We are in located in Arizona where parts don't rust as bad as up north.  We love the old american cars. We've lived here for 15 years and over the years got many ford cars and sold some and parted out others.  Our inventory is changing all the time. We can have 30+ cars at any given time. Need something just ask.

     My love for the Galaxie started when I was 16.  The year was 1970, the all important day of our lives, when we can get our Driver’s License.  I remember taking Driver’s Education in a 1969 Plymouth Satellite.  After I got my learners permit to drive with a licensed driver, I had the good fortune of having an older brother who had a cool looking ‘63 2 Door Hardtop Galaxie, one that he took me out on many occasions, where he has taught me how to drive.  Finally, I was ready for the state test.  I got my license the first time around.  Thanks Brother!

    Now with license in hand, here come the hard part which car to buy and how to buy that first car.  Since I had spent most of my money, if not all on my Driver’s education $80 bucks, which was a lot of money for a kid working in a car wash for 75 cents an hour.  Now I mentioned which car to buy this decision was hard, since I worked in the car wash I was able to drive all the cool muscle cars of the Sixties everyday and the choice was tough.

    As fate would have it for me, I had another older brother who was in the process of buying a new car and was looking to sell his old car.  Having been in the situation that his first car had been given to him he wanted to help me out.  As I recalled he owed dad $100 bucks and Dad said “ Give him the car and then we’re even”.  I thought to myself that this cannot be happening, I own my very own ‘64 Galaxie!  I got a car; I just can’t believe it!  It’s too good to be true.

    Hey I have a car, got my license, now I’m ready to go.  But let me tell you the history of the car.  This car came to our family by way of my Dad’s hard work.  You see, I grew up in the suburbs of the Motor City.  Back in the Sixties everyone worked in the auto-industry and my dad was no exception.  He worked in a plant that did prototype work for Ford.

    One day Ford sent a car over to his shop to be repaired.  The car was only a year old but looked like it probably had a million miles on it.  This car was used by Ford to show at the auto shows across America.  After being in numerous shows, and probably had millions of people sitting behind the wheel, kicking the tires, opening and closing the doors, windows, trunk and hood etc., she was showing wear.  So my Dad’s shop went to work on her.  They installed new hood hinges, trunk hinges, door locks, carpeting and seats.  And last but not least, a fresh new paint job.  I t looked like new again and now it would be going up for sale.  That’s when my dad talked to the plant manager.  He stated “Hey, that would be a great car for my son!”, the deal was made and she was coming home to our house.

    She was a beauty, a 1964 Galaxie 500 Convertible.  Being that she was a show car she had some nice options on her.  She was Maroon with a White top.  It had a real glass back window, black interior and the 390 Thunderbird Engine.  It also had power steering, brakes and windows, and even a reverb.  I can’t remember if my brother installed that or not, but it sure did sound cool!

    Well that’s the story of how my first car entered my life.  She was six years old when I got her, with probably 80,0000 miles on her and since she was a Michigan car was showing the typical rust that developed in all cars from that region of the country, which was right behind the both rear quarter panels.  She did run like champ, and “Oh Baby” did she run.  Race, race, race that is all I did.

    I wasn’t the only one that thought this car was cool and fast.  Before I knew it all my buddies started buying‘64 Galaxies.  Between all of us we had just about the whole spectrum of the ‘64 Galaxie Line.  One had a beige or champagne 2 door hardtop, another had a silver grey or smoke 2 door hardtop XL, another was a blue convertible XL and one black 2 door 500.  They all had the 352 engines and probably were in better shape than mine.  But remember I had the 390 Thunderbird Engine so that accounts for something.  But, we all admired my neighbor across the street.

    We’ve all heard the story about the “Little Old Lady” who only drove her car on Sunday.  Well, I am her to tell you, sometimes that moniker is true.  In 1964, an older gentleman went out and bought a pair of 1964 Galaxies.  The black 2 door Xl with the grey interior and 289 for himself, while the maroon 2 door 500 with a 289 was for his mother.  In 1970 when I got my car, hers didn’t even have 5,000 miles on it.  The grocery store was two blocks away, the Church only four and those are the only two places she drove her car to.  He drove his regularly, but did he take immaculate care of it.  Even though these cars only had 289’s, all of us would have given almost anything to get our hands on one of those beauties.  But his love for the cars was a strong as ours and he would not let them go.

    You see, we were all hooked on ’64 Galaxies.  “I think maybe we formed the first Galaxie Club, or at least qualified for the first charter.  Between myself, my buddies, my brothers and my neighbor we had several Galaxies driving around Lincoln Park, Michigan and none of had any intentions of letting our cars go“.    

    In 1971 I was still driving my ‘64, I had gotten a new job.  Working at a gas station pumping gas making “BIG Bucks”, now a whole $1.25 per hour.  Not bad for a kid still in school.  That winter we had a gas was with the station across the street.  I can remember pumping gas for 19 cents a gallon.  Boy what about those good ol’ days!   It being winter in Michigan and freezing out, me and my buddies decided to go for a ride where it was warm.  “Hey they just got I-75 finished all the way to Florida, well, if we were going to where it’s hot, let’s take my convertible, so we can cruise with the top down and look for chicks”.  By this time there were over 90,000 miles on my ‘64.  My dad said “I was out of my mind” for taking my car that far.  But I am a teenager, he’s a parent and what do parent’s know anyway?  Right!  So off we went to Florida.  That old gal ran as though she’d just come off the assembly line.

    With the spring of 1972 comes the sad story of my gal.  It was a rainy night and I was out with my girlfriend.  I was late getting her home and I decided to use a short cut to her house.  It was on a dirt road and it got pretty muddy when it was raining.  Well, I tried it, the Galaxie was buried in the mud.  We were stuck and I had to walk the girl home.  The Galaxie had to wait until morning.  The next day I called on of my Galaxie buddies to help me get the car out of the mud.  As we went to get her, we got the shock of our lives.  I’ll spare you the gory details of what happened to my Galaxie, but let me just say what those guys did to “Christine” (the Car) in the Movie “Christine” was nothing in my eyes.  I never did find out who the punks were that did such atrocities to her.  A couple of days later a salvage yard said they’d pull her out if I gave him the title.  I could not stand to go back and look at her like that, so I gave him the title and put her to rest.  My first car had never failed me, she always started, she never broke down.  I did have trouble keeping rear tires on her: for some reason they just didn’t last that long.  My only regret is the bet that I lost to the Chevy guys that I would turn 100,000 miles on her before she broke down.  She had 98,000 miles and change on her when she was laid to rest.

    I did buy another Galaxie at that time.  I found a ‘61 for $75 bucks.  It got me around until my 18th birthday.  Then I was able to go to work in a factory and make the bigger bucks.  The date was September 21st 1972 my youngest brothers 6th birthday, and my oldest brother(the one who had given me his Galaxie) was the one who got me the job in the factory.  Starting out at $3.25 an hour, now I was making the really big bucks and could afford a new car.

    So I went down to the Ford dealer.  I went and what did I see on the lot but a ‘69 Mach I Mustang, bright yellow, black stripes with all the bells and whistles.  I was sold, but the dealer said I needed a co-signor.  So I went home to get Dad and we went for a ride in it.  He said, “No way, this thing goes way too fast, and you will kill yourself”.  So I had to look elsewhere for a car.  Somehow I ended up in the Chevy dealership.  They told me I did not need a co-signor.  “Great, I can get a new car!”.  I left with a new car that just came out that year; I was the proud owner of the new owner of a “VEGA”.  Thanks Dad!  Need I say more?  I went back to Fords after that fiasco and still to this day.

    As time went by, I’d see a Galaxie ‘64 and think of my first one.  Now 25 years later what happens.  I’m driving down the road with my wife, looking to buy a van for her.  But what do I spot, a 1964 Galaxie convertible for sale.  All the old memories same pouring back.  My wife took one look into my eyes and saw the love that I had for that car.  She said, “Lets take it home with us”, she also added, “Just call her Gal #2” (My wife being gal #1).  I’m in love all over again.

    I don’t have a story of my own to tell of how I owned it for 35 years or so, or how flawless down to every detail she is, but I’m just as happy you see.  To be working on another ‘64 Galaxie.  Yes she’s rusty, but give me time I’ll bring back.  And that I did Restored her like new, but had to sell her to move to Arizona and now I have 20 acres full of Galaxies.

P.S. Stay off those muddy roads, and oh yes, Dad was right, I would have killed myself in that Mach I.5