It’s been a hot minute since we’ve featured a big, pre-1970s Ford on our pages, but that didn’t stop runningonfumes from uploading this 1966 Galaxie hardtop coupe to the cohort. And why not? It’s looker, with its flat black paint and absent hubcaps. This angle is especially flattering, showing the very straight shoulderline’s abrupt end at the double-stacked headlights. The Plymouth Fury was concurrently released with this ’63 Pontiac-inspired look, but in a Curbside Classic twist on “who wore it better,” I’ll give the Ford the nod (just this once).
For those who don’t know, it’s this generation of full-size Fords which established the company’s reputation for silence and smoothness. This coupe isn’t the “Quiet As A Rolls-Royce” LTD, but it wasn’t far off, and the Washington state climate, fair to rubber seals and structural components alike, ensures the continued integrity of that reputation. Climb inside that black vinyl interior, shut the door and pretend it’s 1966 all over again.
I’ll confess that the hood ornament threw me off. Not all Galaxies got them, and the LTD was the king of fancy trim. A lot of googling was required for me to be absolutely certain, especially with a lot of the car’s other trim no longer present.
I also know it’s not a 7-Litre, since the decklid trim on those cars was completely different. Unless this car’s original buyer chose a six-cylinder engine, this car likely has a 289 or a 390 V8. Hopefully the latter, the justify those brightly colored skulls in the rear window.
I managed to find a few pictures of Galaxie 500s with a hood ornament, and this white car is the polar opposite of our black coupe. The best way to capture a hardtop is with the windows down, after all, and in front of a plain off-white backdrop, it’s a very effective photo. The following year would see styling revised to catch up with Chevy’s “coke bottle” look.
This being one of the last Galaxies with straight lines, the plain treatment makes sense; I can’t imagine it looking as good on a 1971 Galaxie. The three bars at the base of the C-pillar are the major remnant of the car’s original ornamentation and they are absent in the photo above. See why pinpointing the car’s exact trim level was so difficult? Luckily, the owner’s choice of such a solid, smooth cruiser was rather easier.
“For those who don’t know, it’s this generation of full-size Fords which established the company’s reputation for silence and smoothness.”
I was under the impression it was the 1965 LTD.
This is a 1966 Galaxie, part of the same generation. The LTD wasn’t fundamentally different.
…true, I guess I’m stickler for details. Anyway, nice find. I’m partial both years.
FWIW, in 1965 and 1966, the LTD was actually a model/trim variation of the Galaxie 500 series. It didn’t become it’s own series until 1967.
I’ve seen that assertion several places but what is the basis for it? – and I ask with all due respect. This Wikipedia entry says it became a separate series in 1966 with a reference to a book I’ve not seen documenting the entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_LTD_(Americas)
Also, unlike the 65 Galaxie 500LTD, the 66 wore no Galaxie badging of any kind. Finally, the 66 full-sized Ford brochure I have refers to the LTD separately and never once calls it a Galaxie 500 LTD.
I concur, the LTD was part of the Galaxie series in ’65 only.
My Standard Encyclopedia of American Cars lists the various Fords by Series: Series 0: Falcon; Series 10: Falcon Futura; Series 30: Fairlane; Series 40: Fairlane 500; Series 50: Custom (including 500); Series 60: Galaxie 500, including LTD, XL and 7 Litre.
In 1967, The LTD is shown as its own Series.
But I have read otherwise, so maybe this is not the definitive final word. The definition of “models”, “series”, etc. designations are not always consistent, and don’t always conform to how cars are shown/described in brochures. I assume Series numbers are part of the VINS? That may be the best way to determine this issue.
Ford’s brochures show for 1965 that there is a Galaxy 500 LTD, which is a series. In Ford’s 1967 and 1968 brochures the LTD is now the LTD by Ford, note that it is not a Ford LTD, but is The LTD by Ford. I am not sure what this means, but perhaps it is a new division like Edsel, but they just slipped it in.
Ford does use the terminology “Model” so that one model is a 2 door LTD, then a 4 door hardtop is a second model, and the 4 door LTD sedan (pillared) is a third LTD model. By 67 and 68 Ford did not seem to refer to series in their brochures.
In the for what its worth category, Ford’s advertising (old car brochures) says that the full size Ford comes in 6 series, 17 models. Their list of six seems to be: Wagons, Ford Custom, Custom 500, Galaxie 500, Galaxy 500 XL, and the Galaxy 500 LTD.
The white hardtop in the period photo looks great, and I’m not usually a fan of white cars. I have a 390 badge from one of these I bought when I was a kid at a swap meet, just because I thought it looked cool.
I’m not sure if I like the ’65 or ’66 Galaxie better…it might depend upon the day. I think I’ll put in a vote for the Fury, but it’s a close call. I definitely like the ’65 Fury over the ’66.
Seems like we need a retrospective on the stacked headlight look, from the false-start Nash and Lincoln of the 50’s all the way thru till the last ’68 Cadillac. came and went like the tailfin.
how about all the way through to 1978/9 with the Cordoba, and the 76/7 Buick Century/Chevy Malibu Classic, and the Ford LTD II/Ranchero.
And the Plodge Monafury. 80’s GM trucks and some vans had them stacked for several years too.
I miss full-size bad ass two doors….
You and me both! Had a chance last year to buy a ’71 Delta 88 2 door hardtop, thought about it a wee too much and someone else swooped in and bought it. He who hesitates is lost…
You’re not the only one, I miss them as well…
Count me in as well!! I miss large 2dr cars. Let’s all petition Buick to bring the Riviera back.
A 352 was also available for these, cutting the difference (somewhat) between the 289 and 390.
Nice car. Any engine larger than the 289 would have had an engine callout badge like the one shown on that picture of the white car. Most of them would have said either 352 or 390.
I was under the impression that the hood ornament was a standard feature on the 66 Galaxie and LTD. The brochure on Old Car Brochures website doesn’t list it as either standard or optional, but there are some pictures that seem to show a Galaxie 500 without it. Learn something new every day.
Ah, the original Ford LTD, the King of Broughams.
The grille is subtly different between the ’65 and ’66 (no horizontal split on the ’65).
An easier clue are the taillights. The ’65 have a slightly vertical orientation with a round backup light in the middle, while the ’66 are more square with a rectangular shaped backup light.
I am not sure that I think of either the Chevy Caprice or the Ford LTD actually reaching true Brougham status. I think that the Cadillac Fleetwood Talisman interior is true Brougham status. The Olds 98 Regency is nearly there, but not quite.
Also, the 66 used two separate grilles – the stamped aluminum cheapie on the Custom through the Galaxie 500, then a more elaborate and expensive one on the Galaxie 500 XL, LTD and Country Squire. The high end cars have twin over and under turn signal lights inboard of the headlights.
This grille on the lower models was one of the most delicate grilles out there in their day. After a few years, you rarely saw one of these without the grille bent up in some way or other.
The good grille
Oh yea…
A familiar sight to viewers of the Invaders.
Now then you mentionned the Invaders, here a screenshot from IMCDB
http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_5631-Ford-Galaxie-500-76A-1966.html
and the opening credits with lots of Fords used like in other Quinn Martin productions (The Fugitive, The FBI, Cannon, Barnady Jones, Streets of San Francisco…) 😉
YES! Roy Thinnes drove one! A black one… remember as a kid watching that program and ‘grooving’ on that big imposing sinister black Ford gliding around in dark places at night in search of the invaders… aaaah yes!!! 🙂
Yes. One of my favorite front ends of any big American car. I love the stacked headlights on the Pontiacs too, but the ’66 Ford Galaxy 500 XL is the best.
Agreed, jp. I purchased a ’66 Ranch Wagon that had the same grille. It seemed to be about the thickness of tinfoil. It was also a six-cylinder wagon with 3-speed manual. It turned out to be adequate with the driver and a passenger, and much less so with a load or in the eastern mountains.
The left-hand skull is painted like Senna’s helmet; morbid but apropos.
Not sure about the other one though…
I hope they are fastened down or something, it would make an interesting accident report after some sudden panic braking.
Explain how the drivers skull was crushed_______________?
Well, there was another skull…a real skull…..
So there was another passenger?
No….just more skulls…..
Whose skulls?
The drivers.
The drivers skull was the one that was crushed….by his own skull?
This is going to take some explaining…..
you can see where this is going….
This flat black 2 tons of history is in remarkably straight form – I really was a fan of the cars – had a few in the family when I was running around in Corvair convertibles ! The big Fords were wonderful touring cars !!
One of the few Fords from the 60s that I like.
1965 & 66 Galaxies, 1967 & 68 Mustangs, 1968 & 69 Torinos.
Yep, that’s pretty much it aside from perhaps a Falcon or two. Of course, they must either be 2 door hardtops or convertibles, including the Mustang – no fastbacks. Not sure if the Torino was offered as a rag top.
I’m sure Paul found a Torino convertible.
Ford intermediates came in a convertible body style from 1966-71. I think all Torino convertibles may have been GTs; not sure if there was ever a “regular” Torino convertible. There were non-GT Fairlane convertibles in the earlier years.
Best Bogan Blak great colour or lack there of it suits those cars.
Too bad then the Brazilian Galaxie only came in 4-door sedan in Brazil. I saw a Brazilian 1970 model and a 1977 Brazilian Galaxie/LTD still using the basic 1965-66 body until 1982 or 1983. Just imagine what if there was also available in 2-door hardtops.
FWIW, my Mother’s ’66 Ford Country Sedan station wagon had this same hood ornament.
CC efect going well today went into town this morning saw a 66 Galaxie wagon pale blue mint no feckin camera, next trip to local burb with camera nabbed 2 Minis and a 73 lincoln Town car.
thus quite a lotta car
All Galaxie 500s and LTDs, got hood ornaments, XLs and 7-Litres got a chrome windsplit down the hood center line. And the poor Customs got nothing.
There are incorrect Ford factory photos extant which show XLs with the hood ornament, and also sans Galaxie 500 script. All production XLs also had Galaxie 500XL emblems on the rear quarters. It was the XL which was divorced from the Galaxie in ’67, the LTD had done it the year previous.
Either the 289 or the 390 would have been a better choice than the 352 boat anchor, which provided 289 power with 390 engine weigh and fuel consumption. Wisely, Ford of Canada elected to omit the 352 from the ’66 lineup, but for some reason the 4-barrel 390 was also MIA here the same year.
All of the full size Fords share the same basic body. The only real difference is trim. The Ford brochures say that the LTD dropped the Galaxy 500 part of name in 66 and was the LTD by Ford. The XL was a Ford XL in 67. I would assume that the LTD got additional sound insulation to make it quieter than the Rolls Royce (probably the ticking of the clock).
A 66 Ford two door sedan showed up in a back yard a few blocks from here a couple of months ago.
The LTD interior package included upgraded (relative to the Galaxy 500) cloth and a rear seat fold down armrest. Fabulous. Except that Buick had a rear seat fold down arm rest in 1950 on mid range (Super) and upper (Roadmaster). This continued into the sixties.