1964 Galaxie 500: A True Driver, But Oh That Drop Tho

While this 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 was caught in 4k off the strip in Sin City, its resto story traces all the way back to Kansas City, Kansas, after originally rolling off the line in Minnesota. Showing out its DNA on the door panel, we know with certainty that this ‘64 started life in June at the Ford Twin Cities plant in St. Paul with a 390 topped by a four-barrel buried under the hood.

The current owner, John G., acquired the old school Ford from his brother, who had purchased it directly from the original owner in KC. Once in the hands of John’s brother, this Galaxie was taken down to bare metal where only a little rust needed attention.

All the chrome on the car was re-done, while the stainless trim was polished. The front and rear bumpers are re-chromed factory issue, rather than replaced, and it was repainted in its original factory color, Rangoon Red (Ford paint code M30J-1515).

”It still wears that original color today,” said John.

Ford Galaxie: Destination Vegas!

John took the ‘64 off his brother’s hands eight years ago. At the time, the Galaxie had the looks, but it didn’t run with the power that John desired. A rear-ended 2014 Mustang GT with only 20,000 miles offered up a 5.0 Coyote donor engine. Paired with the Mustang’s automatic overdrive tranny, the swap was on. After the transplant, the Galaxie’s horsepower was a robust 420 SAE net.

The Galaxie exhales through dual Flowmaster muffs and to keep everything cool, an aluminum four-core radiator with electric fans were tucked into the engine bay. The fans auto-engage when the engine temps spike above 195-degrees or the A/C starts to cool the cabin’s interior on those 100-plus, sun-scorched Vegas days.

”The system works well and keeps the car running comfortably even in hotter conditions,” said John.

The ‘64 sits on a full Fatman chassis with an Air Ride Technologies suspension featuring
RideTech components and compressors. A custom box was integrated into the seat for the
dedicated in-car controller, for ride height and sit stance, which also hides pop-out cup
holders. Stopping power is handled by Wilwood discs, with four-piston calipers all the way
around.

”I kept them manual, because I didn’t want a booster cluttering things up, but if I were to do it again, I probably would have gone with power,” John explained. ”It works but it takes a little more pedal than I’d like.”

The wheels are resto-style mags with 18s in the front and 20s in the rear. The mags are wrapped in Diamond Back Redlines.

”The Diamond Backs are modified by removing rubber from the sidewall and bonding in the redline,” said John. “I think they really make the car.”

Factory Vibes, Covert Tech

The goal for the inside was to modernize some features; but keep the aesthetic as primarily OG.

”My brother redid the entire interior himself, the seats, door panels, headliner, everything,” John ”I added Dakota Digitals so I could monitor things like oil pressure but still have the original look.”

The factory radio is still in place, but the car has a hidden Bluetooth system so music can be streamed without altering the dash. A slightly smaller steering wheel was subbed in for better comfort, though John still has the original wheel. The A/C appears factory but uses modern components, plumbed into the original-style setup.

Ford vs. Chevy

As for why he chose a Galaxie, John admitted it wasn’t his first choice.

”I wanted a 1964 Impala, but simply couldn’t afford one at the time,” he explained.

When his brother decided on a “For Sale” sign for the Galaxie, John took a closer look and realized it had the same big-body presence and style he liked, in a Ford package. Knowing how meticulous his brother was with the build made the decision easy and the Galaxie stayed in the fam.

With miles, not mirrors, this ‘64 has logged Power Tour stops, locally in Nevada, Lake Havasu, and a two-stater back east. More than just a head-turner, it has earned street cred as a true driver. #NoTrailerNecessary