Ford Galaxie
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- See also the Ford Galaxy large MPV of the 2000s
The Ford Galaxie was the primary full-size car built in the United States by the Ford Motor Company for model years 1959 through 1974. A version of the car was produced in Brazil under the names Galaxie 500, LTD and Landau from 1968 to 1982. As often is the case with American cars, the model names shifted around from year to year, but the Galaxie was always Ford's full-size car. In the late 1960s, the low trim Fords would be the Ford Custom and Custom 500, while the high end would be the XL and LTD, but the Galaxie was normally the high volume counterpart to the Chevrolet Impala.
Some Galaxies were high-performance, racing specification machines, a larger forebear to the muscle car era. Others were plain, family sedans.
The Galaxie should not be mistaken for the Ford Galaxy, a modern-era large MPV.
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[edit] 1959
- See also 1959 Ford
1959 saw the introduction of the Galaxie name in Ford's model lineup at mid-year. That year, the Galaxie range of six models were simply upscale versions of Ford's long-running Ford Fairlane with a revised rear roofline that mimicked the concurrent Thunderbird. In keeping with the era, the 1959 Galaxie was a chrome and stainless steel-bedecked, two-tone colored vehicle, the very image of late-1950s American automobile excess.
Among the models was the Skyliner Retractable, featuring a retractable hardtop that folded down into the trunk space; this feature, impressive but complicated, expensive and leaving very little trunk room when folded down, did not last long, being produced for only for 1959. Power retractable hardtops have since been used by luxury manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and Cadillac, but in all these cases the vehicle was a two-seater, allowing a much smaller top mechanism than the Skyliner's. Not until 2006, when the Pontiac G6 convertible appeared, did another mass-market model with a rear seat appear in this category.
[edit] 1960-1964
- See also 1960 Ford
The 1960 Galaxie was all-new in style, abandoning the ostentatious ornamentation of the 1950s for a futuristic, sleek look. There were still tailfins, but were now smaller — the focus of Ford's stylists abandoning, as did the rest of the industry, the aviation influences of the previous decade and instead capturing the new obsession — the Space Race. The Galaxie name was particularly appealing to this trend. The hot body style this year was the Starliner, featuring a huge, curving rear observation window on a pillarless, hardtop bodyshell.
For 1961, the bodywork was redone again, although the underpinnings were the same as the 1960. This time, the tailfins were almost gone; replacing them were two giant circular taillights at each rear corner, glowing like a starship's engines. Ford was definitely going with the space and science-fiction theme, and with successful results; this style of Galaxie is widely regarded as a classic. Performance was beginning to be a selling point, and the 1961 Galaxie offered a new 390 in³ (6.4 L) version of Ford's FE series pushrod V8, available with either a four-barrel carburetor or, for serious performance, three twin-barrel units. The latter was rated at 400 hp (298 kW), making even such a heavy car quite fast indeed.
For 1962, the Galaxie name was applied to all of Ford's full size models, as Fairlane moved to a new intermediate and Custom was temporarily retired. New top-line Galaxie 500 and Galaxie 500/XL models were also introduced. Performance wasn't ignored either, with an even larger 406 in³ (6.7 L) engine being available, again in triple-carbureted "six-barrel" form. At the other end of the spectrum, of course, a "Mileage Maker" 6-cylinder engine was available for the more budget-minded driver.
For 1963, Ford saw no reason to radically change a good thing, and the 1963 model was essentially unchanged save for some freshening and added trim. A lower, fastback roofline was added mid year to improve looks and make the big cars more competitive on the NASCAR tracks. This 1963½ model was called the "Sports Roof" hardtop. While not much changed for the everyday buyer, for the performance oriented things were a little different — for partway through this year and in limited quantities there became available Ford's new racing secret weapon, the 427, replacing the 406. This new engine, designed for performance rather than refinement, was offered to the public simply because racing rules required the use of only engines sold in sufficient numbers in production vehicles. Ford took the 427 in³ (7.0 L) equipped Galaxie to the dragstrip in serious fashion beginning in 1963, building a number of lightweight cars just for that purpose. They featured fiberglass fenders, doors, trunklid and aluminum bumpers. Rated conservatively at 425 hp (317 kW), this engine also featured in Carroll Shelby's final incarnation of the AC Cobra. The base Galaxie was joined in 1963 by the barebones Ford 300 sedan.
1964 was the fourth and final year of this body style. Interior trim was much altered, but externally things stayed much the same. The base Ford 300 model was dropped for 1964, replaced by a line of Custom and Custom 500 models.
Under the hood, the 427 in³ (7.0 L) engine carried on the high performance duties. Ford again took the 427-equipped Galaxie to the racetracks in serious fashion in 1964, building a number of lightweight, fiberglass equipped cars just for that purpose. These competed with success not only in North America but also in the United Kingdom. Initial doubts as to their competitiveness in Britain were short-lived; despite their great size and weight compared to the opposition, the Ford 427 engine gave them a competitive power-to-weight ratio and the handling was better than might have been supposed. They were raced in Europe reasonably successfully.
Late in the year Ford introduced their new engine challenger, the SOHC 427 Cammer, Though not documented, it is believed a few may have found their way onto the street (this engine was only available to racers through the dealer network or from the manufacturer; none were ever factory installed). Rated at over 600 hp (447 kW), this is possibly the most powerful engine ever fitted to a production car by an American manufacturer. NASCAR changed the rules, however, requiring thousands (rather than hundreds) of production examples in service to qualify for the next season, and Ford decided against producing the Cammer in that quantity. Fears of liability concerns and the bad publicity possibilities in giving the public a car that dangerously powerful are often cited as reasons, but it might simply have been that Ford doubted that an engine so unsuited to street use could sell in such numbers.
[edit] 1965-1967
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The 1965 Galaxie was an all-new car, featuring vertically stacked dual headlights in what was becoming the fashionable style in a car somewhat taller and bulkier than the previous year's. Aggression was replacing starship-sleek in stylists' minds across all the "Big Three" that year.
The new top-of-the-line designation this year was the Galaxie 500 LTD. Engine choices were the same as 1964.
1966 saw a new model, the Galaxie 500 7 Litre, fitted with a new engine, the 428 in³ (7.01 L) Thunderbird V8. As the name suggests, this engine was also available on the Ford Thunderbird and was a response to a demand for a more docile, tractable engine than the racing-built 427. The 1966 LTD dropped the Galaxie name, a harbinger of changes to come.
The official car used by the President of Chile on Parade is a black Ford Galaxie 1966 convertible.
The 1966 bodystyle was introduced in Brazil as a 1967 model; it had the same external dimensions throughout its lifetime until Brazilian production ceased in 1983.
In 1967, the 7 Litre model no longer carried the Galaxie name; it was to be the last year of its being separately identified. Little else changed except for trim and the styling; the same engine range, from a 240 in³ (3.9 L) six-cylinder to the 428 (7.0 L) V8. Modifications to the styling included adding a major bend in the center of the grille, and making the model less "boxy" than the 1966 model. The XL model no longer carried the "Galaxie 500" designation.
[edit] 1968-1974
The 1968 model had a new grille with headlights arranged horizontally, although the body was essentially the same. The 'long hood, short deck' style was followed too, as was the new trend for concealed headlights, though the latter appeared only on the XL and LTD.
The Ford LTD stayed on as the top full-size model. This was the model produced in Brazil with minor modifications until 1982, including an ethanol-fueled version, typical of that country.
The 1969 model was built on a new bigger body. It was the end for the 427 and 428 engines. Replacing it was the new 429 ThunderJet taken from the Ford Thunderbird, part of a new Ford engine family. Power was higher than the 428 and lower than the racing-bred 427. The dashboard was built as a pod around the driver rather than traditionally extending across both sides. The XL had rear sail panels to simulate a fastback. The rear trim panel below the stop lights were used to distinguish the different trim levels from bare (Custom 500) to LTD. The Country Squire was perhaps the pinnacle of design for that wagon with the concealed headlights.
1971 was a complete even larger redesign, with horizontal wrap around front bumper with a massive vertical center section. Taillights lost the traditional "rocket" exhaust theme in favor of horizontal lights and trim center section. The XL was dropped, as was concealed headlight covers for the LTD. 1972 was similar but the lower bumper continued across the center grille section.
1974 was the last year for the Galaxie 500; the name was dropped for 1975. The Galaxie 500 was slightly more lavish than the low-end Custom 500, but below the middle-range LTD; a new LTD Brougham was the top-of-the-line version. Increased pollution controls were beginning to be felt, too, marking the end of the high-performance full-size car in the United States. Interestingly, 1974 was also the last year for the pillarless hardtop body style on big Fords.
[edit] Today
The 1961 to 1964 Ford Galaxies are today considered desirable classic cars, with the 427-engined cars commanding premium prices. The earlier vehicles have a following, as do the 1965 to 1967 vehicles, the 7 Litre in particular. Later Galaxies see little demand. The 1960s full size Fords are also a known for allowing an inexpensive way into a 'big block' powered classic as many were equipped with Ford's venerable FE series of engines and the 385 series engines later in the line.
[edit] Appearances in Popular Culture
- A 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL is the first Getaway vehicle used by Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw's characters the McCoys in the 1972 Sam Peckinpah film "The Getaway"
- The 90's alternative rock band Blind Melon wrote the song Galaxie. The song was written for the car their late lead singer Shannon Hoon enjoyed driving to clear his mind.
- A 1973 Ford Galaxie 500 is mentioned in the Clutch song Spacegrass. It is misspelled in the liner notes as "Galaxy 500"
- A 1973 Ford Galaxie 500 is also the subject of the Reverend Horton Heat song Galaxy 500 (note the improper spelling as with Clutch) on their seventh album, Lucky 7.
- A 1973 Ford Galaxie 500 was the car of Detective Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson in the '70s TV series Starsky and Hutch.
- In the webcomic Achewood, Ray and Roast Beef go on a road trip[1] in a 1965 Ford Galaxie. Roast Beef claims the car is "banned in six states," and that it was featured in a 1981 movie called "Peel-Out Summer," neither of which is true.
- There are two rock bands named "Galaxie 500": a U.S.-based slowcore guitar band and a Canadian-based heavy metal band.
- Also appears in the movie "The Birds".
- A 1968 Ford Galaxie appeared in the 1988 song "Doctorin' the Tardis" being called a Ford Timelord.
- In Jean Luc-Godard's 1967 movie "Alphaville," detective Lemmy Caution drives a Ford Galaxie.
- Actor Andy Griffith drove an early 60's model in his role as Sheriff Andy Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show
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[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Ford Galaxie @ Muscle Car Facts — A year-by-year account of Ford Galaxie history.
- Decode Ford Galaxie VINs
- Brazilian Galaxie site
- Amigos do Galaxie in Portuguese
- Brazilian Galaxie club
- Atlanta Galaxies chapter of the Ford Galaxie Club of America
[edit] References
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