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MAY 2026: A 1964 FORD GALAXIE 500 XL IS A “GO-TO CAR” FOR ITS OWNER

Jerry Admin

Dave Goddard admits he is not a fan of most Ford car designs from the early 1960s, but he is a huge fan of the 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL models.

So much so that Dave became the owner of one in 2025 when he bought a 1964 Galaxie 500 XL in 2020 after he spotted it at a swap meet in the US.

Jim Sutherland

Dave liked its unusual paint color and curb appeal, so he left the swap meet with the stylish 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL 2-door hardtop and put aside his aversion to most Ford models from that era.

He also liked the crease along the rear roofline because it added a distinctive style to his ’64 Galaxie, particularly with its green paint scheme, along with the position of the taillights on the car’s rear deck.

Dave felt earlier Ford models had location issues for their taillights and sacrificed the appearance of the cars when they positioned them on the rear end. 1964 marked a new style direction at Ford and their designers got it right, in Dave’s opinion.

Originality was a very important part of Dave’s game plan when he became an owner, so he made very minimal changes to preserve its long unaltered heritage. One minor change was an air cleaner upgrade because the factory air cleaner did not provide enough free flow of air, so the 4-barrel carburetor did not provide proper mixtures for efficient combustion. Dave stored the original air cleaner even if he does not use it on the car.

1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL models were at the top of the food chain for that brand of car, so Dave’s Galaxie is equipped with plenty of higher end features.

The car has its factory 390 cubic-inch big block engine and 3-speed automatic transmission with a   floor shifter in a console built by Ford. It also has factory-installed power brakes and steering to provide a comfortable driving experience for Dave.

Another creature comfort is the ’64 Ford’s air conditioning system installed by a Ford dealership because they could use local automotive AC contractors and bump the price, according to Dave.

Dave’s Galaxie 500 XL also has a rear speaker located between the back seats in the car, a feature that added an extra dimension to the radio sound.

Dave loves to drive his Galaxie and describes it as his “go-to car” because of its reliability. “When nothing else works-I drive it”, in Dave’s words.

The 1964 Ford will undergo few changes under Dave’s watch, but he intends to replace its front disc brakes with an original drum brake system because he wants the car to return to its factory roots and is comfortable with four drum brakes.

Dave told MyStarCollectorCar, “I drove drum brake cars when they were new”, so his choice to return his ’64 Ford to its original system was not a difficult one for him. In fact, he has respect for drum brakes and is confident in their ability to stop his ’64 Ford Galaxie 500 XL.

Dave has taken his Ford on longer trips, including road adventures to the western Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Saskatchewan on two separate occasions. He told MyStarCollectorCar the car is very comfortable at 75 mph (about 125 km/h) on the highway and performs flawlessly on a trip.

Dave’s 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL is not only stylish-it’s a road warrior.

Jim Sutherland

BY: Jim Sutherland

Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section. 

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