1963 factory lightweight Galaxie on BAT

[OldFordGuy]

This car sold for only $88k at Mecum earlier this year. Not sure why it sold so low.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1963-ford-galaxie-500-fastback-6/

[Coralsnake]

I will take a pessimistic guess...someone did their research after they wrote the check.

[SCJSTU]

I will take a pessimistic guess...someone did their research after they wrote the check.

yep happens all too often........after the fact checking details

[98SVT - was 06GT]

I will take a pessimistic guess...someone did their research after they wrote the check.

These cars have lots of tiny mods all over them and the original pieces are hard/expensive to find. I passed on one because it had been a gasser at one point and they had cut the firewall to set the engine back. I couldn't get a straight answer as to how much of the body had been replaced. I suspected all of it.....

[OldFordGuy]

I will take a pessimistic guess...someone did their research after they wrote the check.

These cars have lots of tiny mods all over them and the original pieces are hard/expensive to find. I passed on one because it had been a gasser at one point and they had cut the firewall to set the engine back. I couldn't get a straight answer as to how much of the body had been replaced. I suspected all of it.....

Looks like this one has had an expensive restoration done. It's weird because at the same auction a nice R code (non-lightweight) Galaxie got bid up to $80k and didn't meet the reserve.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Looks like this one has had an expensive restoration done. It's weird because at the same auction a nice R code (non-lightweight) Galaxie got bid up to $80k and didn't meet the reserve.

It even has the frame tag - but will need an expert to tell if it's on a correct frame. There is a lot of rust pitting on the shifter and some chassis parts so I suspect stored in a muddy field at some point? It's got all the right SoCal hot rodding names connected to it. Sold at Downtown Motors in Los Angeles - Gas Ronda was still their driver then and had campaigned their Galaxies and had just gotten a Tbolt before his move to Russ Davis (I still haven't found out if his Russ Davis Tbolt was the same car). Performance Associates for the prep. SoCal's premier Ford drag race shop and the reason Gas moved to Covina. Art Carr was in Arcadia a few miles west of LaVerne. The claim it was the only car built with the reverse traction bars isn't right. Les used those for awhile and there is even a magazine article about them. He was still using them in 1965 and I found photos of two other 63 cars with them. https://images.mecum.com/image/upload/c_fill,f_auto,g_center,q_auto,w_1920/v1669823128/auctions/fl18/fl0118-313017/732712_13.jpg?

Here is a pretty good thread on the factory wars in the 60s - https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/stock-s-s-f-x-1959-1966.247089/

[Mikelj5S230]

A clean original, unmolested, and unraced example would go for more.  Too bad this one was not restored as it was delivered.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

A clean original, unmolested, and unraced example would go for more.  Too bad this one was not restored as it was delivered.

I tend to disagree. Documented race history increases the value. The more famous the driver/car the bigger the spike.

[Mikelj5S230]

Not if I am buying, beat up old race cars with most every original part replaced are not worth much to me.

[OldFordGuy]

Interestingly this car is here in my town right now and I own a clean, unmolested, unraced 63 R code, but I'm a little nervous driving it. Not because it's fast but because I'm worried about scratching it or something. I'd much rather have an old unrestored racer that I could take to the track and occasionally drive and not worry about getting a chip in the paint. Rusty frame is a no go, though. Friend of mine and I are trying to see the car in person and if it doesn't make reserve on BAT, who knows, maybe a trade could happen. Will report back here if I do go see the car.

[Side-Oilers]

^^^ Please post some pix of your Galaxie.   

[OldFordGuy]

^^^ Please post some pix of your Galaxie.

Going to take some pics later today and I'll post them in the Lounge.

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7010vHEtkpw

[OldFordGuy]

Bid to $95k, did not sell.

[FL SAAC]

bagain

[Mikelj5S230]

Not much of a market for these big beasts these days.  A '64 R code 4 speed is up on BaT, but it is no reserve, probably as it should be.