Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Ford and Chevrolet went head-to-head, offering products comparable to one another. Such was the Galaxie 500, which was produced between 1959 and 1974, and was on a par with the Chevy Impala. The seller’s ’66 is the 2-door fastback, perhaps the car’s biggest seller. This one has a 390 cubic inch V8 with a floor-shifted 3-speed manual. It needs some work and probably has been sitting for a time. Located in Winamac, Indiana, this FOMOCO product is available here on eBay where the seller’s reserve is north of the current $3,050 bid.
Ford redesigned its full-size automobiles in 1965, the same year that Chevrolet did the same. The Galaxie 500 was the mid-level model, surrounded by the Custom, Galaxie 500XL, and the new LTD. This 1966 example wearing fastback sheet metal is one of nearly 200,000 built that year, where an inline-6 was standard. This example was built with a 390 V8 using a 4-barrel, so it was potentially one of the most powerful of the Galaxies shy of those with the 427 that was sold on a somewhat limited basis. Overall, the Fords had sharp edges on each of the corners (including stacked headlights), while the Chevies had a rounder look.
We’re told this Galaxie runs great, yet the gas tank doesn’t seem to be connected. So perhaps that status is limited to an external gas can. When the car was new, its manual transmission was a “3-on-the-tree”, but someone later converted it to a floor shift. The mileage is not reported, nor do we know the last time this Ford was highway-capable. The VIN provided by the seller doesn’t decode as anything (it’s a series of digits from 1 to 9 and then partially repeated).
The body seems solid overall, but there is some rust in a few places. The car will come with a new trunk pan that the buyer will need to install and a patch might be in order behind the driver’s side of the front seat. The seller provides a photo of a set of colored coordinated “mag” wheels that do not come with the 500 but hints that a deal may be possible. If you prefer these 1960s Fords to the Chevies, is this a project you’d like to undertake?
First I’ve heard of these called a fastback
Yeah, not really a fastback. This was the only roofline for the two-door hardtop. The Custom 500 2-door sedan might have been a little less sloped.
In all but the fairest of climates the frame rails of these ’66 models will rot out badly right behind the front wheels. This is extremely important to examine even on cosmetically good-looking examples before considering a purchase.
Ford occasionally referred to ’60s Galaxies as “fastbacks” in their own advertising.
I’m building a 65 ground up 2 door sedan 4 speed right now. And Galaxie manual trans car is worth it’s weight in gold. That special FE bellhousing, clutch parts and pedals would bring over a grand easily.
The VIN is actually on the door jamb, and the fifth character is a “Z”, which is a 390 4-barrel.
It’s all about the frame with this vintage Galaxie. Always check for yourself and never trust a sellers word for it. Nice car to be sure, but check. the frame.
Didn’t see your comment before I posted mine. In my experience of looking at them the ’66 seemed to be worse than other years. In the early ’00s I owned a ’68 with some moderate Upstate NY cosmetic salt damage, but the frame was solid.
I have looked at ’66 models that didn’t look bad cosmetically, but the frame behind the front wheels would crumble when I pushed on it.
I had a 70 Galaxie, problem the fresh air inlet between the wind wipers acted like a funnel and let pine needles, willow tree droppings and mouse nests would arise, adding rain into areas that did not get proper ventilation to dry out floor edge would start to tot and frame would follow right behind.
These ford’s back in the day were known to rust badly, but the engines and transmission ran forever
Scott & Junkman have stated what I was gonna address. I had a 65 289 & my brother a 66 390 in Michigan pretty much at the same time. Lost both to salt fatalities. Buyer beware!
I sure wish I would have known about the frame on the 66 Galaxie. I bought a 66 Galaxie 500 XL 390 automatic floor shift center console bucket seats. It was really a cool car. And then one day I I looked at it after I had put a set of wheels on it and there was a dent in the rear quarter panel that wasn’t there before and I thought somebody had come and hit it in my yard. I was out looking at it because I was curious how it got there and I just used the rear quarter to lean on and it changed the shape of the dent so I lifted the rear bumper and it took the dent out of the quarter panel until I let go of the rear bumper and then the dent came back. Needless to say the frame rotted out right above the rear wheel and the entire quarter dropped about 2 in. and put a dent in the rear quarter. It was just a pop dent so when I lifted the rear end the dent went away. It ended up being the only spot on the entire frame that was bad but not having the equipment or the cash to fix it because I spend it on all kinds of accessories I ended up having to sell it. I was very bummed out because I’ve wanted one of those ever since I was a little kid and my stepdad had a white one that was just a beautiful car and this one could have been really nice. Too bad I didn’t read about it before I bought it. Ended up losing quite a bit on that deal because I went and bought all kinds of cool stuff for that car such as wheels and tires air shocks complete tune up for the motor brakes and various other things and then all of a sudden the rear quarter falls down. Of course I didn’t get all my money back because you never do. I ended up trading it for a 1981 Chevrolet Blazer which back then just a couple years ago wasn’t worth that much money and I got about 2/3 of my money back. So to everybody looking at this ad, like comments before make sure to take a look at that frame otherwise you could be in very rough shape. Must be a real popular color because mine was exactly the same color as this one. GLWTS
I don’t know when your car went off to the crusher, but an aftermarket frame would have solved the problem, albeit at a huge cost in effort, money and time, not necessarily in that order! Probably not worth it in economic terms, but if you like the car and want to keep it, it’s worth it to you! Assuming you actually have the effort, money and time to spend replacing the entire frame, along with the tools you’ll need (including a lift) to make it happen. There’s one car we all wish we still had, but don’t. My condolences on your loss.
My Dad had the four-door version of this car as his second (2nd) company car, the so-called “hardtop convertible”, in the maroon color that was so popular on mid-1960’s Fords at the time. I can hear everyone now, “What the hell is a “hardtop convertible”? Well, the “B” pillar between the front and rear doors didn’t extend all of the way to the roof, but stopped at the top of the doors. The gap between the front door and rear door windows was covered by a simple rubber seal, so that when both side windows were down, the side glass opening extended from the windshield “A” pillar all the way back to the rear “C” pillar, without interruption. A great thing for styling and ventilation on hot summer days, but not so much for the structural integrity of the roof in a rollover! Which is why you don’t see that on sedans anymore, Federal rollover standards ended any possibility of omitting the “B” pillar in future designs.
The same missing “B” pillar design was first seen in the 1961-67 Lincoln Continental four-door convertibles, and for the same reason, to provide an unobstructed view between the doors, with the top up or down. The fact that it also eliminated the door frame for both side doors in the four-door convertible was a nice bonus, allowing for a more open design with the top either up or down.
the first 4 door hardtops came out in 1955 and by 1959 every manufacturer had one
I like the 1964 Galaxie..I feel it is the best looking of any year Galaxie.
I agree. My first car, as a sophomore in high school, was a 64 Galaxie 500 2 door fastback with a 390 4brrl and 3 speed on the column. Pop replaced it with a 69 Mustang when I started college. Had lots of cars since then, I’m 72 now, but sure wouldn’t mind owning another 64. Nothing beats the first time.
You guys are right about the frame issue’s here, I had a 67 Galaxie 500 4 Dr. that had a 302 automatic, Loved that car, but as you guys have said, The right frame rail behind the front wheel rotted out, causing frt end suspension issues,
Didn’t have the money to fix it back then, was laid off from the steel mill, just bought a house, and had three kids, Had to let it go.
The cool thing about that car was when it would shift into second gear, it would chirp the tires, that trans shifted hard….loved it
If your ’67 had a 302 it had to have been swapped in, ’cause 1968 was the first year Ford offered the 302.
I’m just curious, does anyone know when the 351 Cleveland or Windsor replaced the 352 FE-block motors in full-size Fords? I’m not sure if my Dad’s 1966 Galaxy had the 352 FE motor, or one of the newer 351 small-block engines under the hood, but his company always made the sales force order the company cars with the midsize engine choice, bigger than the entry-level V8, but smaller than the big-block options. In the 1966 Ford, the two (2) big-block options would most likely have been either the 390 or 428 FE block cars, unless the “7-Litre” sports option was specified, which got the 427 FE-block instead. The bigger 429 and 460 options wouldn’t appear until 1969 at the earliest.
Well, Robert, you’ve got some bad information here. I might be able to shed a little light on it. The 351 Windsor first appeared in 1969. The 351 Cleveland came out in 1970. The small block 289 was in production until 1967. In 1968 it turned into a 302. In 1966 a Galaxie 500 would have a 352 or a 390. The 1966 ‘7-LITRE’ would be a 428. Very few were special ordered with a ‘427’. I’m gonna guess 15, maybe 20. You won’t see one at your local ‘cruise night’. I’m sure someone else can add more details than me. Hope this helps.
More like no information, LOL! I was ignorant, which is why I asked the question. You’ve cleared up some of my confusion, thank you for the information and fixing my ignorance. Cheers!
“Ignorance can be fixed, stupid is forever.” – Anonymous.