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Full-size performance

1964 Ford Galaxie 500

Full-size performance powered by 1964 Ford Galaxie engine range.

1964 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible in regular bench-seat 500 trim
Factory series Galaxie 500; five non-wagon body styles
Wheelbase 119 inches
Factory engine range 223 six; 289, 352, 390, and 427 V8 paths
427 choices 410-hp Q-code and 425-hp dual-four-barrel R-code
Galaxie 500 production 505,397 across five bodies
Series boundary Bucket-seat 500XL is an adjacent, separate series

Story

The 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 was the intermediate full-size Ford series, offered as two- and four-door sedans, two- and four-door fastback hardtops, and a convertible. Its bench-seat cabin, full-length body-side trim, roof-pillar crest, and rear aluminum panel distinguish it from lesser Custom models. The bucket-seat, floor-shift Galaxie 500XL was a separate series and is not folded into this page.

The engine range ran from the 223 six through the 289 small-block and 352, 390, and 427 FE V8s. Ford rated the single-four-barrel Q-code 427 at 410 gross hp and the dual-four-barrel R-code at 425 gross hp. Those high-performance engines and factory lightweight equipment are configurations of the Galaxie 500, not separate model names. The later SOHC 427 was not a regular-production 1964 Galaxie engine and is excluded from the factory choices here.

All five bodies rode a 119-inch wheelbase with independent coil-spring front suspension, a leaf-spring live rear axle, and four-wheel drum brakes. Three-speed manual, manual overdrive, four-speed manual, Fordomatic/C-4 dual-range, and Cruise-O-Matic paths varied by engine. Axle code, ratio, differential, transmission, and high-performance chassis equipment must be verified as one coherent configuration.

The published body totals add to 505,397 regular Galaxie 500s. That number excludes the separate 500XL series. No audited engine, transmission, paint, option, 427, or lightweight split was recovered, so this page does not invent one. Warranty-plate body, color, trim, date, DSO, axle, and transmission fields should be reconciled with dated components, protected finishes, invoices, and restoration history before originality claims are made.

1964 Ford Galaxie 500 four-door Town SedanSicnag via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

Market Observations

  • High bid $42,500

    Sep 9, 2024 · Bring a Trailer

    Represented R-code fastback; reserve-not-met high bid and not an independent authenticity ruling. · restored · excellent Reserve-not-met high bid; not a completed transaction.
  • Auction sale $30,000

    Apr 26, 2023 · Bring a Trailer

    Two-door sedan with enlarged FE, four-speed, and later disc brakes. · modified · good Completed sale; condition and later equipment remain attached.
  • Auction sale $56,000

    Jan 27, 2022 · Bring a Trailer

    Z-code fastback rebuilt as a lightweight-style tribute with replacement engine, four-speed, and disc brakes. · modified · excellent Completed sale; condition and later equipment remain attached.
  • Auction sale $21,000

    Dec 23, 2020 · Bring a Trailer

    390-powered convertible with later bucket seats and other modifications. · modified · good Completed sale; condition and later equipment remain attached.
  • Auction sale $12,250

    Aug 9, 2019 · Bring a Trailer

    X-code hardtop with replacement 390, C6 automatic, repaint, and later equipment. · modified · good Completed sale; condition and later equipment remain attached.

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Engine Details

  • V-code 223 Mileage Maker Six 223 cu in one-barrel inline six, 138 gross hp and 203 lb-ft · Regular six-cylinder path · engine assembly / specification
  • C-code 289 Challenger V8 289 cu in two-barrel Windsor V8, 195 gross hp and 282 lb-ft · Regular small-block V8 path · engine assembly / specification
  • X-code 352 V8 352 cu in four-barrel FE V8, 250 gross hp and 352 lb-ft · Regular FE path · engine assembly / specification
  • Z-code 390 V8 390 cu in four-barrel FE V8, 300 gross hp and 427 lb-ft · Regular premium-fuel FE path · engine assembly / specification
  • P-code 390 Police V8 390 cu in four-barrel FE V8, 330 gross hp and 427 lb-ft · Police and special-duty context; verify order eligibility · engine assembly / specification
  • Q-code 427 High Performance 427 cu in single-four-barrel FE V8, 410 gross hp and 476 lb-ft · High-performance path requiring coherent Q-code provenance · engine assembly / specification
  • R-code 427 High Performance 427 cu in dual-four-barrel FE V8, 425 gross hp and 480 lb-ft · High-performance path; lightweight equipment is an additional provenance claim · carburetor / specification

Transmission

  • Factory transmission 3-speed manual
  • Factory transmission 3-speed manual with overdrive
  • Factory transmission Fordomatic/C-4 dual-range automatic
  • Factory transmission Cruise-O-Matic automatic
  • Factory transmission 4-speed manual
  • Factory transmission 1964 warranty-plate codes: 1 three-speed manual, 2 overdrive, 3 two-speed Fordomatic, 4 Cruise-O-Matic, 5 four-speed manual, 6 C4 dual-range automatic

Options

Seven Documented PathsClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

Paint

1964 Galaxie 500 sedan rear panel, round taillamps, and body-side trimJohn Lloyd via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Appearance

Survivor 1964 Galaxie 500 four-door sedan, rear three-quarter viewElise240SX via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Interior

Exact-year regular Galaxie 500 convertible cabin showing the bench seat, instrument panel, steering wheel, column controls, pedals, door trim, and two-tone upholstery; condition remains specific to the photographed car.Acabashi via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Chassis

Authenticity

Ford 9-InchClassic Muscle · Reference illustration
  • Series and body identity A regular Galaxie 500 body code 54A, 57B, 62A, 63B, or 76A agrees with structure and paperwork · VIN, warranty plate, title history, body structure, trim, and factory paperwork · fraud detection
  • 500 versus 500XL Regular 500 bench-seat trim remains distinct from 500XL bucket seats and floor shift · Body code, warranty plate, floor and seat structure, trim, and paperwork · trim correctness
  • Engine identity Engine code and dated complete assembly agree with the represented V, C, X, Z, P, Q, or R path · VIN/warranty number, block and head dates, intake, carburetion, distributor, exhaust, oiling hardware, and records · fraud detection
  • Transmission and axle agreement Plate fields agree with transmission case, linkage, axle tag, ratio, differential, dates, and records · Warranty plate, transmission case and tag, shifter/linkage, axle tag and center section · numbers matching
  • R-code and lightweight provenance R-code identity and any lightweight claim agree with order history, dated 427 drivetrain, body, chassis, interior, and competition records · Warranty plate, invoice/order, body panels, engine and induction, transmission, axle, suspension, brakes, wheels, and ownership file · fraud detection
  • Paint, trim, and interior agreement Color and trim codes reconcile with protected finishes, upholstery, body-specific brightwork, wheels, and cabin equipment · Warranty plate, protected paint, trim samples, body openings, and dated restoration records · trim correctness
  • Ford VIN decode letter Ford directs owners of 1946-1966 vehicles to request a VIN Decode Letter using the VIN and door-tag codes · Ford Customer Relationship Center; reconcile the returned decode with the warranty plate, title, and physical car · fraud detection

Still Researching

  • engine Seven documented engine paths are covered, but complete casting, assembly, calibration, date, and running-change tables remain incomplete.
  • transmission Five transmission families, representative ratios, and 1964 warranty-plate codes 1 through 6 are covered, but every release date, assembly, case, service tag, linkage, calibration, supersession, and engine/body application remains incomplete.
  • rear axle The issued six-cylinder and regular-V8 AMA sheets document non-wagon engine/transmission/ratio applications, and the identification record documents conventional and Equa-Lock warranty-plate codes; the 427 high-performance matrix, axle-tag applications, dated revisions, component identifiers, and individual-car verification remain unresolved.
  • brakes Dated current-scan revisions now document regular 223, 289, 352, and 390 passenger-car drum, lining, area, cylinder, master-cylinder, pedal, pressure, and vacuum-assist engineering while preserving Model 71 and police/taxi exceptions. Exact 427/competition dimensions, shoe-clearance interpretation, service-part and supplier identifiers, running changes, supersessions, and individual-car applications remain unresolved.
  • suspension Dated current-scan revisions now document regular 223, 289, 352, and 390 front-coil dimensions, rates, wheel rates and design loads, front-stabilizer diameters, shock construction and piston diameters, and rear spring dimensions, rates, loads, and leaf counts by body and duty schedule. Exact 427/competition and lightweight spring, shock, stabilizer, bushing, attaching-hardware, service-part, running-change, supersession, and individual-car applications remain unresolved.
  • option packages Major equipment, prices, and performance paths are covered, but the final sales-code and compatibility matrix remains incomplete.
  • production Five body totals are covered, but no audited engine, transmission, paint, option, 427, or lightweight split was recovered.
  • paint colors Nineteen published colors are covered, but complete body/roof combinations, special-order colors, and running changes remain incomplete.
  • trim and appearance Principal 500 and 500XL boundaries are covered, but complete molding, emblem, wheel-cover, delete, and revision identifiers remain incomplete.
  • interior Bench-seat identity and trim-code families are covered, but complete grain, color/body compatibility, and hardware tables remain incomplete.
  • authenticity markers Series, drivetrain, R-code, lightweight, paint, and trim checks are covered, but every car still requires car-specific records and inspection.

Codes & names

Names & Engine Codes

Common names and codes are grouped so LS6 references point to the same engine, not separate pages.

Four-Wheel DrumsClassic Muscle · Reference illustration
1964 Galaxie V-code 223 Mileage Maker Six 1964 Ford Galaxie engine range
1964 Galaxie C-code 289 Challenger V8 1964 Ford Galaxie engine range
1964 Galaxie X-code 352 V8 1964 Ford Galaxie engine range
1964 Galaxie Z-code 390 V8 1964 Ford Galaxie engine range
1964 Galaxie P-code 390 Police V8 1964 Ford Galaxie engine range
1964 Galaxie Q-code 427 High Performance 1964 Ford Galaxie engine range
1964 Galaxie R-code 427 High Performance 1964 Ford Galaxie engine range

Photo and video gallery

Gallery

5 photos and videos

Sources & Documentation

Reader contributions

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