This 1961 Galaxie Sunliner has already been restored and is ready for someone to do some “top-down” cruising. This would make a great car to grab now in preparation for when the weather turns warm again. This is a car that I really like, and I must thank Barn Finder Miguel for referring it through to us. It is located in Bridgeview, Illinois, and listed for sale here on Craigslist.
There is no doubt that this Galaxie is an attractive car, and it perfectly demonstrates just how quickly vehicle styling is capable of changing. If you placed this Galaxie side-by-side with its 1959 equivalent, it would be hard to believe that only 2-years separate the two cars. The owner doesn’t specify when the restoration on the car was performed, but it generally looks like it completed to a fairly high standard. The panels and paint look good, while the exterior trim and chrome look virtually faultless. The owner supplies a fairly comprehensive catalog of photos (many of which you will find below this story) and they show a very clean underside to the car, with no signs of rust problems. The black soft-top also looks like it might be fairly new. There will be people who may not like the wheels on the car, but I think that they are in keeping with the character of the vehicle. The new owner could always change them if they wanted to achieve a completely original look to the car.
The presentation of the engine bay is also quite impressive. For your money, you get a 352ci V8 engine and a freshly rebuilt Cruise-O-Matic transmission. You also get power steering and what I believe are 4-wheel power disc brakes. If this is the case, then some of you will consider the car to be more of a refurbishment than a restoration. I respect that opinion entirely, but regardless of which side of the fence you may fall, it still makes for a nice car.
Apart from the wrap on the wheel, which I really don’t like, it is hard to be critical of the interior. I get the fact that a good wrap will protect a good wheel and save it from wear, but I still don’t like them. Anyway, back to the interior. The trim all looks really good, and I would assume that it came in for the treatment when the rest of the car underwent restoration. It is virtually spotless, and this is an area that seems to have been left original. I was searching for the signs of an aftermarket stereo or some other obvious modern convenience, but I can’t spot anything.
This Sunliner is a really nice car, and the restoration work looks like it has been completed to a high standard. It is not 100% original, but the modifications that have been performed would potentially make this car a safer vehicle than if it were standard. The new owner could choose to reverse these changes and return the vehicle to its original state. This is a car that you could buy and enjoy immediately, and it would attract its fair share of admiring looks and comments into the bargain. The owner has set an asking price of $27,500 for the car, and if you compare it with similar examples that are currently on the market, this one stacks up really well.
It’s funny when I look at the front-end photo (with the shadow of the photographer in the picture), I see the front end of the ’64 Cadillac. Anyone else?
It’s making my mouth water…
He’s right. This `61 IS too sweet to pass up!! And the price is right, given that it’s already been restored. Even if the standard rims/wheel covers don’t come with the car, they are easy enough to locate! Heck–this cvt. is nice enough to install the (aftermarket) Ford wire wheels w/spinners you see on T-Birds, with period correct whitewall cokers!!
Will Fox, I doubt you would be able to put the original wheels back on if it does indeed have 4 wheel disc brakes.
When I submitted this car I looked to see if it had already been listed.
That other yellow ’61 that had been listed previously is close, but they are different cars.
Love it…would’nt change a thing.
My MIL saw this car and loves it. She says it’s too bad that the price is out of her reach. Gotta say she’d look really
sharp driving it! If I had won the Mega
Millions jackpot, we would be on our
way to pick it up and drive it back to our
home in Florida. It would be a good fit
as Mom’s house was built in ’64! Mom
said she wants to see more ’57 Chevys
as that’s her favotite car. Nice car! Hope
it finfs a good home.
This car has been listed on Hemmings for maybe 2 months or better. Same vin in both ads. Hemmings is listed out of Justice IL.. Would have thought it would have sold for $ 27500 by now. Sounds like a good price for a really nice car to me. https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/ford/sunliner/2197126.html
Beautiful car, and very similar all the way around as my Dad’s that he had in the mid 1960’s. The wheels look great, I wouldn’t change a thing except to add a/c. It gets 100+ degrees during the summer here! The fins are still present but not huge, which gives it great character. I really want a 1960 model, as I love the front end styling of that single year, but I certainly wouldn’t turn this one down!
This is a very,very nice ‘vert and I really like its colors too. The 61 Galaxie is a truly nice models on its own, but I must confess I have a soft spot for the 60 too…
Regardless of this seemingly great condition, would a restored vehicle classify as a barn find…?
The wrap on the steering wheel most likely wasn’t installed to protect the wheel, it was installed to cover up cracks in the steering wheel.
This is a very nice looking ’61 Ford!
Nice. My Father had one in Red, was his work car in the 70’s he picked it up for $100. he used it a couple of years, then gave it to my older brother who was 17.
My ’61 Sunliner, also an FE/Cruiseomatic, was one of the most memorable cars I’ve owned. I bought it in the early ’70s with about 100K on it, then restored it to it’s original red glory, but with a black interior. It was one of the very first cars that I ever restored, and afterward I drove it for many years. By the 1990s the things needing attention had piled up and I parked it, intending to get to it. But I never did, and ended up selling it for $4500. I still kick myself for that, but I guess I had my time with it, and you can’t keep them all.
Hey Guys and Gals,
I’m the current owner of this beauty, someone told me about the post here. I think it’s awesome that so many people appreciate this classic as much as I do. As far as any questions that I saw in the write up, I’ll try and give some answers… I received the car in this restored condition, not sure what year it was restored but it was definitely taken care of afterwards. This is about as clean as you’ll find, especially for the price. It does have power steering and 4 wheel, power disc brakes. I’m not sure if the steering wheel is original and wrapped or new and wrapped. The radio is original to the car, but I’m including a re-pop radio and speaker. If anyone has any questions or would like to make an offer, feel free to contact me at 708-516-8546. The car is actually located in Justice Illinois, next town over from Bridgeview We’ve also just launched a website, http://www.keepinemclassicgarage.com. You can see some of our previous sales and coming soon, our Merchandise Store. I appreciate all the love here, definitely a good group of car guys!
Thanks for looking!!!
Pat Murphy
Patrick M (Murphy) here. (A different fellow) This seems to be a well done project. I only have two problems, and it is just me…. (1) I don’t like yellow cars and (2) I don’t like convertibles. In the early ’70’s, the National Safety Council issued a statement that auto manufacturers should stop making convertibles because the auto accident death rate in them was 60% higher that in all other type cars. Two years later, no more convertibles were made. That still sticks with me. Not complaining about your car, just saying. It is a beautiful car. I hope it gets to a really appreciative new owner.
This is a really nice car! It presents itself really well! However 27 and a half G’s! I would have to perform a inspection in person on it before I pulled out my checkbook!
I don’t blame you one bit Wrong Way… you’re more than welcome to come by or have a local mechanic perform an inspection. If you’ve got any questions, feel free to give me a shout, 708-516-8546. Thanks for looking!
Pat
This is a beautiful car.Doesn,t anyone know what restored means anymore.
Doesn’t