Reader Terry J, who hails from Oregon, found us this beautiful ’64 Ford Galaxie 500 Fastback for sale here on craigslist in the great town of Eugene (home of the University of Oregon Ducks).
With an asking price of $10,000, as Terry points out, you would be hard pressed to replicate this car if you started with any old barn found or used Ford of similar vintage for this kind of money.
With a ton of pictures, this is a pretty good ad. And what amazes me, if true, is that this car still has its original paint. Pretty nice looking for 50+ years old. The seller says the car has about 100,000 miles on it, numbers are matching, and it has an original interior that is still looking decent. While the 352 engine it features is by far not the most powerful engine you could get in the full size Galaxy, it still has enough get up and go to be a fun driver.
This seller is the second owner, so either he or the original owner added the reverse chrome rims and baby moons, and perhaps also some work to lower the front and/or raise the rear a bit, for a classic raked appearance. It has certainly been well cared for all its life.
At least based on the pictures in the ad, the condition of this Ford is really amazing, and if it runs and drives, and has no rust, as claimed, this is a real find for someone. As of this writing, the ad’s been up nearly a month, so at least for Eugene, it’s priced too high for the market. Maybe that 352 engine isn’t desirable enough to make it a fast seller.
For us east coast folks, finding an original car in this sort of condition is virtually impossible, but the distance and cost of shipping change the buying equation, unfortunately. This is not a particularly rare car, it seems, with 206,996 of this model built (another 58,306 Galaxy XL 2 doors were also made in 1964), but it is really nice in black with a red interior, and it’s doubtful there are many left that are as original and well kept as this one.
Still, it sure seems like someone should grab this car, continue to keep it garaged and cared for, and drive it regularly to have some good old fashioned sixties car fun. This car really does look like a fine driver at a reasonable price.
This car is the dead ringer for one that my first boss owned–except that his had the fire-breathing 427/4-speed combo with no options, no AC, PS, PB, nothin’. He used to terrify anyone who rode with him. Unfortunately he blew the engine and it sat out behind the company warehouse for years until he sold it to some guys who were going to put a 351 in it. Why a 351 when FE engines were as common as grass (it was the mid-1980s) is a question I can’t answer. God knows how that modification turned out.
Would really like to have this car with the factory 427 4 speed. 10K seems right for this car as is.
this has always been one of “my dream cars” liked to own and recently I run across one “in passing” by a garage for sale.If I could afford it Id like to get it
Love the graphic equalizer and what appears to be a CB under the dash in the one picture.
My Mom had this model in maroon – bought it new. My dad drove it to the mid ’70s when it wasn’t safe to drive anymore thanks to the Rust Belt (Ohio). He junked it and some time later I saw it go by on a trailer with a bunch of other cars – all of about 12-18″ tall. Its seatbelts live on as part of the door pulls on my ’69 Bronco – 40 years later!
Way too cheap. This is probably “already gone” as Glenn Frey would sing. RIP
The ride just isn’t the same when the rear spring shackles are reversed.. We did that back in the early 60’s to show the car as being “raked”.. It’s better to just replace the springs… Front coils are most likely shot too..
nice car.. I like it a lot..
My papa had one of these, doubt it was a v8 as he was a frugal man. While sitting at a light one day on the way home from work there was an accident in front of him and one of the cars spun into his totaling it. As a precaution he went to the hospital and had an xray. Detected cancer that was early enough to stop via surgery. A lucky man, he lived another 20 years.
Great story Red. Thanks for posting
Looking at cars like this Ford shown in side view really shows how US car design has changed in a basic way.
For a 4-seater you would never see a car like this now. This car’s cabin is tiny for such a long car, with very little room for the back seat passengers.
OTOH, the trunk is gigantic. Would many 4- or 5-member families take a long driving holiday where they needed such a large trunk, but provided so little room for the poor passengers in the back seat? Maybe these were bought mainly by single people, who didn’t have kids and could put style ahead of back seat accommodation.
I really don’t think the backseats are all that small. Maybe by todays “cab forward” standards it is though. Back seats are made for folks to sit down, hold on and shut-up! ;>)
Dolphin, lots of room in the back seat area. However, the truck is huge. I took the image of this car and squeezed it in horizontally (left) to get an idea of what the car would look like with less length. Realized it looked just like a 63 Falcon Futura untouched (right). Same designers?
PS. Here is my 63 Falcon Futura w 260 V8. Owned it for 12 years.
Very nice Futura, and an interesting comparison Joe. They do look a lot alike overall. I don’t remember who was chief designer at Ford back then but it’s not a stretch to imagine that whoever it was thought up both designs, with one influencing the other.
When these cars were new, kids who flipped the shackles and put Gofast wheels on them usually were giving up that the car’s had a tough life. For ten G’s I’d expect at least an XL, but the car otherwise is a very desirable unit.
This looks like a good deal for the price! Every time I see one of these 64’s it reminds me of a car like this that some family friends bought new in the day. Their 64 was a Galaxy XL coupe with, I think…, a 390 in it. Two weeks after buying the car the rear tires were bald. It seems that the two oldest teenaged son’s had taken the car to the local drag strip on Sunday and run some quarter mile runs with it.
Absolutely beautiful car in great colors. If its as described it will be a fair deal for somebody. Wonder how long it will last now that its getting some broader exposure…sure wish I had the funds to go scoop it up as its not too far from me
Eugene is just a couple hours south. If I was able to this would be in the garage right now.
These are not a fastback. I know Ford called them that.
I had a 63 Galaxy 500 convertible when I came home from the service.. Left Washington DC with 6 of us in the car and drove all the way home to MA comfortably.. The three in the back seat could actually sit sideways while napping along the way. Front seating was bench type and comfortable for all of us.. No seat belts back then so it wasn’t confining..
Anyway, I ended up wrapping the car around a small house trailer one night after spinning around on black ice.. Miss that car.. A lot..
This one is a fastback.. I’ve attached a photo of a standard 2 dr. coupe for comparison. there is quite a difference in the slope of the rear sail panel between the two.. Just sayin..
In the early 80’s, a neighbor had a car in very good condition, identical to this one, except that it was a 3 speed on the column. He didn’t know how to drive a manual, and offered to sell it to me for the princely sum of $250! At that particular time, I didn’t have the space for it, and I preferred my shifter to be on the floor. Oh, if only I could go back….. :-)
Chromies were cool in the 60’s but I think it would look better with mags. Nice car, and I’m a Chevy guy
Great looking car-wish it was closer to me.
10K is to cheap for this car someone will get a fun ride……..
my brother owns a 63 1/2 427 4 speed. oh what a great sound when he cranks it.
Nice car-nice buy…appears to be well-worth the money….
Great colour combo . I had white on red on red fastback 390 xl for many years – it was great I could fit 4 surfboards in the boot – so was always ready with the right board . Not really fast but fast enough and just a great cruiser , very popular car that one ! With suspension and brake upgrades it handled and stopped pretty well too .
Andrew, if this is your car, very nice.
Thanks Joe – yes it was for around 7 years – I had some great times – it was my daily driver . I sold to a mate which is great because I still see it .
Andrew, very good that you still see it. Reminds me of when I lived next door to a wildlife refuge and enjoyed the view and did not have to pay the property taxes. Thanks again for sharing the photo.