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Posted

Ok, someone might want to throw some advice this way. Here it goes. When I started this car over a year and a half ago, I was thinking I was building an R Code Galaxie. Then after more recent research, I realized, I shouldn’t have scooped the hood, and I should have removed the rear quarter panel emblems. Am I correct so far? Also would I need a bench seat, as compared to the buckets and console? I really like the look of the dog dish hub caps, but I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t find these on an XL. So here I am with a mis matched Galaxie. I’d really hate to stripping the body, as it’s all painted, cleared, AND polished. I’ll need the scoop because I’m using a T Bolt intake and Fireball Holleys. The interior is not a problem, as it’s not started,  and the scoop, well anyone could add a scoop to their car. But those darn rear quarter emblems are my concern. Any knowledge Ford guys could possibly help with advice? 

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Posted

I scrapped the kit supplied engine, and decided to go with the Starliner engine instead for the 427 for obvious reasons. Decided to use a deep oil pan as well. Here are some mock ups with Elmers glue to make sure the fuel system, carbs, intake manifold, and distributor all clear other components. It will use the Thunderbolt valve covers as well. 

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Posted

Started to remove the factory cast in exhaust, and replace the trunk area with sheet styrene where the exhaust pipes exited. 
 

Ground off the master cylinder, and filling the notches in the firewall. 

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Posted

Started drilling out the headlights so they can sit below the trim rings like they should on the 1:1 car. Now to remove the rest of the material with a micro file. 

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Posted (edited)

Great project Tom and I am curious about these details as well. I'm pretty sure you couldn't get an R Code XL, but not 100% positive.

I started collecting parts to do a '65 R Code too including a promo body to get rid of the opening trunk lid. Unfortunately, I'm still in parts collecting mode and can't really help shed any light on the subject.

Edited by Fish_65
Posted (edited)

I suppose this will become an XL, with all the performance goodies. 
 

Those wheels wouldn’t be found on an XL would they? Wasn’t the XL the package with lots of fancy trim?

Edited by Brutalform
Posted
6 minutes ago, Fish_65 said:

Great project Tom and I am curious about these details as well. I'm pretty sure you couldn't get an R Code XL, but not 100% positive.

I started collecting parts to do a '65 R Code too including a promo body to get rid of the opening trunk lid. Unfortunately, I'm still in parts collecting mode and can't really help shed any light on the subject.

Where did you get a body with a closed trunk?

Posted
1 minute ago, Brutalform said:

Where did you get a body with a closed trunk?

Original promo off of ebay, but I'll be using kit interior and chassis.

Seems like you can pick up '65 Galaxie promos pretty cheap if they're not mint.

Posted

I get worried about them getting warped. I have a beautiful burgundy 64 Galaxie and the roof is wavy now for no apparent reason. 
 

I think the R Code has a bench seat, but the kit has buckets. Maybe some were available with buckets? Not sure. 

Posted
1 minute ago, Brutalform said:

I get worried about them getting warped. I have a beautiful burgundy 64 Galaxie and the roof is wavy now for no apparent reason. 

The warped promo body thing was limited to late 50s promos as a different plastic was used. I believe promos switched to non-warping kit style styrene by ~'61-'62. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

Your '64 should not have warped...possibly sat in the sun for too long at some point in its life?

Posted
40 minutes ago, Fish_65 said:

The warped promo body thing was limited to late 50s promos as a different plastic was used. I believe promos switched to non-warping kit style styrene by ~'61-'62. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

Your '64 should not have warped...possibly sat in the sun for too long at some point in its life?

Yea, possibly. 

Posted

Your '64 Galaxie promo looks like the 90s issue ERTL issue, so warping due to the plastic used should not be the problem. Must have gotten hot.

Posted

If the quarter trim bothers you, build another body, and then turn this VERY nice one into a "Day 2" street cruiser. 

Also, just askin' a question here: Were the R-code engines red? 

Posted
34 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

If the quarter trim bothers you, build another body, and then turn this VERY nice one into a "Day 2" street cruiser. 

Also, just askin' a question here: Were the R-code engines red? 

Not totally sure, Snake,  I’ll have to look it up. But I think they were all black until 1966.

Posted

Yea according to the Galaxie Club website from 59 to 66 the block and heads were black, and from 66 to 71 blue. Some lower cubic inch engines must have been blue in 66 because it had both colors. Different colors were used for air cleaners in some years. 

Posted

Ford engines were black from 1959 up to late 1965 when the 1966 model year started, so from 1966 model year the were blue.
R-code engines were available in most of the full size Custom and Galaxie body styles and as the XL (wich is a trim package and top of the line) was available with the R-code 427's the quarter panel badge would be right, for the poverty caps, it doesn't really matter if they were on the option list for the XL trim package, they could easily have been changed afterwards...I use 7 X 15 and 8 X 15 steel wheels and poverty caps on my 1963½ 500XL and it looks great.
The wheels for the 65 R-code cars could have been 15 inch instead of the standard 14 inch, I know they were on many 63 and 64 Q and R-code cars.

Posted
13 minutes ago, Force said:

Ford engines were black from 1959 up to late 1965 when the 1966 model year started, so from 1966 model year the were blue.
R-code engines were available in most of the full size Custom and Galaxie body styles and as the XL (wich is a trim package and top of the line) was available with the R-code 427's the quarter panel badge would be right, for the poverty caps, it doesn't really matter if they were on the option list for the XL trim package, they could easily have been changed afterwards...I use 7 X 15 and 8 X 15 steel wheels and poverty caps on my 1963½ 500XL and it looks great.
The wheels for the 65 R-code cars could have been 15 inch instead of the standard 14 inch, I know they were on many 63 and 64 Q and R-code cars.

Thanks for clearing that up. I’m glad the body is good to go. 
 

If I can ask you another question? Would the R Code with the XL trim level either have a bench seat or buckets with a console? 

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