Throughout the 1960s, Chevrolet and Ford were always battling for supremacy in the full-size car market. The Impala and Galaxie 500 competed head-to-head, and Chevy usually won (especially in 1965 when they sold one million Impalas). This 1965 Galaxie 500 was purchased from the original owner’s family, and it’s fairly basic except for factory air conditioning. Located near Seattle, Washington, this patina-laden survivor is available here on craigslist for $3,950. Once again, Curvette comes through in the tips department.
The full-size Fords were redesigned in 1965 and took on stacked headlights (a trait they would have through 1967). Despite the astronomical numbers of Chevy Impalas sold that year, Ford still found more than a half a million buyers for their all-new Galaxie, which is a good showing in its own right. Ford was also busy building Mustangs, of which they sold 1.2 million copies from 1964 to 1966 (take that, Chevrolet!).
This Ford may have too many doors to suit some people, and it has a “3-on-the-tree” manual transmission (with overdrive). But it was a one-family car for more than 60 years and has a solid undercarriage and sheet metal. Other than some wear on the front bench seat, the interior looks to have held up well for what is more than 100,000 miles. Patina lovers may find themselves in awe of this Galaxie and will want to put some clearcoat over the worn blue paint.
According to the surviving window sticker, this Ford retailed for $3,600+ in 1965, and the biggest option was the A/C. The 289 V8 and power steering came next, and that was mostly it. The LTD was a new product in ’65, but the original owners of this car wanted function over flash. The transmission has a chipped tooth in 1st gear, but is otherwise fine. But the brakes, fuel pump, gas tank, water pump, and so forth are new, representing part of the asking price. If you yearn for the days when automobiles were simple to own and operate, this ’65 Galaxie could be right up your alley.
Engine looks like the car sat in the rain with the hood open for a couple years!
It’s interesting to realize how one could back in the day equip a car to their exact needs. Here we have a Galaxie 500 with air conditioning, yet with a three-on-the-tree. And with overdrive…. I checked the brochure, if you look into the fine print you can see it was indeed an option.
OveralI the car looks to be in reasonable condition. I’m not much of a fan of the patina look, but somehow it looks okay here. Maybe because it is on a basic-looking, dog-dish-equipped model.
Thanks Russ.
My parents had some friends that moved here from Israel in the 70s, and they bought a car very similar, maybe a ’66. I remember that color was a bad color and most all looked like this, “base coat, top coat”, I was told. The O/D, was operated by a pull cable under the dash, which I don’t see, but is surely on the option list, $108 bucks. We have to remember, in the 60s, there were still holdouts for a manual transmission. None of them fancy new fangled automatics for pa, and it kept ma out of the car too. “You stay in the kitchen where you belong” :0( my grandfather actually said that to my grandma as we all stood aghast) Be happy he thought enough of her to get the a/c, a whopping $363 BUCKS. I’m sure the automatic wasn’t any less, so it was one or the other.
“Chipped tooth”, I can just imagine what some must think today, but back then, a “hollering” 1st gear was almost the norm. Can’t find ’em, grind ’em. People just couldn’t grasp the concept, THEN, imagine the horrors today. Now really, who is going to want this today? These were the beaters we got for $100 while our “good” car sat in storage, until the “good” car became a beater itself, and I just don’t see any appeal today for this.
Now, if it was an automatic,,,,,
My first car was a 64 Ford Galaxie with a 390/4brrl. 3 speed manual on the column with OD. The OD was engaged by letting off the gas at any speed over 35mph. It could be taken out of OD by pressing the gas pedal about 2/3rds downward. It was not operated by a pull handle under the dash.
I read, there was a “kick down” on the throttle linkage, and depressing the gas pedal over rode the O/D. Like a passing gear on an automatic. Not sure what you describe, as most O/Ds I’ve dealt with had some sort of cable, lever or button to activate the O/D.
What Azzurra said. My first two cars had overdrive, a 1951 Ford and a 1960 Thunderbird. The OD control stays in 99% of the time. The only times you would pull it out were during mountain driving or getting a push start, because the engine would freewheel in OD.
However, the Columbia overdrive (in my ’40 Coupe) IS controlled by the knob. The knob is left in during city driving and when on the highway, you depress the clutch, pull the knob out, and release the clutch. Always on the move, they don’t work while sitting still.
Borg-Warner ODs were in the tailshaft of the transmission, Columbias were part of the differential.
My father was a NYS Trooper in the 60s he said these cars fell apart where they sat .I had when I was younger and both frames rotted in the rear.
looks pretty solid from the pics.
Dad had a 66 Galaxie 500 in dk green. He spent the extra money to get a pillarless hardtop though. It had his usual option list, 390 2v auto, power steering and brakes, white walls and an AM radio. We had it until it literally died. Went to the dealer to buy another Ford in 70 and when we parked it for the last time, it collapsed. They had to flatbed it away. The salesman we had gave us his new demo until our car arrived 4 weeks later.
I am glad this car is nowhere near me because I would be so tempted to take on a project that probably only my imagination would finish.
It presents as a daily driver, right…?
The first car I ever crashed (backed up dented fender) was a white 65 Galaxie 500 during one of my first solo drives at 16. Yeah, I still stink at backing up!
Anyway, that 65 was quiet and floated down the road and the back seat was drive-in big. That is to say, normal sized for the times. I did not realize it so much back then, but it was a great road and suburban cruiser car till it got traded in by my dad for a 68 Delta 88 convertible.
In this listing… does it have power steering and/or power (drum of course) brakes? I do not remember if those options required selection back then or not.
Putting a new 1st gear into transmission – probably not synchronized? – was not much of a giant job back then, something that could be done in the driveway, along with a new clutch plate.
Among the worrisome things for me about the car in this post is the linkage of the 3 in the tree because if it gets loose with those nylon bushings then things go wrong. How about a Hurst floor shifter! hahaha
If it could be made reliable as back then, new rings and a valve job and bearings, muffler (they were not stainless back then), all doable in the same driveway as mentioned above, then, it would be as luxurious a ride as any today – cushy quiet sofa floating in isolation. There is nothing like it today.
the window sticker is in the listing if you click on it. Power steering was an option they chose, but not power brakes.
Mayberry for sure
Drove one of these into a 6 foot tall snow bank at 50 miles an hour when I was 13, intentionally. Took 5 hours to dig it out… Weeee
good potential