In 1962 Ford suffered badly in NHRA Stock Eliminator competition, prompting Ford merchandising manager V.P. Motto to issue a now famous memo mandating the production of 200 special lightweight Galaxies for 1963.
All were devoid of any creature comforts, and used fiberglass body panels and aluminum bumpers and brackets. Inside, Bostrum lightweight bucket seats replaced the stock bench seats; the heater, radio, armrests, clock and dash pad were deleted, and instead of carpeting, the floor was covered by a thin Black rubber mat. A simple floor shifter and a column-mounted Sun tachometer completed the driver controls.
More than just a stripped-down version of the 2-door fastback hardtop coupe, the lightweight Galaxie also had another advantage in its thundering R-code 427/425 HP engine. The 427 featured cross-bolted mains, a solid lifter cam, two Holley 4-barrels on a high rise aluminum intake, cast iron headers and other trick items. Bolted to an aluminum-case Borg Warner 4-speed, the 427 drove a 4.11:1 9-inch rear end. One of 212 produced, this rotisserie restored Wimbledon White Galaxie lightweight remains in superb condition and spent several years on display in the famed Floyd Garrett Muscle Car Museum.
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OT Brock, but have you seen this crap ?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.occidentaldissent.com/2015/09/10/steve-earle-pens-new-anti-confederate-song/
No and I don't believe I've ever heard of him. :) Thanks. http://freenorthcarolina.blogspot.com/2015/09/steve-earle-who-pens-new-anti.html
DeleteA true classic. I'd drive one any day.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed. When my father bought a new, non-fastback in '63, I traded my mother a piano that I had been given for my father's old '59. She gave it to the Episcopal church in Delaplane and they put it in a building beside the church. Years later the building burned completely down, but the piano was untouched! Just mind boggling.
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, my father had always requested the "big" engine as he would say, but only got a 390 this time. Still quite a nice car, but the 427 would have been better. :)