Occasionally a classic car will appear and it is hard to determine exactly what its strongest attribute is. That is the case with this 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL Hardtop. What you are looking at here is what is claimed to be an original and unrestored survivor. Its condition is very impressive, but maybe its the fact that it has a genuine 66,000 miles on the odometer that ticks the right box for you. Being told that the engine bay houses an original Z-Code 390ci V8 isn’t going to hurt its prospects at all, but maybe finding out that it is being offered for sale in a No Reserve auction will be the icing on the cake. The Galaxie is located in Oakland, California, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has now reached $20,100, and remember those magic words…No Reserve.

The owner states that the Corinthian White Galaxie wears all of its original paint and that this is in good condition. He does say that the vehicle is completely rust-free, and not only do the panels look solid but the numerous photos that he supplies of the Galaxie’s underside reveal a car that is free of everything bar the occasional small spot of surface corrosion. It has spent its entire life in California, and still wears its original black plates. The history of the car is quite interesting, because between the day that it was purchased and the present day, it is claimed that this Ford has only spent two nights outside. In 1979, it was removed from regular use and placed into a private collection. It then spent the next four decades in temperature-controlled storage before recently being returned to a roadworthy state once again. Looking at the overall presentation of the car reveals a lot of promise. Not only are the panels rust-free, but they are very straight. There is nothing obvious in the way of dings or dents, while the paint itself still holds a nice shine. The external trim and chrome seem to be flawless, while the damage-prone hubcaps are perfect. With the glass also appearing to be free from problems, there is no doubt that the Galaxie would capture plenty of attention wherever it goes.

The Galaxie is a big and heavy car, so it deserves something with a bit of power to help it to deliver the goods. The 390ci Z-Code V8 under the hood should be capable of that, as it pumps out 300hp. Those rampant ponies find their way to the 3.00 rear end via a 3-speed automatic transmission. As I said, at 3,990lbs, the Galaxie is no lightweight. However, the Z-Code is capable of pushing it through the ¼ mile in around 15.9 seconds, which is pretty respectable. Apparently, the Galaxie clocked around 66,000 miles between 1963 and 1969. It was then that the car’s second owner placed it into storage. It only emerged recently, and it appears to be none-the-worse for its 4-decade slumber. The engine bay presents quite nicely, and the owner claims that it goes at least as well as it looks. It is said to run and drive nicely, with the transmission shifting smoothly. One reassuring aspect of the vehicle is it comes with all of the documentation to verify its mileage, along with a complete service history from new.

If the Galaxie has a weak point, then it is probably a couple of minor issues with the interior. However, as weak points go, they aren’t that bad. The covers on the front seats are showing some wrinkling and stretching, and their general appearance makes me wonder whether the foam that lies beneath might be starting to collapse a bit. There is a split in the side of the driver’s seat, but if the next owner wishes to preserve the car’s originality, then I believe that a good upholsterer might be able to repair this. There is also some wear and discoloring showing on the console armrest, but once again, I believe that this could be addressed without having to resort to replacement. Beyond that, it is pretty hard to find anything to be critical of. The dash itself is close to perfect, while the remaining trim, the headliner, and the rear seat, all look really good. An interesting addition is the Mark IV air conditioning, which was a dealer fitment for the original owner. It remains complete but will require a recharge if it is to blow cold. The attention to detail with this classic includes the fact that the original Owner’s Manual and receipt for the A/C are included with the rest of the documentation.

If you went to the dictionary and looked up the word “presence,” then it wouldn’t be a stretch to find a photo of this Galaxie beside it. This is a car that does not blend into the background, and the next owner will find themselves behind the wheel of a classic that is guaranteed to attract plenty of attention. Exactly where the bidding will go on this car is a bit hard to determine, but I believe that on recent market trends, I would expect it to probably stop at around the $25,000 mark. It might go a bit higher due to its originality and low documented mileage, but I wouldn’t be banking on that. One thing that is worth considering is that recent events have had some impact on values and sales volumes, so if you have access to the funds and are seeking a classic car, now could potentially be a pretty reasonable time to make your move. As always, make sure that you do your homework, but it is definitely a point to ponder.