1961 Ford Galaxie convertible

[Matt Harwood]

This is a nice old Ford ragtop. It's not a show car, it hasn't been fully restored, but it has been well-maintained and still looks great and drives very well. Out of the same collection we've been liquidating for the past few weeks, it has been in storage for a few years and we recently gave it a full tune up, rebuilt the carburetor and fuel pump, cleaned the gas tank (Gas Tank Renu), and new exhaust manifold gaskets so it's quiet. It is a real X-code 352 cubic inch V8 with Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic and 3.00 gears out back, so it drives nicely on the highway. Good power, a great sound with a throaty dual exhaust system, and it feels reasonably tight for a 50-year-old convertible. Power steering and brakes are nice, too. A little crusty underneath, but nothing to be alarmed about. We don't have any way of knowing the mechanical history of the car, but it appears that the engine is wearing relatively recent paint, so it has likely been rebuilt at some point, but I don't know when. It does run well with no issues, smoke, or strange noises, and makes plenty of oil pressure. Odometer shows about 89,000 miles, and that's probably accurate, but we have no way of knowing for sure.

The paint was done some time ago and Silver Gray is this car's original color. It still looks good and has shined up well, and aside from a scratch on the lower rocker by the rear wheel, it's almost unmarked. There's no rust or bubbling, and the doors fit well. It's missing one of the 'Sunliner' script badges on the left front fender, but otherwise it's all there and in good shape. The interior appears to be almost entirely original except for the lower front seat cushion which is a replacement done probably 15 years ago, so the patina is getting pretty close to the original stuff. Everything, including the AM radio, works as it should with the exception of the clock, which only runs in fits and spurts--it'll keep time for about 45 minutes and then give up, so perhaps it just needs some lubrication. The power top is older, but has no rips or tears, just some looseness around the rear window, and it folds easily with the touch of a button.

Just a nice convertible that's ready to enjoy without any additional work. Not for show, but just fun. Only $19,900, and we're always open to reasonable offers.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Matt Harwood
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