Cars such as this 1960 Ford Galaxie Starliner offer really interesting styling, with narrow roof pillars and wide expanses of glass. This Starliner is a solid car that needs little more than a cosmetic restoration, and if returned to its original color, it would be a car that would attract its fair share of attention. If it appeals to you, then you will find it located in Kelseyville, California, and listed for sale here on eBay. At the time of writing, bidding has reached a paltry $105, which means that it should be no surprise to you if I tell you that the reserve hasn’t been met. There is a BIN option available at $16,000 for the person who simply has to own this classic.
At some point in the past, the Starliner has received a repaint in white, but you can clearly see the original Sultana Turquoise that lies beneath. I’m sure that whoever did this thought that they were doing the car a favor, but I beg to differ on that. With that original color reinstated, its trim and chrome would provide a very nice contrast. At first glance, it does appear that some of this trim is missing, but the owner assures us that it is all present, and will be included with the car. Rust issues aren’t major, There is some rust present in the trunk floor, and an area on the passenger side door, but neither of these would seem to be too severe. Patches will almost certainly see those problems solved. One of the windows on the left side of the car, along with the windshield, sport cracks, and both are going to require replacement. The wheels also aren’t original, so it would be a matter of personal taste as to whether or not they remained on the car.
Powering the Ford is a 352ci V8 engine, with power being sent to the rear wheels via a 3-speed automatic transmission. The Starliner isn’t a particularly heavy car for its size, and with 300hp on tap, performance would have felt quite impressive when the car was new. With the car having been parked in 1976, the current owner has gone to a lot of effort (and probably expense) to return the Ford to a healthy mechanical state. The fuel tank, fuel pump, and water pump have all been replaced, while the original carburetor and radiator were treated to a rebuild. The fluids have all been changed, and the engine was given a tune-up. The big news surrounds the braking system, which has received a very useful upgrade. You have probably spotted the shiny new master cylinder and booster. These complement a new set of drilled front disc brakes, which should bring the Starliner to a safe and rapid halt. For those who might be concerned with preserving originality, all of the original brake components will be included in the sale. The fitting of a new Flowmaster dual exhaust should ensure that the 352 sounds really good as well. The owner says there is still some tinkering and tuning required to get the car right, but he does point out that all of the hard mechanical work has now been completed.
Back in the 1970s, the owner the Starliner at that point in time decided to treat the car to a white interior trim kit. It must have looked pretty trick when the car was new, and the rear seat still looks quite good. The interior is going to require something close to a full restoration, so it will come down to a matter of preference when it comes to trim. The next owner might choose to revisit the white theme, they might choose to try to return the car to its original trim style and color, or they might even choose to go in an entirely different direction. Given the fact that the shopping list is going to include seat covers, carpets, a dash pad, headliner, and possibly some other trim items, the interior is a true blank canvas for the next owner. On the bright side, all of the interior garnish pieces that appear to be missing in the photos are actually all present and accounted for.
The styling of the Ford Starliner is actually very ingenious, because those enormous expanses of glass give the car a light and airy feel, and help to disguise the fact that it is actually a pretty big car by modern standards. This one has the potential to be an absolute stunner when restored, and rest assured, if I had the money right now, I would be very tempted by it. Does anyone else feel the same way? If you do, are you willing to roll the dice and bid on it?
I like the 60 Starliner. Looks much better than the box top Galaxie that year. With it needing a full restoration I think 16,000 is very optimistic. This car probably has a small fan base but I do like it.
it look very much like one there where on eBay last year for $4500. it was a Yard runner, same condition, just unsanded, and 100% orginal.
shame i didnt buy it, but i didnt have Money enough for shipping…
Not a lot of these around!! I really hope someone saves it and restores it to its former glory!! I really don’t think the pictures do it justice!! These were big cars with some good horse power and luxury!! I don’t think the parts are easy to find so looking for trim pieces might be a job in itself!! Great car!!!
The seller mentions that all of the trim pieces go with the car.
Ralph Nader had issue with the Width , Henry Ford II played phone tag with him till the ’61s came out .. .Really Nice car Id do a mild Custom Shave and mild chop with a nice Winfield or Watson Lace Fade paint job ..
I’d have an issue with Ralph Nader. The SOB didn’t even drive, yet he fancied himself an authority on cars and what’s safe. If he’s not dead by now, he should be.
Nader is still with us at 85.
The 1962 Galaxie was much smaller
According to Ford specs:
1960 – WB: 119, Total length: 213.7, Total width: 81.5
1962 – WB: 119, Total length: 209.3, Total width: 79.2
If memory serves, the 1960-64 cars were built on the same platform, which corresponds with the common 119″ WB.
That said, the 1960 car was 2.3″ wider and 4.4″ longer than the same 1962 car.
Methinks this talk about crazy big cars is getting mixed up with the 1958-60 Lincolns, which measured out at:
WB: 131, Total length: 229.0 (1958)/ 227.1 (1959)/ 227.2 (1960), and Total width: 80.1
According to these notes, the Ford is actually wider than the massive Lincoln. I am finding this hard to believe and will be forced to go measure one to verify ! 😜
If memory serves me, I think this was one of the widest car’s on the road in 1960. Beautiful lines makes the 60 model yr. very attractive. If I were shopping for a car that matched my birthyear, this would be it. Not to take anything away from the 61 full sized Ford, which offered a 406 powerplant, muscular grille, and quintessential round taillights, which carried over to the 64. When you get it right why change.
The best design to come out of a Dearborn facility ever – those are not my words but I fully back them up on the ’60 Starliner, and I’m a Chevy guy!
With that said it doesn’t look typical Ford so if I hadn’t known better it could just as well have passed as a ’60 GM or Mopar design. Hope it gets restored and slightly dropped, it would be the ultimate spaceship to bring humanity to another galaxy! 👽
Just my opinion of course, but the 1958 Ford was an ugly duckling that morphed into the 1960 Ford swan.
Funny you said that about the 58 and 60. They were the only two years between 1952 and 64 without the signature round taillights.
To me, the 1960-63 Galaxies were the prettiest designs to work with, when doing a mild custom. I owned a 59 and have seen some nice ones dropped to the ground and shaved. But certainly a dated design at the beginning of the 60s. By the time the 1964s came out, customizing was evolving and I can’t imagine the angular 65-68 Galaxie being dropped low, trim removed, chrome reverse rims and shadow flames applied. End of an era.
Looks like someone installed a dual master cylinder, that’s a big plus. It’s very hard to stop a 60’s Ford with a single master cylinder that goes bad.
This one appears just solid enough, I’d tret it to a frame-off restoration. Seat fabric is available from SMS interiors, and there seems plenty to be plenty of decent trim left to work with. Considering it’s the same age as me, there aren’t enough of these Starliners left anymore, so seeing one showroom fresh would be a real eye-opener at ANY car show!
Always loved this design as a kid (born in 1952) and still am drawn to them at car shows. No idea if a BIN of $16K is reasonable, but if the Union 76 antenna ball comes with it, then that alone is worth a grand!
Fin era Fords were bulky and awkward, Mercurys were worse. The styling strategy was “just hang chrome on it”, and people showed up in droves to pay full retail. They were underpowered, wallowed badly in the corners, and Fred Flintstone had better brake technology. But then 1960 happened.
Methinks the design team got slipped a big, fat mug of Exner Kool-Aid. The design is clean, low, tight, and in a totally un-Ford way, cohesive from end to end.
The interior retains the el cheapo, spartan Ford look, but this was arguably the best looking car to ever roll out the door of a Ford dealership.
Don’t be fooled by the story text, the 352 will slog along with mediocre go-fast and a heavy thirst for petrol, and the brakes are still not good at all. But some tasteful and careful mods could make a 60 Starliner into an all-around awesome car. And for those who demand solid styling, this design just can’t be beat, unless you go across the street to another make.
In 61, Ford began thinking of better go-fast and brakes, and by 63 you could buy Fords that really did keep up with the competition. But the 60 had the styling, so if that is what matters to a person, then you have to accept the limitations they were made with, or do the engineering that Ford was too cheap to do back then.
Awesome design. I’d love to own this one. The turquoise paint would make it a real stunner.
16,000. 00 is a stretch especially with what still needs to be done.
Rare design.
Lots of work done.
16 gran BIN probably a reach
Never heard the Nader tie-in, but I believe these were actually so wide they were illegal in some states. Have always loved this design, Bobby Alloway’s shop did what I consider the ultimate build with a 505 inch Kaase Boss.
https://st.hotrod.com/uploads/sites/21/2018/03/02-1960-ford-starliner-boss-429-kasse-alloway-walsh-three-quarter.jpg
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/nascar-blooded-1960-ford-starliner-packs-700-hp/
Only change I’d make is opening up the rear wheelwells and trimming the washboards to fit.
The Starliner didn’t even register on my radar til I saw this one a couple of years ago… https://i.imgur.com/Zvnj4Lo.jpg
Now I can’t stop dreaming about owning one… such a beautiful car!
I submitted a bid, but someone is obviously much more eager than I am.
I think a two tone turquoise over white would look better than just turquoise. Any engine can be made more powerful, one thing that comes to mind is to shave the heads to get the compression ratios up. Different advance springs in distributor bigger carb all of the above. But my thought with these old cars is if they will keep up with traffic why make any changes just get out there and dump your share of the supposed co2 gases, before the scare legislates us out of existence.
My Dad had a 60 Fairlane 4 door with a turquoise body and a pale turquoise roof. It did look good.
Nice – always liked these over the GM or Mopar offerings. We had a black with red interior at the salvage yard that the old man had put up on top of two other cars at the end of the turn into the other yard rows. We always cringed as he moved cars around with the forklift – took many years but he finally hit and made it do an almost 360 on top of the other car. Next week a guy was giving him what he wanted to save it.
Like the car, the American mags give it period correct cruising appeal!
352 is good for just that…cruise.
I’d do a rest-mod on this one. Black paint (like the one my Dad had), tan interior with four buckets and a full length console. Coyote power. Air bags and 20’s (Which IIRC, would be a +7 from the originals)
Neighbor has his Lavender 60 Starliner still, since he bought his new out of high school in late 59. Gorgeous, still with that amazing single master.
What, you gonna race it?
Love the Turquoise, in and out.
Put it back as it was new. Easy to find crappy mods done cars. These done rite, original, are very desireable and driveable. NO MODS.
Come on, you need to lower it then! Any cars of this era seem to have a frikkin’ LIFT KIT when you see them IRL, while in the ads and expo versions they all seem to come bag’d from the factory!! 😁
I currently own its twin right down to the Sultana turquoise only mine is probably 200 pounds lighter. Yeah, it needs floor pans, inner and outer rockers, rear lower quarter panels and a trunk pan but $2K for a complete ‘60 Starliner, I said self, it’s hot so why not? Widest car ever built? Yep. Available 352/360HP engine? Yep. Ruled the NASCAR circuit in 1960? They absolutely owned the NASCAR circuit!…it was called project Quicksilver when it was under design and as it turned out, whether it was then or now, people who are familiar with them either hate ‘um or love ‘um. I personally think the lines came together well as did the curves!
In 1960, NASCAR sponsored 44 events. Of those events, 21 were on dirt tracks, 22 on paved tracks, 1 was a road course. 11 were short track races, 11 were super speedway races.
Ford cars had 15 wins, Chevy 13, Plymouth and Pontiac 7 each, and Dodge got 1.
Ford arguably looked the best doing it.
This is one car with such a drool factor, I almost need a mop looking at it. This and the 63 1/2 Galaxie had such a beauty to them that few others in that era had. Fix the things that need it, redo the interior, good paint job and go out for a cruise. I admit I’ve had 352’s and while they were a strong motor, they never impressed me. Having said all that, this might be one time where I wouldn’t go back to original but wouldn’t hack it up. Think a Coyote engine, proper 6 speed or automatic and a good 9″ rear, update the brakes to disc on all corners and this would be one of those cars you could drive all day and not come out tired. Whether on a cruise or a trip to the ice cream parlor, it would handle the task. Even good at the local car shows, I’m sure it would get noticed.
My thoughts.
All these photos have me drooling. When others have surfaced, I always have to hunt back to now nearly 4 years ago, for the 4th photo in this listing:
https://barnfinds.com/barn-find-emergency-truck-1958-ford-coe/
What a beauty!
This is it….
And I even think those wheels match well!
The lower trim piece starting in the middle of the door is a genius styling element. IIRC, some of the cars had a textured stainless panel which covered the lower fender under that trim and behind the rear wheels.
I love this car and it always hurts to see one go cause we may not see another!! This one has a very straight body and it would make a great pro touring car!! I wish I had the $8K laying around cause this beauty would be mine!!!
$8K isn’t apparently going to buy it. That is where the bidding is now, but the reserve is not met. The seller wants twice that for a Buy it Now.
I don’t want to pay the restored price for this car.
He is asking way too much. How much is this car worth after it is restored?
As much as the man with the deepest pockets is willing to pay.
Ive seen on for sale for 70k.
Obviously that buyer bought Apple stock at $1.49