OK, this one’s a bit curious. It’s advertised as a Galaxie 500 XL, but my research tells me that in ’69, you had either an XL or a Galaxie 500, but not both (the Galaxie 500 and XL went their separate ways in ’67). Hmmm…Sure, it’s a looker of a car and equipped just right, but is it what it claims to be? Let’s take a deep dive and see if we can figure it out. Curvette gets two thumbs up for this Boca Raton, Florida discovery, and it’s available here on eBay for a BIN price of $53,000. There is a make an offer option available, too.
Boy, where do I start? I generally eschew listings for cars in this price range; it’s too out of character for the concept of a barn find – not that this car’s a barn find, of course. The previously mentioned Galaxie 500/XL matter, and this car is wearing both badges, got my radar going. The GT claim seems to be mostly limited to an applied stripe, though the required GT equipment (disc brakes and 390 or 429 CI engine, among other items) is present. Most beguiling is the lack of a published VIN or an image of the supposedly available Marti report. As for production stats, there were 6,910 Galaxie 500 convertibles assembled in ’69 and an additional 7,402 XL drop-tops that saw the light of day that year. Rare? Not really, but definitely uncommon, especially today. This one shows as perfect; the Gulfstream Aqua finish, which is a respray, is resplendent, the white folding top is like new, and the chrome bits possess a brilliant luster. As opposed to wearing the XL’s standard “mag-style” wheelcovers, this car is sitting on Magnum 500-style wheels – it’s a good look!
Big power sits behind this Ford’s beak and concealed headlights; it’s a 360 gross HP 429 CI V8, working its magic via a four-speed manual transmission. The seller adds, “Mechanically, the car is outstanding. It runs, drives, and shifts beautifully, with no fluid leaks whatsoever.” The engine compartment is one of the cleanest I’ve spied in a long time. The recorded mileage is listed as 21K miles, but there’s no authentication provided via the listing.
The interior is as fresh and spotless as the exterior. The seller states, “the Parchment Pearl interior with its split bench seat remains in pristine condition,” which sounds like he’s saying the interior is original, but I’d suggest it’s too nice considering its 57 years on this earth. Whatever the case, no demerits to be issued. Finally, note the floor-mounted tachometer – I’ve never seen one like this in a full-size Ford.
This is a fabulous find, and equipped as such, it’s a rare bird; be sure to check out the eBay listing video. A true muscle car? Well, it tips the scales at two tons, but that big 429 is a stump puller, so, yes, coupled with a four-speed manual transmission, I’d put this big Ford into muscle car category. Yup, it’s great! But with a $53K ask, I’d really like to better understand the Galaxie 500/XL nomenclature mix-up – something seems off, especially considering that Galaxie 500 badges are firmly attached to each quarterpanel, there’s no XL trunk badge, and I don’t recall ever seeing a “GT 429” rear-mounted emblem. And of course, the missing Marti report invites questions. What’s your thought, XL, Galaxie 500, or something in between?
I’ll start off with, I’m not into the fullsize cars, but would make an exception for this car. Even though I’ve owned a few Ford products, I’ve never been a huge Ford car fan, I do love Ford trucks though. Being a GM fan, this is a very nice car and would consider it, if it had a realistic price.
I never trust an ad, or dealer, that can’t back up their claims with facts. There are no pics of numbers, or documentation, to back up the sellers claims. The average idiot, might part with some serious bank, but anyone who knows anything about old cars, will require documentation. If everything can be corroborated, $53k is a stretch.
Wow. What an interesting, attractive, rarely seen big Ford. Great colors. 429 4-speed, powerful and fun. Looks to be in fine condition. Sure, there are questions… including what is the correct model nomenclature and related trim… why not show us the Marti Report. I can’t remember the last time I have seen one, even online. It would be a big draw at your local show.
Good write-up Jim.
Marti report should be a given when selling a Ford. And if the seller has it, as Bob stated, why not include it in the gallery? Unique car with the 4 speed, but priced pretty steep for not being a highly sought after model.
It amazes me that everyone whining about the Marti report not being posted don’t take the initiative to go to the sellers website and look at it.
Your point is well taken, it is out there at http://www.auta.com. However, the seller should have included it in his eBay listing. It’s an important piece of documentation and he shouldn’t force those with an interest to hunt for it.
BTW, Marti says it is an XL; still can’t figure out the “Galaxie 500” badges.
JO
Disagree, if I was interested, I would investigate.
I think this is an XL. I had a 2 door 69 Fairlane 500 and the front end was totally different. Had the gauges faired into the top of the dash too.
A 1969 Fairlane is a very different car from a 1969 Galaxie. The Fairlane is a mid sized car and the Galaxie is a full sized car.
Nice car but way overpriced in my book :)
I believe it to be a Galaxie 5oo. It has the Galaxie style side trim and it sports the script on the driver side. XL trim is different. It has the hideaway headlights and the XL tailpanel (piece that goes under taillights) Galaxie had a piece of stainless instead of the red reflector with chrome. Both easily changed out from an LTD or XL and put on a Galaxie. XL optioned out would likely have buckets and console. I had a 69 galaxie with the 429 N-code 4 spd. With the bench seat. Not many were made. Vert with a 4-spd even lower #s. One GT stripe only on passenger side. GT’s also had the six horizontal chrome strips on the front fenders.
Actually, it is the XL model according to the Marti report on the dealers website.
I’m not a convertible guy but if I was , this would be right up my alley. But I would verify the authenticity. So many fakers out there. There’s a lot of money being spent on muscle cars by people who are not knowledgeable. And the market is taking full advantage of that.
The Marti report validates that it is, in fact, what it is being represented as.
Cool. That is good. For all the whining on here I didn’t realize it had been posted on the website!
** my advice to always be cynical still stands. As the old saying, goes trust, but verify!
This has to be very rare indeed as by this time, very few people were ordering these big top of the line ‘verts with manuals.
A 1969 Boss Mustang 429 w4 spd would be about 250k This car same engine and 4spd 50k if it can be verified seems like a good deal to me It would not be as quick because of the extra weight but it would still be pretty fast Not as sought after as the Mustang though
This car does not have a BOSS 429, it’s the passenger car version the same engine that came in Thunderbirds and station wagons.
Steve R
LOL!! l I think the power plant in this has about as much in common with a Boss 9 as it does with a Tesla!
As others have said, the 429 in this car is a standard Ford V8, and doesn’t share much with the Boss version of the 429 beyond the displacement.
Also, you’ll have a hard time finding a running Boss 429 for $250K, let alone one restored to the level of this Galaxie. Current auction prices are more in the $500K-$600K range for restored Boss 429’s. I just spent the last few months inspecting Boss 429 project cars for a customer. I looked at three that were not much more than basket cases, all priced between $200K and $250K. He paid $225K for a car needing a complete restoration, with tons of rust and missing a lot of unique (and expensive) Boss 429 only parts. The buyer knew what he was buying as he just finished a two year restoration on another 69 Boss 429.
A Boss 429 is a very different engine than a 429 Thunderjet. That would be an apple to oranges comparison.
At first glance this appears to be a decent car but a closer look show things that make me question the quality of the workmanship. Ford did not usually use screws to hold the door panels in place. The fender to hood bumpers are missing. Someone took a short cut to replacing the heater core by cutting the heater box open and then placing a metal plate over the hole they made.
It’s an XL with some non-stock badging. ’69 XLs did not have “Galaxie 500” badges as it wasn’t part of the Galaxie 500 series that year. In addition, the small “GT 429” badge on the rear should just read “Ford” in cap letters.
I agree Vance in regards to that “GT 429” badge. Looks like some home made custom piece to me. I have always liked Gulfstream Aqua though. It would be a great change of pace if today’s manufacturers would offer colors like this instead of their typical Black, gray, silver and white boring a$$ crap.
Agreed, but that badge has a factory look/fit to it. Hmmm… maybe a decal on top of the OEM unit??
I like it regardless of which model it is.
I took my drivers exam in my brothers 69 XL coupe. 390 auto. Parallel parking the beast impressed the State trooper so much i passed even after a crawl through a stop sign right turn. That XL had a heater that would melt your Chuck Conners! Threw heat before you left the driveway.
it appears to be a super nice and very rare car. I always thought of the XL as its own line as I do with LTDs. However, sometimes when people restore cars they make minor errors or make their own choices. I am more bothered with the detail on the dash. A LTD or XL should have faux wood trim around the driver’s area as well as the strip below the glove box which is painted blue. As a driver it isn’t a big deal but try to show the car and they will find these things which will hurt the value of the car. This car carries a premium price. I am also unsure that the antenna should be on the front passenger fender, not on the rear. I see this car as a nice 25-30 K collector car but not ready for car show judges.
for the asking price . this car needs to at least match the marti report . if indeed it is just thrown together , its a $15,000 car at best . it has far too many unanswered questions to be considered at the asking price
You are Right Certain things say Galaxie 500, you are Right the Antenna is suppose to be on the Passenger side not a rear Mounted after market power antenna. and yes I did notice the absence of vehicle ID that should have been below glove box it would have said Custom 500 or Galaxie500, LTD, XL. Even the GT would have been there, high price for not Complete.
It’s a Galaxie 500 the 429 would have been on the Corner Markers out front My father had two 1969 LTD’s one a Four Door the Other a Coupe, the two Door had a 390 4V the 4 door had a 429 4v Police Interceptor that rear deck has an Ltd or Xl Reflector under the tail lights that was not on the Galaxies it would have been a Aluminum Plate across the rear, the XL’s had a center counsel and bucket seats the bench says galaxie 500 only Dealers did swap out’s i don’t think the factory did that Mix up. i have the books in storage showing the options. where that tach sits would have been where the 8-track would have been.
429, 4 speed, convertible!
Is there Anything better?
Looking at it again only the LTD’s and the XL had those front hide away Lights Vacuum Operated the hood Emblem Looks like the XL or LTD Emblem from what I can See of it, the radio in the left Corner looks like the Rare AM-FM Radio noted by the Chrome Side Bar our 69 Ltd four door had one. your guess is as good as Mine. if it’s the XL or Galaxie 500
It’s an XL. Galaxie 500 had a different hood, different front bumper, different grille, different headlight treatment. Why someone put “Galaxie 500” badges on this car isn’t known but they must have liked them along with that rear “GT 429” badge that isn’t factory. Also, the Marti Report says it’s an XL, not a Galaxie 500.
…”(the Galaxie 500 and XL went their separate ways in ’67)”
Clarification may be in order here. Perhaps more accurate to say “…the Galaxie and 500 and XL went their separate ways AFTER ’67”. My father owns an original 1967 Ford Galaxie 500XL Convertible and caught grief from some in the Ford crowd saying it wasn’t so.
I have the Marti Report in my hand, stating it is in fact, a 1967 Ford Galaxie 500XL Convertible, one of 415 built in this particular paint/trim combination.
I’ve got a cousin to this I think is a 69Galaxie 500 GT 429 4 speed a rare car to find and clean! My car is a 69 Mercury Marauder X100 same 429 ci 360 hp C6 transmission and a 9” rear. 2:80 open
Highway gear 4300 pounds they are heavy cars
I had the 1969 LTD version of this car with the 429. I remember on a 0-100 full throttle launch, you could watch the gas gauge go down. I would get around 6-8 mpg with a bit of a heavy foot. I was 16 and had to replace the head gaskets with just some basic tools and a Chilton’s manual. I had no money and had to get to work and somehow was able to do it. Car taught me a lot. I would love to own this, but I’d have trouble anything over maybe 30K and that’s giving extra for sentimental value.
Cool!
I love it when tail feathers get ruffled on this site. You get an education, and wealth of information. On the highway, doing about 60, you’d punch a 429 Thunder Jet, and it took off like a rocket. Slight hesitation, then, See’ya…
what a shame ,a bench seat thats WHITE ( gag ) the lack of a console . no AC would limit its sale , i think . otherwise , what a beautiful example . if i owned it it would DEFINATELY get a black bucket seat interior re trim .
Good looking car!!! Can’t say I’ve ever seen a blue rim blow deluxe steering wheel.
nice piece. a b/b with a 4spd and a drop top. price is heavy handed IMO but then again, it’s a dealer so expect no less
I agree it’s over priced but I also think it’s getting too much negativity. No where in the write-up do I see the term “Rare.” I’d maybe use “unique.” I do see “Make Offer” option. Try it.. Maybe you’ll get it for what you think it’s worth.
From the dealers website:
“As one of only 113 examples with this engine/transmission combination, this Galaxie stands as a highly collectible piece of Ford history—an extremely rare big-block, 4-speed convertible in pristine condition.
HERE IS YOUR CHANCE TO OWN ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST DESIRABLE BIG-BLOCK FORD CONVERTIBLES EVER BUILT!”
What I like about this car, it wouldn’t look that all out of place on the road among all the squared off SUVs and crossovers , I mean have you seen the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe? It’s a brick.
Beautiful big Ford. When was the last time you saw one going the other direction. The blue over white looks sweet plus a 4-speed, 429! What? That was going out of style in 1969.
ok After looking at the Pictures on ebay door panels do say XL, Hood Emblem as well says XL corner markers do say 429, so i guess it is what it is although GT say 69 Torino to me I do not recall GT stripes on that body of ford but do recall those stripes on Torino’s
This beauty sure has generated the comments
Why would you place a Hurst Shifter decal on the drivers side rear window when you have the stock Ford linkage in the car? There some other nitpick things, but still, this is a really nice car. Great colors!
Yeah it’s a nice car with owners touches along the way. Cars like this you can make your own – black instead of blue for me. My nit pick is the sway bars front and rear are not there and the full size 69 ford cop cars had um , they make a big difference handling
Last year for the big block/four-speed combo in a full-size Ford. The option was listed in the early specification sheets for 1970 but none were built.
The last place I would put a tach is on the floor. Better on the dash or steering column, don’t think looking downward for redline is really very safe. Keep your eyes on the road when racing.
Nice car though, bet it’s a handful in the corners, but that’s not what it was built for.
The hideaway headlights scream “XL”, but the badges say “Galaxie 500”. It looks like someone did a not so thorough restoration on this car, and cut some corners in the process. It looks nice, and the badges can be changed, but if you’re going to restore a car, why not take the time to get the details right? The equipment installed makes it desirable, the questionable history less so, so buyer beware! Once the lineage has been established beyond a doubt, then a buyer can decide if the car is worth the money, but right now, the questions have my spider sense tingling.
With all of that being said, if the history is verified, it could be worth the money, or you could make an offer lower than the asking price if questions remain, but it is a tempting piece of machinery! The only thing that keeps this car from being perfect from an equipment standpoint is the bench seat. If it had bucket seats with a console, it would be perfect! GLWTS!
The listing also claims a “split bench” seat, but if that is a split bench seat in the pictures, I’ll eat my hat! More like an ordinary full-width bench seat IMHO! Also, the heater box looks like one from an air-conditioned car, but the heater controls are noteworthy by the absence of any settings for an air conditioner, and there’s no A/C compressor on the front of the engine! Comments?
you are right no a/c vents in the center of dash or those stupid round vents in the left and right corners either.
Looking at other 69’s for sale on facebook that looks like a standard heater box for a car with no A/C. Also that plate to access the heater core I think is courtesy of FMC. I saw one on another car. Very nice in any sense if you have ever changed one out, some cars are a nightmare. All said this is a very interesting car. I didn’t know you could even get a full size ’69 Ford with a bench seat and a 4speed. I also saw a ’69 Marauder for sale that had a 429 and a 3-on-the-tree. Can’t be too many of those either.
The badge on the nose and badges on the door panels say “XL”, but the “XL” badge that typically appears over the trunk lock is gone, and the “Galaxie 500” badges on the rear quarter panels aren’t correct, nor is the “GT” tape stripe on each side, as I don’t think that the “XL” had a “GT” option package, but I could be wrong. If anyone can enlighten me, I’d appreciate it.
could suggest quarter panels replaced from donor car same as trunk lid the custom didn’t have a badge over the key I did note the bumper is not completely straight looks like they backed into something.
A great write up Jim, that seemed to have touched off a few radars.
Beautiful color combo, but might raise a few eyebrows at local car shows.
I would offer somewhere between $ 20 – 30 K
Given the age of the car, my radar is questioning the stated mileage. Hmmm.
Questions indeed.
Here’s the Marti Report.
JO
thought xl had bucket seats standard
Rear windows Look dumb.!!!
Should / Do the rear side windows go down?
These do not work. NO picture shows them down!
Looks very dumb with the top down and those up.
Anyone here know if they should?
the front Drivers door shows 5 switches 4 windows and Lock switch, so yes they should but knowing Power Motors they probably don’t work.
if they work, setter would put them down
if they work, SELLER would put them down
Yes the rear windows are supposed to go down. This one is a nice car but trim wise it is missing too much xl gt trim. The gt did have the stripe , on the front fender behind the wheel within the stripe was chrome gt letters the front part of the fender should have 5 chrome ribs , the trunk should have a flip up xl emblem hiding the trunk lock, as stated above the gt 429 on the rear mounding is incorrect should just say ford , for 69 only the antenna should be on the driver side front fender, the xl and xl gt never had the galaxy 500 script on the rear quarter panel or anywhere else on the car. Ford did not keep production numbers on the xl gt trim so we will never know how many true gt’s of the xl trim were produced in 69. The bench seat was standard for all galaxies, xls and xl gt buckets were optional for all. The blue trim should be wood grain, in the center of the door panels should read xl , that tach is not stock. I had a few galaxies and xl’s with one xl gt back in the day, I loved those cars and would love to buy another, this one would do if it were maybe 15k $53 is dreaming big time!
Next owner can ungrade to a 140mph speedometer