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1964 Ford Galaxie 500

The Galaxie was part of Ford's full-size model lineup from 1959 through 1974, serving as its top-of-the-line full-size model from 1958 until 1961. The 1964 Galaxie 500 Series was positioned above the full-size Custom Series and offered in both six- and eight-cylinder engines. Styling was similar to designs introduced in 1960 and continually updated year-over-year.

The Custom was offered as either a two- or four-door sedan, while the Galaxie 500 was available as a town sedan, club sedan, club victoria, town victoria, and sunliner convertible. The top-trim level was the Galaxie 500XL, offered solely as a Town Vicotria, club victoria, and convertible.

The list of standard equipment on the Galaxie 500 Series included chrome windshield and rear window moldings, sun visors, armrests with ashtrays on all doors, a chrome horn ring, two-tone vinyl trim, chrome fender top ornamentation, and chrome window frames. The Ford crest was placed on the roof 'C' pillar and a chrome stripe traversed the entire body side. At the front and rear of the stripe, in an aluminum insert, was the words 'Galaxie 500' in script.

The Galaxie 500 XL models received special badging, all-vinyl bucket seats in the front, and a center console which most often was the home for the gear shift lever. They had rear reading lights in hardtop body styles, dual-lens courtesy and warning lights in the doors, and polished door trim panels.

The full-size 1964 Ford line received modern space-age designs with sculpted bodyside panels, flowing accent lines, and on hardtop models, fastback rooflines that emulated the lines of a sporty convertible. Capping off the design theme were Ford's traditional jet-inspired rounded taillights.

The club sedan had a factory base price of $2,610, the town sedan at $2,665, the club victoria at $2,675, and the town victoria at $2,740. At the top of the list was the sunliner convertible selling for $2,940. When equipped with eight-cylinder power, prices rose by approximately $100. The club victoria was the most popular with 206,996 examples built, followed by 196,805 of the town sedan. 37,311 were sunline convertibles, and 49,242 were town victorias. The club sedan had the fewest sales, albeit respectable, 13,041 units.

The Galaxie 500XL was offered solely with eight-cylinder power, and the town victoria was priced at $3,290, the club victoria at $3,200, and the convertible at nearly $3,500. The club victoria was once again the most popular with 58,306 examples sold. Next was the convertible with 15,169 sales followed closely by the town victoria with 14,661 units.

The overhead-valve, six-cylinder engine displaced 223 cubic inches, had four main bearings, a Holley one-barrel carburetor, and delivered 138 horsepower at 4,200 RPM. The overhead-valve 289 CID V8 had five main bearings, a Holley two-barrel carburetor, and delivered 195 horsepower at 4,400 RPM. The Holley four-barrel version brought horsepower to 225 bhp. A high-performance version of the 289, complete with 10.5:1 compression, delivered 271 horsepower at 6,000 RPM. The Interceptor FE-block 352 CID V8 had a Holley four-barrel carburetor and 250 hp. The 390 CID V8 delivered 300 or 330 horsepower depending on the setup.

Ford's 'Total Performance' campaign during the 1960s witnessed the introduction of the 427 cubic-inch FE engine in mid-year 1963. It was offered in two levels, the 410 horsepower version with a single four-barrel carburetor, or the 425 hp 'R' code version with dual four-barrels. Known among fans as the 'side-oiler', these power-houses would propel full-size Fords into the front of the pack be it on the street, strip, or track.

1964 was a monumental year for Ford, with the introduction of the new Mustang. At the opening of the 1964 New York World's Fair, Ford's innovation and technology were on full display, with Ford convertibles transporting riders through the Walt Disney-designed Magic Skyway. Prior to entering the Magic Skyway, visitors were exposed to Ford's new 1964 vehicles, including the 1964 Galaxie 500XL Convertible. As a Ford Pavilion show car, the big Ford was loaded with options, including a4-speed manual transmission, power windows, the R-code 427 engine, AM/FM radio, dash clock, power driver's seat, and Perma-Tuned transistorized ignition system. As the top-of-the-line XL, the convertible came from the factory equipped with bucket seats and console, bucket-style rear bench seat, all-vinyl upholstery, special trim, and wheel covers with spinners and red, white, and blue XL centers. As part of Ford's Total Performance campaign during the early 1960s, the R-code 427 generated 425 horsepower thanks to its dual Holley 4-barrel carburetors, open-element oval air cleaner, solid lifters, and high-flow exhaust manifolds. The 427 also mandated a heavy-duty suspension, nylon tires, and fade-resistant brakes. Approximately 208 R-code convertibles were built in 1964.

Ford sales were spurred on by success in motorsports. In NASCAR, Ford took the checkered flag in 30 of the 62 official events for 1964 (and another five wins came to Dearborn with the 427-powered Mercurys). At the drag strip, a limited number of lightweight Galaxie 500 2-door hardtops earned Ford a number of team victories earning them the first NHRA's Manufacturer's Cup. Approximately 50 examples of the Galaxie lightweight models were built in 1964. These were special cars that were a backup to the Thunderbolt program. They received a teardrop-design fiberglass hood and were devoid of non-essential items including the heater, defroster, radio, carpeting, sound deadener, body sealer, and additional insulation. The battery was relocated to the trunk area and lightweight front bucket seats replaced the bench version. All examples were white with red interiors. The 427 CID V8 had air fed through the factory-modified grille to a pair of Holley 4-barrel carburetors. Twenty-five examples used a dual-range HX automatic transmission (the same used in the Thunderbolt) and the other 25 had a four-speed. Additional modifications included an RCI bell housing and a Detroit Locker differential.

All purchasers of the Lightweight Galaxie were required to sign a disclaimer stating 'This car is a maximum performance vehicle and should only be sold to the knowing customer who understands the warranty implications.' These were the last of the drag-racing models Ford released on the full-size model line. Ford had built these to hedge its bets, as insurance, in case the new smaller Thunderbolt Fairlanes were disallowed by the NHRA. The T-bolts were placed in the Super Stock category, while the Galaxies were raced in a new category NHRA named AA/Stock.

The 1964 model year would be the final year of the designs first introduced in 1960. A new design was introduced for 1965, with vertically stacked dual headlights, a taller and bulkier profile, and a new LTD trim package. Engine choices would remain the same, except for the all-new 240 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine replacing the 223 'Mileage-Maker Six that had served the company since the 1950s. The 352 now came with dual exhausts and a four-barrel carburetor.


by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2020

Related Reading : Ford Galaxie History

The Ford Galaxie entered the scene in 1959 and was offered in various configurations. The model line consisted of a Club Victoria, Town Victoria, Club Sedan, Town Sedan, Sunliner Convertible, and Skyliner Retractable. Similar to the Fairlane, they were distinguished by different ornamentation. The highlight of the 1959 model line was the Skyliner Retractable that had an all-steel hardtop that....
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1964 Ford Galaxie 500 Vehicle Profiles

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

1964 Galaxie 500
$3,485-$17,800
1964 Ford Galaxie 500 Price Range: $2,611 - $3,485

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

Other 1964 Ford Models
$1,985 - $2,660
$2,180 - $2,600
$2,368 - $2,612
$4,485 - $4,851

Galaxie

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
289,268
119.00 in.
6 cyl., 223.00 CID., 145.00hp
8 cyl., 292.00 CID., 185.00hp
$2,550 - $2,970
349,645
119.00 in.
6 cyl., 223.00 CID., 135.00hp
8 cyl., 292.00 CID., 175.00hp
8 cyl., 352.00 CID., 220.00hp
8 cyl., 390.00 CID., 300.00hp
$2,540 - $2,965
575,124
119.00 in.
6 cyl., 223.00 CID., 138.00hp
8 cyl., 221.00 CID., 145.00hp
8 cyl., 292.00 CID., 170.00hp
8 cyl., 352.00 CID., 220.00hp
8 cyl., 390.00 CID., 300.00hp
8 cyl., 390.00 CID., 340.00hp
8 cyl., 406.00 CID., 385.00hp
8 cyl., 406.00 CID., 405.00hp
$2,450 - $3,356
535,256
119.00 in.
6 cyl., 200.00 CID., 116.00hp
6 cyl., 223.00 CID., 138.00hp
8 cyl., 289.00 CID., 271.00hp
8 cyl., 390.00 CID., 300.00hp
8 cyl., 390.00 CID., 330.00hp
$2,610 - $3,625
591,531
119.00 in.
6 cyl., 223.00 CID., 138.00hp
8 cyl., 289.00 CID., 195.00hp
8 cyl., 289.00 CID., 225.00hp
8 cyl., 352.00 CID., 250.00hp
8 cyl., 289.00 CID., 271.00hp
8 cyl., 390.00 CID., 300.00hp
8 cyl., 390.00 CID., 330.00hp
8 cyl., 427.00 CID., 425.00hp
$2,611 - $3,485

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