The Story

This 1963.5 Ford Galaxie 500XL Fastback rolled off of the Mahwah New Jersey plant on May 9, 1963 wearing its handsome color combination of Raven Black paint over White Crush and Black interior. Under the hood was a 352ci 2BBL V8, which was backed up by a Cruise-O-Matic transmission and 9 inch real axle with 3:00:1 gearing. The rear bumper sports a vintage “Keystone AAA” decal, which was the region serving the Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey region, which aligns with the Philadelphia DSO on the data plate. The front bumper still proudly displays the Long Beach Naval Shipyard decal, which references the Terminal Island repair center in Long Beach, California. The sticker functioned as a security pass and registration confirmation for vehicles entering and operating within the secure naval base.

The 1963.5 Ford Galaxie 500 XL fastback represents a pivotal moment in American automotive history. Introduced mid-year as the industry's first official "½ year" model, the fastback roofline was born from Ford's ambitious Total Performance campaign and NASCAR necessity. The squared-off "boxtop" roof of early 1963 models created too much aerodynamic drag on the superspeedways, so Ford engineers unveiled the Sports Hardtop with its dramatically sloped rear roofline. Buyers immediately embraced the new look with the fastback outselling the boxtop two-to-one, and by 1964, the formal roof was discontinued entirely. The XL designation meant bucket seats, console, and additional brightwork, positioning it as Ford's answer to the Chevrolet Impala SS and other sporty big coupes of the era. Just 33,870 Galaxie 500 XL two-door Sports Hardtops were built in 1963½ across all engine configurations.

The seller purchased this Galaxie in late 2022 from a family that restored many of these early/mid 60’s Galaxies, who are located in Moreno Valley, CA. It was being driven several times per year by the family, so it was in good condition mechanically. The seller started restoration right away by repairing the interior floors and trunk rust. He was able to patch a couple areas of the floors, but did not complete the repairs. He did not have time to complete the restoration that he had planned on and he decided to sell it to help fund his new automotive shop business, Moonshot Performance in Moorpark, CA.

This Galaxie holds a clean California title in the seller’s name and is currently registered with Non-Operational status. There is a reserve that will need to be met in order for it to sell.

What You Get

Drivetrain & Chassis:
This Galaxie came from the factory with a 352ci V8 and automatic transmission. The previous owner swapped in a 390ci FE V8, giving it more substantial power from Ford's legendary FE-series engine family. Large tube headers are installed along with a full dual exhaust. New exhaust hangers and header gaskets/clamps are installed. A rebuilt, correct Autolite 4100 carburetor date-coded to 1963 is included but not installed. Currently installed is a Holley 1850 carburetor with correct carburetor heat plate and gasket. A new Powermaster alternator conversion using a generator-lookalike unit is included. New ignition components included are a stock-look Pertronix distributor, Flame Thrower coil and 7mm stock-look plug wires. The engine will run off of a gas can and will be running on its own once the new gas tank and line are installed. The wiring harness appears fully functional. The transmission is an automatic that has had its servo mounting bolts replaced after being found broken, internal linkage replaced after being found incorrect, factory band adjustment completed, and new vacuum modulator and hose installed. Fresh transmission fluid is included and ready to run. The rear axle details are unverified but it reportedly has factory parts/specs.

The front drum brakes have been upgraded to 3-inch shoes by a previous owner. A new dual master cylinder and proportioning valve are included. Front brake line status should be verified. New front and Calvert Racing adjustable rear shocks are installed. Factory steel wheels are installed and 3 full sets of dog dish hub caps are included. New Kumho Solus TA11 215/75R15 are installed.

Body & Frame:
The assembly line Warranty Tag is still present on the firewall. The hood, fenders, doors, quarters, and trunk lid appear to be original sheet metal. All factory trim is in place or included. The factory side view mirror was removed and a substitute mirror was added to the fender by a previous owner, along with a remote adjuster under the dash. The original mirror is included. All glass is in good condition. A complete passenger side quarter panel and center taillight panel are included for patch material as necessary. The frame is in excellent condition with no issues.

Interior & Floors:
The interior appears original and is nearly complete, but in unrestored condition. The console, dash, and instrument panel are in good condition. The bucket seats are the original XL equipment. New front seat pads and covers are included but not installed. Beautiful new floor mats are included. Three-point seatbelts have been added in original color with mounts welded in and belts included. A new steering wheel is installed but not torqued. The turn signal switch has been replaced. The steering shaft coupler has been replaced. No carpet or headliner are present, though headliner bows are included. The rear floor has been patched. New toeboard panels are included but not installed for the front floor areas. The trunk floor will need replacement with included donor sheet metal and new brace with body mount set included. All parts that were removed or replaced come with the car.

What You Need

Drivetrain & Chassis:
The car will run off a gas can. A new fuel tank, sender, stainless line, and filter are included and need installation. The carburetor will need final tuning once running. New ignition parts can be installed, although the current parts are functional. The transmission will need the supplied fluid added. The shift points, kickdown adjustment, and vacuum modulator adjustment should be checked during test driving. The rear axle should be inspected. The brakes need to be flushed and bled throughout the entire system. The new dual master cylinder, proportioning valve, and brake line installation should be verified.

Body & Frame:
The passenger side rear quarter panel needs several patches or replacement using the included complete quarter panel. It was parked next to a sprinkler on that side and it rusted. The passenger door appears to have some old body work that needs attention. The driver side quarter has some minor rust in the rear bottom edge. The driver fender needs a patch on the lower corner. The lower edge of the rear window will need metal repair. The trunk channels need some portions replaced with the new pieces from AMD. New exterior emblems and letters need installation. All glass seals and weather stripping need replacement.

Interior & Floors:
The interior will need all soft parts replaced to be in restored condition. New front seat covers are included to restore the factory buckets. Rear seat covers are needed. The center console is in good condition and will benefit from cleaning and restoration. Seatbelts need final installation. Door panels need replacement, while the window cranks and light bezels can be reused. Carpet and headliner kits are required.

The supplied new front floor pans need trimming and welding in place. The gas pedal can be installed once the floors are done. The rear floor welds need grinding smooth. The included trunk floor main panel needs alignment to the included brace and welded in. The trunk and floor should be sealed and painted top and bottom once metalwork is complete.