The factory drag wars of the early 1960s sometimes get lost in the historical mix among fans who are transfixed in the stuff that happened from 1965 forward. That’s too bad because Detroit was cranking out awesome weaponry, if in limited numbers, to maintain strip supremacy and keep the throngs of able bodied and income earning young men entertained and interested in their stuff. Of course those cars in original form are nearly impossible to find and when you do locate one, a purchase is out of the question unless you are Daddy Warbucks. Cloning the cars is a popular way to get the experience and do it at less than the price of a “real” car. That’s not to say that they are cheap, because great machines like the one below don’t come for free, but it is bargain basement stuff as compared to original steel.

This 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL is a good example of a clone that goes as far as it can to replicate the mechanical, visual, and visceral end of the experience for an enthusiast seeking to capture the feel of 1963 at the drag strip. If you are a blue oval fan you have undoubtedly thought about owning a car like this at some point in your gearhead life, right? The 427 engine, the white steel wheels, the four speed transmission, and the red guts? That’s perfection right there. As fearsome as these cars were Ford was somewhat handicapped during this era in the fact that the Galaxie was kind of tubby (even in lightweight form) when stacked up against the offerings from Chevrolet, Pontiac,  Dodge, and Plymouth. Their answer in 1964 was the mighty (and far lighter) Thunderbolt but the blue oval faithful did their best with what they had in ’63 and in a time when the driver meant lots more (in our opinion) than they do now in this style of drag racing, the cars could hold their own with a hot shoe behind the wheel. The 427 engine in this thing would be a legendary Ford power plant for years to come and the FE family carved out its own legend through the muscle car era and still has a cool aura today.

Some people hate clone cars and we only follow that belief when someone tries to pass one off as real when it is not. This seller is wide open with the fact that this is a clone and that is the way it should be. We love the way this thing sits with the skinny tires up front and the larger footprint out back. Just an awesomely clean Ford!

Check out the photos and then hit eBay link at the bottom of the page to see more –

eBay Link: 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL with 427 power