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Tri-Power/4-Speed: 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 XL

After seeing as many car advertisements as I do, I have a tendency to be a little ‘jaded’ when I see “rare” or “special” in an ad. Usually this means the seller has an overly inflated idea of what they have from watching TV auctions or shows and has an unrealistic price on their car to match. I don’t know about the price yet on this one as it’s being auctioned here on eBay, but I can sure tell you this car has the right stuff! It’s been an Alabama car all it’s life and is currently located in the tiny community of Irvington.

That is the original Chestnut Metallic paint you are looking at. This car was driven until 1978 when it was literally put away in a barn. This car is so original it still has the spare tire it left the factory with (although I’m not sure I’d trust it!) The seller states they haven’t even washed the car yet, so who knows how nice the paint will come up. I don’t see any rust (although that certainly doesn’t mean there isn’t any) and the only damage I can see is the front bumper seems a little cockeyed.

I wonder if Mike’s still around to ask about the car? I hope so! I love that target motif on the grille. This car was made to go fast, and let everyone know it.

What, you may ask, is a four speed manual transmission doing in a car like this? Ah, there are more surprises to come. The interior is really nice as well apart from the carpet being discolored in a few spots. Dye can be a wonderful thing if applied carefully. So what’s the white box under the dash? More gauges? Anyone recognize it?

What’s this? Did Jamie stick a picture from another car in by accident? No! This is a genuine three carb setup on a factory aluminum intake! Yes, this mild-mannered looking big Ford came with a 406 V8 with 11.4 to 1 compression ration, factory dual point distributor, factory cast iron headers, huge brakes and s a 4.11 9-inch differential. Wow! Now are you interested?

Comments

  1. Avatar racer99

    Now THAT’s a Barn Find. Another one of those ads that leaves you wanting more pictures (underside, inside of trunk, etc.) but if it’s as clean as it looks and it’s represented correctly this will bring tons of $$ — already at $16k with 2 days left.

    Like 1
  2. Avatar Howard A Member

    While I never cared for the styling of the ’62, few will argue with me, this is the “Holy Grail” of ’62 Ford’s. Pretty sure this was top of the line. That white box below the dash is a Stewart-Warner Amp/Oil pressure gauge,
    http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mHViOSBciVQfwTPfdDXXP5Q.jpg
    As if this wasn’t crazy enough, when I was a kid, a friend’s brother across the alley had a good job, single, came home with a ’64 like this, only R code, 427, 2,4’s, 4 speed. It was a tank ( but sure set you back in the seat) and to this day, remains one of my favorite cars. As kids, we’d always check cars like this fender tag, to see what motor it had. Very few 406.( lot of 390) I heard the 3, 2’s were troublesome ( except when wide open), not exactly a grocery getter, but meet you out on “Airport Rd.” after dark, there wasn’t much that could beat this. Truly, an amazing find. Oh yeah, the Polish are still puttin’ along in their Firkus, or Merkus, :)

    Like 0
    • Avatar JamestownMike

      Great eye on that “white box” Howard A!

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    • Avatar Morley Member

      have a set of those Stewart Warner gauges still in the box. Those where the tope of the line gauges, more for use in “custom” cars, you know they would be beside the under dash record player and the white tuck and roll. You must be really old to have recognized them so quickly.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar redwagon

    meh, needs 2 more doors.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Howard A Member

      Sorry, redwagon, ’63 was the 1st year for a 4 door 500XL. I think you may be missing what this car was. Auto racing was gaining steam, Nascar and drag racing, and this car, although, much heavier,( Ford did offer lightened body parts for this car) was intended to compete with the Super Duty Pontiac, and car makers adopted a “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” attitude, so, I believe, the car makers had to offer the public, a detuned version(?) of what they were running,,,and it worked.

      Like 0
      • Avatar JamestownMike

        I love the 2 doors. That makes perfect sense. Competition is good! VERY COOL!

        Like 0
      • Avatar redwagon

        crap. my second comment did not post. it should have read

        ^^^^ that’s sarcasm.

        this egg on face is what i get for trying to be funny/sarcastic online. it just doesnt work well.

        Like 0
    • Avatar redwagon

      ^^^ is sarcasm btw

      Like 0
      • Avatar Angrymike

        Not sure if it’s still a thing, but in older sites I frequented we’d use a / to let ppl know the sarcasm was flowing….. 😊

        Like 0
  4. Avatar JamestownMike

    WOW! What an incredible true barn find! Amazing condition. Super rare indeed! I didn’t know Ford offered all those muscle high performance options back in 62′! This “sleeper” car would probably blow the doors off most cars back then for sure! Wonder what it’s worth?

    Like 0
  5. Avatar JW

    When we bought our 70 Mach1 which was painted Chestnut Metallic we thought it was odd as we had never seen one that color. The seller had a letter from a lady at Ford stating it was a early Galaxie / Thunderbird color and only 336 Mustangs in 1970 were painted that color according to Kevin Marti. Now after seeing this car I remember that redish brown on these cars.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar AFM

    looks like this one could have started out as an automatic. Do you see the gear selector indicator on the steering column?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Tenspeed

      I agree with you AFM. It appears to have the indicator on the column. I am sure whoever buys it will do all the proper authenticating before they plunk down all that cash! This is a great car if it is real and a wonderful find. I passed by a lot in Pageland, South Carolina this weekend and there was a shop that had 5 63.5 / 64 Galaxie 500 two doors inside the fence (they were all in different states of disrepair). I was more fond of the 63.5 on Galaxies with the fastback body style, but this is a neat car.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Theodoric

      Check out the link Howard posted above. The interior pic of that car shows the same column with a blank gear indicator. My guess is Ford didn’t bother to spec a separate column for the manual cars since there were so few.

      Like 0
    • Avatar JamestownMike

      If you look at the black $60,000 G code car in Howard A’s posting above, you’ll notice it has the same thing on top of the steering column. The seller has listed the code break down on ebay. It was born with a 4 speed manual. You could only get a 4 speed manual transmission in a tri power 406 G code car.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Tony Tabacchi

      The XL used a steering column and wheel from the high series Mercury. The PRNDL housing is a Mercury piece to match the column, but has a blanked out area where the merc had the PRNDL. This is correct for the floor shift XL whether it was an auto or 4 speed. The non XL used the same steering column and wheel as a 61-62 Galaxie.

      Like 0
  7. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Way better than the best barn find ever Chevelle ! I wonder if Mike was in some sort of car club? It looks like a mountain goat or animal emblem on the ashtray. What’s up with the pipe organ device on the panel shelf ? Radio speaker? Whatever, Mike was all in back in 1962.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Gary

    Great car for sure. Its on the sellers website, charliesclassiccars.com at $45,000

    Like 0
  9. Avatar CJay

    On the Ebay ad he has his website posted.
    They are asking $45,000 for it on their site.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Rod

    This is a great find. It will be interesting to see what it goes for. They should get the 45k without any problems. I am not a ford fan but this is an exemption. The early 60’s were nice cars and this one is at the top of the list. Love the 2 doors.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar SSPBill

    My Dad just told me a few weekends ago he drove a 406, 3-deuce. At the time he had a 352 Fairlane and said the two where not even from the same planet. Not much of a comparison I know.

    1962 is maybe my favorite year in US auto manufacturing. 409 Chevys, 421 Pontiacs, 420 Max Wedge and this 406. Power and displacement seemed to be growing exponentially. All about the engine and winning on the weekends. Great business model.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar wuzjeepnowsaab

    Wow, this is scorching hot! And I couldn’t think of a more natural beginning than early 60’s rural Alabama for this car.

    Aghhh…be still my racing heart! Love this!

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Dave Member

    Yea, FORD had their Total Performance campaign right around then, and was hitting all the marks until Chrysler’s HEMI came along, that is. Cool car!
    I am restoring a ’64 XL with a punched-out 390 as we speak.

    Like 1
  14. Avatar Woodie Man

    While I too prefer a ’63 you cant go wrong with this.

    Finally some old iron I want……..probably the best thing that ever came out of Scottsboro (you American History buffs know what I refer to).

    Wish I had the coin…..

    Like 0
  15. Avatar AMXSTEVE

    wheres Barney and Andy?

    Like 0
    • Avatar JamestownMike

      Barney and Andy were in Mayberry, USA………which happens to be Mount Airy, NC.

      Like 1
  16. Avatar macvaugh

    Every screw head shown, in the distributor, the back of the speedometer, all buggered up heads. Didn’t they have decent screwdrivers in Alabama?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Howard A Member

      Hi macvaugh, I saw that too. Funny thing about points, it seems you could never tighten the hold down screw tight enough, it still seemed to move and the dwell would change. I think what was happening, was the rubbing block was wearing down, changing the dwell.( had to put a dab of grease on the cam) I can put up with carburetors, but the single most important invention for a car, for me, was electronic ignition. I bet some folks here never even saw a set of points. And my old man had crappy screwdrivers too.

      Like 1
      • Avatar JW

        I remember fighting point adjustments on my Fords, I give credit to GM and their allen head screw adjustment, I still have a tool just for those points. Looks like a flexible screwdriver but with a allen head tip to go thru the window of the dizzy.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Cheif

        Yes i do, i put a many in the old cars and used what they called a filler gauge to set the points.At least that’s what we called them.I have changed a lot of points,condenser’s plugs and used a timing light a few times also.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Rocco in Florida

        When I was a young “tune up man”, we bought a tube of cam lube for the cam in the dist. You usually got a little capsul with the set of points, in the box, but it wasn’t as good of quality. A little dab’ll do ya.

        I still have a duel points dist. in my K-code engine on the stand with a Cobra intake, LeMans cam, and 600cfm Holley carb with Ford part#. No repop’s here.

        Like 0
  17. Avatar boxdin

    I was 11 yrs in 1963 at Tommy Drisdales Slot Car Track when Don Rood pulled up with one of these looking new black w red interior. A whole lot of kids took notice and the other writer was right, it was a hot time w 409, 406, 426, 421, there was a horsepower war going on.
    Neighbors daughter dated a guy w a new 1961 Chevy bubbletop w 409 & 4sp w new Ansen mags. Sweet looking car.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Fast Fred Member

    Wonder if they do a trade. Got a 67 Mercury Marquis 410 4 Speed with air power steering power brakes all Factory 1 of 15 made it’s in the Mercury full-size cars registry number 146

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Paul R

    What is the pipe organ looking thing in the rear window package tray? A speaker?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Rando

      Speaker. Like a JCWhitney kind of thing. Back then there wasn’t stereo. Just mono. Mostly AM stations. One speaker was about it on the package shelf and that was for the rich folks. Most had to make do with the dash speaker. At least on my neighborhood in the early 70s. The was a model kit that had these in it. I want to say the revell 53 or 4 Chevy. And they are supposed to look like organ pipes. See https://www.mooneyesusa.com/mobile/product.aspx?ProductCode=kc9950&404;https://www.mooneyesusa.com:443/product-p/kc9950.htm=

      Like 0
      • Avatar Paul R

        Thank you!
        My fist car had AM radio with an under dash FM converter added.
        Also remember “Reverb” units in some older cars.

        Like 1
      • Avatar DAVID

        😀WE USED 2 RIPOFF THE SPEAKERS AT THE RODIUM DRIVEIN BACK IN THE 50s-60s & PUT THEM ON THE PACKAGE TRAY😎

        Like 0
  20. Avatar Cubs win

    At least the thumbs up are back!

    Like 0
  21. Avatar rick st jean

    Memories of Tasca Ford and the late Bill Lawton at Charestown raceway in the 60,s. The first 4 speed transmission ford. 1964 gto first musclecar, i don,t think so 409, 406 , 426 long before gto,s That ford needs to be saved

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Rustytech Member

    There’s one of these sitting in the woods about a mile from me, only problem is, where this one has that gorgeous engine, that one has a tree growing, my guess is it’s been sitting there for over 30 years. What a shame!

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Morley Member

    I just love that 62 406 car. Here is a picture of my big Ford

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Wayne

    After FFA meetings we go drag racing. All Chevys at the time. My ’55 Convert, Ken’s ’62 Biscayne 2 door, Larry’s ’69 Chevelle 396, Orins ’64 Impala, etc. We had lots of fun. Then Dennis showed up with a 406 4 speed. He never left the line like the Chevys. But at about the 1/8th we were toast. High School was fun!

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Rocco in Florida

    This is a very cool car in it’s day!

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Wayne

    I step in at the worlds oldest Goodyear dealer to help with managment duties now and then. I noticed that we had a little old lady bringing in her 1965 Impala for a tune up. So I brought in one of my dwell meters so it could be done correctly. The tech ( a very sharp guy) had no idea what I was talking about. I ended up installing the points (now why I remember why I hated rear distributors) and setting the dwell. I let him set the timing. He was amazed at how something so antiquated actually worked.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Rocco in Florida

      Would that(Goodyear store) be in Akron, Ohio?

      Like 0
  27. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Auction ended at $21,101.00 with 34 bids. Reserve not met.

    Like 0
  28. Avatar Wayne

    No, Reno Nevada. The Oldest Building that was A Goodyear store is in Akron. The oldest dealer under the same ownership. (family) Is in Reno Nevada. Reno Vulcanizing Works. Started in 1922 and still on the same street. (a couple of blocks up from the original store) This would be the “downtown” store as there are now 3 locations.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Rocco in Florida

      That’s cool. I’m from Akron, originally, and I just thought you were. If you were, we might have known some of the same people.

      Like 0
  29. Avatar John Deebank

    The regulator is another part we had to replace pre electronic ignition.

    Like 0
  30. Avatar DAVID

    😄I HAVE👍A COMPLETE WITH 3-2s & AIR CLEANER 63 C3AE H FACTORY REPLACEMENT, IT CAME OUT OFF 63 1/2 GALAXY. ANYBODY LOOKING?😎

    Like 0

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