Cohort Pic(k) Of The Day: 1965 Ford Galaxie Hardtop – Old Style Beater

Photos by chasglynn from the Cohort.

I have many fond memories from my days living in San Francisco back in the ’90s. One of those was to see old beaters still in regular use, somehow defeating the odds, still roaming the streets in worn-out condition. At the time, I felt the city had an unusual amount of beat-up vintage rides, a reality that was to change in the next few years.

Yet, this old ’65 Ford recently captured in the City by the Bay is in keeping with those memories. Heck, it’s even parked a few blocks from where I used to live. Talk about a trip down memory lane.

Do cities have a ‘peak beater’ period? Seems like they do. Old cars in San Francisco were the norm back in the early ’90s, but I didn’t see many in my more recent visits. On the plus side, the remaining few become all the more remarkable.

Regardless of its exterior appearance, this old Ford has to be a daily driver. There’s no debris under the vehicle, nor any signs of it sitting still. Heck, I know that neighborhood. Had this thing overstayed in that spot a few minutes, multiple parking tickets would be stacked on the windshield. Take it from me, I’ve never had so many tickets in my life as I did during my days in SF.

I’ll leave it to Ford Galaxie experts to tell us what specific version we have here, since the lack of trim doesn’t leave me many clues. Is it a normal 500, an XL?

And in regards to the Galaxie’s background and specs, these 1965 models have been amply covered at CC before. Just follow the links below.

We’ve one interior shot, and it’s quite a mix of conflicting signals. There’s a neat aftermarket steering, a fairly clean instrument control area around the steering, much-ruined upholstery, and lots of granny blankets. And well, lots of missing trim and panels. By the way, that steering looks fairly new. Is this car on its way out, barely kept alive, or being rescued?

No matter. As it is, the whole setting has given me a nice trip down memory lane.

 

Further reading:

Curbside Classic: 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 – A New Ford Fit For Goldilocks

Car Show Classic: 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 – Look Ma, 428 Four-Speed

Vintage Car Life Road Test: 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 XL 427