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General => Project Reports => Topic started by: Briggs&Stratton on February 19, 2008 3:57 am

Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Briggs&Stratton on February 19, 2008 3:57 am
Just got my 68 back from Billys interior shop.  It should be done if I can get to work at it for about 3 good weekends.  I took the pics with my phone so they might not turn out well.

Chris
Title: RE: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Eyeball on February 19, 2008 4:50 am
Wow that is looking good. When did you start on this?
Title: RE: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Kustom Dallas on February 19, 2008 5:01 am
That's probably the best '68 I've seen. Dig that custom upholstery.
Title: RE: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Wowcars on February 19, 2008 3:30 pm
Lookin good Briggs.

Obviously the SpelChek isn't workin. Dallas spelled kustom with a c!
Title: Re: RE: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Briggs&Stratton on February 19, 2008 6:33 pm
Quote from: "Eyeball"
Wow that is looking good. When did you start on this?


I got the car in 2003 in Garretson, SD.  It was at Art Nordstroms auction, some of you probably heard about the auction, there were over 60 57 chevys.  Anyway, I tore into the car right away so I could get it done to take my high school senior pictures with it.  Im 22 now, kinda missed that deadline! haha

The car was smashed in the front pass side corner, so it needed a fender, bumper, core support, grille, etc.  It tweaked the frame a little too.  I had to put in quarter panel patches on both sides and the whole passenger side of the floor too.  I had a 68 ltd parts car that ended up being a life saver.  The motor in the 68 was originally a 302 with a c4 so my original plan was to build a 347 stroker out of it but my parts car had a 390/c6 that I ended up using, its basically stock with flat tops, 30 over, and a holley 670 (and stock exhaust manifolds, unfortunately.  Ive heard the first thing you do to wake up a 390 is headers, but the only set I could find that would fit was $600, no thanks).  Rear end is 3.10 gears, I wanted something lower so I checked out my parts car but that was 2.73 so I stuck with the 3.10s.  Paint is ppg metallic base/clear in the OG ford color, along with the firewall and inside/outside of the inner fenders.  I stripped the whole underside of the car (on a hoist) and painted it gloss black, so that will look good until the first time it hits the road in rain haha.

Anyway, thats the general jist of the car.  The stuff that readily comes to mind that isnt finished yet:  Paint/install kick panels, finish shifter, put on steering wheel, front bumper, plus I need to put on all the rocker panel moldings and wheel arch moldings.  I bought a set of lake pipes for it, but im not sure if im gonna put them on because they seem a little short.  They are the longest I could find (80") but it seems like they should be about 10 inches longer to fill out the rocker panels.  The exhaust isnt done yet, but if I decide to put the lake pipes on they will be functional with caps and a regular dual tailpipe setup.  Maybe this weekend i'll mockup the lake pipes and post some pics to see what you guys think.

Chris
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: JakesBackyard on February 19, 2008 8:21 pm
Your Galaxie is looking good.

Check out Sanderson headers.  I used the F390's on my 63.  They fit nice and didn't leak.  Let it breath better.

Sanderson has a new one out -  F391 for FE's in '65 and up Galaxies.  $315.

http://www.sandersonheaders.com/product_info.php?products_id=182
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: 31Rodder on February 20, 2008 12:22 am
Did Billy make the top for this too?
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Briggs&Stratton on February 20, 2008 2:05 am
Quote from: "31Rodder"
Did Billy make the top for this too?


No, he ordered it.  It seems like a pretty good top, weve all seen tops that dont fit well but this one layed down almost perfectly (plus Billy is a magician, I think haha).  The company makes tops in original colors for the car but also in any other color/fabric you would want, but if you order a top in a non OG color, you cannot return it if you dont end up liking it (because its a special order).  I went with a very white non original color that was used on 95 chrysler lebarons.  If you need the name of the company I could find it, it came with a warranty card with explicit instructions to keep the card in the glove compartment haha.
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: pinstriper40 on February 20, 2008 5:48 am
that looks really nice! I dig the interior and the wheels- good color too!
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: racerjohnson on February 20, 2008 3:27 pm
I didn't know a 68 galaxie could look so good! That'll be a nice cruise down the highway. Thats quite a shop too.
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: eberhama on February 21, 2008 4:16 am
What did the top end up costing?(parts+labor) or was it all lumped in with the interior price?
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Briggs&Stratton on February 26, 2008 1:33 am
Quote from: "eberhama"
What did the top end up costing?(parts+labor) or was it all lumped in with the interior price?


It was in with the interior price, but just for the actual top he ordered, I believe the top was around $350 (not counting installation and the sweet boot he made).
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Briggs&Stratton on March 25, 2008 6:41 am
Here are some pics with the lake pipes sitting in place and one pic without the pipes.  Im still on the fence with them.  Sometimes I think they look alright but sometimes it just looks like extra crap since it already has shiny rocker panel moldings.

Any thoughts?
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Lord_of_the_Dance on March 25, 2008 2:03 pm
Those pipes look good, but $.02 says have some nice exhaust dump out the back...just my opinion.  Looking real good though!
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Eyeball on March 25, 2008 2:03 pm
I would stay away from the lakes. IMHO lakes should be on 50's cars. But it is your car and if they all looked the same that would be a shame. :) That said your car looks great, are you going to have it in any shows this spring (if that ever gets here)?
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Serious on March 25, 2008 2:06 pm
sorry, but the billet wheels and lakes pipes just dont go together...
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Tom on March 25, 2008 2:20 pm
I agree............ 86 the pipes. :)
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: J_Swisher on March 25, 2008 2:58 pm
Third vote for losing the pipes.  Wheels and pipes just dont fit together
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Kustom Dallas on March 25, 2008 3:48 pm
Ditto
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: 31Rodder on March 25, 2008 3:54 pm
Quote from: "Briggs&Stratton"
Here are some pics with the lake pipes sitting in place and one pic without the pipes.  Im still on the fence with them.  Sometimes I think they look alright but sometimes it just looks like extra crap since it already has shiny rocker panel moldings.

Any thoughts?

Looks like you answered it yourself.  with the nice shiny rocker panels, it does look like the pipes are an add on "extra crap"
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: racerjohnson on March 25, 2008 5:28 pm
It's a beautiful car, I wouldn't busy it up too much with pipes. Sometimes less is more.
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Briggs&Stratton on March 26, 2008 1:01 am
Quote from: "Eyeball"
are you going to have it in any shows this spring (if that ever gets here)?


Im hoping to have it in prime steel, I just sent in my application today, hope it isnt too late.
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Eyeball on March 26, 2008 2:28 am
You'll get in. I bet you might be able to get into Toppers still or at least be on the call list for cars that don't show up.
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Tom on March 26, 2008 1:01 pm
Quote from: "Eyeball"
I bet you might be able to get into Toppers still


They aren't full??
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Eyeball on March 26, 2008 2:09 pm
I don't know for sure just based on past experience. There are ALWAYS cars that do not show and we always tried to have a few on reserve to fill the spots.
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: Lord_of_the_Dance on March 26, 2008 3:20 pm
Last count from Dad was like 136 cars entered.....
Title: 68 Ford Galaxie XL
Post by: JakesBackyard on March 26, 2008 4:05 pm
I'll agree with no lakes.  You might clean up that area under the rocker moulding by scuffing with scuff pad and spray bombing with satin black.  I do that to most cars (even new) to make that pinch weld under the rocker "disappear".