Some will say that the muscle car generation started with the 1964 Pontiac GTO. Others will say that it was way before that, dating back to the 1949 Oldsmobile OHV V8. And still, others will select other marques, so equipped, that signaled the start of the high-performance horsepower wars. Whatever the case, all domestic players dipped their tow in the flow, some just more so than others, and Ford certainly made a splash with full-size models like this 1960 Starliner. It’s an interesting study in big, go fast cars from the dawn of the sixties, so let’s look it over. Larry D located this Ford in Central City, Nebraska and it’s available, here on eBay for a current bid of $3,050, reserve not yet met.
Ford full-sizers came in three flavors in ’60. The Fairlane occupied the bottom rung, move up a step and you’ll meet the Fairlane 500. Go for the top drawer and you’ll find the Galaxie. Interestingly, the Galaxie only came in two and four-door sedans and a four-door hardtop. If you wanted the always popular two-door hardtop or convertible body style, that meant what was essentially a Galaxie but denoted as a Starliner or a Sunliner, respectively.
Proclaimed by the seller as, “RARE FACTORY HI-PERFORMANCE OUT OF THE FACTORY HOT ROD“, the corresponding aesthetics here are rough around the edges. Faded paint, primer, surface rust, and rust-through are the watch-words for this Ford. The extensive trim, including the distinctive Starliner three-set ornamentation decorating the c-pillar, is all still in place and along with the bumpers, is in fair shape – rejuvenation is a strong possibility. But the sheet metal is really going to be a challenge, and speaking of that C-pillar, the passenger side one is rotted through at its base. Of note, the seller mentions that this Starliner was the recipient of 14″ wheels at the outset, as opposed to what he refers to as the usual 15″ standard components. Ford documentation from 1960 differs, stating that tire size 8.00 x 14″, on 5.5” wide steel wheels was the standard fare on Starliners with a 352 CI V8 engine.
And it’s that 352 CI motor, rated at a prodigious 360 gross HP and technically known as a “Thunderbird Super V8“, is where this Starliner shines. The seller states, “Options are also an open-element air filter, aluminum intake manifold, solid lifter cam, header style cast iron exhaust manifolds, 3” wide front brakes, 3” driveshaft, heavy-duty front springs, 5 leaf rear springs, heavy-duty shocks, larger front stabilizer along with a dual point distributor“. And yes, this Ford runs “with no funny noises”. Rear-wheel hook-up occurs via a three-speed manual transmission with an overdrive option.
To cut to the chase, however, the seller adds, “This car is very rusty and I mean very rusty. Trunk floor gone. Hinges on the rear trunk lid are rusted off. Floors are very bad“. And he ain’t lyin’! Besides the obviously trashed interior, the floors are in atrocious condition and there doesn’t appear to be much holding the interior of this Starliner inside, where it belongs. The three-speed gear shifter is supposedly an after-market piece but the floor around its base looks as if it were made from a road sign. It’s a tough environment indeed.
A special car? You bet! Factory hot rod? That too. In fact, the seller suggests, “For more info on this rare beauty check out Motor Trend July 15, 2015 article by Tom Shaw“. There’s a lot of good here but the next owner is going to have their work cut out for themselves – its old bones are a bit shaky. Here’s to hoping that this Ford Starliner gets a second lease on life, wouldn’t you agree?
Every time a Starliner finds it’s way here to be featured, I have to dig out this photo.
Properly refinished, they are spectacularly well proportioned and attractive cars. Whether brought back as original, or resto-modded a bit, such a great design to work with.
I love the wagons, the compound curved tailgate glass is awesome. I think this is the best looking 60-64 Ford hands down.
I think to get the advertised car anywhere near the white one on the trailer will more than exceed the finished realistic time and cost of restoration. Parts car. Like the man said, a great design to work with, but not the advertised car.
Every time a bell 🛎 rings a Starliner gets restored. Psyche
Its possible but not likely more than a parts car.
Good luck 👍
While being equipped with the ultra-rare 360HP goodies, that alone makes this car worth restoring. However, you will no doubt spend much, MUCH more money doing so than the car will ever be worth. As for floors, good luck finding replacements. I’m not aware of anyone reproducing parts for these except trim items or interior bits. Me? I’d find a better one and transfer the powertrain over.
Neil Young was right: “Rust never sleeps”.
What Will Fox said. This car is not for the faint at heart or lazy. Just not worth it.
This once really cool car has, alas, past the point of reasonable return. For the repair it would take to get it back to “nice” would have one quite up-side down financially. Such a shame.
If you want a Starliner to be a hot-rod, first junk that 352. I had a 4-door hardtop Galaxie of the same year with the same mechanicals. Not that impressive.
I agree with all the comments and I love the car, the style, everything about, these cars are assume. Except, I am too old ,too poor and to short on time and talent to take on the magnitude of project saving a car, in the condition of this one.
I really want somebody with deep deep pockets to take one for the team and completely restore this one. I can’t testify to the performance value of the HP 352, but it was the best set up Ford offered that year
Saw one of these done up as a straight axle gasser, and was it ever bad@$$. Great design, but mucho rust. Check it out before you buy. I can tell you that in healthy condition that 352 is no slouch. Good luck, that white one os gorgeous!
Cheers
GPC
Excellent write up Jim, thanks.
Gee looking at the engine bay, its so simplistic and barron compared to today’s cars.
One of my favorite fin era cars, and SO un-Ford looking ! But let’s get serious about any sort of “muscle” in this package. Owned and tried hard to make several Fords of this era go and stop fast and handle well. Just wasn’t happening, with stock parts …. at least not compared to other period cars, or Fords that came along just a few years later. But what this one has that those don’t is extraordinary delivery of aesthetic balance on a finned car. And for that, I would settle for less performance. I have even toyed with the idea of building a dead stock looker, concealing a well-warmed 390, modern manual gearbox, and some long gears. These are big cars and not light. If long road trips are what you are in to, a purposely built 390 and carefully selected tranny gears will give some decent liftoff, but still allow decent fuel economy on the open road. These Starliners are stunners in person.
Gotta be eastern Nebraska. Been noticing a lot of these lately minus rust, on marketplace for peanuts in around Colorado, western nebraska, New Mexico. I would go the route Will Fox suggested. While you’re at it locate a proper toploader 4-spd. big spline if you can afford it. For sure a beauty all cleaned up.