Introduced during the 1959 model year as a range-topping trim, the Galaxie became an instant hit. Ford sold 464,100 units, or 63% of all full-size production). The nameplate remained in showrooms through 1974.
While Galaxie deliveries dropped below 300,000 units in 1960, sales bounced back to nearly 350,000 cars in 1961. Two years later, the nameplate's popularity peaked at a whopping 648,010 examples. Galaxie sales would not decrease below 500,000 examples until 1967 and below 400,000 units until 1970.
It's somewhat surprising that, given the Galaxie's popularity and significance, Ford chose not to revive the name. Thankfully, however, the Galaxie enjoys some popularity in the classic car market. It's not quite as desirable as the Chevrolet Impala, but many Galaxie rigs are still on the road today.
However, most of them are still rotting away in junkyards and barns. This 1964 Galaxie 500 is one of those cars, and it's damaged beyond hope.
Discovered by YouTube's "Bobs Classic Cars & Parts," this Galaxie has been sitting in a junkyard since 1981. That's a whopping 43 years as of 2024. The yard has been abandoned for quite a few years, and it's been taken over by nature, so it looks as if this once-gorgeous four-door was dropped somewhere in the woods.
The sedan was partially dismantled while the junkyard was still operating. It lost its front bumper and grille and a few trim elements. More importantly, someone also removed the engine and transmission, leaving the bay empty. The cabin is still surprisingly complete for an abandoned vehicle, and there's not much rust, given how long this Galaxie sat under full exposure to the elements.
But that's not to say this classic is still salvageable. These Galaxies aren't worth much nowadays (especially four-doors), and a restoration would swallow considerably more cash than its market value in tip-top shape. It's a labor-of-love type of project, the kind only very few enthusiasts are willing to approach. All told, this Galaxie 500 is pretty stuck here and bound to become a rust bucket.
1964 was the final year for the second-generation Galaxie and brought notable design changes, starting with a larger front grille and significantly less chrome on the rear fascia. Ford also added the fastback-style roof to all body styles (except for the station wagon), while the exterior featured a more sculpted look overall. Both features were introduced to make the Galaxie more aerodynamic for NASCAR.
The top-of-the-line Galaxie 500 trim came with extra goodies inside the cabin, but the engine lineup wasn't exclusive and included everything from the 223-cubic-inch (3.7-liter) "Mileage Maker" inline-six to the high-performance 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) "Thunderbird." The latter came with 425 horsepower on tap.
But that's enough history for today. Hit the play button below to see this 1964 Galaxie sitting in the woods. It's a sad sight, but is it worth saving?
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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