Mid-project cars are the biggest gamble you can take in the car hobby.
Most of them are doable, but some half-finished projects are simply a nightmare of scattered parts and lost ambition.
Fortunately, this 1961 Ford Galaxie wasn’t a nightmare project.
Jerry Sutherland
Joe Bryington was looking for a project like the Ford for a few years when his buddy spotted this 1961 Galaxie two-door sedan for sale. The previous owner was close to—but not past the goal line.
Joe is nearing retirement from the trucking world, so he wanted something he could drive for fun—not on the clock. These two-door post ’61 Galaxies aren’t very common, so Joe liked that idea too.
The Ford was already painted. That was a detail Joe didn’t have to address—plus the 352 under the hood was also built up, so he had two things checked off the list. The engine is paired with a 5-speed manual out of an ’04 Mustang–one more thing Joe liked.
The previous owner was building a pro-touring version of a 1961 Ford, so everything was upgraded underneath the car. The suspension was already rebuilt and replaced, plus the car came with state-of-the-art wheels and tires. Joe would like to upgrade to disc brakes at all four wheels, because if trucking taught him anything it’s this—brakes are everything.
There’s an indestructible Ford 9-inch rear gear and a Thunderbolt hood at the front of the Galaxie, so this car was built to look good, go fast and survive at the same time. The battery is mounted in the trunk and there’s a track-style kill switch to really define how fast this car is with an estimated 500-horsepower under the hood.
The evidence is clear–this was a good build from start to finish because Joe’s Ford easily passed a safety inspection before he registered it. Joe said the shop, “Couldn’t find a thing wrong with it”—another testimony to the quality build of his ’61 Ford.
The previous owner stuck to a solid game plan because there’s a underlying stock vibe to Joe’s Ford. The seats look right, and the interior is pure early-60s because the plan was to build a car that appeared old and new at the same time. The hood and wheels are the only tells on this almost-sleeper ’61 Galaxie.
Joe likes that blend because he’s sold on the car as-is with its mix of old and new tech. He said it’s “beautiful to drive” and only has a slight wander, so he wants to dial the steering in better. His years on the road as a professional driver have refined his driving skills to the point where everything has to be perfect.
Joe’s impending retirement is a big factor in the direction of his car. As mentioned, he’s upgrading the brakes, but he also wants to install a factory-appearing state-of-the-art sound system because he wants an upgrade—but only within the factory-appearance guidelines of a ’61 Ford.
That sums up the whole project—stock-looking but highly upgraded.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
- CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER
- CLICK HERE to Like us on Facebook
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Twitter
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Pinterest
Please re-post this if you like this article.