We seem to have had a run on classic Ford Convertibles recently at Barn Finds, and this 1966 Galaxie 500 is another example. It presents well as a driver-grade vehicle, with no apparent needs. With warm weather on our doorstep, now could be the right time to land yourself a vehicle of this type. It is listed here on eBay in Gaffney, South Carolina. Bidding sits below the reserve at $3,650, although there is a BIN option of $15,000.
Ford introduced a dramatically updated Galaxie in 1965, with the new model sharing little stylistically with its predecessor. Gone were the soft and rounded lines, with the latest offering looking larger and more imposing. This Convertible rolled off the line during the second year’s production, making a positive first impression. The Vintage Burgundy paint shines nicely, although the seller admits the car underwent a repaint in its original shade approximately twenty years ago. It has a few flaws and defects for the buyer to consider, but none are severe or require immediate attention. The listing includes a selection of underside shots confirming this beauty is rust-free. The Black soft-top fits tightly, has no rips, and operates as it should. The trim is in excellent order, and I can’t spot any glass issues.
For a driver-grade classic, this Galaxie’s interior presents without any significant issues. The Black upholstered surfaces, carpet, and dash are excellent. The pad hasn’t suffered the cracks that plague these cars, and there are only a couple of additions. These include an aftermarket console, an under-dash modern stereo, and a temperature gauge. These are reversible if the new owner prefers originality, but I suspect most buyers will leave them intact.
Ford offered ’66 Galaxie buyers a broad selection of engines, with this car’s original owner choosing the 390ci V8. Its 275hp hits the road via a three-speed automatic transmission, while power assistance for the steering and brakes promise a relaxed top-down touring experience. A ¼-mile ET of 16.5 seconds is there for the taking, although most buyers prefer life to move at a more sedate pace. This Ford is in excellent mechanical health courtesy of some significant recent maintenance. The brakes feature a new booster, master cylinder, and machined drums. A recent transmission rebuild means it shifts cleanly, and the new radiator prevents the V8 from going the full Chornobyl. It runs and drives perfectly, with the seller stating they wouldn’t hesitate to take it anywhere.
Classic Convertibles come in all shapes and sizes, and pony car versions like the Mustang and Camaro are hard to resist. However, if an enthusiast has teenagers to transport, the limited rear seat space can be an issue. That is where this 1966 Galaxie 500 fits into the equation. The amount of legroom is impressive, meaning rear-seat occupants aren’t forced to adopt some form of yoga position whenever they climb aboard. It seems to need very little, and any issues could be addressed at the winning bidder’s leisure. Summer is beckoning, meaning now could be the right time to pursue this gentle giant further.
At $15,000? Check it over, and grab it!
Totally agree. Always worth a closer look, but $15k seems quite reasonable. Love the color, 390 is a nice choice and it looks to be fairly clean.
That’s a crappy rattle-can paint job on the engine, over spray and not even the correct color. They even over sprayed the paint onto the filter element!
This could be a fun ride…
I’ve always liked the ’66 full size Fords. I had a line on a 7-liter convertible several years ago and would have bought it but it had too many body and mechanical issues. I once owned a white 4-door sedan with the 390 2-barrel. I bought it for $150 because it leaked oil like a sieve but only had 68k miles on it. The problem turned out to be a broken oil sender switch. Easy and cheap fix! (Try to change one on any newer vehicle). Anyway it turned out to be one of the best cars I ever owned.
That’s an excellent price for the small amount of pan rust that we *can* see.
The cracking at the panel between the trunk & the top well is fairly common, that’s a flex spot on each side that should have been left as a small channel filled with body seam sealer. Bondo is too stiff.
Now, pull the spare & the trunk mat & let’s see the trunk floor.
My Uncle had one with a 289. It was one of his best vehicles, and wound up with almost 200K miles when he traded it. Truly my favorite of all the Fords he owned.
Add some Vintage Air and drag it right down here to Florida, what a sweet ride!
Hope they have the original hubcaps.
Shouldn’t a 500 convertible have the better grille in it?
No, only the LTD version got the “better” grill.
In high school I had a blue 65 Galaxie with 289. My brother had a 66 canary yellow w/factory air & 390. My frame broke doing donuts on the snow covered roads. His kept on ticking flawlessly even 4 years later after I got outta the Army. Can’t cuss here so end of story lol.
If I weren’t buying a new house, I”d be
all over this one. Like the looks of these big Ford’s for years. Almost
bought a ’65 from a friend of mine in
2001. The thing that stopped me was the
issue of frame rot that caused most
of them to be crushed. I agree with
Mark though, AC in Florida is a must
have in the Summer. My 2010 Mercury Mariner will set me back
$1,500-$1,800 for the repair of an
evaporator under the hood. Other than that, the truck runs fine for a vehicle with 192K on the clock. So
I’ll have it fixed to get out of paying
$2K a month for a 10 year old Prius.
Kenneth, I’m on my 5th (used) Escape. It’s worth having the work done. Great cars.
Yeah Boatman, I bought mine 2 years
ago to keep a promise to my neice
and SIL who bought a badly rusted one from her ex husband. That thing
was so rusty that even the brake rotors had rust on them. I told the girls that if we could find one in better
condition that I’d buy it. Ours is in really good shape for the age and
mileage. It has 160K showing when
we bought it. We’re the second owners and we keep it well maintained. The only bad spot on the
Truck are a few small dents in the
right rear wheel arch where Mom or
Pop hit a garage wall backing the vehicle inside. We change the oil
every 3K miles and use high mileage
grade oil to make the engine last.
You must really like the Escape if you
bought 5 of them. We plan to keep the one we have for quite awhile longer. And who knows, when it’s an
antique, we can list there it here on
Barn Finds for a stratospheric price
LMAO!
Biggest trunk in the business… why no pic?
This ’66 has a LOT going for it!
Interior is impressive and undercarriage looks nice and rust free.
Hood needs reset- high in the back with a big gap.
Looks like a good one here pending a look-at on the rack.
GLWTS!
The trunk lid doesn’t fit very well either. And it’s being sold by a used car dealer. Hmmm….
Wow. Right up my alley. But I just picked up a 68 Mustang coupe with a built 302 and a 4 sp. I’m going to be busy.
Seems to be sitting to low in both front and back. And please…lose the goofy chrome exhaust extensions.