Surfside Classic CA Vacation Edition: 1964 Ford Galaxie 500

Paul Niedermeyer
by Paul Niedermeyer

The odds of seeing a cool car parked by a CA surfing beach is always a bit higher than average. We’ve been staying in a friend’s guest house on a hill overlooking Half Moon Bay, without cell phone reception or any internet; very relaxing to unplug it all. But the surfing is good around Half Moon Bay, and this nice ’64 Galaxie “fastback” coupe was a nice change from the Priuses to either side of it.

In 1964, Ford’s big cars were at the end of a body/frame cycle that started in 1960. Each year thereafter, either the upper or the lower half of the sheet metal got some significant changes, along with the two ends, of course (someone will undoubtedly point out an exception to that). The rather unsuccessful 1960 model gave way to a more palatable if uninspired 1961. The 1962 (check out the funny photo-chopped ad) got heavier lower-half sheet metal that made it look a lot more grounded than the rather flighty and delicate ’61.

As I’ve pointed out more than once around here, I’m not a big fan of Ford big-car styling during much of, well, pretty much forever after about 1950. Sorry, but Ford’s strength lay elsewhere, just not in their big cars. But in my book, the ’63 big Ford is the best of the bunch. It may seem a subtle difference to some of you, but the ’64 got heavier looking again, compared to the ’63, just as the ’62 did to the ’61. Ford was dithering, or maybe its all in my head.

When I say I’m not a big Ford fan, I need to qualify that inasmuch as I see plenty of redeeming qualities in this fairly handsome car, and the ’64 Chevy wasn’t exactly a fresh and exciting face by then either. And I appreciate the Galaxy’s solid, chunky demeanor, and its nicely swept roofline. I’m much more accommodating about Fords than I was in 1964, when I was an acolyte of the Church of St. Mark of Excellence.

Seeing this car brings back vivid memories of a test by “Uncle Tom” McCahill of an identical looking ’64 Galaxie 500 coupe. His tester had the 300 hp 390 FE V8, and he called it “a bomb”; in the good way, I assume. This 500 is lacking those distinctive “Thunderbird 390 V8” emblems, so it probably has Ford’s excellent new-for-’64 289 V8 lost somewhere under that hood. That is, if it doesn’t have that lack-luster 352 FE there. The high-revving and free-breathing 289 probably wasn’t any slower than that stone of a 352, even if it was rated some 50 hp less.

If you were ambitious, engine-wise, you could check the order box for the legendary “side-oiler” 427, which came in 410 hp (one four-barrel carb) or 425 hp (two four-barrel carbs) versions. These engines were loosely based on the 390 FE design, but shared nary a component with them. Specially cast blocks, forged cranks, wild cams, and deep-breathing cams made them unruly and rough-idling on the street, but had made them the terror of NASCAR until the Hemi showed up. Ford’s “total performance” era was in full swing, and soon the 427 would powering the GT Mk II and IV at Le Mans, as well as creating a legend in the Cobra.

It’s fun watching the surfers during stormy winter weather, and about an hour later, the sunset gave a super show, turning the sky into shades of molten gold, red, and purple.

More new Curbside Classics here

Paul Niedermeyer
Paul Niedermeyer

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  • Wonderwar Wonderwar on Mar 03, 2010

    had a 64 galaxie 500 xl, gorgeous interior buckets console 4 speed blue with white interior, black rugs dash and package tray came with a record player for 45s, paid 800 bucks in 1970, it was mint had a 427 side oiler that was a service block from the previous police interceptor 390 with 3 2 barrels the side oiler came out in 1966, the other earlier 427s had lifter galley first oil delivery wonder where that big block blue beauty ended up after i sold it

  • Edco Edco on Apr 06, 2010

    Paul, The 1964 Ford Galaxy was the Motor Trend Car of the Year. Check it out. I agree with you about the 62, 63 bodies being sleeker. I think the 62/63 Fords had a bunch of major stock car wins with guys like Parnelli Jones and Richard Petty driving.

  • THX1136 Always liked the Mustang though I've never owned one. I remember my 13 yo self grabbing some Ford literature that Oct which included the brochure for the Mustang. Using my youthful imagination I traced the 'centerfold' photo of the car AND extending the roof line back to turn it into a small wagon version. At the time I thought it would be a cool variant to offer. What was I thinking?!
  • GregLocock That's a bodge, not a solution. Your diff now has bits of broken off metal floating around in it.
  • The Oracle Well, we’re 3-4 years in with the Telluride and right around the time the long term durability issues start to really take hold. This is sad.
  • CoastieLenn No idea why, but nothing about a 4Runner excites me post-2004. To me, they're peak "try-hard", even above the Wrangler and Gladiator.
  • AZFelix A well earned anniversary.Can they also attend to the Mach-E?
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