Dignlif '64 Galaxie 500

[Dignlif]

Hey Bob, did you guys happen to keep any of the motor mounts around? I'm thinking I can use the 289 mounts for the 351w and I'll need some for the eventual FE conversion. I'm hoping I can make the trek up there once things settle down with the new place. I'd like to check out your cars and pick up the glass, pedals and whatever else you find laying around. It's always cool meeting BS'ers in person.

[Deaf Bob]

These cars turn surprising well without the power steering hooked up.....
Yep.. Those shackles are flipped.. The part that goes to the frame that the shackles bolt to tends to snap. As long as you don't jack off it, you should be fine..
9 inch rear, probably 28 spline..

We got a parts car that had a fresh ring and pinion put in it... But it was left open! And kept the 28 splines..

[Dignlif]

Thanks for the personal experience on going to a stick. I will probably have to start with the rebuilt AOD that I have sitting here behind the 351w to get it on the road. I am going to start collecting parts for the conversion to FE and stick as I can though. I just found a steering column for a floor shift car on CL that should fit the Galaxie so I'm gonna try and pick it up.

Edit: oh yeah you dig the horns too huh. Maybe they'll play La Cucaracha.

[Monk]

Ditto Scott's thoughts on the man peddle.
You could go with a TKO 600.....best of both worlds.

I'm guessing those are factory blue horns under the hood

[Scott Liggett]

You wouldnt believe how many people told me not to convert my Impala to a four speed. Nearly all of them said I would hate it. Almost all them recanted it after seeing the car afterward. I love it so much I have bought nearly everything I need to convert my Caprice to a stick as well.

Trust me, once you drive a muscle car with a stick, you will never go back to an auto.

Its your car, build it to your dreams. I.would suggest taking a ride or try to drive a gasser setup to see if you like it before going that route.

[Dignlif]

under the car and rear end

well it looks like it has a 9" and if I'm correct, since there's no taper at the ends of the housing, it's big bearing too.

as mentioned before, I believe most of the rust I have seen is simply surface rust so it's a pretty solid car. The leaf shackles have been flipped to jack up the back. If I hadn't seen/ read about it on FastEd's 66 Thunderbird thread I wouldn't have known why it looked funny and so high. I'll probably wind up in a similar build mode initially just to get it on the road until I can spend the money to do all the extras to the engine, suspension etc... I like the idea of having a long lowered car to cruise in for this summer.

anyway the pix:

[TheSilverBuick]

That car is a blank canvass Rich, I look forward to see what you do with it.









(And don't listen to all them crazies say anything other than a straight axled gasser, now is the time for you to build the car I want you to!!!)

[Dignlif]

interior shots

here are some of the inside. I haven't yanked that late model oem radio yet but I'm hoping there wasn't a ton of hacking. I think I found a dash plate in the trunk so hopefully it goes there. I also found the horn assy for the steering wheel in the trunk and incredibly it's not broken.

As I mentioned it also has some late model buckets in it but it did come with an original rear seat and the frames look to be in good shape.

[Dignlif]

engine compartment shots

I now see what Bob was talking about with the fairly flat firewall. Top and bottom this car doesn't seem to have much more than surface rust so I think I'm in good shape there.

[Dignlif]

wow thanks for all the links and ideas guys! I looked at the American Powertrain site too to see their trans kits. The trans itself is appears kinda pricey but considering its new, it's probably a good deal in the long run if it can take the low end grunt of the FE. I also found that FPA makes headers for the FE in the Galaxie that will clear the QT bell housing so that's something else that's attainable in the journey toward a 'man' pedal as John and others have suggested.

I haven't owned a stick shift in over a decade and have never driven a V8 with a stick other than a truck for towing and stump pulling so it sounds like a cool/ fun direction to go.

It looks like we should be moving soon so it'll have to wait a bit but if all goes well, I will have a separate shop from the garage to work on it in. Then I can totally blow the suspension apart for the initial refresh. Someone also recommended that I definitely replace the body to frame biscuits/ donuts/ whatever the official name is so I'll be on a search for those. I've primarily owned/ worked on unibody's so this is something new to me.

[Monk]

THIS!

Makes me fell giddy.........I want one

[TheSilverBuick]

I'm voting straight axle gasser! Largeness for Greatness!

[mrocketscience]

I would go with the A/FX or Super Stock look if it were mine. Not a Gasser for sure. Teardrop hood, slight nose high stance.

[Russell]

390 + tko 600 + $612 = http://www.summitracing.com/parts/qt.../all/make/ford

390 + t56 + $660 = http://www.shopping.com/quick-time-r...y0x00Zg==/info

google is your friend

[milner351]

^^^indeed!^^^