Ford Galaxie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (October 2006) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
- See also the Ford Galaxy large MPV of the 2000s.
The Ford Galaxie was the primary full-size car built in the United States by the Ford Motor Company for model years 1959 through 1974. A version of the car was produced in Brazil under the names Galaxie 500, LTD and Landau from 1967 to 1983. As often is the case with American cars, the model names shifted around from year to year, but the Galaxie was always Ford's full-size car. In the late 1960s, the low trim Fords would be the Ford Custom and Custom 500, while the high end would be the XL and LTD, but the Galaxie was normally the high volume counterpart to the Chevrolet Impala.
Some Galaxies were high-performance, racing specification machines, a larger forebear to the muscle car era. Others were plain, family sedans.
Contents |
[edit] 1959-1960
- See also 1959 Ford
1959 saw the introduction of the Galaxie name in Ford's model lineup at mid-year. That year, the Galaxie range of six models were simply upscale versions of Ford's long-running Ford Fairlane with a revised rear roofline that mimicked the concurrent Thunderbird. In keeping with the era, the 1959 Galaxie was a chrome and stainless steel-bedecked, two-tone colored vehicle, the very image of late-1950s American automobile excess.
Among the models was the Skyliner Retractable, featuring a retractable hardtop that folded down into the trunk space; this feature, impressive but complicated, expensive and leaving very little trunk room when folded down, did not last long, being produced for only three years - 1957 through 1959. Power retractable hardtops have since been used by luxury manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and Cadillac, but in all these cases the vehicle was a two-seater, allowing a much smaller top mechanism than the Skyliner's. Not until 2006, when the Pontiac G6 convertible appeared, did another mass-market model with a rear seat appear in this category.
[1]==1960-1965==
[edit] 1960-1964
- See also 1960 Ford
The 1960 Galaxie was all-new in style, abandoning the ostentatious ornamentation of the 1950s for a futuristic, sleek look. There were still tailfins, but were now smaller — the focus of Ford's stylists abandoning, as did the rest of the industry, the aviation influences of the previous decade and instead capturing the new obsession — the Space Race. The Galaxie name was particularly appealing to this trend. The hot body style this year was the Starliner, featuring a huge, curving rear observation window on a pillarless, hardtop bodyshell. 1960 was the only year when no Galaxie notchback hardtop was available.
For 1961, the bodywork was redone again, although the underpinnings were the same as the 1960. This time, the tailfins were almost gone; replacing them were two giant circular taillights at each rear corner, glowing like a starship's engines. Ford was definitely going with the space and science-fiction theme, and with successful results; this style of Galaxie is widely regarded as a classic. Performance was beginning to be a selling point, and the 1961 Galaxie offered a new 390 in³ (6.4 L) version of Ford's FE series pushrod V8,and a 390 was also made available with either a four-barrel carburetor or, for serious performance, three twin-barrel units. The latter was rated at 400 hp (298 kW), making even such a heavy car quite fast indeed. The Starliner was again offered this year, and Ford promoted this model with lots of luxury and power equipment, but it was dropped at the end of the '61 model year, probably due to the re-introduction of the extremely popular "Thunderbird-inspired" square-roof hardtop coupe.
For 1962, the Galaxie name was applied to all of Ford's full size models, as Fairlane moved to a new intermediate and Custom was temporarily retired. New top-line Galaxie 500 and Galaxie 500/XL models were also introduced. Performance wasn't ignored either, with an even larger 406 in³ (6.7 L) engine being available, again in triple-carbureted "six-barrel" form. At the other end of the spectrum, of course, a "Mileage Maker" 6-cylinder engine was available for the more budget-minded driver. Tailfins were gone, giving the '62s a more rounded, softer rear end look. Taillights were set lower into the rear panel, and were partially sunken into the newly-sculped rear bumper.
The majority of 1962 Ford Galaxie 500s became police cars.
Ford's upmarket Mercury division had its own version of the Ford Galaxie, the Mercury Monterey
For 1963, Ford saw no reason to radically change a good thing, and the 1963 model was essentially unchanged save for some freshening and added trim. A lower, fastback roofline was added mid year to improve looks and make the big cars more competitive on the NASCAR tracks. This 1963½ model was called the "Sports Roof" hardtop. While not much changed for the everyday buyer, for the performance oriented things were a little different — for partway through this year and in limited quantities there became available Ford's new racing secret weapon, the 427, replacing the 406. This new engine, designed for performance rather than refinement, was offered to the public simply because racing rules required the use of only engines sold in sufficient numbers in production vehicles. Ford took the 427 in³ (7.0 L) equipped Galaxie to the dragstrip in serious fashion beginning in 1963, building a number of lightweight cars just for that purpose. They featured fiberglass fenders, doors, trunklid and aluminum bumpers. Rated conservatively at 425 hp (317 kW), this engine also featured in Carroll Shelby's final incarnation of the AC Cobra. The base Galaxie was joined in 1963 by the barebones Ford 300 sedan. Inside, the '63 featured a totally new instrument panel, and gone was the separate column for the shift lever located above the steering column (Chevrolet had eliminated this design in 1954).
1964 was the fourth and final year of this body style. Interior trim was much altered, and the exterior featured a more sculpted look which was actually designed to make the car more aerodynamic for NASCAR. The formal-roof "boxtop" style was replaced by a slanted-roof design for all non-wagon or convertible models, including sedans. Ford's quality control, spotty when the first Galaxie was introduced, was now as good as it ever was, and many '64 Fords passed the 100,000 mile mark intact. The '64s were durable, comfortable, and offered decent handling and roadability at a reasonable price, so it is no wonder they sold so well. Of the XL models, the '64 hardtop coupe takes the prize for the most produced. The base Ford 300 model was dropped for 1964, replaced by a line of Custom and Custom 500 models.
Under the hood, the 427 in³ (7.0 L) engine carried on the high performance duties. Ford again took the 427-equipped Galaxie to the racetracks in serious fashion in 1964, building a number of lightweight, fiberglass equipped cars just for that purpose. These competed with success not only in North America but also in the United Kingdom. Initial doubts as to their competitiveness in Britain were short-lived; despite their great size and weight compared to the opposition, the Ford 427 engine gave them a competitive power-to-weight ratio and the handling was better than might have been supposed. They were raced in Europe reasonably successfully. The 427 was the powerplant of the dominant Ford GT40 Mk II.
Late in the year Ford introduced their new engine challenger, the SOHC 427 Cammer, Though not documented, it is believed a few may have found their way onto the street (this engine was only available to racers through the dealer network or from the manufacturer; none were ever factory installed). Rated at over 600 hp (447 kW), this is possibly the most powerful engine ever fitted to a production car by an American manufacturer. NASCAR changed the rules, however, requiring thousands (rather than hundreds) of production examples in service to qualify for the next season, and Ford decided against producing the Cammer in that quantity. Fears of liability concerns and the bad publicity possibilities in giving the public a car that dangerously powerful are often cited as reasons, but it might simply have been that Ford doubted that an engine so unsuited to street use could sell in such numbers.
[edit] 1965-1968
|
|
|
The 1965 Galaxie was an all-new design, featuring vertically stacked dual headlights in what was becoming the fashionable style in a car somewhat taller and bulkier than the previous year's. Aggression was replacing starship-sleek in stylists' minds across all the "Big Three" that year.
The new top-of-the-line designation this year was the Galaxie 500 LTD. Engine choices were the same as 1964.
1966 saw a new model, the Galaxie 500 7 Litre, fitted with a new engine, the 428 in³ (7.01 L) Thunderbird V8. As the name suggests, this engine was also available on the Ford Thunderbird and was a response to a demand for a more docile, tractable engine than the racing-built 427. The 1966 LTD dropped the Galaxie name, a harbinger of changes to come.
The official car used by the President of Chile on Parade is a black Ford Galaxie 1966 convertible.
The 1966 bodystyle was introduced in Brazil as a 1967 model; it had the same external dimensions throughout its lifetime until Brazilian production ceased in 1983.
In 1967, the 7 Litre model no longer carried the Galaxie name; it was to be the last year of it being separately identified. That identification was mainly trim such as horn ring and dashboard markings as well as the "Q" in the VIN number. The 7 Litre in '67 was basically a trim and performance option on the XL model. Little else changed except for trim and the styling; the same engine range, from a 240 in³ (3.9 L) six-cylinder to the 428 (7.0 L) V8. Modifications to the styling included adding a major bend in the center of the grille, and making the model less "boxy" than the 1966 model.
[edit] 1968-1974
The 1968 model had a new grille with headlights arranged horizontally, although the body was essentially the same. The 'long hood, short deck' style was followed too, as was the new trend for concealed headlights, though the latter appeared only on the XL and LTD.
The Ford LTD stayed on as the top full-size model. This was the model produced in Brazil with minor modifications until 1982, including an ethanol-fueled version, typical of that country.
The 1969 model was built on a new bigger body. It was the end for the 427 and 428 engines. Replacing it was the new 429 ThunderJet taken from the Ford Thunderbird, part of a new Ford engine family. Power was higher than the 428 and lower than the racing-bred 427. The dashboard was built as a pod around the driver rather than traditionally extending across both sides. The XL had rear sail panels to simulate a fastback. The rear trim panel below the stop lights were used to distinguish the different trim levels from bare (Custom 500) to LTD. The Country Squire was perhaps the pinnacle of design for that wagon with the concealed headlights.
1971 was a complete even larger redesign, with horizontal wrap around front bumper with a massive vertical center section. Taillights lost the traditional "rocket" exhaust theme in favor of horizontal lights and trim center section. The XL was dropped, as was concealed headlight covers for the LTD. 1972 was similar but the lower bumper continued across the center grille section. Rooflines were squared-off and featured a very formal air.
The 1973 model was larger and had a bulker, more "LTD-like" appearance. Although reliable, the big Galaxie became known as an oversized gas-guzzler, especially with the availability of smaller, more efficient models (such as Torino) that offered almost as much interior room. Sales sank as Ford buyers went for either a smaller Torino or a more luxurious LTD. 1974 was the last year for the Galaxie 500; the name was dropped for 1975. The Galaxie 500 was slightly more lavish than the low-end Custom 500, but below the middle-range LTD; a new LTD Brougham was the top-of-the-line version. Increased pollution controls were beginning to be felt, too, marking the end of the high-performance full-size car in the United States. Interestingly, 1974 was also the last year for the pillarless hardtop body style on big Fords.
[edit] Appearances in Popular Culture
 |
Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
[edit] Movies and Television
- Actor Mark Ruffalo drives a '65 Galaxie hartop in Zodiac.
- In I Dream Of Jeannie Cap. Nelson (Larry Hagman) drives a convertible '65 Galaxie.
- A 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL is the first getaway vehicle used by Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw's characters the McCoys in the 1972 Sam Peckinpah film The Getaway. They also drive a 1969 Country Squire in the same movie.
- In the Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds (1963), Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) drives a Galaxie.
- In Jean-Luc Godard's movie Alphaville (1965), detective Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine) states that he drives a Ford Galaxie, but it is in fact a Mustang.
- Actor Andy Griffith drove a number of Ford Galaxie's (updating each year through-out the run of the show, courtesy of a local Ford dealer) in his role as Sheriff Andy Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show
- In the 1987 Mel Brooks movie Spaceballs, Captain Lone Starr mentions that he is from "somewhere in the Ford Galaxy"
- In the movie Mississippi Burning a 1964 Country Sedan is driven into a swamp and later recovered.
- In the movie Double Jeopardy with Tommy Lee Jones, a 1964 Galaxie is driven off of a ferry and slowly descends to the bottom.
- A 1973 Ford Galaxie 500 was the car of Detective Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson in the '70s TV series Starsky and Hutch.
- The beginning credits of Smallville shows what appears to be a '64 convertible in a parade.
- Actor Dan Lauria drove a 1969 Ford Galaxie in his role as Jack Arnold on The Wonder Years.
- In the 1971 film "Dirty Harry", Detective Harry Callahan drives a black 1968 Ford Galaxie 500.
- In the 007 movie, "Goldfinger", James Bond is brought to Auric Goldfinger's thoroughbred estate in Kentucky in a red 1964 Ford Galaxie Club Wagon.
- The 1960's television series The F.B.I., Inspector Lewis Erskine and his fellow FBI agents drove around in Ford Custom 500, and Ford Galaxie 500 4-door sedans.
- The Streets of San Francisco TV show with Karl Malden and Michael Douglas, they drive a 1971 Galaxie 500. Model changes every year.
- The 1973 Ford Galaxie 500 was in the paintball movie: "Court Jesters"
- In the movie Crazy/Beautiful , Kirsten Dunst's character, Nicole drives a 1965 Ford Galaxie
[edit] Music
- The 90's alternative rock band Blind Melon wrote the song Galaxie. The song was written for the car their late lead singer Shannon Hoon enjoyed driving to clear his mind.
- A 1973 Ford Galaxie 500 is mentioned in the Clutch song "Spacegrass". It is misspelled in the liner notes as "Galaxy 500"
- A 1973 Ford Galaxie 500 is also the subject of the Reverend Horton Heat song "Galaxy 500" (note the improper spelling as with Clutch) on their seventh album, Lucky 7.
- There are two rock bands named "Galaxie 500": a U.S.-based slowcore guitar band and a Canadian-based garage-rock band.
- Jimmy Cauty of UK band The KLF (aka The Jams) credited his own personal 1968 Ford Galaxie (painted in Police interceptor colours) as the author of their hit song 'Doctorin' The Tardis' in 1988. (The cover of the single proclaims "Hi I'm Ford Timelord; I'm a car and I've made a record.."). The car went on to star in the never-released road movie/concept LP The White Room wherein the car drove filmicly across the Sierra Nevada in Spain, transporting the band on their odyssey to find the aforementioned 'White Room'.
- ZZ Top mentioned a Galaxie 500 in their song "Rhythmeen".
[edit] Other
- In Steve Wright's 1994 novel Going Native, the character Wylie Jones drives a green 1969 Ford Galaxie.
- In the webcomic Achewood, Ray and Roast Beef go on a road trip[1] in a 1965 Ford Galaxie. Roast Beef claims the car is "banned in six states," and that it was featured in a 1981 movie called "Peel-Out Summer," neither of which is true.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Decode Ford Galaxie VINs
- Brazilian Galaxie site
- Amigos do Galaxie in Portuguese
- Brazilian Galaxie club
- Atlanta Galaxies chapter of the Ford Galaxie Club of America
- Florida chapter of the Ford Galaxie Club of America
- Washington - Oregon chapter of the Ford Galaxie Club of America
[edit] References
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| Subcompact | Pinto | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fiesta | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact | Falcon | Maverick | Fairmont | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mid-sized | Fairlane | Granada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Torino | LTD II | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-size | Ford | Ford | Ford | Fairlane | LTD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Galaxie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal luxury | Thunderbird | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports | Thunderbird | Mustang | Mustang II | Mustang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
