Coming on the heels of last week’s 1970 Ford LTD is this 1968 Galaxie 500 two-door hardtop. It’s in the same vein, just a lesser model with a more restrained presentation. And, if I may say so, ’68 was my favorite year for Ford’s full-sizer. This stylish two-door, located near Portland, Oregon is available, here on craigslist for $12,500.
So, what’s special about this old Ford? Nothing really, except that there’s nothing like it made anymore, and many of us who have been around awhile like these old V8-powered, two-door hardtops. This one is supposedly on its second owner and has been stored in an airport hangar for the last few years. It shows well with no sign of rust or crash damage, misaligned body panels, etc. Even the finish, which I think is Brittnay Blue, still has a decent shine though the trunk lid is displaying some fade. The wheel covers are an interesting choice as I see an Oldsmobile rocket logo front and center.
An unphotographed (always a mistake) 210 gross HP, 302 CI “Challenger” V8 engine that has exceeded 100K miles occupies this Ford’s engine room and the seller adds, “It runs and drives, although it has sat for a while. It would probably need to be thoroughly checked out before I would consider it trustworthy on the road“. Research documentation indicates that this Galaxie’s automatic transmission is a C4 three-speed unit.
The interior is about what you would expect though I’m suspicious of that driver’s seat towel and what may be hiding under it. There’s nothing remarkable to report just the usual stuff such as worn and discolored armrests and carpet that could probably get by with a thorough cleaning. The instrument panel is typical for domestic cars of this era, it’s not very informative but seems in typical condition for a 56-year-old car.
Ford Galaxie 500 two-door models had a bang-up year in ’68 with a total production of 154K copies divided between a fastback body style and our subject’s (84K) more formal roofline configuration. Throw in the Galaxie-like XL and there are another 50K units so there was no hurting for buyers on Ford’s part. That said, I’d like to know how many exist today as I infrequently encounter online sale examples and I don’t remember the last time I spied one in the steel.
So, preference time – I prefer the physical condition of last week’s featured ’70 LTD (and its monster motor) but the less formal styling of this ’68 Galaxie 500 appeals more to my eye. Let’s talk price, at an ask of $12,500, what do you think, priced right, or not quite?
Looks like a clean Galaxie 500. Like Jim says, don’t see them often. Brittany Blue looks good on this car. Some aftermarket wheels or even a set of “correct” wheel covers would improve the presentation. How about the “Styled Steel Wheel Covers”, which looked sharp. A set is available on ebay for only $200.
No, you don’t see them often; and for a reason. Rust was the killer of that breed – from the early 1950s, right up into the mid-1970s, Ford had a real problem with rust.
We had one, a four-door 1968 Galaxie. Typical suburban use in the Great Lakes area. Garaged when not used; and run through the car wash once a week.
The frame rusted clean through in five years. I mean, clean through – banging the floor with a broken end. Only the carbody was keeping the thing from collapsing.
Those were beautiful full-size cars. Car & Driver wrote (discussing the new Panther in 1979) that the full-size Fords were just evolutionary, from the 1949 Shoebox, to the 1978 parade float. But what a difference had been wrought, especially once Lee Iacocca took firm control. Outside and in, Fords had a style in those years that Chevrolet didn’t match.
Fun fact: IIRC, 1968 was the last year for a metal grille. Everything went plastic with the 1969 facelift.
Ford may have had the style, though that’s subjective, but Chevrolet had the sales. They beat Ford in totality every year through the ’60s except for ’61 and ’66 and the differences those two years were miniscule, 20K units in ’61 and only 6K in ’66.
JO
There’s no accounting for people’s bad taste.
In the car biz sales are what matters, all else is, well, just all else.
JO
That grille fact IS fascinating! I always sort of wondered when that became the way things were. I am restoring a 70 Olds Toronado and the plastic grille just looks… sad and cheap
Fords, and every other brand of vehicle that contains metal, have a problem with corrosion.
Lumping every Ford car from 1949 to 1979 is lazy logic, and a drastic oversimplification. Flathead to OHV to OHC. Body on frame to unitized construction. The same is true for virtually every automaker.
Good point! And being located in the Great Lakes area hardly mirrors conditions throughout the rest of the lower 48 where collapsing frames were not an issue – with Fords or any other brand.
JO
Sure, all cars rust. Some faster than others.
Eight to 10 years was typical in that era, in that region. Now, with better rust preventative designs and coatings, far longer. (Not that it makes it easier to work on brakes, etc with corroded fasteners…)
But that there are so few Fords of that era around, speaks of their longevity, or lack thereof.
As for the other: Of course there were MASSIVE changes, 1949 to 1978. Everything from engines, to smog controls, to padded interiors and restraints. My point was, to start with the Whiz Kids’ 1949 Shoebox, through the severe McNamara era, and then on to the late 1960s…what a transformation that was, and all incrementally. Quite remarkable.
All full-size Fords were body-on-frame. None of then used a unibody. Compacts and subcompacts, yes. The intermediates, early on. And the Lincoln, yes. Not the Custom/Galaxie/LTD.
Split bench was an extra cost option, rarely seen on lower trims. Even with the 302 it would be a neat car.
Not the 69 I had a galaxy 500 an LTD and XL all grills were metal mostly cast pot Metal over pressed steel headlight doors , I had a 70 LTD that grill was pot metal over pressed steel
68 is my favorite year for the Galaxie. Though could be swayed “60-67” with the right “presence “. One yr. only. Red horizontal stripe center grille adds distinction to 68 model.
I think that price is very reasonable for a solid, complete cruiser of this vintage. Sure there are probably a few electrical/mechanical gremlins to clean up, but I’d consider them worthwhile in exchange for straight, rust-free panels. Like a lot of readers on here, I had a hot minute where it was all muscle cars shining like diamonds in my eyes, but now adays I revel in seeing daily drivers that have been preserved. To parrot most of these fellers: “they had personality dadgummit! now everything looks the same!”
Getting a look at the engine and moving the towel, would make me feel a lot more comfortable about the price. Looks pretty clean though.
Nice car $12+k is at the top end of its value in my opinion anyway, I think it would make a fun cruiser
Nice article Jim…I always thought the full-size 68 Ford would have looked a lot better with the very similar “inset” grill design from the 68 Fairlane- and the 67 Galaxie wheelcovers. Oddly in 68 there was no midsize V8 -you went from a 302 to two versions of the heavy 390 FE and then of course the 428.. the 352 was gone and 351 hadn’t shown up yet on the full size cars…the 302 was/is a great engine but only adequate in this size car (IMO)
Thx OldsMan!
As stated, it’s definitely my favorite of the big Fords and I had forgotten, until researching, about that engine gap. Plymouth did the same thing that year going from the 318 to the 383 though the 318 had a little more bite to it than Ford’s 302.
JO
That’s not how I remember it, but it was a long time ago. My buddy’s dad drove a Swinger with a 318 and my buddy’s 250 inline 6 Maverick would run circles around it. Still, it’s a V8, so it’s a good canvas.
My recollection is from a friend who had a ’68 Plymouth Sport Suburban wagon powered by a 318 engine. I was surprised at how spritely it was for such a sizeable and heavy car. But the issue behind my point is the difference in output between the 318 and Ford’s 302 – 230 gross HP VS. 210 or a 20 HP delta.
JO
Did these have 428, 429, as an option?
The 428 was optional, the 429 didn’t come until 1969.
I agree with Jim about the 1968 Galaxie/LTD. It appears substantial without being over reliant on sculpting and gimmicky styling details. My only qualm here is that this only has a 302; while performance upgrades for this engine are plentiful, I would feel better seeing a 390 or 428 under that hood. That would justify the 5 figure tag on this fairly decent car.
I had the exact twin to this car except it was the fastback version. 390 2bbl
Very nice picture of the towel on the front seat! Do you have matching hand towel and wash cloth, and are they included?
5 motors, 3 transmissions; sedan, coup, vert, wagon (ranch? -mayB nother model- ) FB, multi-trim levels in 1 model, etc. Was nice when wages matched cost-of-goods.
I like one yr of these for the -0- all the way acc the driver’s dash. I remember the circular deep dish gauges my teen buddy had there oem. (May B it wasnt this model?)