Remember the rusty 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 we saw come back to life after spending 30 years on a field? Now flexing a revived big-block V8, the full-size is back on camera to get its first wash since it was retired from public roads.
Now I know what you’re thinking. What’s the point of washing a rusty, beat-up car that’s barely running, right? Well, believe it or not, but a bit of soap and a power washer makes a big difference. And in this case, it reveals that the car was mostly covered in dirt rather than rust.
Sure, the red paint is completely worn out and the roof is a mix of white and surface rust, but the Galaxie looks far better than it did in the first video. The chrome trim, and there’s a lot of it, cleaned up nicely too.
With all the dirt gone, this thing looks like a keeper that could get away with a not-so-expensive restoration. Or maybe it will become a cool rat rod once the drivetrain is fully fixed and the interior gets the TLC it deserves.
Either way, this Galaxie 500 hides a cool surprise under the hood. It’s no longer a numbers-matching classic since the original 352-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) V8 was replaced, but it now flexes an even bigger, 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) big block.
Yes, I’m talking about the iconic FE engine, which debuted in 1961 and remained in production until 1972. It powered every important Ford and Mercury model during its time in dealerships, including the Mustang, Fairlane, Thunderbird, and Torino.
I don’t know where the 390 FE in this Galaxie was sourced from, but I do know that this mill was good for more than 300 horsepower in most applications in the mid-1960s.
