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Ford’s full-size car of the ’60s, the Galaxie, sold a generation on the charms of the basic sedan.
Interstellar Sedan
1964 Ford Galaxie – media.ford.com | Shop Ford Galaxie on Carsforsale.com
It is worth remembering, in this heyday of the SUV, that there was a time within memory when the sedan dominated the automotive market. A car company’s books balanced in the back of their sedan offering. That is what made getting the design right, striking that balance of being distinct and broadly appealing, so vitally important. The fifteen-year run of the Ford Galaxie is, therefore, a tale of upgrades and tweaks, of constant refinement. The car’s design illustrates the pivot from the gaudy chrome wonders of the 1950s to the strait-laced early ‘60s and into the beige and bloat of the 1970s.
Early Years: 1959, 1960-64
The Ford Galaxie began as a new top trim level for the Ford Fairlane 500 in 1959. At the time, Chevrolet was seeing impressive success with their new Impala in the full-size segment and Ford sought a pivot with their own offering to something more competitive. The new Galaxie got a space age name, albeit with a playful alteration, thanks to the “space race” between the US and the Soviet Union.
Even with the forward-thinking name, the Galaxie’s design was firmly rooted in what had preceded it, specifically the ‘50s infatuation with chrome and fins. The Galaxie was offered in two- and four-door sedans and hardtops as well as a soft-top convertible and the Skyliner which featured a hardtop that retraced, without folding, into the trunk space. An impressive feature to wow your friends and neighbors, but which also eliminated any cargo space.
The second-generation Ford Galaxie, now its own nameplate, was a major step forward in design. The car was sleeker, simpler and yet still retained rear fins and big chrome bumper up front. Engine offerings in the Galaxie included an entry-level ”Mileage Maker” inline-six followed by a cohort of V8s topping off with a 390 cu in FE Series pushrod starting in 1961. Larger V8s would be added, a 406 for the 1962 model and a 427 intended for NASCAR competition in 1963. (Heavy and not especially aerodynamic, the Galaxie failed to raise waves in racing.)
Design evolved from year-to-year for the Galaxie. The rear fins were eliminated in 1962, chrome was trimmed back, and the grille updated. In ’63, there were yet more changes to the front end. For 1964, the Galaxie saw still more updating to the grille was well as the taillights and rear end. That same year, the Ford Country Squire station wagon was made a part of the Galaxie 500 line.
Third Generation: 1965-68
For its third generation, the Ford Galaxie received more significant changes. New vertically stacked headlights and hexagonal taillights gave the car a fresh look. But it wasn’t just Ford’s designers that had been busy making upgrades. Engineers had replaced added a new 240 cu in inline-six as the base engine along with the 352 V8’s new four-barrel carburetor. The rear leaf springs were also replaced with a three-link setup with coil springs. A good thing considering the Country Squire version offered additional seating in the rear with room for up to nine passengers.
The 1967 model was the most significant visual departure since the 1960 model. The ’67 featured a pointed grille and new bodylines and creases that put the car more in line with the robust muscle car stylings of the day. The car also received a major safety upgrade with the addition of a new dual brake master cylinder. The grille went back to a more traditional look for 1968 along with a return to horizontal quad headlights. The 302 cu in was made the base V8 that same year.
Fourth Generation: 1969-74
1970 Ford Galaxie – Worldwide Vintage Autos on youtube.com | Shop Ford Galaxie on Carsforsale.com
In the Galaxie’s fourth generation, the car made the leap to a new platform, gaining about an inch in length in the process. The long hood terminated in a new horizontally split grille, available with new concealed headlights. The new “Thunderjet” 429 V8 replaced the 427 and 428 of prior years. A new end range 460 cu in V8 was also added. The 1970 model year updated the grilles yet again for Galaxie 500 and Galaxie XL. In 1971, the 351 Winsor became the standard V8. Cometic tweaks continued through the final 1974 model year, when the Galaxie was phased out in favor of the LTD.
The Galaxie was a major sales success for Ford, moving 7.8 million units over its fifteen-year run.
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