Last week, I penned this piece on a 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible and waxed on about how it was one of my favorite Fords. Well, here’s another from my hit parade, a ’68 Ford XL convertible. This one, too, is a looker and punches the right tickets. It’s located in Hesperia, California, and is available here on craigslist for $21,250. Thanks are due to Mr. Numskal for this tip!
Being an XL means it’s the “sporty” full-size Ford, available in two-door fastback or convertible body styles. It’s still very similar to the Galaxie 500 with all vinyl upholstery, concealed headlights, and XL badging being the most obvious differences. As for popularity, Ford produced about 56K XLs in ’68, and 6K of that total were the drop-top variety. The Galaxie 500 convertible was a bit more robust volume-wise, with almost 12K copies seeing the light of day. According to the seller, the finish on this Ford is Code Y Sunlit Gold, and the lines of this car wear it beautifully. The entire exterior is in nice shape with no indication of fade, nicks, or chips marring the finish, while there’s no rust in sight or misaligned body panels. The trim is all present and accounted for, the chrome plating is still strong, and the folding top, from what can be spied, shows as being sound. While not a fan of wire wheel covers, they work very well on this big, stylish Ford.
Power on this ’68 is a stepped-up a bit over the ’66, thanks to a 265 gross-HP 390 CI V8, which does its thing with the help of a C6, three-speed automatic transmission. No word is given regarding running and driving characteristics for this claimed, but not authenticated, 55 K-mile XL. A Marti Report is included, and it provides prospective buyers with some additional details regarding this car’s history and equipment.
Parchment vinyl upholstery is how the interior of this drop top sits, and it provides a nice accompaniment to the Sunlit Gold exterior hue. From what’s revealed, the bench seat environment is in very nice condition and doesn’t appear to need any attention. I have to believe this interior shade will be much kinder to parking one’s derriere on a hot summer, top-down day. And speaking of that, I would suggest that this Ford’s innards haven’t been overexposed to the sun – it all still looks fresh. The only thing that I would change is those parchment, or off-white, floor mats – they’re gonna’ look messy pretty quickly.
OK, pick your preference, ’66 or ’68? That’s a tough one for me. I like the styling equally, though I prefer the exterior shade of the ’66 and its styled steel wheel covers, but give a nod to this ’68’s powerplant and hideaway headlights – Ford nailed that styling cue with this model. Decisions, decisions, you pick for me, please, which do you prefer?
Thanks Jim. To answer your question, I’m usually partial to the vertical headlight 60’s full size Fords. But I will admit, this 1968 convertible looks good. The Sunlit Gold with white makes for a sharp car. Fun cruising awaits.
Marti Report: It is interesting to me to look up the address of the original selling dealer. In this case it is a downtown building which is now a car/truck accessory facility, Though it is not hard to visualize it as a Ford dealer. There is a new dealership facility out by the interstate.
I like the Galaxie too but it just looks old next to the XL. I like the hideaway headlights and the sleek styling. I think the only place I saw these was in car magazines.
Agree w Bob as usual, and fox owner too 👍 👍 The later model was one heck of a follow up to the great earlier offerings. Ford sent this from the factory intended for lots of effortless highway cruising w the whole tribe 👪 on board. Punchy 390, C6 autoloader, tall 2.75 gear.
I quite like Galaxies (prefer Falcons ‘cos they’re smaller) from a historic racing point of view, but this car – whilst nice and clean – seems more XXL than XL.
The Europe/USA divide, again!
Nice!
Seller needs more detail and more pics (underside, etc).
My HS pal and I had big Fords… Customs, both police ints., mine a ’67 and his a ’68 – both 428s and a “P” as 5th digit in VIN. Still have his pic from ’77, leaning over the powerbarn working on that engine (“Every pushrod is bent!”), a week before leaving for Marine bootcamp.
I love these big Fords. Mine was very reliable back and forth across Ky to college. My favorite car of all time.
This XL is nice and engine looks like work has been done.
Ugh on the lack of PDB but those drums were big on these.
Would consider this one for sure pending look over. Nice.
Not much sporty about the ’68 XL, at least in standard form compared to the ’62-’67s. The buckets/console interior of the earlier cars was now optional, as was V8 power (the 240 six was standard). At least you got the grille and hidden headlights of the LTD, an improvement over the Galaxie 500.
What he said! IMHO the 1967 Galaxie was the last of the good-looking big Fords.
Wire hupcaps were available over the counter at Ford dealership from 62-68 slightly different than those put on at the factory.I know because I have a set on my 66′ Mustang.
Since I own two ’66s (one 289, one 428 7 LITRE), I’ll let you guess my favorite. As Vance notes, big cars were in a transition period, shedding their earlier sporty pretensions for the new luxury market aim. Still, if Pontiac had the 2 + 2, Buick had the Wildcat Gran Sport (’66, only year made), Oldsmobile had the Starfire (last year, supplanted by the Toronado) and Chebbie had the Sydney Sweeney, Ford had to continue the XL.