1966 FORD FAIRLANE 500 XL GT 2 door hardtop with less than 1,000 miles on a rebuilt 289 V8 engine and auto trans.
New water pump, rebuilt starter, new front and rear shocks. Flowmaster 30 exhaust with chrome tips, upgraded to an aluminum radiator, new distributor and 2 barrel carburetor, upgraded to front disc brakes, re-chromed front and rear bumpers, re-chromed rear tail light trim, chromed air cleaner, chromed power steering unit, chromed oil pan, new head light trim.
No rust. Paint is solvent based. American Racing rims with P245/60R15 T/R.
West Coast Classics presents an exceptional example of this mildly customized 1966 Ford Galaxie 500XL GT 2 Door Hardtop with a 289 V8 engine and automatic transmission with XL bucket seats with a floor mounted transmission selector and center console, polished stainless trim, stainless steel skirts, power steering heater & defroster & original AM radio.
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.
The continuation of the sportiest of the mid size Ford's of the mid 1960's was the Fairlane 500XL GT 2 Door hardtop. It shared the normal XL's bucket seats and console interior and distinguishing exterior striping. Appearance was notably leaner and tauter in these years compared to previous Fairlanes. The small block 289 V8 became the standard GT power-plant but 270 and 320 bhp versions of the big block 390 were intermediate power options just below the 427. These GT models were far less numerous than the base XL's.
Finished in a striking custom 'Blue' color paint with its original factory 'Black' color bucket seats interior, matching Black nylon carpet interior, dashboard & original spec trunk lining, spare wheel & jack & custom wheels. The floor boards, trunk and all the typical rust-prone areas are completely solid and rust-free and the car has no signs of any accidents - obviously an always garaged and cherished car since new.
The 289 2 barrel V8 engine and automatic transmission have both been rebuilt and this particular car drives extremely well - must be driven to be fully appreciated. The car has power steering and its original AM radio. The transmission shifts smoothly through all the gears, there are no noticeable oil leaks and the temperature always remains cool!
This is a great opportunity to own a great daily driving example of an obviously garaged and coveted rust free mid-year 1966 Ford Galaxie 500XL GT 2 Door Hardtop in very fine condition throughout! Although obviously not a concourse example, this remains a very rare and highly desirable example of one of the outstanding sporty Ford designs of the mid sixties, which has high repute for both it's beautiful lines and smooth fast performance for a 2 door hardtop, a very similar design to its Chevrolet Impala SS competitor.
