FORD

Galaxie

The Ford Galaxie is a legendary full-size American automobile produced by Ford Motor Company from 1959 to 1974 in the United States, with the nameplate surviving in Brazil through 1983. Introduced for the 1959 model year as the top-trim designation of the Ford full-size lineup, the Ford Galaxie took its name from the Space Race era and quickly became one of Ford's most important models. From 1960 onward the Ford Galaxie stood as its own model line, and by 1962 the Galaxie badge adorned all full-size Fords, encompassing the Galaxie 500, Galaxie 500 XL, and Galaxie 500 LTD sub-series. Four generations defined the Ford Galaxie in the United States: the first generation of 1959, the clean second generation of 1960-1964 that achieved 648,010 units in the 1963 model year alone, the restyled third generation of 1965-1968 with vertically stacked dual headlights, and the wider fourth generation of 1969-1974 on a 121-inch wheelbase. The Ford Galaxie was a dominant force in NASCAR during the early 1960s, with factory 406 and 427 cubic-inch big-block V8 engines setting records at Daytona and other superspeedways. The Galaxie 500 XL offered bucket seats and a sporting character, while the rare 1966-1967 Galaxie 7-Litre packed a 428 cubic-inch engine. The Ford Galaxie was also produced in Australia from 1964 to 1968 and in Brazil from 1967 to 1983 as the Galaxie 500, LTD, and Landau, explaining its extended production window in the database. Today the Ford Galaxie is prized by collectors for its size, style, and NASCAR heritage, with clean XL and convertible examples commanding strong prices on the classic car market.