Good morning from central Maine! As a former professional car buyer for several decades, I shake my head when I see rotted frames under a seemingly good looking car. There were always hot shot buyers at the auctions that wore fancy clothes and expensive watches but the truly successful buyers always wore jeans with one stained knee from looking under the car at the important stuff.
I lived in Livermore Falls, Maine for 35 years, and I always owned older vehicles, and the underneath were always a mess, I moved to Florida, 3 years ago and it's so much different looking at the older vehicles here. Undercarriage so clean, you can eat off from them.
@@pinrod1 We lived in Bristol Mills, Maine back in the 1960's- early 1970's. Been living in Orlando, Florida since 1983. Many a rusted out and "slid off the road" beaters in Maine back then.
@@billycarpenter4740 I'm not far from there, currently reside in Holly Hill, FL in the Daytona area, I have a 2008 VW Jetta that I bought here, that would be all rotted out if it was in new England during its life.
when i was in auto mechanics in high school in the early 80's, me and my partner had a '66 galaxy with a 390 as a lab car. we tore that entire thing apart and reassembled it system by system. ah sweet memories of youth.
My mom had that exact car in the early 1980's...I still remember she crashed at 45mph into another car that ran a stop sign and even with no seatbelts all us kids and her just got scratches and bruises...she used to call it "the tank" thanks for the reminder and memories, this is definitely a treasure in my opinion.
Way back in high school (early 70s) my gang and I rode around in a '65 Galaxie we had bought for a song because some of the bodywork appeared to have been galvanized and large bits of paint had flaked off. It looked like we were riding around in a garden bucket. And greetings to all Mustie fans from North Carolina farm country! We are finally getting some rain.
Same here, I graduated 1977. Alot of these old big (then mid-size) old Fords smoke'in around town, Abilene, Texas. NO rust, just faded paint and "shot" front ends.
Mustie, thanks for working through the initial issues on this puppy - it's sickens me that some clown let this car rot for almost 50 years instead of fixing or selling it. I owned a very similar '66 Ford Galaxie 500 (not a XL) to this one; 390ci w/4bbl Holley, factory 4speed, 3.25 open rear, red interior w/vinyl bench seat, and it was cop bait ticket magnet red. Bought off my brother (Ford mechanic - he ordered it from Ford) in late '68 so he could buy a '69 Fairlane 351, and I drove it for the next 18 months. Definitely a very nice car to drive, but, the gas and insurance bills were getting to be too much to handle. The best gas mileage I ever got with that car was 14 mpg on a trip, and I drove it like an old lady. Still, the wife and I sorta miss our first car. Oh, and Mustie, pass this fun fact on to the owner of this '66 Ford; do you know that if you reach 110mph with this car all of the windows down, the headliner will suddenly pop down over the passengers and scare the living hell out of them? Ask me how I know....... 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
Great Galaxie XL But, it needs a good used frame from another Galaxie. The owner should be able to find and buy a frame from a southwest car. Those frames don't rust. Desert Valley Auto Parts in Arizona might have a frame. She's well equipped with lots of good options. SAVE HER!!!
That Galaxy has such a nice interior and exterior. I'd suggest that the owner look for a donor car with a good frame. My uncle restored and sold Model A's in the 1950's-70's. Frame swaps aren't that difficult. I helped on a couple projects. The Salvage yards can do a computer search for a donor car.
@@gerry-p9x The frame swap would not be any big deal. The transmissions were not the strongest in the world - maybe called a Turboglide. I had a 63 Galaxy 500 convertible that I fixed up in the early 70s. It was a tank - very heavy. I had the engine over-bored and fitted a 3/4 cam, solid lifters, dual exhaust and a 4 barrel Holley carb. It didn't take me long to blow the automatic transmission, so I converted it to a Borg Warner T-10 with a floor shifter and a more aggressive differential. Gas millage was not great - about 12 mpg on the road if I recall correctly. It ran fine until I traded it in on a Celica GT.
I love that body style and the iconic Ford 390 is icing on the cake. I bought my Dad a retired state troopers Ford years ago. It had the 390 engine in it. That Ford would still fly. Good luck Mustie, fine project.
That rot is pretty typical of a car that's been sitting in grass for decades. It grows up around the car and holds moisture up under the car. It never dries out after rains, so it's always humid underneath, and the grass holds water against the frame for long periods.
Loved that last sequence. I started surfing the NH coast in 1964 in Seabrook, and traveled the coast in VW busses, bugs, and old Porsches. Great memories!
I really scratch my head at mid 70s rust bucked busses at shows that are nothing but a rust trap! BUT theyhave thousands in accessories stuck all over them!
my father bought and sold used fords for the andy griffith show, he had several of these as police cars, a couple with the 427 ...cool video thx for the times
Born in March of '66, and my first ride was home from the hospital in a dark red '64 Galaxie 500 hardtop coupe with a 352. After an underwhelming Nightmist Blue '67 Galaxie 500 four door with a 289 and dealer AC, my Dad got a '70 LTD four door hardtop with the 390 2V.
@@DanEBoyd Yeah, I can see why your dad went for the LTD with the 390. The 289 would have been just fine in a '67 Ford Fairlane, but the Galaxie? Too much weight.
@@eskieman3948 Dad thought he could get away with no AC, but soon changed his mind and had the dealer fit it, and he said that the car was underpowered with the AC on. He drove sanely, so he probably didn't notice a lack of power before the AC, or with it off.
If any car/project on your program deserves a new lease on life, it’s this 1966 Ford with the 390 C I engine. In 1968 I bought my dad’s 1966 Mercury Monterey with the 390 two barrel, three speed auto transmission and the nine inch rear end with highway ratio 3.0 to 1. It was a 4 door with the up/down rear center window. I loved that car and it was gray to drive. Never a problem. Wish I still had it some 70 plus cars since! Your 66 has good bones still and would be worth the frame off re- build. I know u don’t own it but you good make it happen. Anyway, great show and I appreciate the work you do to keep things going! Be well and stay safe.
Wow…this car brings back memories. My paternal grandmother owned a ‘65 Galaxy 500 which I inherited and drove around for several years. It looks almost identical, right down to the red color. I wish I had it today.
Dad bought 65galaxie coupe for 2500. Bucks in late 68. With 32k. Miles sweet car good gas mileage with 289. 2bbl and cruise o matic........fun stylish car upgrading. Fron 61falcon. 6cyl
Being overly optimistic on an older car can get you in deep. Parts and labor (or personal time) to get things right can be quite extensive. Cool Galaxy.
If a person has a bit of skill - or willing to do some online research, they can do most of the work themselves, with a bit of occasional help. The hardest part would be lifting the body off the rusted out frame.
@@buggsy5 Yeah score a 66to68. Frame on junker car from south. Bring it to musties have him make a zillion eps on frame prep. Prep car for dissambly then switch frames with new mounts. Etc.....car worth it. It's an XL. XL. XL
I went all in on an old Mercury Woody. Spent three years bringing it back and lots of money. I drove it for a while and we chased squeaks, forever chasing squeaks. Drove me insane... Never again.
In my younger days, I had 1965 Ford LTD Galaxy 500. It had a 352/ 4 barrel Dual exhaust.,390 Rear, Metallic green black crushvuler seats, full bench. 2door, Actually, the first LTD that came out in that year.1965🫵‼️
Ill be willing to bet that over the years, multiple people offered to buy that car to put it back on the road but the owner used to get aroused watching his cars sit in the field rusting to oblivion assuring that nobody will ever have a chance with them.
Moved to my town in 1981. Everyday driving to work I’d pass a nice 67 Dodge Coronet parked in a driveway. Still there today, has never moved, just slowly rusting away. Often wonder what the story behind it is.
Got to wonder about the mentality of someone who would let a decent vehicle sit and rot instead of selling it and letting the new owner enjoy driving it again.
I know where several car and trucks are right now doing the same thing. Owners won’t even consider selling them but have no intention of ever fixing them. They just rusting away.
@@Robrt32 ya its sad. Because some people are willing to pay a good fair amount to buy it to put it back on the road. But some people are just weird about their things. Its a power/control thing i guess. 😫
During the past 25 years since I move to this town, I’ve seen an exactly same model, but black, parked in a half roofed garage… many tried to buy it, the owner died years ago but the daughter simple doest sell it. I’m pretty sure it will rot away in that garage. Years ago I asked to repair and run the engine, not drive it, for free... denied….
Hoo boy, does that bring back memories. My father had one in the mid 70s. I learned my basic mechanic's skills replacing the engine with a rebuild mail ordered from Sears. Especially fond memories of the back seat. ;)
I was 12 in 1972 and the first car my dad taught me to work on was a Galaxie convertible. I knew every inch of that car, but never knew it was spelled Galaxie and not Galaxy! I learn something every single time I see a "Mustie1" video!
Seeing the level of rust destruction so early in the video took away most of my anticipation for seeing it run. It is way beyond your rustoration techniques. I settled for hoping that getting it running might inspire someone to take on the frame swap and panel replacements this old rare jewel of a car would require. I hope someone takes it on. As a child of the sixties, this was one of my favorites.
She sure sounds good. I really like the styling of Galaxies from '61 to '67 but getting that gal back is going to take blood, sweat, money and a lotta them kinda words. Always a pleasure to watch you wench Mustie
Definitely one of Ford's best full-size two-door body styles. Too bad about the frame rust. If a donor frame could be found it might be worth a body sway--but the tin worm has more than made its mark. Sweet sounding 390. Hopefully some part of this car car live on. Really enjoyed the video.
My 1st car was a 66 Galaxie 500. Bought it from behind a barn for $100. It had been painted pumpkin orange. With a brush. A very tired 289 made it something of a sled but it was fun to drive.
I had a '64 Galaxie 500 in '73. 390 4 barrel, 4 on the floor, posi, reversed shackles, slotted mags on the back with baby moons on the front. That's the one I miss the most..
Good morning Mustie 1, My absolute favorite year of big Ford's two door and four door hard tops, Can't believe how good the body is including the floor pans, How disappointing the frame is so rotten, Owner could find a good frame, lift body and restore it.Gord Ontario Canada
The part of South Dakota where most people live (Sioux Falls) is just like New England: Tons of snow, bitterly cold, and lots of road salt. Colder than Maine, really. I would expect a 60's car to be rusted out.
Here's where we Americans could learn from Canadians, who have their vehicles under coated with products that protect the undercarriage from salt. Mustie made a good solution that he treated all his vehicles with & they show no signs of rot. If you buy a new car, have it treated!
My first car was a 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 with a 352, but had a bench seat front and back. I immediately knew the switch was bad before I even clicked on the vid lol... It would be a shame to not fix the rust issues, but that's because of sentimental reasons, not logical ones. Lots of things that could have made that transmission seem like it only had reverse... I remember mine had a Flash-O-Matic in it which started in 2nd gear unless you pulled it into 1st gear, and would only rotate in reverse when the front pump went out. Purely an American iconic car.
My grandma had a late 70's mercury Monterey since new, and she never drove it in the winter. She passed away in 2011, and my uncle was gonna restore it, but saw the frame was rotted out. The frame rust came from the cement sweating and rusting the frame, while the body looked perfect. He worked in a body shop for many year's when he was younger, and had seen this happen before up here in Michigan. He did find a good frame to fix it, and painted and sealed the garage floor, but before that he would put cardboard under the car's he stored inside. That ride looks good, but that frame is a lot of work, whether you can box it in, or find another frame. He should have taken a better look underneath of that car, because like corvettes, they may look good on top, but the frames on those have a history of the frame rotting out. I don't blame you for not wanting to do the body work. You have a lot of skill, but with all the project's you've got going on, this car would take up a lot of .your time. G-d bless
Good candidate for a frame swap. Aftermarket frame with modern suspension…but leave the body as is, buff out paint a little. Or… see if a 4 door galaxie has same frame and if so, use it for a donor
Crown Vic frame swaps have been done in these. Plenty of good Galaxie frames are available too. Reproduction trunk floors are available. This car is probably very salvageable.
@@PaulGerstenberger Dunno if that could be done, but if using a Crown Vic frame & suspension WOULD work, that would make for a great handling car. My questions is - were there any Crown Vics that were body on frame, instead of unibody construction?
@@PaulGerstenberger Didn't know that! Thanks! It's too bad that Ford stopped making them. I know of a few police departments that weren't happy when Ford announced that they were ceasing production of the Crown Vics.
Actually, most cars from that era didn't corner or handle worth a crap, especially the "muscle cars". That's why so many ended up wrapped around a tree or rolled over. I have a '71 Chevy Monte Carlo TurboJet 400 in my garage. That Chevy BB is awesome power-wise, but the Monte handles like a overloaded barge, and that's with radial tires. Any 4cyl Toyota Camry could run away and hide from me on a country road.
My 1st car I bought from my parents was my dad's 67 galaxy 500 with the 390. I was 15. I'm 53 now. I have so many memories an fun with that car. Maroon metallic with reversed chrome baby moon's on it. 20 times a day every day I was asked if I wanted to sell it. Trade it for a 68 camaro. No regrets on the camaro either..
It’s terrible what the salt on your roads does to cars, thank god we don’t have roads with snow & salt here in AUS. That’s a shame it would have been a great car. 🦘🇦🇺 good old castrol, I worked for them for 25 years 👍
From the era of American cars I loved! Didn't know too much about working on cars like I do now, but you could comfortably work on the engine! I've taken a extended break from working on my Mazda because everything is so tight for space!
North Dakota is a rust bucket state , they get bad winters and salt takes it toll. Sitting in an overgrown fields since 1976 when I graduated high school surely has the same effect. I'm falling apart also. Great will it start & inspection video. Went well with morning coffee. Looking forward to your next episodes!
The car did go into forward before you adjusted It. Nice shape body and interior wise but yea that frame will need A huge amount of work. Still A good car. Can't wait to see more. Great video.
Having owned a very similar car to this Ford & after listening to the engine, I agree with you. I'd give a good resto a serious consideration. It's a fairly rare bird. Don't know what's wrong with the transmission, but it's a C6 (fairly tough), and it would be worth either a rebuild or replacement with a rebuilt unit.
Love that I had one of those for my very first car. White with a black vinyl top bucket seats and console. I would keep it and find another one with a good frame.
Very straight car and nice sounding engine. I would definitely frame swap her! Things that you can do when you store old cars even in Northern ca. block the car up and keep her off damp ground. If you tarp the car. Leave the windows down so you don’t trap moisture in.
My brother had one he lent it to me to drive to HighSchool in 1970 at four years old. It was Gold and had three on the tree a great car as I remember.I too like the coke bottle look body style,LOLL! Too bad about the chassis... car still has potential in the right hands body is real nice like stated..
Hi Musti your friends red 66 ford Galaxy XL because it has the cast grill with the chrome and big parking lens, secondly bucket seats and console. The trunk should have the XL badge in the middle close to the key hole. And the dash most of the time will say XL as well. If it was my car I’d find a clean frame and lift the body. We both know how much work that is lol. Love you videos been watch since the beginning. Thank you Doug from Canada.
My second car was a '66 Galaxie 4dr with that same 390, Cruisomatic and 3.50 gears. Ran great, would still get second gear rubber with a shift kit at 20 yrs old and 215,000 miles!
Too bad, 9 minutes in and I'm hoping he didn't pay too much money for it.. that frame is gone, and yes it could be fixed, sure. but nah.. not worth it. I had a buddy in NYC who had a 68 (I think) factory white 1 of 20 that Shelby worked on had a 427 Ford in it (I know, but yes they made one) it was restored in the 80s it looked like, poorly.. needed an interior.. it ran great, drove really nice.. he still has it I'm pretty sure.. that was cool I got to drive it from ocean city nj to where I live on the other side of the state then back up to NYC the next morning.. it was a neat car, got a LOT of thumbs ups and looks from all directions, honks from trucks on the turnpike. The Galaxy was a good looking car
I had a ‘66 Ford Galaxy 500 w/ 390, 50 years ago (early/mid 70s, in Buffalo) .. my late teens/early 20s ride .. lotza memories .. very good handler in winter/snowy weather. In the end, it wouldn’t pass inspection from frame rot .. actually drove it to the junkyard … PS, the motor mounts were shot, and had to be replaced .. PPS, the exhaust manifold donut gaskets had blown out too, were replaced, and started to blow out again.
My Grandpa had a 66 "500" with the Hi-Po 390. We restored it and I threw a bigger carb on it and did some minor tuning. It was a rocket for a big car. First car I ever went 140+ mph in (closed course in Mexico) as a teenager in the 90's. My aunt ended up with it across the country and its not been seen since. 😢 I would give anything to have it back.
See the here in Australia.. Sometimes, you don't know the frame is bad here. It's so dry, that the frame with dust. When it does rain(and it really does rain), all that dust turns to mud and sits wet for ages. While it's wet, it attracts more and more dust, further compounding the problem. Then one day, you begin seeing a few little pin holes. You poke with a screwdriver and realise it's much larger. Then comes the task of replacing the bad parts of the chassis.. the general rule, check the rest. If youre lucky, its only in that spot. If so, you cut the rusted area out and prepare for a new piece while further checking what's either side visually(not easy to see inside there though!)Worse case scenario, you're making a complete new chassis to re-attach under the car. As often, it's hard to find some of Australia's older cars. So you fix what you find. Saw this done with an old FJ Holden Ute back in 1980's. It had a tree growing through the tray and chassis was non existent. It was back in the days when automotive engineers were cheep and they weren't afraid to make a new frame/chassis. The FJ Holden was manufactured between 1948 and 1953, from memory. It captured the hearts and minds of Australia, making it one of the most iconic cars in the country. So people will completely rebuild them from a rusted heap far worse than the one mustie has on the lift!
Always nice to see a glimpse of the ole home office. We had good times there too. Nice to see the Ghia 😎 We love any VW stuff, as you know. Be cool. Martin, England.
when I was a kid maybe 1978 or 79 I owned a 68 galaxy three on the tree it had excellent body and great inside. Smoothest riding boat ever. Went over a bumpy rail road track and after that every time I shifted gears you could here a bang under the floor. Trans was hitting floor board. Frame was gone. Me and my dad welded 3" channel on each side to fix the frame. Sold it a year latter to a guy I worked with he drove it from Michigan to California and back. Thought he was nuts even though I never had any other problems with the car. Frame rusting out was pretty normal for them here.
My grandfather had a 66 galaxie four door with the 240ci straight six in it. It was a lot of car for not a lot of engine. Especially in the hilly terrain where we live.
Agreed. That was asking a LOT for that engine to haul a 3600lb car. Now, if the '66 Ford Galaxie was available with the 300ci straight six (it wasn't), that would be a different story. The 300ci six was a torque monster for what it was.
A fairly common swap is to put a Panther/Crown Vic chassis under these. They are easy to cut to lenght to get the wheel base correct. Better wide, suspension and steering.
@@Navybyrde Funny you should say that because my dad who was a muffler man, drag racer loved Cash. One of our 62s was a convertible, have a picture of it with a camping trailer attached. When I was 17, my parents got a divorce and my dad sold the 62 hard top that looked like it came off the showroom floor for $200 to one of his employees as a slight to my mom because they were going through a divorce…lol. He bought it for $100 in 1970 when a guy came into his muffler shop with a motorhome in need of a system. (This is how we got any number of the many cars we owned) He gave the guy a quote which was probably half of what Midas muffler would have charged, and the dude said, how about you do the work and give me $100 and you can have my galaxie…..lol Holy shit… So many fine cars were parked in the field next to his shop. What was my first car? A 67 VW fastback… A couple years later when my pops got sober, all the cars were gone. It would have been nice to have any one of the 25 he had. It’s all good, got memories and skills. At 12 he set a 4 barrel manifold and carb on the front porch and said, switch that out on the 67 impala. It’s why I love watching Mustie so much.
We had a 390 rancho wagon back in the 70's The wife called me at work to tell me the short hose between the water pump and the manifold was leaking, I was at work and could do nothing until i got home, when i got home she had replaced that house without removing the pump, i tried doing the same years later but failed, removed the pump.
It sat in tall grass, I've seen that rust damage before, everytime the body will look reasonably solid but the frame and floor boards are shot because of tall grass keeping moisture against the metal
This was one of the old “NOT FOR SALE! I KNOW WHAT I’VE GOT HERE AND I’M GONNA GET TO IT SOON…” specials that we see sitting near axle deep in dirt. Such a shame.
Your buddy needs to come to terms with the fact that his dream car is really just a parts car. Still cool. But sometimes you just have to look over top of the rose colored glasses and see things for what they really are. Good luck. ✌️.
I was able to restore my grandfather's 1970 Ford Galaxie 500 and it worked out very well it seems like a boat since obviously no power steering but it works like a champ it takes off like a bullet with that 351 engine in it got to love that Ford blue that they used when painting those dark blue engines
My parents car when I was little was one of these, only 4 doors and the LTD version. Same 390 motor with a 2 bbl. The 4 doors made it stodgy to me as a teen in the 1970s. Wish I still had it!
Good morning from central Maine! As a former professional car buyer for several decades, I shake my head when I see rotted frames under a seemingly good looking car. There were always hot shot buyers at the auctions that wore fancy clothes and expensive watches but the truly successful buyers always wore jeans with one stained knee from looking under the car at the important stuff.
One stained knee- there’s a moto to live by.
I lived in Livermore Falls, Maine for 35 years, and I always owned older vehicles, and the underneath were always a mess, I moved to Florida, 3 years ago and it's so much different looking at the older vehicles here. Undercarriage so clean, you can eat off from them.
I'm from southern Maine an have a rusty frame to prove it
@@pinrod1 We lived in Bristol Mills, Maine back in the 1960's- early 1970's. Been living in Orlando, Florida since 1983. Many a rusted out and "slid off the road" beaters in Maine back then.
@@billycarpenter4740 I'm not far from there, currently reside in Holly Hill, FL in the Daytona area, I have a 2008 VW Jetta that I bought here, that would be all rotted out if it was in new England during its life.
when i was in auto mechanics in high school in the early 80's, me and my partner had a '66 galaxy with a 390 as a lab car. we tore that entire thing apart and reassembled it system by system. ah sweet memories of youth.
Yeah our vo tech did same with a 66impala with 327. 4bbl. Air. Ran the block number and found out prior owners swapped out orig motor for a vette one
My mom had that exact car in the early 1980's...I still remember she crashed at 45mph into another car that ran a stop sign and even with no seatbelts all us kids and her just got scratches and bruises...she used to call it "the tank" thanks for the reminder and memories, this is definitely a treasure in my opinion.
Way back in high school (early 70s) my gang and I rode around in a '65 Galaxie we had bought for a song because some of the bodywork appeared to have been galvanized and large bits of paint had flaked off. It looked like we were riding around in a garden bucket. And greetings to all Mustie fans from North Carolina farm country! We are finally getting some rain.
Same here, I graduated 1977. Alot of these old big (then mid-size) old Fords smoke'in around town, Abilene, Texas. NO rust, just faded paint and "shot" front ends.
Mustie, thanks for working through the initial issues on this puppy - it's sickens me that some clown let this car rot for almost 50 years instead of fixing or selling it. I owned a very similar '66 Ford Galaxie 500 (not a XL) to this one; 390ci w/4bbl Holley, factory 4speed, 3.25 open rear, red interior w/vinyl bench seat, and it was cop bait ticket magnet red. Bought off my brother (Ford mechanic - he ordered it from Ford) in late '68 so he could buy a '69 Fairlane 351, and I drove it for the next 18 months. Definitely a very nice car to drive, but, the gas and insurance bills were getting to be too much to handle. The best gas mileage I ever got with that car was 14 mpg on a trip, and I drove it like an old lady. Still, the wife and I sorta miss our first car. Oh, and Mustie, pass this fun fact on to the owner of this '66 Ford; do you know that if you reach 110mph with this car all of the windows down, the headliner will suddenly pop down over the passengers and scare the living hell out of them? Ask me how I know....... 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
who would drive any car at 110mph with the windows down? seriously asking. it's like inside a hurricane at that point.
@@bumboclat A LOT of people have done this & are doing it.... including those who own convertibles or cars with sunroofs.... right? RIGHT?
Great Galaxie XL But, it needs a good used frame from another Galaxie. The owner should be able to find and buy a frame from a southwest car. Those frames don't rust. Desert Valley Auto Parts in Arizona might have a frame. She's well equipped with lots of good options. SAVE HER!!!
NO LTD...ITS A......XL XL XL XL😅😅😅
Also, thunderhead289 has 2 barrel to 4 barrel carb adapter plates.
@@alan6832 nope ditch the 2bbl slug manifold save 40lbs. And get a Holley carb and aluminum manifold
AND add '1000 gallons' of undercoating to the new frame and body shell
Also to note: With the exception of the station wagons and verts all the Galaxies use the same frame 2 or 4 door the frame is the same.
That Galaxy has such a nice interior and exterior. I'd suggest that the owner look for a donor car with a good frame. My uncle restored and sold Model A's in the 1950's-70's. Frame swaps aren't that difficult. I helped on a couple projects. The Salvage yards can do a computer search for a donor car.
Yup based on the interior buckets and. Console. And fender emblem that's a. Galaxies. XL. EDITION..
Seeing so much rust is so sad. Almost impossible to bring it back to life without completely dismantling it.
Yeah frame swap. And new lines rad. Tank tranny rebuild and rear makes it a 20k. Car
@@gerry-p9x The frame swap would not be any big deal. The transmissions were not the strongest in the world - maybe called a Turboglide.
I had a 63 Galaxy 500 convertible that I fixed up in the early 70s. It was a tank - very heavy. I had the engine over-bored and fitted a 3/4 cam, solid lifters, dual exhaust and a 4 barrel Holley carb.
It didn't take me long to blow the automatic transmission, so I converted it to a Borg Warner T-10 with a floor shifter and a more aggressive differential. Gas millage was not great - about 12 mpg on the road if I recall correctly. It ran fine until I traded it in on a Celica GT.
I love that body style and the iconic Ford 390 is icing on the cake. I bought my Dad a retired state troopers Ford years ago. It had the 390 engine in it. That Ford would still fly. Good luck Mustie, fine project.
Fast Ford 390 Highway Interceptors back then to chase the kids in their hot rods.
That rot is pretty typical of a car that's been sitting in grass for decades. It grows up around the car and holds moisture up under the car. It never dries out after rains, so it's always humid underneath, and the grass holds water against the frame for long periods.
Loved that last sequence. I started surfing the NH coast in 1964 in Seabrook, and traveled the coast in VW busses, bugs, and old Porsches. Great memories!
doesn`t the sea air cause rust ?
Land Lubber here .
@@jackmehoff2961 on the VW single cab it's called. PATINA
@@gerry-p9x Here in the north we call it rust .
@@jackmehoff2961ha ha. Rust sells these days even on clapped out Shelby's. Mustangs and Camaros
I really scratch my head at mid 70s rust bucked busses at shows that are nothing but a rust trap! BUT theyhave thousands in accessories stuck all over them!
my father bought and sold used fords for the andy griffith show, he had several of these as police cars, a couple with the 427 ...cool video thx for the times
I am 77 years old . that 390 sound brings back great memories.
Yeah those were the days...those cars were available with 7.0 litres and ran like snot
Nice waves, I always watch till the end and you outdid yourself on this one
Born in March of '66, and my first ride was home from the hospital in a dark red '64 Galaxie 500 hardtop coupe with a 352.
After an underwhelming Nightmist Blue '67 Galaxie 500 four door with a 289 and dealer AC, my Dad got a '70 LTD four door hardtop with the 390 2V.
@@DanEBoyd Yeah, I can see why your dad went for the LTD with the 390. The 289 would have been just fine in a '67 Ford Fairlane, but the Galaxie? Too much weight.
@@eskieman3948 Dad thought he could get away with no AC, but soon changed his mind and had the dealer fit it, and he said that the car was underpowered with the AC on. He drove sanely, so he probably didn't notice a lack of power before the AC, or with it off.
If any car/project on your program deserves a new lease on life, it’s this 1966 Ford with the 390 C I engine. In 1968 I bought my dad’s 1966 Mercury Monterey with the 390 two barrel, three speed auto transmission and the nine inch rear end with highway ratio 3.0 to 1. It was a 4 door with the up/down rear center window. I loved that car and it was gray to drive. Never a problem. Wish I still had it some 70 plus cars since! Your 66 has good bones still and would be worth the frame off re- build. I know u don’t own it but you good make it happen. Anyway, great show and I appreciate the work you do to keep things going! Be well and stay safe.
Wow…this car brings back memories. My paternal grandmother owned a ‘65 Galaxy 500 which I inherited and drove around for several years. It looks almost identical, right down to the red color. I wish I had it today.
Mr. Mustie you are awsome, I love your laidbackedness!! You never dissapoint.
My brother had one in the mid 70s. It was a great car. We loved it.
Had a 65galaxie in late 68. Learned. To drive on it. Fun. Car
Dad bought 65galaxie coupe for 2500. Bucks in late 68. With 32k. Miles sweet car good gas mileage with 289. 2bbl and cruise o matic........fun stylish car upgrading. Fron 61falcon. 6cyl
It can be saved.
But it is not just a repair, it is a rather serious rebuild.
Mighrt definately be worth it finding another one in better shape.
Naw ICON AUTO DOES MORE WITH WORSE😮😮
Being overly optimistic on an older car can get you in deep. Parts and labor (or personal time) to get things right can be quite extensive. Cool Galaxy.
Ahh but the 20k reward when you sell it😅😅
If a person has a bit of skill - or willing to do some online research, they can do most of the work themselves, with a bit of occasional help. The hardest part would be lifting the body off the rusted out frame.
@@buggsy5 Yeah score a 66to68. Frame on junker car from south. Bring it to musties have him make a zillion eps on frame prep. Prep car for dissambly then switch frames with new mounts. Etc.....car worth it. It's an XL. XL. XL
I went all in on an old Mercury Woody. Spent three years bringing it back and lots of money. I drove it for a while and we chased squeaks, forever chasing squeaks. Drove me insane... Never again.
In my younger days,
I had 1965 Ford LTD Galaxy 500. It had a 352/ 4 barrel Dual exhaust.,390 Rear, Metallic green black crushvuler seats, full bench. 2door, Actually, the first LTD that came out in that year.1965🫵‼️
Ill be willing to bet that over the years, multiple people offered to buy that car to put it back on the road but the owner used to get aroused watching his cars sit in the field rusting to oblivion assuring that nobody will ever have a chance with them.
Moved to my town in 1981. Everyday driving to work I’d pass a nice 67 Dodge Coronet parked in a driveway. Still there today, has never moved, just slowly rusting away. Often wonder what the story behind it is.
Got to wonder about the mentality of someone who would let a decent vehicle sit and rot instead of selling it and letting the new owner enjoy driving it again.
I know where several car and trucks are right now doing the same thing. Owners won’t even consider selling them but have no intention of ever fixing them. They just rusting away.
@@Robrt32 ya its sad. Because some people are willing to pay a good fair amount to buy it to put it back on the road. But some people are just weird about their things. Its a power/control thing i guess. 😫
During the past 25 years since I move to this town, I’ve seen an exactly same model, but black, parked in a half roofed garage… many tried to buy it, the owner died years ago but the daughter simple doest sell it. I’m pretty sure it will rot away in that garage. Years ago I asked to repair and run the engine, not drive it, for free... denied….
Pretty amazing after sitting all them years an still starts an looks decent ...well atleast from top side
Hoo boy, does that bring back memories. My father had one in the mid 70s. I learned my basic mechanic's skills replacing the engine with a rebuild mail ordered from Sears. Especially fond memories of the back seat. ;)
I was 12 in 1972 and the first car my dad taught me to work on was a Galaxie convertible. I knew every inch of that car, but never knew it was spelled Galaxie and not Galaxy! I learn something every single time I see a "Mustie1" video!
Seeing the level of rust destruction so early in the video took away most of my anticipation for seeing it run. It is way beyond your rustoration techniques. I settled for hoping that getting it running might inspire someone to take on the frame swap and panel replacements this old rare jewel of a car would require. I hope someone takes it on. As a child of the sixties, this was one of my favorites.
Good Morning! Love my Sunday morning Mustie fix!
Me too friend . Beats TV anyday !!
Man my heart goes out to the person who bought this. I know it probably was rough giving that phone call that it’s a lost cause
She sure sounds good. I really like the styling of Galaxies from '61 to '67 but getting that gal back is going to take blood, sweat, money and a lotta them kinda words. Always a pleasure to watch you wench Mustie
Definitely one of Ford's best full-size two-door body styles. Too bad about the frame rust. If a donor frame could be found it might be worth a body sway--but the tin worm has more than made its mark. Sweet sounding 390. Hopefully some part of this car car live on. Really enjoyed the video.
My 1st car was a 66 Galaxie 500. Bought it from behind a barn for $100. It had been painted pumpkin orange. With a brush. A very tired 289 made it something of a sled but it was fun to drive.
I had a '64 Galaxie 500 in '73. 390 4 barrel, 4 on the floor, posi, reversed shackles, slotted mags on the back with baby moons on the front. That's the one I miss the most..
That shot at the end was truly beautiful , along with the sound of the waves, the super cool flip up split windows, bravo!
Good morning Mustie 1, My absolute favorite year of big Ford's two door and four door hard tops, Can't believe how good the body is including the floor pans, How disappointing the frame is so rotten, Owner could find a good frame, lift body and restore it.Gord Ontario Canada
The part of South Dakota where most people live (Sioux Falls) is just like New England: Tons of snow, bitterly cold, and lots of road salt. Colder than Maine, really. I would expect a 60's car to be rusted out.
Here's where we Americans could learn from Canadians, who have their vehicles under coated with products that protect the undercarriage from salt.
Mustie made a good solution that he treated all his vehicles with & they show no signs of rot. If you buy a new car, have it treated!
@@mariosaccoccio1688 Nowadays cars die from electrical gremlins that can't be fixed economically.
My first car was a 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 with a 352, but had a bench seat front and back. I immediately knew the switch was bad before I even clicked on the vid lol... It would be a shame to not fix the rust issues, but that's because of sentimental reasons, not logical ones. Lots of things that could have made that transmission seem like it only had reverse... I remember mine had a Flash-O-Matic in it which started in 2nd gear unless you pulled it into 1st gear, and would only rotate in reverse when the front pump went out. Purely an American iconic car.
My grandma had a red one with a white vinyl top. She was a country drivin' speed demon!
My first car was a 1967 with the same 390. What a trip down memory lane!
Ya got alot of work to do to bring this car back but in their day these were some really great running cars. Good luck!
Kid in my town has a 66Galaxie bought it out of a junkyard its pretty bad ass and sounds great with a 289 headers and 4 speed.
Good Morning Mr. Mustie! Good to see ya to start off Sunday morning!
My grandma had a late 70's mercury Monterey since new, and she never drove it in the winter. She passed away in 2011, and my uncle was gonna restore it, but saw the frame was rotted out. The frame rust came from the cement sweating and rusting the frame, while the body looked perfect. He worked in a body shop for many year's when he was younger, and had seen this happen before up here in Michigan. He did find a good frame to fix it, and painted and sealed the garage floor, but before that he would put cardboard under the car's he stored inside. That ride looks good, but that frame is a lot of work, whether you can box it in, or find another frame. He should have taken a better look underneath of that car, because like corvettes, they may look good on top, but the frames on those have a history of the frame rotting out. I don't blame you for not wanting to do the body work. You have a lot of skill, but with all the project's you've got going on, this car would take up a lot of .your time. G-d bless
Mustie1, That sure does sound like a sweet Big Block! Nice wrenching to get the "reverse only Galaxy" to run, Engine at least!
Awesome- A car revival!! She sounded like a 5 cylinder for a minute!😂😂 theres lots of potential there! Thanks Mustie! Heres to a terrific summer😎
Good candidate for a frame swap. Aftermarket frame with modern suspension…but leave the body as is, buff out paint a little. Or… see if a 4 door galaxie has same frame and if so, use it for a donor
Sounds good but get a clapped out. Car from down south and swap frames while restore old new one add disc brakes all new lines etc you got a 20k. Car
Crown Vic frame swaps have been done in these. Plenty of good Galaxie frames are available too. Reproduction trunk floors are available. This car is probably very salvageable.
@@PaulGerstenberger Dunno if that could be done, but if using a Crown Vic frame & suspension WOULD work, that would make for a great handling car. My questions is - were there any Crown Vics that were body on frame, instead of unibody construction?
@@eskieman3948 People have already done Crown Vic frame swaps with Galaxies. Crown Vics are body on frame.
@@PaulGerstenberger Didn't know that! Thanks! It's too bad that Ford stopped making them. I know of a few police departments that weren't happy when Ford announced that they were ceasing production of the Crown Vics.
I had a '65, factory 390/4bbl/dual exh.
It was a good solid car. Didn't corner real well, but in a straight line ...😅😅
Actually, most cars from that era didn't corner or handle worth a crap, especially the "muscle cars". That's why so many ended up wrapped around a tree or rolled over. I have a '71 Chevy Monte Carlo TurboJet 400 in my garage. That Chevy BB is awesome power-wise, but the Monte handles like a overloaded barge, and that's with radial tires. Any 4cyl Toyota Camry could run away and hide from me on a country road.
Man, Mustie... I really enjoyed this one. Takes me back. My Dad bought a 66 Galaxie, in '66, the year I turned 16. Kudo's man.
My 1st car I bought from my parents was my dad's 67 galaxy 500 with the 390. I was 15. I'm 53 now. I have so many memories an fun with that car. Maroon metallic with reversed chrome baby moon's on it. 20 times a day every day I was asked if I wanted to sell it. Trade it for a 68 camaro. No regrets on the camaro either..
It’s terrible what the salt on your roads does to cars, thank god we don’t have roads with snow & salt here in AUS. That’s a shame it would have been a great car. 🦘🇦🇺 good old castrol, I worked for them for 25 years 👍
Thanks dude, another great bit of wrenching, length of time is appreciated. Avocado time....😊
From the era of American cars I loved! Didn't know too much about working on cars like I do now, but you could comfortably work on the engine! I've taken a extended break from working on my Mazda because everything is so tight for space!
I loved the last minute of the video. Your reward for a solid day's work.
North Dakota is a rust bucket state , they get bad winters and salt takes it toll. Sitting in an overgrown fields since 1976 when I graduated high school surely has the same effect. I'm falling apart also. Great will it start & inspection video. Went well with morning coffee. Looking forward to your next episodes!
Darren, the laugh when it first fired….you are a master
You could always find you a solid frame.
It probably be cheaper just to get a replacement frame to stick under the body of that car something from California that's not rusted out
The car did go into forward before you adjusted It. Nice shape body and interior wise but yea that frame will need A huge amount of work. Still A good car. Can't wait to see more. Great video.
The fact the motor cranks over and sounds so good the old girl definitely needs to be brought back to life with a full resto
Having owned a very similar car to this Ford & after listening to the engine, I agree with you. I'd give a good resto a serious consideration. It's a fairly rare bird. Don't know what's wrong with the transmission, but it's a C6 (fairly tough), and it would be worth either a rebuild or replacement with a rebuilt unit.
Love that I had one of those for my very first car. White with a black vinyl top bucket seats and console. I would keep it and find another one with a good frame.
Very straight car and nice sounding engine.
I would definitely frame swap her! Things that you can do when you store old cars even in Northern ca. block the car up and keep her off damp ground. If you tarp the car. Leave the windows down so you don’t trap moisture in.
I miss the old ‘home office’. Back in the day…..
Yeah ever once in awhile I go back and watch him wrench on the old v dubs...sniff sniff😅😅
Nice looking 66 ford put the body on another frame keep up the good work love antique autos
What a heart brake such beauty ❤, if someone really wants one it’s worth the repair
if they want to put 45k into a car worth maybe 6 or 7 fully restored
No its not. The frame is gone and so is the body. Structurally its gone.
@@Spazcan If it were truly restored, it would be worth far more than that - but the cost of restoration would still probably have you in the red.
My brother had one he lent it to me to drive to HighSchool in 1970 at four years old. It was Gold and had three on the tree a great car as I remember.I too like the coke bottle look body style,LOLL! Too bad about the chassis... car still has potential in the right hands body is real nice like stated..
My first car was a 1966 Galaxy 500 , great memories
Hi Musti your friends red 66 ford Galaxy XL because it has the cast grill with the chrome and big parking lens, secondly bucket seats and console. The trunk should have the XL badge in the middle close to the key hole.
And the dash most of the time will say XL as well. If it was my car I’d find a clean frame and lift the body. We both know how much work that is lol. Love you videos been watch since the beginning.
Thank you
Doug from Canada.
Excellent video, love the old cars. I see the old destroyed power wheels is still in the sand pit.
My second car was a '66 Galaxie 4dr with that same 390, Cruisomatic and 3.50 gears. Ran great, would still get second gear rubber with a shift kit at 20 yrs old and 215,000 miles!
One man's treasure is another man's rusty old heap.
Both...that rusted out heap is someone's treasured parts car.
You see Barrett Jackson. Suction lately? 210k. For. 71. Bronco
Used to sell acc pump. mst store for 2. Bucks
Car needs frame swap disc brakes dual and body patches. New has. Tank
Too bad, 9 minutes in and I'm hoping he didn't pay too much money for it.. that frame is gone, and yes it could be fixed, sure. but nah.. not worth it. I had a buddy in NYC who had a 68 (I think) factory white 1 of 20 that Shelby worked on had a 427 Ford in it (I know, but yes they made one) it was restored in the 80s it looked like, poorly.. needed an interior.. it ran great, drove really nice.. he still has it I'm pretty sure.. that was cool I got to drive it from ocean city nj to where I live on the other side of the state then back up to NYC the next morning.. it was a neat car, got a LOT of thumbs ups and looks from all directions, honks from trucks on the turnpike. The Galaxy was a good looking car
My dad had a 65 Galaxie 500. The car was absolutely mint. My dad passed away back in 77; I still wonder where that car is today?
It might still be on the road today, if the transmission has held up. That seems to be the weak link in the Galaxies.
@@buggsy5 With the C4 units, not with the C6.
I had a ‘66 Ford Galaxy 500 w/ 390, 50 years ago (early/mid 70s, in Buffalo) .. my late teens/early 20s ride .. lotza memories .. very good handler in winter/snowy weather. In the end, it wouldn’t pass inspection from frame rot .. actually drove it to the junkyard …
PS, the motor mounts were shot, and had to be replaced ..
PPS, the exhaust manifold donut gaskets had blown out too, were replaced, and started to blow out again.
Mustie, thanks for the continued content. I've learned a lot.
Sweet car. Mustie can fix anything
My Grandpa had a 66 "500" with the Hi-Po 390. We restored it and I threw a bigger carb on it and did some minor tuning. It was a rocket for a big car. First car I ever went 140+ mph in (closed course in Mexico) as a teenager in the 90's. My aunt ended up with it across the country and its not been seen since. 😢 I would give anything to have it back.
Sweet Ride. First car I got to drive when I was 10 at my uncles cabin. Only in a Rag Top version. 😉😎✌✌
Bravo. Your best subject matter in a couple of years.
Crazy how straight it looks for frame gone.
See the here in Australia.. Sometimes, you don't know the frame is bad here. It's so dry, that the frame with dust. When it does rain(and it really does rain), all that dust turns to mud and sits wet for ages. While it's wet, it attracts more and more dust, further compounding the problem.
Then one day, you begin seeing a few little pin holes. You poke with a screwdriver and realise it's much larger. Then comes the task of replacing the bad parts of the chassis.. the general rule, check the rest. If youre lucky, its only in that spot. If so, you cut the rusted area out and prepare for a new piece while further checking what's either side visually(not easy to see inside there though!)Worse case scenario, you're making a complete new chassis to re-attach under the car. As often, it's hard to find some of Australia's older cars. So you fix what you find.
Saw this done with an old FJ Holden Ute back in 1980's. It had a tree growing through the tray and chassis was non existent. It was back in the days when automotive engineers were cheep and they weren't afraid to make a new frame/chassis.
The FJ Holden was manufactured between 1948 and 1953, from memory. It captured the hearts and minds of Australia, making it one of the most iconic cars in the country. So people will completely rebuild them from a rusted heap far worse than the one mustie has on the lift!
Always nice to see a glimpse of the ole home office. We had good times there too. Nice to see the Ghia 😎
We love any VW stuff, as you know.
Be cool. Martin, England.
Such cool lines on cars back then. Sometimes simple is better
when I was a kid maybe 1978 or 79 I owned a 68 galaxy three on the tree it had excellent body and great inside. Smoothest riding boat ever. Went over a bumpy rail road track and after that every time I shifted gears you could here a bang under the floor. Trans was hitting floor board. Frame was gone. Me and my dad welded 3" channel on each side to fix the frame. Sold it a year latter to a guy I worked with he drove it from Michigan to California and back. Thought he was nuts even though I never had any other problems with the car. Frame rusting out was pretty normal for them here.
She's GORGEOUS!
My grandfather had a 66 galaxie four door with the 240ci straight six in it. It was a lot of car for not a lot of engine. Especially in the hilly terrain where we live.
Agreed. That was asking a LOT for that engine to haul a 3600lb car. Now, if the '66 Ford Galaxie was available with the 300ci straight six (it wasn't), that would be a different story. The 300ci six was a torque monster for what it was.
Bet Mortskie had he seen it for sale would of bought it lol - Great video 👍🏼
A fairly common swap is to put a Panther/Crown Vic chassis under these. They are easy to cut to lenght to get the wheel base correct. Better wide, suspension and steering.
Beautiful body, that old Ford is worth somebody's time and energy.
I know it's a XL. VERSION. GOOGLE IT
Remove engine,trans,interior, junk the rest.
@@jeffreyhaynes5774 Yeah too rusty, not even good for a derby car as it can only drive backwards.🤣
Good morning! On the road working in PA from TN.
The body is in good shape but the frame is toast. I'm disappointed, I wanted to see Mustie drive this thing and give it the beans burning rubber!
Mister Mustie! Early morning video! Thanks
Thank you for showing that frame right away. Didn’t have to watch the whole video. Sorry Mustie.
Had a 60,61,62, and 63 Galaxie as a kid. Our 63 had a factory 4 speed….
For a minute there, I thought you might break into song, reminiscent of Jonny Cash.😂
@@Navybyrde Funny you should say that because my dad who was a muffler man, drag racer loved Cash. One of our 62s was a convertible, have a picture of it with a camping trailer attached. When I was 17, my parents got a divorce and my dad sold the 62 hard top that looked like it came off the showroom floor for $200 to one of his employees as a slight to my mom because they were going through a divorce…lol. He bought it for $100 in 1970 when a guy came into his muffler shop with a motorhome in need of a system. (This is how we got any number of the many cars we owned) He gave the guy a quote which was probably half of what Midas muffler would have charged, and the dude said, how about you do the work and give me $100 and you can have my galaxie…..lol Holy shit… So many fine cars were parked in the field next to his shop. What was my first car? A 67 VW fastback… A couple years later when my pops got sober, all the cars were gone. It would have been nice to have any one of the 25 he had. It’s all good, got memories and skills. At 12 he set a 4 barrel manifold and carb on the front porch and said, switch that out on the 67 impala. It’s why I love watching Mustie so much.
By the way, ever see a 67 impala get the front wheels off the ground? Try cutting 3 feet out of it, and sit in the back seat while you drive it…. :)
We had a 390 rancho wagon back in the 70's The wife called me at work to tell me the short hose between the water pump and the manifold was leaking, I was at work and could do nothing until i got home, when i got home she had replaced that house without removing the pump, i tried doing the same years later but failed, removed the pump.
She is a keeper
It sat in tall grass, I've seen that rust damage before, everytime the body will look reasonably solid but the frame and floor boards are shot because of tall grass keeping moisture against the metal
This was one of the old “NOT FOR SALE! I KNOW WHAT I’VE GOT HERE AND I’M GONNA GET TO IT SOON…” specials that we see sitting near axle deep in dirt. Such a shame.
Never thought I would fall in love again. I can save her.
Awesome video as always, awesome work!! ❤ Love the end also with the waves in the VW bus! Can't wait for next episode! ❤
Your buddy needs to come to terms with the fact that his dream car is really just a parts car. Still cool. But sometimes you just have to look over top of the rose colored glasses and see things for what they really are. Good luck. ✌️.
😊
I was able to restore my grandfather's 1970 Ford Galaxie 500 and it worked out very well it seems like a boat since obviously no power steering but it works like a champ it takes off like a bullet with that 351 engine in it got to love that Ford blue that they used when painting those dark blue engines
What a gorgeous beast.
Well said.
I owned a 1964 Ford Galaxie with the 390 Police Interceptor engine with 330 hp. It was much faster than the standard 300 hp 390.
"I'm amazed the doors don't sag." because it hasn't been driven in this condition. First bump you hit, the car will turn into a taco!
My parents car when I was little was one of these, only 4 doors and the LTD version. Same 390 motor with a 2 bbl. The 4 doors made it stodgy to me as a teen in the 1970s. Wish I still had it!
I'd be afraid to set in it. The whole car might fold in half. I don't think it would ever be road safe.