Great Potential: 1968 Ford Galaxie 500 XL
It’s a bright red 2 door fastback with buckets and a console. What’s not to like? This Galaxie has been sitting behind a barn since 1981. Time hasn’t been kind to it. The original 302 has been lost to history but there’s a 429 “Thunderjet” engine and mounts included. For $3,000 there is even a parts car thrown into the deal. You’ll find it listed on Craigslist in Meridian, Idaho.
Things aren’t looking too great in here but after 17 years outdoors it could be a lot worse. Some will be happy to see there are no headrests.
This side must have caught a little more weather. Hopefully, there’s still good steel under that patina.
For old folks like me, sleds like these have great memories. This Galaxie was parked after only 12 years so it must have been “rode hard and put away wet” as they say. Can you imagine this old Ford all shiny red with big power under the hood and a fresh interior? There are some really nice possibilities here depending on how deep your pockets are, of course. As always, it all depends on what you’d find when you have a close look. Do you think this Galaxie is worth a look, or would you start with a car in better condition?
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Comments
My little brother had one of these. Dark green metallic with black interior. It was one of the few cars he ever owned that I would have liked to have. While high on weed, he ran it into a telephone pole. Dang that was a good looking car up till then.
Sold!
I doubt it was sold.
You can buy a nice one for less than 5 digits. It would make any sense to buy this low spec car for 3K.
I grew up in the back seat of a 2 door hardtop Galaxie. I have a soft spot for the ’68s.
A 429 doesn’t belong on this car and I hope it never makes it in there.
Return it to original or leave it alone.
I’d take the 429 offered with the car, buy a 460 or stroker crank, and have some fun. This from a guy that’s still trundling around with a 289 in his ’66 Gal. There was one or two independents who couldn’t afford the new Torino shells, found a ’68 Gal fastback in a junkyard, and campaigned them in NASCAR.
I totally agree with you there Miguel. This is a heavy car, much better to drop a 460 cubic inch engine into it. You are going to need that extra torque to get it moving.
I meant to put in the 390 or the 428 it should have.
A later engine doesn’t belong in an XL.
I’m looking for a 67 Galaxie 500 2 door.
Why?
My gosh Miguel….having a bad day? Lol
Why Rx7turboll?
It was a reaction as all my life I have thought the 1966 and 1968 were the best looking cars and I have never liked the 1967 model in between them.
There is just something about it that rubs me the wrong way.
I understand the car being close to the heart for them as they grew up with them as I did with the ’68.
Because was my Dads last car he owned and it was the first car I had owned cause I got his after his passing.
I am sure you will find a good one. Best of luck. I lost my dad last year and almost all of our time spent together in later years were with cars.
And I hope you find that car Guy. The ’67 Galaxie 500 is one of my all time favorite cars of the 60’s and I’m a devout Mopar fanatic. The ’67 Galaxie 500 has killer kool looks and reeks of badassery. Hoping you make a great score, best of luck friend.
1967 custom 500 2 door coupe does it for me. Every now and then I see one for sale. Much rarer.
Reminds me of my (sort of) first car. It was a ’67 Galaxie 2 door in faded red. It was given to me by my uncle after it sat in his yard for a few years. I never drove it though – it turned out you could peel large sections of frame off by hand.
This one looks to be fairly solid. Need to check the frame carefully. I agree the price is high. For some reason ’65 and up Galaxies don’t sell for much, so you can probably get a good runner for $5k or less.
– John
Great looking car. I hope somebody gets it back to original.
Purchased one of these out of a field in 1988, had been T-boned on the passenger side. Used it to restore a nice 68 Galaxie ragtop. My guess is the passenger front fender not only saw more weather but also had something acidic spilled over it.
A good friend of mine drove one of these back in the day. His was red, like this, but was powered by a 390. Not lacking in power and it was actually quite economical. If I was to take on something like this, I’d try to find me a suitable FE/C-6 and drop them in. Otherwise, I’d take it the way it is….
I love the fastback XL’s, all of them and I am partial to the hidden headlight 68-69’s but I gotta be honest… there is something so completely badass about a cop spec Ford sedan of this era that I’m torn between the two.
Rhett, I’m with you on this XL. The 2 two door fastback was a great look for the Galaxie, a sporty departure from the mundane four door sedans. However, like you, the cop spec Fords would be my choice. My first car was an ex-State Police 1969 Ford Custom with the 428 PI, C-6. My second car was also ex-State Police, a 1972 with a 429 PI. Great performers, the ’69 being the better of the two in that regard. You wouldn’t believe the hot cars I smoked back in the day with the ’69!
I’ve owned quite a few muscle cars over the years but as the four door Galaxies were my first, I would give anything to have either a ’69 or a ’72 ex-cop spec four door sedan again. I currently own a ’72 Galaxie 500 two door hardtop that still has it’s original paint, chrome, drivetrain and interior with 51,000 miles on it from new. Don’t see too many of them these days, that’s another reason I like it.
By the way, the ’69 428 PI ex-cruiser I paid $200 for, the ’72 ex-cruiser cost $275 at a state auction. Those were the days!
Looks like it sold. For $3K, the 429 alone would have been worth it.
I came across one of these in what looked like Gulfstream Aqua recently, and all I can say is “I want one!”.
My first car! Mine was gold with a white top, bench seat, 390 four barrel with dual exhaust. It got 10 mpg on a good day. I was stationed in Lemoore CA in the early eighties, leaded premium was $1.50 a gallon. Since I made all of $450 a month, my car ate better than I did!
AAAAAaaaaaaaand. It’s gone!
HS classmate had a 67 Galaxie. Don’t remember if it was a 427 or 428 but it had a 4 speed. If you saw the car then had to pick the owner, Art would have likely been the last person you’d have picked. It was a beast and accelerated like a dog with it’s tail on fire.
Too bad we didn’t have the CL archive link on this one!
I like 65-69 galaxy, like hide away headlights on any car esp 69 caprice and the 66?Riviera and Camaro
Why wouldn’t you include the ’70 Galaxie or LTD?
It is almost the same car as the ’69.
I don’t remember seeing a Galaxy fastback back in the 1970s so I assumed they had low production numbers. Not true. Some sources show Ford made more than 50,000.
Fords had the ugliest steering wheels. LOL
Actually, the 68 “XL” was it’s own model. I had one that I partially restored. Was a cool car, put a 68 mustang hood scoop with the turn signals in it on, fresh Cleveland, new carpet and some gold hony comb type wheel off a junkyard jeep. Btw it was gold with black interior. Got alot of what is that? I still see it around town.