1966 Ford Galaxie 7 Liter

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Ford Galaxie

See also the Ford Galaxy minivan of the 2000s

The Ford Galaxie was a model of automobile built in the USA by the Ford Motor Company for model years 1959 through 1974. A version of the car was produced in Brazil under the names Galaxie 500, LTD and Landau from 1968 to 1982. As often is the case with American cars, the model names shifted around from year to year, but the Galaxie was always on that year's Ford full-size platform. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2159x1577, 742 KB) i need to sell a 66 ford galaxy 7 liter 1966 Ford Galaxie 7 Liter. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2159x1577, 742 KB) i need to sell a 66 ford galaxy 7 liter 1966 Ford Galaxie 7 Liter. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Volkswagen Sharan See also the Ford Galaxie full-size car of the 1950s and 1960s The Ford Galaxy is a seven-seater MPV introduced in 1995. ... A modern minivan - 2004 Chrysler Town & Country Typical early minivan (a Dodge Caravan) A minivan, people carrier, multi utility vehicle (MUV),or multi purpose vehicle (MPV) is a type of vehicle which has a body that resembles a van, but which has rear side doors, rear side windows, and interior... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Ford Motor Company (usually called Ford; sometimes called FoMoCo), (NYSE: F) is a multinational corporation that manufactures automobiles. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ...

Some Galaxies were high-performance, racing specification machines, a larger forebear to the muscle car era. Others were plain, family sedans. Muscle car is a term for high-performance automobiles, principally referring to American models produced from 1964 to 1971. ...

The Galaxie should not be mistaken for the Ford Galaxy, a modern-era minivan or people-mover. Volkswagen Sharan See also the Ford Galaxie full-size car of the 1950s and 1960s The Ford Galaxy is a seven-seater MPV introduced in 1995. ...

’50s glamour

1959 saw the introduction of the Galaxie name in Ford's model lineup at mid-year. That year, the Galaxie range of six models were simply upscale versions of Ford's long-running Ford Fairlane with a revised rear roofline that mimicked the concurrent Thunderbird. In keeping with the era, the '59 Galaxie was a chrome- and stainless-bedecked, two-tone glitzy beauty of a vehicle, the very image of late-50s American automobile excess. 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria 1957 Ford Fairlane 1966 Ford Fairlane GTA 1997 Ford Fairlane Ghia The Ford Fairlane was an automobile model sold between 1955 and 1971 by the Ford Motor Company in North America. ...

Among the models was the Skyliner Retractable, featuring a retractable hardtop that folded down into the trunk space; this feature, impressive but complicated, expensive and leaving very little trunk room when folded down, did not last long, being produced for only for '57, '58, & '59. Power retractable hardtops have since been used by luxury manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and Cadillac, but in all these cases the vehicle was a two-seater, allowing a much smaller top mechanism than the Skyliner's. Not until 2006, when the Pontiac G6 retractable appeared, did another mass-market model with a rear seat appear in this category. A hardtop is a term for a rigid, rather than canvas, automobile roof. ... This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... Lexus is a brand name of the Toyota Motor Corporation for its line of luxury vehicles. ... Cadillac is a brand of luxury automobile, part of the General Motors corporation, produced and mostly sold in the USA; outside of North America, they have been less successful. ... The Pontiac G6 is an automobile released in 2005. ...

’60s sleek

1960's model was all-new in style, abandoning the ostentatious ornamentation of the 1950s for a futuristic, sleek look. There were tailfins still, but smaller ones -- the focus of Ford's stylists abandoning, as did the rest of the industry, the aviation influences of the previous decade and instead capturing the new obsession -- the Space Race. The Galaxie name was particularly appealing to this trend, it seems. 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... For other uses, see Space Race (disambiguation). ...

Hot body style this year was the Starliner, featuring a huge, curving rear observation window on a pillarless, hardtop bodyshell.

For 1961 the bodywork was redone again, although the underpinnings were the same as the 1960. This time, the tailfins were almost gone; replacing them, two giant circular taillights at each rear corner, glowing like a starship's engines. Ford was definitely going with the space and science-fiction theme, and with successful results; this style of Galaxie is widely regarded as a classic. 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ...

Performance was beginning to be a selling point, and the '61 Galaxie offered a new 390 cubic inch (6.4 litre) version of Ford's FE series pushrod V8, available with either a four-barrel carburetor or, for serious performance, three twin-barrel units. The latter was rated at 400 brake horsepower (300 kW), making even such a heavy car quite fast indeed. The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... Stromberg side-draft carburetor The carburetor (American spelling, also carburettor, carburetter, carburator, carb for short, or carbie (slang)) is a device which mixes air and fuel for an internal-combustion engine. ...

For 1962, the Galaxie name was applied to all of Ford's full size models, supplanting the Custom and Fairlane names. New top-line Galaxie 500 and Galaxie 500XL models were also introduced. Performance wasn't ignored either, with an even larger 406 cubic inch (6.7 litre) engine being available, again in triple-carburetted 'six-barrel' form. At the other end of the spectrum, of course, a 'Mileage Maker' 6 cylinder engine was available for the more budget-minded driver. 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ...

For 1963 Ford saw no reason to radically change a good thing, and the 63 model was essentially unchanged save for some freshening and added trim. A lower, fastback roofline was added mid year to improve looks and make the big cars more competitive on the NASCAR tracks. This 63 1/2 model was called the "Sports Roof" hardtop. While not much changed for the everyday buyer, for the performance oriented things were a little different - for partway through this year and in limited quantities there became available Ford's new racing secret weapon, the 427, replacing the 406. This new 7 litre powerplant, designed for performance rather than refinement, was offered to the public simply because racing rules required the use of only engines sold in sufficient numbers in production vehicles. Ford took the 427 cubic inch (7 L) equipped Galaxie to the dragstrip in serious fashion beginning in 1963, building a number of lightweight cars just for that purpose. They featured fiberglass fenders, doors, trunklid and aluminum bumpers. Rated conservatively at 425 horsepower (320 kW), this engine also featured in Carroll Shelby's final incarnation of the AC Cobra. 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Carroll Hall Shelby, (born January 11, 1923 in Leesburg, Texas) is an American racing and automotive design legend. ... 427 A/C Shelby America CSX 4109 Cobra Signature Series #3 of 4 Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Shelby Cobra Shelby Cobra redirects here. ...

Two 1964 Ford Galaxies; the Country Sedan model is at the right

1964 was the fourth and final year of this body style. Interior trim was much altered, but externally things stayed much the same. Under the hood,the 427 cubic inch (7 L) engine carried on the high performance duties. Ford again took the 427 cubic inch (7 L) equipped Galaxie to the racetracks in serious fashion in 1964, building a number of lightweight, fiberglass equipped cars just for that purpose. These competed with success not only in North America but also in the United Kingdom. Initial doubts as to their competitiveness in Britain were short-lived; despite their great size and weight compared to the opposition, the Ford 427 cubic inch (7 L) engine gave them a competitive power-to-weight ratio and the handling was better than might have been supposed. They were raced in Europe reasonably successfully. Two 1964 Ford Galaxies, a hardtop and a station wagon. ... Two 1964 Ford Galaxies, a hardtop and a station wagon. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...

Late in the year Ford introduced their new engine challenger, the SOHC 427 Cammer, Though it's not documented it's believed a few may have found their way onto the street. (This engine was only available to racers through the dealer network or from the manufacturer, none were ever factory installed) Rated at over 600 horsepower (450 kW), this is possibly the most powerful engine ever fitted to a production car by an American manufacturer. NASCAR changed the rules, however, requiring (instead of hundreds) thousands of production examples in service to qualify for the next season, and Ford decided against producing the Cammer in that quantity. Fears of liability concerns and the bad publicity possibilities in giving the public a car that dangerously powerful are often cited as reasons, but it might simply have been that Ford doubted that an engine so unsuited to street use could sell in such numbers. The base Galaxie model was dropped for 1965, replaced by a line of Custom and Custom 500 models. Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The Ford FE engine was Fords big block V8 engine range sold in the North American market between 1958 and 1976. ... The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ...

Mid-’60s

1965 Ford Galaxie 500 2-door hardtop

The 1965 Galaxie was an all-new car, featuring vertically stacked dual headlights in what was becoming the fashionable style in a car somewhat taller and bulkier than the previous year's. Aggression was replacing starship-sleek in stylists' minds across all the Detroit Big Three that year. 1966 Ford Galaxie hardtop. ... 1966 Ford Galaxie hardtop. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ...

The new top-of-the-line designation this year was the Galaxie 500LTD. Engine choices were the same as 1964.

1966 saw a new model, the Galaxie 500 7 Litre, fitted with a new engine, the 428 cubic inch (7.01 L) Thunderbird V8. As the name suggests, this engine was also available on the Ford Thunderbird and was a response to a demand for a more docile, tractable 7-litre engine than the racing-built 427. 1966's LTD dropped the Galaxie name, a harbinger of changes to come. 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... The Ford Thunderbird is a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. ... 1971 Ford LTD convertible The Ford LTD is a car model name that has been used by the Ford Motor Company both in North America and Australia. ...

The 1966 bodystyle was introduced in Brazil as a 1967 model; it had the same external dimensions throughout its lifetime until Brazilian production ceased in 1983.

In 1967, the 7 Litre model no longer carried the Galaxie name; it was to be the last year of its being separately identified. Little else changed except for trim and the styling; the same engine range, from 240 cubic inch (3.9 L) six to 428 (7.01 L) to racing 427 (7 L). Modifications to the styling included adding a major bend in the center of the grille, and making the model less "boxy" than the 1966 model. 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ...

Late-’60s to the end

The 1968 model was all-new, with distinctively different styling, reflecting the new trends. A muscle-car look was in, with a humped, 'coke-bottle' look over the rear wheels. The 'long hood, short deck' style was followed too, as was the new trend for concealed headlights, though the latter appeared only on the XL. 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ...

The Galaxie name was only carried now at one trim level, the Galaxie 500, squeezed in between the baseline Ford Custom and the higher-level Ford XL, now missing the Galaxie name. The Ford LTD stayed on as the top full-size model. This was the model produced in Brazil with minor modifications until 1982, including an alcohol engine version, typical of that country.

1969 saw the end for the 427 and 428 engines. Replacing it was the new 429 ThunderJet taken from the Ford Thunderbird, part of a new Ford engine family. Power was higher than the 428 and lower than the racing-bred 427. The Galaxie 500 was now the base-model full-size Ford. 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... The Ford Thunderbird is a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. ...

1974 was the last year for the Galaxie 500; the name was dropped for 1975. The Galaxie 500 was slightly more lavish than the low-end Custom 500, but below the middle-range LTD; a new LTD Brougham was the top-of-the-line version. Increased pollution controls were beginning to be felt, too, marking the end of the high-performance full-size car in the United States. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... The Ford Custom 500 is a car model name that was used by the Ford Motor Company both in the United States and Canada from 1964 to 1978. ... 1971 Ford LTD convertible The Ford LTD is a car model name that has been used by the Ford Motor Company both in North America and Australia. ...

Today

The 1961-64 Ford Galaxies are nowadays considered fairly desirable classic cars, though prices are still in 2003 affordable except for the 427-engined cars which command premium prices. The earlier vehicles have a following, as do the 1965-67 vehicles, the 7 Litre in particular. Later Galaxies see little demand, but remain a great bargain for a fullsize vehicle with a lot of potential. The 60's full size Fords are also a known for allowing an inexpensive way into a 'big block' powered classic as many were equipped with Ford's venerable FE series of engines and the 385 series engines later in the line. Ford Model A Fordor 1948 Buick Eight convertible 1955 Chevrolet Nomad 1935 Plymouth PJ Touring Sedan 1948 Pontiac Streamliner Sedan Coupe 1959 Chevrolet Impala Classic car is a term frequently used to describe an older car, but what exactly is meant by that varies from person to person and organisation...

Nameplate Resurrection?

The Galaxie nameplate may be making a comeback at Ford. There are rumors that when the Ford Crown Victoria is finally retired, Ford may replace the Crown Vic with a RWD sedan that would once again use the Galaxie nameplate. This rumor has been combated by another rumor that Ford will bring the Australian Ford Falcon to US shores to replace the Crown Victoria, with it going with Ford's new naming scheme to make all their cars names begin with the letter F. A deriative of the Galaxie name is already being used. In 2005, Ford launched the Volvo-based Ford Five Hundred premium mid-size sedan. One of three replacements to the Ford Taurus, Ford derived the name from the Galaxie 500. The Ford Crown Victoria is a fullsize car produced by the Ford Motor Company in the 1950s, and then again in the 1970s. ... Falcon XR6 Turbo The Ford Falcon is a car manufactured by Ford in Australia since 1960. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... AB Volvo (or Aktiebolaget Volvo) is a world-leading Swedish manufacturer of commercial vehicles, buses and construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications, aerospace components and services. ... The Ford Five Hundred (code name D258) is a fullsize sedan produced by the Ford Motor Company, succeeding the Ford Taurus (which will be phased out for 2006). ... The Ford Taurus (from Latin bull) is a mid-size car sold by the Ford Motor Company in North America. ...

See also

• List of Ford vehicles

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External links

• Ford Galaxie @ Muscle Car Facts — A year-by-year account of Ford Galaxie history.

References

• Dearborn Classics' (a full-size Ford parts catalog) Galaxie history