When it arrived back in 1958, the Ford Galaxie was just another heavy, full-size rig from Detroit. But as the years went by, the Galaxie moved into muscle car territory, gaining the big 7.0-liter FE-series V8 in the 1960s. By 1967, the Galaxie 500 packed more than 350 horsepower, and curb weight was the only thing that kept it from being as quick as the Mustang.
This 1967 Galaxie comes from that wonderful era, but it's no longer stock. The 7.0-liter FE V8 is gone, having been replaced with a smaller engine. It's a 302, which sounds very similar to the 4.9-liter Windsor that Ford used to offer back in the day, but it's a much newer powerplant, reportedly built in 1993. Ford still offered Windsor V8s back then, but they were a bit bigger at 5.0 liters.
But it doesn't matter anyway because this Galaxie is supercharged and the blower stands several inches high above the hood. It whines at 14 pounds of boost and makes a lot of noise like a proper supercharger should. The cool thing is that this coupe still looks stylish. Apart from the supercharger and the drag-specific wheels, it's still a stock Galaxie.
There's chrome everywhere, just like on the original car, and even the paint seems period-correct. It looks a lot like the Vintage Burgundy hue that Ford offered in 1967, but it might be a refinish based on how clean it looks.
How fast is this modded Galaxie 500? Well, it's not as quick as you might think. Although the supercharged V8 cranks out more oomph than the old FE-series mill, the Galaxie is one heavy full-size, tipping the scales at around 3,600 pounds (1,633 kg). So it's not much quicker than the average muscle car from the mid-1960s.
Specifically, it's a 13-second dragster. It goes against a more modern four-door sedan in the first race, scoring a 13.5-second sprint at 100.08 mph (161.06 kph). And it actually wins the battle.
The second run is quicker at 13.48 seconds, to go with a trap speed of 105.73 mph (170.15 kph). This time around, the Galaxie takes on a 1967 Fairlane, its midsize sibling from the same era. It wins again by a half-second, which isn't surprising given that the Fairlane seems to be stock. You can also see these cars cruising on public roads toward the end of the video, a feast for the eyes if you're a Fairlane/Galaxy fan like me.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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