This slick black Galaxie 500 is the type of car that will inspire your imagination! It’s long and black, and 1964 equipped with 427 engine and 4-speed transmission. In the ‘60s, Ford had proven that they were good at building big and comfy family cars, but they were also good and mocking up a pretty damn swift performance version of their models — this R-code with 425 horsepower is a great example of that.
Powered by a 427 cubic inch power plant, less than 3,000 of the full-size Galaxies had this engine, and that’s out of over 900,000 Ford sold that year. Ford made the 427 with very high tolerances for the ultimate in performance and power. Inside the engine is a steel crank that turns special connecting rods with oversized bolts and pistons with reliefs cut into them.
High-flow cylinder heads are fed by a medium-rise dual quad intake manifold, and a high-lift, long-duration solid lifter cam is in charge of working the valves. A high-performance ignition system provides the spark, and exhaust escapes through cast manifolds that are designed more like racing headers than most other stock manifolds.
Naturally, it’s devoid of power robbing accessories like power steering or air conditioning, so the performance meant a trade in of some creature comforts.
A sticky clutch means it’s always ready to go, and the strong locking differential 9” rear could take a heck of a beating. The rear suspension used leaf springs, so traction wasn’t always on the side of the Galaxie, especially with it having 480 lbs.-ft. of torque heading to the rear tires. Up front, it has special springs and a bigger sway bar. 15” Kelsey-Hayes steel stamped wheels were a dead giveaway that the car is a 427 since they are specific to the model.
Obviously, the car was made for performance, but Ford justified the power in very odd ways during their marketing of the car. One ad talked about how well the car could climb hills to justify its globs of torque. It was how the Galaxie R-Code reacted when you mashed the pedal that had drivers drooling.
Elizabeth is hardcore horsepower enthusiast with unmatched intensity for making things faster and louder. She wakes up for power and performance and only sleeps to charge up for the next project that’s heading to the track. From autocross to drag racing, Elizabeth is there with you, so stay tuned for her unique perspective on horsepower news, builds, tech info, and installs — with her, it’ll never be boring!
