1968 Ford Galaxie 500

td25c

Well-known member
Was driving past a car lot last week & something caught my eye ?

Yep , out of all the new models they had out front the old iron in the back sparked my interest :)

Called them & asked " What's the story on the old Ford " ?

Turns out it was bought new buy the car lot owners dad , had endless history about it . And parked in the garage sense 1982 .

116,000 miles on it , 302 V 8 with C 4 auto transmission .

Though to myself , " been setting for 35 years " ? Sounds like a challenge I'll take it !

Body is pretty solid on it .
 

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td25c

Well-known member
I like the way you think RZ .:specool

Family cruiser , kind of like Gator's Ford ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i098eHCkzxA

They just don't build cars like this anymore . This was from an era where each manufacture had it's own look .

Today Ford , chevy's , & Dodge all look the same to me .

We did get the brakes to prime up & work and after cleaning the points got the engine to fire . Thank God it was not locked up . I got lucky this time :)

Installing water & fuel pump today .
 

rzucker

Well-known member
In the late 90's I looked at a '65 Chevy caprice 4 door, the owner had rebuilt the mechanical stuff, 400 small block with a 700R4 trans, 15" Corvette rally wheels, even updated factory air with a sanden compressor. It needed paint and some upholstery work. My ex wife would not have anything to do with it. she had to have her 454 powered 9 passenger Suburban or nothing.
 

td25c

Well-known member
That 65 caprice was sure set up nice !

Then again nothing wrong with 454 Suburban .
 

td25c

Well-known member
Got allot done today on the Ford sedan .

Fuel & water pump installed .

Small leak on the gas tank repaired , used an epoxy putty , it worked .

Oil change on the engine

Went back to the rear axil & noticed a broken coil spring on the right rear . :(

All the parts stores were closed by Saturday afternoon . Got ahold of Dude Watson & he said he could take care of it .

He welded the spring back together & added supports to both left & right side springs . Dude claimed we could haul a little more with it now .

Don't no what to think about this guy ... He' s kind of twitchy & nervous around new customers , asking questions all the time . Not sure if he is on the level ?

Car sets better after the repair.:)
 

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rzucker

Well-known member
That 65 caprice was sure set up nice !

Then again nothing wrong with 454 Suburban .
Yeah, that car really had some potential even for a 4 door aircraft carrier. I guess I liked it due to the fact that one of my high school cars was a '65 Impala SS327 with a 4 speed. The poor thing had been butchered a bit by the previous "Dragstrip artist" owner, but it was fast in the back road quarter mile. I'm not sure what was in the block, but it had an immense Holley double pump sitting on a hi rise single plane manifold and a set of fenderwell headers. I'm not totally sure if it was really street legal, but the registration was good and I had legal plates.;)
 

Truck Shop

Well-known member
With a 302 under the hood there should be plenty of room to take a nap.

RZ-I never understood why single plane manifolds were used for street big loss in bottom end power great above 3500 plus over carbing them.
Even with a 268 dur and 490 lift cam in a 327 600 cfm is more than enough at 5500.

Truck Shop
 

rzucker

Well-known member
Yep, that thing was a total dog to drive in town and the 1000RPM lumpity idle didn't help, But it did rev freely to 6500 easy. Previous owner got some High 12's out of it on the strip in Yakima. Me... Well... I eventually put a rod through the side and moved on to less crazy stuff.
 

td25c

Well-known member
Yeah, that car really had some potential even for a 4 door aircraft carrier. I guess I liked it due to the fact that one of my high school cars was a '65 Impala SS327 with a 4 speed. The poor thing had been butchered a bit by the previous "Dragstrip artist" owner, but it was fast in the back road quarter mile. I'm not sure what was in the block, but it had an immense Holley double pump sitting on a hi rise single plane manifold and a set of fenderwell headers. I'm not totally sure if it was really street legal, but the registration was good and I had legal plates.;)
That's pretty cool RZ !

My plan on the Galaxie is clean her up , drop some Mickey Thompson tires on it , new duel exhaust & drive it .

I'll shake a 460 mill loose from somewhere & build it this winter .

We're gonna have some fun with this car :)
 

td25c

Well-known member
With a 302 under the hood there should be plenty of room to take a nap.




Truck Shop
Yeah Truck Shop , I aint sure there may be room under the hood for two 302's . LOL !

That's another reason I went after the car , just enjoy the simplicity & reliability of a rig from that time .

Enjoy working on them .:)
 

td25c

Well-known member
Went back to the rear axil & noticed a broken coil spring on the right rear . :(

All the parts stores were closed by Saturday afternoon . Got ahold of Dude Watson & he said he could take care of it .

He welded the spring back together & added supports to both left & right side springs . Dude claimed we could haul a little more with it now .

Don't no what to think about this guy ... He' s kind of twitchy & nervous around new customers , asking questions all the time . Not sure if he is on the level ?
This is how it go's down when ya pull up to " Dude's " shop .

Guy would not even open the door until I convinced him I was not a Fed .
 

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td25c

Well-known member
LOL RZ :laugh


The good news is the engine & transmission perform great after a 35 year nap . I'm truly amazed !

Bad news ... will need a new radiator " gets hot after awhile & will suck the bottom radiator hose shut when ya rev her up " .

Also got a brake fluid leak on the right rear wheel .

New wheel cylinders all around & probably a master cylinder .
 

td25c

Well-known member
Yanked the right rear wheel this evening to look at the brakes .

Dang ! Forgot about how tight the clearance is between the drum circle & axil flange .

Smacked on it a few times with the hammer .... No movement ?

Had to call Dude Watson again , he backed the truck up beside the Ford and heated the center of the drum while using a gear puller on it .

It finally gave up & came loose .

This car is starting to get in to my pocket book .
 

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rzucker

Well-known member
Yanked the right rear wheel this evening to look at the brakes .

Dang ! Forgot about how tight the clearance is between the drum circle & axil flange .

Smacked on it a few times with the hammer .... No movement ?

Had to call Dude Watson again , he backed the truck up beside the Ford and heated the center of the drum while using a gear puller on it .

It finally gave up & came loose .

This car is starting to get in to my pocket book .
It's gonna pay back big time runnin' shine. Lol
 

td25c

Well-known member
LOL RZ :D

I think it's gonna make an awesome " Blocker Car " when moving wide equipment .


Yep , it's got the add on A/C . This was a one owner car so I got the low down on every detail .

They bought it new in 1968 , drove it for bout 6 months and took it back to the Ford dealer for the A/C install .

And " shook " a 460 engine loose this evening !

We was at a Pioneer seed corn meeting ....... Fried chicken & German fried taters and cold barley soda :) Good food & friends !

About 150 farmers showed up , made a few rounds catching up with some old buddy's swapping stories & sure enough one chimed up " I gotta 460 in a 1977 Ford car " .

I love it when a plan comes together .
 
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rzucker

Well-known member
Cool on the 460 score. On the mention of the "blocker car", There used to be a mom and pop pilot car service out here that had 2 '68? Pontiac Bonneville 4 door sedans... Both identical. And those folks did a great job blocking the idiots.
 
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