and trim tag, it spells out the Mach I option, candy apple red paint, maroon interior, 4-speed manual, and 3.50:1 posi rear end. In theory, someone could have started with a six-cylinder fastback, and moved everything over from a wrecked car to make my car. But in ’69, there were a couple other physical things that big-engined cars got, like reinforced shock towers and staggered rear shock plates that are very hard to fake – they’re part of the car’s unibody structure. That makes it somewhat harder to fake a big block ’69 Mustang, but not impossible.

    And I have seen supposed “big block” Mustangs at shows without the heavier towers or the shock plates. There was a lot of that back in the early- to mid-nineties, when the muscle cars took their first run at big money.

    There’s some things about that ’64 427 convertible that make me nervous, almost like it might have been a cobbled up transplant from the 80’s/90’s.

    If it’s the condition I think it is, I’d guess high twenties to low forties. Depending on where he sells it. Probably would do better at auction, but many of them are “no reserve”, which carries its own risks. If it’s truly an untouched original, the value can go quite a bit higher, if the right bidders show up.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jesse Staff

      The numbers check out Pollorey. We compared the VIN under the hood to the one on the door first thing. All the emblems and stickers were where they should be and the interior did looked authentic. I inspected this one in person and it truly is an amazing time capsule. The overspray in the door is questionable, but the rest of the car looked legit to me.

      We mentioned that we had a hard time valuing it because we have yet to find any auction results online where a real r-code convertible from 1964 sold. All the ones we saw had their engines swapped. Please feel free to present a comparable one if you can find it. We would appreciate it. Thanks.

      Like 0
  34. Avatar Mitchell Gildea Member

    Money value? A lot. Sentimental Value? Priceless.

    Like 0
  35. Avatar Joe

    There was a red Galaxie 500 427 4sp dual 4 convertable sold by Barrett-Jackson August 2013 for $33K

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jesse Staff

      That was not a r-code car though Joe. A previous owner had swapped in the larger engine.

      Like 0
  36. Avatar ConservativesDefeated

    I thnk the owner should keep it. But then I’m a sentimental bastard. Reminds me of my yute in ’70 and ’71 driving a similar fastback two door…..might have been the XL…. with the 4 on the floor. The ownner of car and the gas station was an amazing mechanic and I used his car along with his SUNBEAM TIGER to get parts at NAPA and Western Auto. What I remember about the Ford was how damn heavy it was and the rubber it laid every time the boss took it out on the Post Road n Fairfield Connecticut . It always reminded me of a dragon in that maroon spewing smoke from its rear end………..of course gas was .32 cents a gallon

    Like 0
  37. Avatar Curt Trent

    There is a lot of good information coming from some of the readers but also a lot of misinformation as well. I wish I had more pictures to go on. I am a car guy from way back (my parents went to the drag races for their honeymoon!!) and currently work for a Collector Car Auction Company (small enough so it’s all still “all about the cars and not about the show” but, large enough to bring in LOTS of potential buyers). I welcome the opportunity to speak with you guys about your terrific car. If you want to consign with me great, but if not I can help you with a realistic valuation. Feel free to contact me direct and we can talk in greater detail.

    Like 0
  38. Avatar tom

    I remember 1 in this area,that was rear ended,I thought it was totaled .Body shop replace the whole rear half(doors back). saw it almost finished and was amazed. this was in the 60s 70s.

    Like 0
  39. Avatar Al

    It’s things like this that make my kids say if I ever hit a big lotto I’ll go broke! LOLOL

    Like 0
  40. Avatar mike Anderson

    One of these sold at a Ford auction in Sheffield, IL a few years back. It was light blue, decent condition, runner/driver; 2-4’s, 427, 4 speed, and it went for $28,000.

    He had about 5 427 Galaxie’s, and a 427 SOHC that went for big money.

    Like 0
  41. Avatar Joey Enlowe

    The 427 was mentioned in the 64 owners manual, oddly enough.

    Like 0
  42. Avatar 433jeff

    My old man bought one of these brand new, not a ragtop but a dual quad 4 speed car, he said he ordered it with 4.11 gears as his 63 hipo 390 with 4.11 gears was brutal fast, when it came in, the first thing he did was crawl underneath and found the car was shipped with 3.50 gears. And he told the dealer to no avail. He says the car had a garden hose for a fuel line, but because it didn’t have the 4.11 rear gear he said it was not even close to the solid lifter 390, then he had me and moved into a falcon with a six.this car is worth a lot if it’s the real McCoy

    Like 0
  43. Avatar Bob McK

    This site usually provides excellent information. However, this time a guy asked for the value of his car. The estimates are from 30K to about $180K. If I had asked the question, I would be confused. Bottom line if he wants to know its value, run it through a high end auction and see where it bids to. That is what it is worth that day. Good luck getting that price the next day.

    Like 0

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