My late father ignited my passion for all things automotive, continually feeding it by parking wonderful classics in the garage at Castle Clarke. My undoubted favorite was our 1964 Ford Galaxie 500, a car which he later admitted was the only one he ever regretted selling. Therefore, I am sure that he would give this ’64 Galaxie 500 Convertible his Seal of Approval. It has a documented 79,000 miles on the clock, presenting superbly following a meticulous restoration. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the Galaxie listed here on Craigslist on beautiful Camano Island, Washington. Driving this classic home will cost the new owner $29,995.
Ford introduced an entirely new Galaxie for the 1960 model year, with the range undergoing annual styling updates until its replacement hit showroom floors in 1965. This final-year classic is a Convertible, a body style that was chosen by 15,169 buyers in 1964. It is a stunning vehicle, which is understandable since it underwent a meticulous restoration while under the care of its first owner. The seller holds receipts for the work totaling $76,500 without including any tasks that cost under $100. Therefore, the mirror shine of its Rangoon Red paint is unsurprising. The panels are laser-straight, with tight and consistent gaps revealing an eye for fine detail. The underside shots confirm the car’s rust-free status, while the Tan power top looks perfect. The glass is clear, the chrome sparkles like diamonds, and the Galaxie rolls on chrome steelies with Mini Moon caps. The seller includes the original hubcaps for those preferring authenticity.
This Galaxie’s interior didn’t escape attention during the restoration, continuing to present in as-new condition. The factory radio has made way for a retro-style stereo, which appears to be the only aftermarket addition. The Red vinyl upholstered surfaces look flawless, and the carpet is free from stains and wear. The bright trim provides a striking contrast, and the paint is as impressive as that covering the exterior. Classic Convertibles can sometimes cause embarrassment with the top down, allowing the world to see a substandard interior. However, the new owner can slip behind the wheel with their head held high wherever they choose to take this Galaxie.
One feature that this Galaxie shares with the one my father owned is the 289ci V8 under the hood. However, my father craved more power than Ford offered buyers, so he had the engine rebuilt to K-Code specs. This car’s 289 is backed by a three-speed automatic transmission, with power assistance for the steering and brakes making light work of the driving experience. Ford quoted a power output of 195hp for this engine, but this Convertible might deliver more. The seller confirms that the car is no longer numbers-matching, but that this motor received a professional rebuild, performed by Portland Engine Rebuilders, located in Aurora, Oregon. The transmission has received similar attention, with the result that this Ford runs and drives perfectly. The odometer reading of 79,000 is documented, and the car comes with an enormous collection of paperwork tracing its restoration history.
There are times when it is hard to take an objective approach when writing for Barn Finds. Some classics have a deeper meaning to us, rekindling fond memories of earlier times. Those are the feelings that I harbor towards this 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 Convertible, a vehicle that I would happily park in my garage under different circumstances. I acknowledge that the seller’s price sits at the top end of the market, although it isn’t unprecedented. This gem needs nothing, suggesting that the figure is justified. I hope that one of our loyal readers goes beyond reading this article and pursues this classic further. I won’t be its new owner, but I will be assured that it will find a new home with someone who will genuinely appreciate all that it offers.
Okay, you naysayers on the cool custom ’64, here you go. Happy? It’s okay, as the years drift by, it’s only natural and I’m not bitter. DE-customizing that other one would , and should be a crime, especially when more sedate examples like this are around. To be honest, there are a lot of red Ford ragtops out there, but not too many customs. I guess you could say this could be the “before” car. This would have been one of the AMT “3 in 1” options, and just as cool. Car of the Year, it was, and now this I could see much more than the Rambler of the previous year. They were beautifully designed, ultra dependable cars. I say, the US auto industry never regained the stature of the cars of the 60s, and went downhill from there.
BTW, that AMT kit is luckily in stock on Ebay, for a paltry $150 BUCKS!!!!
Welcome back Howard, I haven’t noticed any comments from you lately.
Sure is a contrast to that overbuilt lead sled previously posted. Nice one here.
Very nice.
I once had a wise friend tell me that one definition of a hobby is: something you enjoy, on which you spend discretionary funds. This is a good illustration of that principle. The owner (obviously a very meticulous record-keeper) shows how much money can be consumed to be in the old car hobby.
Happens to be that two of my grandchildren (ages 8 and 9) are at our house right now, and I asked them if they would approve of going out for ice cream in this. They enthusiastically said “sure, that would be fun.”
Nice car, loose the chrome wheels!
They might fall off if you did that Joe, however, we know that you meant LOSE the chrome wheels, and I totally agree with you but at least the originals are sold with the car.
I think the price is reasonable for a car restored to this level but it would be even better with a 390. The 289 is still a great engine and is all you need for comfortable cruising.
What is Howard saying? Never mind. This car is worth every penny of twenty-nine G’s and that Sunbeam Tiger featured earlier? I wouldn’t pay it but this I could see in my garage. All it needs is AC. Sorry I live in Ohio and sometimes it’s too hot to put the top down.
For myself this is the way I would want my car to be not like the other 64 that looked like the owner raided the Jc-Whitney catalog. Just my opinion.
Spent 76K, selling for 30K? The general lesson here seems clear: buy someone else’s “labor of love” instead of doing it yourself!
What language or secret code was Howard uncripting into the body of his post? Howard, please try to contain it to English. His last sentence indicated he may have been referencing a plastic model; and if this is so, Howard should contain his critiques to either cars real or models. I would readily agree with the sentence of the decline of all cars lack of the quality of design and engineering since the 60s.
I would buy this beautiful car in a heartbeat!
At first glance , I was hoping it was a XL in this restored condition . . Nice car , however . .
I had one of these in baby blue. What a ride. Traded it in for a Fiat 124 Spyder. Big mistake!
What a relief. When I started reading comments about custom touches I expected to see shaved door handles and a chopped top.
I am not a Ford guy but I like this car a lot. One has to admit that the 1964 Ford is a more attractively styled car than the boxy same year Chevrolet. In my opinion it seems worth the asking price. Since so much has been done to it, this car should be a lot of enjoyment for someone.
Wow! Beautiful convertible. Not sure of the actual dimensions, but the ’64 Ford seems so much longer that the ’63 or ’65. Especially in the convertible. Have to have either 1. a lot of time, 2. a lot of willing kids or, 3. a lot of money to keep it waxed. Not super crazy about the chrome/baby moon wheels. I had a set of the wire wheel covers Ford offered for ’64 on my ’59 Fairlane 500. I thought they were beautiful (but keep in mind I thought my Fairlane was beautiful, too). My ’59 was a 292 with a 3 speed on the column. Really wished it was a 352. Similarly, if this ’64 was mine I’d be wishing the 289 was a 390.
I built a gazillion of those AMT 3-in-1 kits in the ’60’s. Customized a bunch of them, too. Used Plastic Wood for body modifications because AMT hadn’t come out with their filler yet. The AMT filler was much better to work with but the smell didn’t make your head spin when you put in on like the Plastic Wood did. For a ’64 like this, I’d leave it stock though. Gorgeous as is, and if you put the continental kit on the back you have to apply for a zoning permit.
That’s a lot of red. I like it though
Very nice car , well done .Now , it’s not built to K code specs .First and easiest to sport is the vacuum advance .All HiPos had centrifugal advance .HiPos all have solid lifters for high reving , that wouldn’t be worth doing in this car . Next a HiPo wouldn’t not do well hauling that much weight and would be a dog .They don’t have the torque to move something like that .Again the only thing I see that is similar to a HiPo , visually , is the chrome valve covers.
Assuming that I understand what you are trying to say, I don’t agree. The stock 289 will move this car just fine. Not a hot rod- but a cruiser. Making improvements, Hipo, K code specs, or whatever, would improve the performance, not make it worse.
When I was a kid I did cleanup and minor mechanical work for three small used car lots in the Nashville area. One of them had a ‘64 Galaxy convertible with a 289 and automatic and I remember being impressed that the small block moved that big car so quickly. This is a bit nicer car.
Deleted ad. I sure have fond memories of 64 Galaxie cars. I owned a lot of them back in my youthful adult life. I had grey, white, red and blue versions. I spent hours just sitting outside observing the lines which I considered the epitome of automotive design. All mine were V8 cars, mostly either 3 speed or 4 speed manual transmissions. I had one with 352 automatic but I didn’t keep it very long. I really liked shifting gears myself. The one shown here is very nice but it’s gone.
God Bless America
Not surprised that it’s gone, the buyer actually got it for half the price of the restoration costs with the actual car thrown in for nothing!
nice ride but i am sure that the 289 although is the standard engine is bit slow to move this boat. really needs a 390 or bigger.as said in comments better to buy it done because this guy needs a towel from the bath he just took on this sale