Few people nowadays think of a 1950’s anything as a “daily”, but the seller of this 1959 Ford claims it to be in just that condition. It’s listed here on craigslist and located West of Richmond, Virginia with a $5,500 asking price.
The seller doesn’t tell us the exact model, and I’m no expert on Blue Oval products, but I’ll go out on a limb and guess that it’s either a Custom or Custom 300, which were the two lower tiers of Ford’s 1959 passenger-car lineup. It apparently has the 223 cubic-inch, 144-horsepower inline-six engine, an automatic transmission, although we aren’t treated to an underhood picture in the listing.
What we can see, and what the seller tells us, is that the body and interior are in decent overall shape for the age, with a few needs. It apparently runs and drives well, which is ideal for a “driver” car! While far from rare when new, it’s not often nowadays that we see cars from this era that are so low-level. We usually see Galaxies and Fairlanes like this one, which was featured here just last month.
What’s interesting to me is the idea that a low-optioned car from the heyday of chrome plating and tailfins is still on the road in good shape, not stripped down for parts, nor rusting away in a field somewhere. What do you think of the lower-optioned cars from back in the day?
So it’s a driver and has no plate? Some people put a rag over or put their fingers over for the pictures. Hmmmm still would make a cool sleeper.
Plate area looks pretty clean compared to the rest of the bumper. Might have just pulled it for privacy.
I love it. My Dad drove one, it was a Pure Oil company car if I recall. Probably the first car I ever noticed as a kid.
It’s got a lot of potential and isn’t priced that bad for someone with the idea to do something with it.
The six cylinder is a blessing and a curse, nice quiet ride with not enough vacuum to run the wipers. A very comfy ride that you won’t get any speeding tickets with. Love the view from behind the wheel, nice car.
Hey Junkman, my dad had a 59 Galaxie 2 door hardtop with a 223 when I was a kid. Yes, when he was accelerating, those wipers were SLOW.
My dad had the 59 galaxy 500
and the vacuum wipers were slow while accelerating too
Electric wipers were an option back then
Really there were a lot more of the stripped down models back then because more could afford them. Later, they were the first to be scrapped because everyone wanted the Belair or Galaxie. So they ended up being the rarest models.
Interesting! The car was just listed on Craigslist and now it’s already “flagged for removal”! Looks like the scammers have infiltrated BARN FINDS!
Often times potential buyers will flag to reduce the competition when buying.
Given this is a bare bones version it’s still rather flashy! I may of course be wrong, but according to Ford sales literature I find no mentioning of a Custom, Custom 300 being the entry level.
Hence, this one appears to be a Custom 300 Tudor Sedan, as the Business Sedan would not have the 4 ‘flying wings’ on its quarters(nor a rear seat).
One thing that surprises me is that the 223 I-6 is listed as optional engine, the 200hp 292 V8 came as std engine!
I love stripper cars; as I wasn’t around when these were new I’ve seen way more Galaxies and Skyliners. When in fact the entry-level versions is what the average Joe drove back in the day
Love the stripped and basic versions of any of these. They’re exactly the kind of car I buy.The honesty and purpose built no nonsense quality is intoxicating for me.
They do every bloody thing a more expensive model does without screaming “Debt Slave”.
My folks had a 59 Ford Galaxie Fairlane 500 [it was a very long name] two door sedan, nile green and whites, shiny thread in the upholstery and a V8 with a 4 bbl carb. I never knew the displacement.
Still outrageous. As always, good to see the six
To bad it was’nt a hardtop
I believe the technical term for this is the Custom 300 2dr Sedan. Been looking at one in the same guise except with a 3 speed column shift. Same color even! Funny, it has a factory in-dash clock with a chrome bezel that matches the long chrome trim on these dashes.
This is just like the second car I owned only mine was grey and a three speed on the column, then again I was only 12.
Was flogged for removal.