1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL R-Code 427 Barn Find!
The Galaxie 500 XL Sports Hardtop was a mid-year addition for Ford in 1963, with a fastback body style and available big engines designed to outdo Chevrolet and the others in the performance department. It worked – they were more aerodynamic for use in NASCAR and some could do the quarter-mile in under 13 seconds straight from the assembly line. This is one of those cars, a project where some of the heavy lifting has already been done. Tucked away in a garage for several years in Glendale, Arizona, this rare Galaxie is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $44,100, but still hasn’t crossed the seller’s reserve.
Ford went into 1963 with a 406 cubic inch V8 capable of 385 hp with a single 4-barrel carburetor. But that was overshadowed by Chevy’s 409 with dual quads at 425 hp. So, Ford responded mid-year with the FE-series 427 which would be more conducive to racing as well as street use. With a single 4-barrel, it would output 410 hp (Q-code) and with twin 4-barrels, 425 hp (R-code). The slippery Sports Hardtop would see production top 100,000 units, but that’s with any engine Ford offered. According to the Galaxie Club of America, the R-code version of these cars saw 3,857 copies made.
When the seller’s car was new, its first owner paid a 21% premium or $570 extra for the R-code 427. We’re told the original title was never transferred, so it’s from Illinois with that buyer’s name still on it. Over the years, the automobile has seen just 40,000 miles of use and we’re told the cowl VIN matches the VIN on the door. It appears to have spent several years in the garage in some state of disassembly, at least regarding the engine. The motor is flanked by a 4-speed manual transmission.
The car’s black paint is decent but flawed with some degrees of patina. It has a matching interior with bucket seats that looks quite acceptable. We’re told the body and undercarriage are in “incredible condition” which suggests to me that rust is non-existent or almost. The car comes with an assortment of wheels and tires, including the rare 15×5.5½ heavy-duty wheels popular with these muscle cars. The block and heads have been freshened up and are ready for reassembly and put back in the Ford. The parts collection is extensive and will come with the auto, so presumably, it’s a complete XL when all is said and done.
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Comments
Oh Hell Ya. I’m In Lust
Wow. What a grail car from the early muscle years
$60,100… reserve still not met.
What a sound that comes out the tailpipes. This is so refreshing to see in a world of fake C2 Corvettes with restamped engines and rotted junk Chevelles and Rustangs. Worth every penny over 60K.
Yes it’s worth every penny . Love seeing these old Fords with tri power and duel quads .
I am sorry to tell you this but the Chevelle was not around in 1963.
YUP, Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu came out in 1964, actually in Sept 1963 as a 64 model. Mustangs came out April 1964 1/2 and then the 65’s and 66’s.
Car is in Arizona. Title is from Illinois, most likely the name belongs to a dead man. Good luck tracking down anyone legally entitled to sign the title over. Not a bargain even if it was free. Maybe the bidders only want the drivetrain.
How do you know the title wasn’t signed?
It was actually signed by the original owner. Pennsylvania requires both parties to be present at the notary and provide identification. If the person who signed the title is deceased, the seller must provide a death certificate and power of attorney.
See what a can of worms this is?
$60k+ for the drivetrain? That comment is so far out of touch with reality it’s actually funny.
Steve R
Cars and trucks are RESOLD ILLEGALY everyday by Flippers, Curbstoner’s and your best car buddy friend neighbor next door with a title not in the seller’s name.
You may have done it yourself since your on this site and therefore must be a car guy so don’t come across so high and mighty!
The seller has sold any of different cars according to feedback all in “Private Listings” so it’s a pretty good bet the seller is NOT a legal dealer and “Curbstoning” the car. This won’t make a “Hill of Beans” to anyone that truly wants this car and you know it!
So I guess that leaves 49 states where it would be zero issue. Probably 50. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
bring it to Vermont no title needed 15 yrs and older just bill of sale
At 60K and still hasn’t met reserve!!!
I’ve never in all my years run across a ground pounder Ford with this level of displacement.
Nice find, Barn Finds.
This engine is rare as all get out.
Bob
any one can sign the title,who would question that-I hate to say that but if dol don,tlike it they will tell you to come back with what ever. I just bought a truck with only a regs. ,in washington do there papers it gets, inspected and its registered
to me ,3 years has to pass to get a title,but the 1st owner os passed (saddly) Then you get a title.I am aware some states dont even need a title so its even easerier.
Every state is different. Pennsylvania is a real pain in the rear!
ONE of the reasons I moved from that state.
any one can sign the title,who would question that-I hate to say that but if dol don,tlike it they will tell you to come back with what ever. I just bought a truck with only a regs. ,in Washington ,do there papers it gets, inspected and its registered
to me ,3 years has to pass then I get a title, but the 1st owner who passed (sadly) Then you get a title.I am aware some states dont even need a title so its even easier. All that said, no, title, no big deal. I,m a bit confused, the roof done looks good, the 427-great engine but the 6cyl,is that original? I knew a guy that got a 64 belvedere, he was in the process to build a short wheel base A/X stile thats a lot of work.Dont know if that got done
A friends parents had one of these, I don’t recall if it was single or dual quad but it was a 427. It was during the early 70’s gas crunch and no one wanted these. It was cheap and all they could afford, they drove it from the farm to town and back until Vermont winter rust ate it up. It sat for many years in the field, I kept telling them to pull the motor but they never did. I went out to see them after being gone for a while and it was gone. A metal scrapper had taken it away.
How much for the quilted blanket?
What a difference in value when you have a factory muscle car with all its original components still there. One on my bucket list, but that buckets out of reach for me now $$$ wise. The guy that ends up owning this when it’s finished is going to have ball driving it.
Bucket List R code – very rare dual quad car! I’ve seen a few 406 BBF 3x 2 bbl carbs but they have a unicorn 🦄 here. Worth every penny!
My first car was a 63 1/2 Galaxy XL 500, 390, auto, white/lavender (?). My brother Joe rescued it from the junkyard in 1970. It was very worn out. We had to put spacers on the plugs to get them to fire. It was fun for a while, but so many things broke, I couldn’t afford to keep it on the road. I bought a 66 Beetle. It took nearly 2 years to sell it because of the gas crisis. Finally had to let it go for $150 because i no longer had any place to keep it.
I love these things, and it is easily worth that much. See all the wheels under the car–rare rare rare. Ford built a lot of them and they still command a good buck. It would look very nice beside my 65!
I had a ride in a friend’s 63-1/2 that had the dual quad 427 four speed, along with rust and old bias ply tires. We had taken it out on a chip seal black top south of town and he slowed to about 10 mph, shifted to second and dumped the clutch…when he shifted to third the car was moving about 30 mph and the speedometer read 80,
and the interior was filled with tire smoke…what a ride!
Bid is now over $60,000 and reserve is still not met. Nice rare one to restore.
I’m a Chevie guy but that Ford kicks ass
Beautiful and Powerful.
Mopar fanatics ? So here’s a non-runner hitting $60,000 with reserve not hit – I get it – fanatics come in all makes ! Had both a 1963 1/2 and a 1964 hardtops – the 63 with a built up FE and 4 speed – the 64 had the base 352 and a three on the tree. Still going to go with some torsion bars. !
I met a rancher in N.E.Texas while delivering a load of concrete, I saw a 63 Ford front end poking out from a barn with the barn doors open. I said I see you’ve got a 63 Galaxie in that barn. He began to tell me the story; his dad had worked at the local Ford dealership in the 60’s. This car came in as a trade in. His dad knew it was an R code and made a deal to buy it.
The son had plans to rebuild the car as it had sat for many years in that barn. It was not for sale.
I knew of 2 of these. My older cousin bought one new (also black R-code 4 speed) and gave three of us a ride. Every time he hit a gear, with a loud clunk the front end lifted off the ground. (with 4 adults in the car) After he hit 4th gear I peeled myself off the back seat and looked over his shoulder and we were doing 110mph, that fast.When he got it he blueprinted the engine. I’ve owned and been in a lot of fast cars but never anything like that. The other, 2 brothers bought new identical 631/2 black XL’s one a 390 and the other the R-code 427. They were drunks and both wrecked their car. IMO the greatest car Ford ever built.
Actually to be truthful the 428’s and 429’s were both better motors. And I doubt it lifted the front end off the ground in every gear.
The front end does bounce pretty easy on them fords so you could feel the front end lift but not the tires
Point taken, Jim.
To be truthful the AMX’s with the 390 and four speed would lift the tires off the ground. But only in first gear.
Or the blue “Long”-style pressure plate on the floor. Title-shmitle … register it in South Dakota. Don’ even have to live there or even GO there. Done dat from Baja!
Cool car, way nicer than most others. Here in NY for a 1972 or older vehicle you only need a statement of ownership, a tracing or photo of the VIN, and ID to register it. You get a non transferable vehicle registration at first then a transferable one after a DMV review. PA does have screwey rules, I have bought cars at Carlisle and Hershey. They have notary publics on site to seal any deal legally. Now they have some BS called paperless titles or electronic titles. Go figure.