The Galaxie nameplate was born in 1959, a year after Chevrolet launched the Impala. Both would be the companies’ top-line cars until 1965 (the year of Ford’s LTD and Chevy’s Caprice). The Galaxie name was chosen to capitalize on the Space Race that was heating up at the time, positioning Ford as a forward-thinking, futuristic company. Perhaps it worked because the name would hang around for 15 years. This 1964 edition of the Galaxie 500 has been sitting for 20 turns of the calendar, yet the seller who rescued it says it starts and runs smoothly. Located in West Palm Beach, Florida, the car is looking for someone to bring it back to its former glory. It can be found here on Facebook Marketplace for $6,500.

Although they used the same chassis for five model years, the 1964 Fords looked quite different from the 1960s as automakers made yearly styling updates to keep these fresh. The exterior of the Galaxies had a more sculpted look for ’64, whose aerodynamics helped propel it to greater success on the NASCAR circuits. The formal-roof body style was no longer used and all non-wagon models – including sedans – used a “fastback” roof design that was a big seller the year before. While Chevy couldn’t be beaten, Ford produced nearly 600,000 Galaxie 500s in 1964, of which a third would be the hardtop coupe like this one.

Under the hood of this 1964 Galaxie 500 is the desirable 390 cubic inch F/E V8 (F/E stood for Ford/Edsel when its derivatives came out in the late 1950s). The engine is paired with an automatic transmission, and we’re told that the motor fires right up and runs nicely (off bottled gas?). But given its flat tires and the need for attention to the gas tank, we doubt that it moves anywhere under its own power – yet.

Wearing black paint (which may or may not be original) and a red interior, this may have been the sharpest looking Galaxie around back in the day. The paint is weather-worn, and the photos suggest that both rear quarter panels have been chewed on by rust. The front bumper and some of the chrome trim look to have held up nicely, but the rear bumper is rusty and bent. The interior is going to need a thorough re-do, at least in terms of upholstery, carpeting, and headliner.

We hope that the engine and transmission won’t need much help and the restoration will be largely cosmetic. But we’re told the rear brakes are locked up and the radiator leaks, so mechanical items will need attention before all else. In top condition, the online price guides generally top out in the $30,000 range for one of these cars, so there may be some upside potential for this Ford.