West Coast Classics presents an absolutely exceptional example of this 1962 Ford Galaxie 500XL 2 Door Hardtop which was refurbished and modified under previous ownership with work said to have included stripping the body to bare metal, repainting the car in this striking Turquoise color, refreshment of the blue vinyl interior, and installation of a Ford 427ci FE V8 enlarged to 451ci, a four-speed manual transmission, a limited-slip rear axle, and a Thunderbolt-style hood.
Equipment includes dual four-barrel carburetors, Diamond forged pistons, Edelbrock aluminum cylinder heads, 15" American Racing alloy wheels, bucket seats, a center console, and a retro-style stereo with a USB input. This modified Galaxie 500XL is offered with manufacturers literature, a written list of modifications, removed factory parts, and a clean California title.The body was reportedly stripped to bare metal during the refurbishment and refinished in 'Turquoise' Dupont Chroma paint. Exterior features include pillar less side windows, chrome bumpers and trim, 500XL and 427 badging, Holman Moody and 427 decals, and air intakes in place of the inboard headlamps. American Racing 15 " Torque Thrust wheels are wrapped in 235/60 front and 265/70 rear BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires. The suspension is equipped with traction bars in addition to replacement rear leaf springs, shackles, and air-bag shocks.Stopping power is provided by four-wheel drum brakes which are said to have been rebuilt with replacement drums, brake shoes, and wheel cylinders. The power-steering system was reportedly serviced with a replacement cylinder, actuator, and hoses, while the pump was resealed. Two front control-arm bushings were replaced and an alignment was performed in preparation for the sale.The cabin features front bucket seats and a rear bench that were reupholstered in blue vinyl with contrasting stitching, and brushed metal trims the matching dashboard, door panels, and center console. Amenities include a center console, matching lap belts, and a retro-style stereo with a USB connectivity cable housed in the glovebox. An aftermarket steering wheel frames a column-mounted tachometer, a horizontal 120-mph speedometer, an analog clock, and gauges for fuel level and coolant temperature. A polished housing below the dash includes a trio of Bosch gauges showing coolant temperature, oil pressure, and voltage. The five-digit mechanical odometer shows 24k miles, approximately 2k of which were added under previous ownership. True mileage is unknown.The factory engine was reportedly replaced by an industrial 427ci V8 said to have been enlarged to 451ci and equipped with a 428 Cobra Jet crankshaft, Diamond forged pistons, a factory low-rise intake manifold, a high-volume oil pump, a Mallory distributor, a Rollermaster timing set, a Comp Cams camshaft, Edelbrock aluminum heads, billet roller rockers and end stands, and dual four-barrel carburetors.Service performed under previous ownership reportedly included replacing the ignition coil, fuel pump, heater core, accessory drive belt, and spark plugs in addition to rebuilding the carburetors. Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a Borg-Warner four-speed manual gearbox and a Ford 9 rear axle with a limited-slip differential and a Yukon 3.55:1 gear set. Work performed is said to have included powder-coating the rear axle housing, rebuilding the transmission and differential, and installing a Centerforce clutch and a replacement driveshaft. The transmission lubricant was changed in preparation for the sale.The sale includes manufacturers literature and a written list of modifications in addition to the factory hood and steering wheel.For 1962, the Galaxie name was applied to all of Ford's full size models, as Fairlane moved to a new intermediate and the Custom model was temporarily retired. The new top-line Galaxie 500 (two-door hardtop, four-door sedan and hardtop and the Sunliner convertible) and the most desirable Galaxie 500/XL (two-door hardtop and convertible) models were also introduced; the 292 cu in (4.8 L) V8 was standard on the 500/XL with optional higher horsepower engines available. The 500XL (named after the 500 mile NASCAR races in which Ford was doing so well) was the first of the big performance Ford's and offered bucket seats and center console, as well as a sportier trim both inside and out. This model was Ford's response to Chevrolet's Super Sport option for the big Impala which was introduced the previous year and consequently saw a significant rise in sales for 1962. For 1963, Ford saw no reason to radically change a good thing, and the 1963 model was essentially unchanged save for some freshening up and added trim; a four-door hardtop 500/XL was added. A lower, sloping fastback roofline was added mid year (1963 1/2) to make the big cars more competitive on the NASCAR tracks with the added downforce.This is a rare opportunity to own a great example of a mid-year 1962 Ford Galaxie 500XL 2 Door Hardtop with exceptional upgrades and this remains a very rare and highly desirable example of one of the outstanding Ford designs of the sixties, which has high repute for both it's beautiful lines and smooth fast performance for a luxury coupe, a very similar design to the legendary Chevrolet Impala SS.
