'62 Ford Galaxie 500 Update! 12/23/22 Finally Done! Pic pg. 7

[Plowboy]

With the Impala done and nearing the finish line with another project, I thought I would start on this old Galaxie. My original idea was to just build it as a curbside. I got the wheels and tires I wanted for it and got the stance set. But, that was as far as it got. It's been languishing in a box ever since. Time to do something with it! 

My first thought was still doing it as a curbside. But, do a roof transplant with a '63 roof. Then I spotted the AMT '60 Starliner in the stash. It's almost a perfect fit!

About all that needs to be done is shorten it at the rear. So, I guess now I'm gonna do another detailed build with it. No solid plan yet. Lots to do in the meantime! 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Plowboy

[chris chabre]

Ill be following! where did you get the wheels?

[cobraman]

Love a 62 Ford. Maybe because it was my first car.

[Zippi]

That's going to be pretty slick Roger.

[slusher]

Roger, if you need an AMT 63 Galaxie roof I have a unpainted body you can have for your project. I have no need for it. Just let me know..

[bisc63]

Looks like a nice clean body to work with.

[David G.]

Go on, you have my interest.

David G.

[mustang1989]

Oh yeah..... I already like where this one's headed.

[Plowboy]

12 hours ago, chris chabre said:

Ill be following! where did you get the wheels?

They're from the AMT Resto Rods '65 Galaxie. Not sure if they'll stay or not. 

[Plowboy]

6 hours ago, slusher said:

Roger, if you need an AMT 63 Galaxie roof I have a unpainted body you can have for your project. I have no need for it. Just let me know..

Thanx Carl! I appreciate it! I'm still mulling over that idea. If I decide to do it, I'll give you a shout.

[Plowboy]

6 hours ago, bisc63 said:

Looks like a nice clean body to work with.

It is. It could've easily been restored to like new condition when I got it. It was just dirty and the chrome was worn on the wheel covers.

[Scott8950]

62 is the best looking galaxie imo... I'll be following along. 

[OldNYJim]

I really like how this looks in that mock-up - great start! 

[espo]

Great idea for the chassis. The "Box Top" body style looks kind of different only because of the fuss over the "Fastback" style.  They both look great. 

[chris chabre]

13 hours ago, Plowboy said:

They're from the AMT Resto Rods '65 Galaxie. Not sure if they'll stay or not. 

If youre interested in trading them, let me know!

[Plowboy]

16 hours ago, chris chabre said:

If youre interested in trading them, let me know!

Will do. 

[Plowboy]

16 hours ago, chris chabre said:

If youre interested in trading them, let me know!

Will do. 

[Plowboy]

I should probably quit now. I'm pretty sure I've used used up all of my luck on this project. That or I got a small reward for what I went through getting the hood and trunk cut out. They were both extremely thick! Plus, it didn't help that this styrene is hard and brittle. But, I did catch some luck with the firewall as it needed very little work to fit. The radiator core support also fit. I'm going to modify it so that it will meet up to the fenders.

I added a strip of .040 to the tail panel to give it a little more strength.

This is what I have to work with on the underside of the hood and trunk. 

I've definitely scrapped the roof swap plan. This styrene is so hard and brittle that I don't think regular styrene would bond well to it.

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

I could have saved you a little work Roger, if you would have been interested in building a convertible instead.

Have a pretty nice convertible body and hood!

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[afx]

Great looking project as usual Roger.

[David G.]

May your good fortune with this one continue.

David G.

[Plowboy]

15 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I could have saved you a little work Roger, if you would have been interested in building a convertible instead.

Have a pretty nice convertible body and hood!

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

I would've stuck a '63 top on that one! I'm still thinking about doing it to this one! I'm just concerned about getting the two bonded well. 

[Sam I Am]

Keep the roof Roger, it's a classic.

I will be following because I have a 62 sunliner kit that I plan on using that same chassis under.

[Plowboy]

Thanx for the feedback guys! I've got quite a bit done to the old Galaxie. Been a lot of fitment work and I think I have my wheel and tire setup figured out. I may change to the Pegasus TT2'S. But, these are working for me at the moment. I want to hit 'em with a coat of Tamiya Satin Clear and see what they look like. If I don't like how they look, I'll paint 'em.

I'd like to have it a little lower. But, I can live with it. 

I was dreading cutting that old interior apart and reworking it! Right away, I noticed that the dashes were very similar in shape and layout between the '60 and the '62. The only big difference is the instrument panel layout. While doing some research, I saw an XL that had similar door panel detail as the '60. The seat patterns are also similar. So, the decision was made to use the '60's interior. It didn't take a great deal of work to get it to fit. Just the dash and package tray needed to be modified.

And this is where I'm at a crossroads with it. With the interior basically being an XL, I'm thinking I may change the trim on the body also. I definitely don't like the wide trim anyway! So, now I'm trying to decide on whether to just shave all of the trim and emblems off or just shave the wide trim and replace it with XL trim. I also haven't decided what engine to use. I like how the Starliner engine looks with either the three two barrels or the two fours. But, I kinda want a modern engine too. Like a quad cam Cobra engine. We'll see.

 

[espo]

This is coming along great. You mention doing something different with the side trim. I like to look on Google Images to look at images of 1:1 cars to see how the different features of the color and trim work together on a build. Ford used this style of trim to introduce a contrasting color in the side trim and often looked good without the chrome portion being the focal point.  To get the style of interior it sounds like you're wanting it maybe that you will have to cut it up so that you can change it. I'm sure you have built  newer kits with interiors done in this way and you can use that as a guide to reassembling the interior.