1967 Ford Galaxie 500

A 1967 Ford Galaxie 500, ‘JUF 592E’ was imported in 2016, therefore celebrating a decade on these shores.

Resplendent in Springtime Yellow (paint code 8) and a black vinyl interior (trim code 6A), it’s powered by the 289/4.7-litre Windsor V8 and three-speed Cruise-O-Matic gearbox.

Built at the Mahwah plant in New Jersey, the same town where the protagonist in Springsteen’s Johnny 99 killed a night clerk after being laid off from the auto plant, Johnny might even have had a hand in building it.

The previous owner improved on Johnny’s handiwork by subtly upgrading it with a front disc brake conversion to ensure it stops as well as it goes, and fitted new polished wheels in place of the rusty steelies it came with.

The current owner, who’s been looking after it for the past couple of years, kept up the regimen by treating the Galaxie to a bit of bodywork in addition to some mechanical work that included a gearbox and brake service.

If you’ve browsed through the photos already then it probably won’t surprise you to learn that it was featured in the July 2024 edition of Classic American magazine.

We mentioned expenditure in the introduction, and the past few years have seen this include importing a new windscreen from the ‘States, having the bumpers and headlamp surrounds rechromed, repairing the inner wheelarches with fresh metal instead of the expanding foam that had been used previously, and paying Berkshire Bodywork around £3,000 to freshen up the paintwork.

The result is a car that impresses with its condition as well as its scale thanks to good shutlines, shiny Springtime Yellow paintwork, and very good chromework, of which, of course, there is plenty including as part of the design of the rear light units.

The black fabric folding roof not only looks almost as good as new, it also rises and falls smoothly and gracefully. It also seals well and tucks away neatly beneath a pleather cover to give the Galaxie a surprisingly clean profile.

North Hants Tyres and Wheels supplied the American Racing-style polished wheels in 2023 at a cost of around £700 for the set. They are still in fine fettle with no scuffs, scrapes, dinks or other damage and are fitted with Maxxis MA-1 tyres on the rear (date code 2021) and Innovation Jetzon (2012) on the front. All have white walls for a cohesive look.

As for flaws, there is some wobbly metal on the top of the nearside front wing, a chip on the swageline below the driver’s door handle, some rust bubbles at the bottom of the nearside rear wing along with a paint run, a couple of dents to the boot lid as well as some chips on the edge, some bubbling to the offside rear wing along with a scratch along the top edge, bubbling at the bottom of the passenger door, and chips to the nearside front wing.

The bonnet also has a dent on the leading edge, the rubber around the headlamps has perished, there is some paint contamination between the chrome grille and the front bumper, and marks to the nearside of the front bumper.

The 1965MY refresh saw the Galaxie gain an impact-absorbing steering wheel as well as a new instrument panel, hazard warning lights, and a clock, which were small changes but are ones we’re pleased to see here.

A new centre console, which the seller imported from the United States in 2022, has been fitted to boost the standard specification, and a receipt on file shows trim parts being imported in 2020 too; in fact, leafing through the invoices shows how frequently our American friends came up with parts – and how cheap there were.

Clearly running an American classic needn’t be hard or expensive.

Other goodies include a twin charging point, oil pressure and coolant temperature gauges and a voltmeter near the driver’s left knee, and an aftermarket Pioneer headunit and Autogage tachometer on their right, some of which were presumably installed because the ones in the dashboard aren’t working.

The cabin’s architecture is thoughtful: Take the door cards for example, which feature their faux wooden trim oriented in a vertical position instead of the more usual horizontal, and the inertia reel lap belts for the front seats, which retract into the floor.

Of course, it’s got the usual American staples of lashings of chrome and fake wood plus embossed pleather, a column gearchange, a horizontal speedometer, and a foot-operated handbrake.

It’s even still got its original-but-untested radio in the dashboard.

The low-backed front seat features individually adjustable backrests that pivot in a very clever way to offer easier access to the rear. This work with the one-piece base cushion to offer comfort on the move while maintaining the opportunity to snuggle together when you’re parked up – because if you can’t canoodle in an American car, where can you?

And if you find yourself needing even more legroom, then the rear bench seat offers exactly that; when we said the Galaxie offers space for five adults, we meant it.

Aftermarket mats protect the (very good) carpets underneath.

The trunk is big enough to haul a dead body in – and if you remove the spare wheel and fire extinguisher, maybe two. You’d want to put down some plastic sheeting first though because the carpet is far too nice to risk getting contaminated.

As for flaws and blemishes, it is developing a patina but it’s still a very gentle one and we can’t see many folk being bothered by the small amount of age-appropriate wear ‘n’ tear it has.

Which leaves the only real problem being the broken heater control panel, glue runs from the rear-view mirror, and a small rip to the offside base of the rear seat.

Late spring 2025 saw the gearbox serviced to eliminate the possibility of it jumping from Park into Reverse, something that’s a known weakness. The garage also went through the braking system, replaced a balljoint, cleaned the carburettor, and fitted new front wheel bearings at the same time.

Adbury Engineering had already fitted front brake calipers to the already-upgraded front brake system in March 2025 at a cost of £578, while even earlier work includes having the radiator re-cored in October 2023, and fitting a new Bosch battery in January 2023, which was later replaced under warranty in August 2023.

The big V8 bursts effortlessly into life, and while the rumble it makes might be modest it leaves you in no doubt that it’s shifting a considerable volume of air and fuel.

It revs sweetly too, albeit with a bit of a squeal from the fanbelt. Sorting that should be straightforward though and doing so would enable you to enjoy the sublime exhaust note.

The engine bay boasts its capacity with the legend ‘289 cubic inches’ taking centrestage on top of the blue air filter. The rocker covers are painted the same colour and even the distributor cap, which sits between them, matches.

We spotted a 16lb Stant radiator cap too, plus a Filter King fuel pressure regulator and what may even be the original windscreen washer reservoir bag. In fact, the engine bay looks like it hasn’t seen much in the way of restoration, with things like the inner wings still wearing their original warning stickers.

So, if you prize originality above all else then perhaps the only semi-urgent job is to tidy some of the wiring, especially the loom that runs across the firewall. A roll or two of loom tape is probably all that’s required, along with, perhaps, a couple of crimp-on connectors.

The underside looks nice and solid too, and the underseal that’s protected it is old, so there’s no suggestion that great gobs of new stuff have been applied to obscure rather than preserve.

Nonetheless, it has failed in a few places, which has allowed rust to develop. American steel is thick though, so you’ve probably got time to get it treated and resealed before it becomes anything more than unsightly.

The Galaxie doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar a marker for being an imported vehicle.

The history file is nice and thick and includes a large number of invoices for parts and work over the years plus technical information, expired MoT certificates, the handbook, and a period brochure.

A Hollywood staple in hundreds of films and TV shows including Dr. No, Serpico, American Graffiti, and many, many others, we can’t think of many ways to make a bigger impression for so little money; whether you’re looking for a promotional vehicle for your company or a period American car to cruise around in, few cars are going to tick as many boxes as this.

They’re big and solid too, with simple mechanicals that a child could understand. This one’s also been brought up-to-date, although none of the changes come even close to ruining its period charm.

And, on a £-per-lb basis nothing even comes close to the value you get with old Yank iron; this one, as lovely as it is, is only likely to sell for between £15,000 and £18,000, which is pocket money compared to what you’d have to pay for an Italian V8-powered convertible from the same era.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.