We don’t hear much about the Ford Galaxie today, but this nameplate was once the company’s pride and joy. Introduced in 1959 as a range-topping trim above the Fairlane 500, the Galaxie became a stand-alone model in 1962. And it remained Ford’s bread-and-butter full-size until it was discontinued in 1974.
But the Galaxie was more than just a family car aimed at the Chevrolet Impala. In the early 1960s, the hardtop version found its way not only on the drag strip but also on NASCAR ovals. As a result, the Galaxie was the recipient of Ford’s most potent engines.
I’m talking about three FE-series V8 mills, starting with the 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) version, introduced in 1961 with up to 375 horsepower on tap. In 1962, Ford took things up a notch with a 406-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) unit good for 405 horsepower. The following year, the Galaxie got a bit wilder thanks to a 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8 rated at 425 horsepower.
Mind you, the beefed-up Galaxie 500 debuted a year before the Pontiac GTO arrived to supposedly kickstart the muscle car segment. Moreover, the Galaxie had 425 horsepower some three years before Chrysler introduced the 426-cubic-inch HEMI V8. Pretty cool, right?
Come 2023, these souped-up Galaxies aren’t as famous as the other high-performance Fords from the golden muscle car era. But they’re pretty rare. While Ford sold nearly 1.5 million examples from 1961 to 1963, notably fewer examples were equipped with the aforementioned V8 units. And needless to say, many of these cars were wrecked or abandoned in junkyards over the years.
Fortunately enough, these rigs still get love from classic Ford enthusiasts, and some pop up from time to time as restored gems. The 1962 Galaxie 500 you see here is one of the lucky ones. And it’s not your run-of-the-mill example either.
Fitted with a 406-cubic-inch V8, the range-topping option for 1962, this Galaxie has two exciting features to brag about. For starters, the 406 rocks a trio of two-barrel carburetors, a setup that delivers 405 horsepower. That’s nearly one horsepower per cubic inch!
Second, this 406 was prepped by Holman-Moody, one of America’s most iconic racing outfits. Established in 1957, the company built nearly all the factory Ford racing vehicles through the 1970s and won two NASCAR championships.
Granted, this mill is still very close to stock save for a competition camshaft and some minor upgrades, but it’s one of very few 1962 Galaxies wearing the Holman-Moody badge on the firewall. And the fact that it’s an unassuming, plain-white rig on the outside makes things even better. This Ford is a fully-fledged sleeper that would outgun many late 1960s muscle cars down the quarter-mile.