When it comes to aerodynamics, the 1963.5 Galaxie 500 XL Fastback was one of Ford’s better ideas for the period when it appeared as a mid-year offering, featuring a different roofline with a new design that helped the car cut through the wind with less drag, which was especially beneficial in NASCAR. This one here on eBay is probably best described as a stalled restoration, but some mechanical upgrades have already been made, and it’s likely at a decent point for someone else to take over and finish. This cool blue oval is in Moorpark, California, and is available now for a buy-it-now price of $6,900, with a make offer button also included.
The seller tells us that this Galaxie left the New Jersey assembly line with a 352 engine under the hood, but it has since been swapped for a 390. It’s said to currently run on gas supplied from a can, so I’m assuming the plug wires were put on after the photo shoot, but it should operate independently once the fuel system is complete. Right now, a Holley 1850 carburetor is installed, but an Autolite 4100 will also be included with the sale. The big V8 is paired with an automatic transmission, sending power to a 9-inch rear axle that’s reportedly still performing to factory specifications.
Although the sheet metal outside is far from perfect, the exterior appears mostly complete, and there are still some decent bones to work with here. Probably the worst area is the passenger-side quarter, which is said to have been parked next to a sprinkler that caused rust in this area. Fortunately, a complete replacement panel is included, so I’d probably go ahead and install that entire component rather than just cutting it down for the needed sections. The door on this side also needs some old bodywork redone, plus the driver’s side is reported to have minor corrosion on the bottom edge of the lower quarter, along with a small section of the front fender.
A few interior parts have been removed but are included, and the rusted sections of the floors have already been cut away, ready for the supplied front pans to be trimmed and welded into place. Thankfully, the dash still looks pretty good overall, and perhaps just a thorough cleaning will get it back into satisfactory condition for a nice driver. This one seems to have gotten off to a pretty good start for the next owner to continue, but there’s still a lot left to do, and I might at least try to negotiate the cost down a bit before committing to the full asking price. What are your thoughts on this 1963 1/2 Ford Galaxie 500 XL Fastback?
My thoughts are that I’m glad as you-know-what that my ‘63.5 XL is originally from Colorado and has nearly zero rust.
And strange, an XL shoulda’ve left the assembly line with a 390…
although it’s a bit confusing because they were all stamped 352…crazy world…
A 1963 Ford with an “X-code” in the VIN signifies a 352 cubic inch FE V8 engine equipped with a 2-barrel carburetor, producing approximately 220 horsepower. These were often found in the Galaxie 500XL series, providing a base V8 option before the 1963½ mid-year performance upgrades introduced higher-performance engines like the 427ci
One of the sweetest looking of the big Fords. When the Blue Oval got serious about racing. Sadly, this one looks like it’s loaded with the tin worm. Was it parked next to the lawn sprinkler for the better part of the last five decades?