untitled

1964 FORD GALAXIE 500
FOUR-DOOR
HARD-TOP
FAST-BACK
POLICE INTERCEPTOR

SUBJECT: 1964 FORD GALAXIE 500 FOUR-DOOR, HARD-TOP, FAST-BACK POLICE INTERCEPTOR

Dear John,
Permit me to introduce myself. I am James C. Allison, 68, and I own the car
described in the subject title of this E-Mail.

Deb, the moderator at FordMuscleForums recommended that I contact YOU. She
holds you in VERY high esteem.

My father bought the car that is the subject of this E-Mail new in 1964 for
$2.671.00 including tax, title, and license. For JPGs of this vehicle, click
here:

http://www.livingston.net/allison1/galaxie.htm

It was my mother's daily driver. It was purchased at the Fontana Motors Ford
Dealership in Fontana, California, after having had been ordered by the
Chief of Police there, but the City Council nixed the deal because it was a
"luxury body style", and that is when my father bought it, apparently at the
dealership's cost.

When my mother failed to pass her driver's license test in 1986, the only
way that my father could keep her off the streets of Cherry Valley,
California was to get rid of the car. So he called me in Houston, Texas, and
told me that if I wanted it, I could come get it for $1.00! I flew out to
Ontario International Airport, on Friday June 6, 1986, and drove the car
back to Houston, arriving in time to be at work on the following Monday
morning.

The old Galaxie was born on March 16, 1964, is Chantilly Beige, with Beige
on Beige interior. It has a 330hp 390cid FE Y-Block PI engine, which I
personally rebuilt in 1989, when it had 68,000 miles on the odometer, but it
was on the second time around (168,000 actual miles). It now has 92,000
miles on the odometer, but it's on the third time around (292,000 actual
miles).

At the time of the rebuild, the engine was bored .030, and so it is is now a 396cid
It has a Holley 4160 650cfpm w/ vacuum secondaries carburetor,
Mallory ignition coil,
Hayes clutch,
Crane cam,
Solid lifters,
Three-speed column shift w/OD,
4:11 rear end,
3" brakes all around,
No radio,
No A/C,
No power brakes,
No power steering,
And the heater core leaks so it has been by-passed,
It has an inoperative clock.
I've added a three dial (oil pressure/volt meter/water temperature)
instrument cluster under the dash,
And a tachometer that sits atop the stock water temp guage.

It has been my daily driver since I got it in 1986.

The window gaskets are non existent, and because of water getting into the
front footwells, there is a moderate amount of rust clear through so that
there are holes. The seatcovers are a mess, the headliner is a mess, the
carpet is a mess, and the rear window mechanisms don't work, and the front
window mechanisms are spotty at best. But the old Gal is mechanically sound,
she is reliable, though recently she has taken to running badly, a condition
that plugs, points, and condenser wasn't able to rememdy.

She needs a Holley renew, distributor check, and timing tuneup.

But... about two years ago, the rubber cushion in the harmonic balancer
(part number C4AF6316B) disintegrated, and the outer ring started slipping
around the inner ring which messed up the timing scale. I kept the old Gal
running with liberal applications of cyanacrylic (super-glue), but because
it is in terrible need of a tune up, two weeks ago, I got a rebuilt HB
(C4AE6316A) from John, at the "Damper Doctor" in Redding, California. I'm
going to send the original HB to him for rebuilding, and then reinstallation
when I get it back, but I didn't want to send it out into the holidaze melee
for fear of it getting lost. I'm going to send it off a couple of weeks
after the new year. But at least with the new (rebuilt) HB, I can now get it
timed because the Damper Doctor said that the timing scale on the HB is
within 1/3rd of a degree of where it should be. It is scheduled for a
complete tune-up, valve adjustment, brake adjustment and bushing install in
the clutch bellcrank mechanism next week.

In my Internet search for the HB, I came across a bunch of discussion
groups, and joined them, and the FordMuscleForum has been the most fun, and
most informative.

They were all non-plussed to see a PI with a "luxury body style", because
they had no idea that such a "beast" (as it got called) was even possible.

I have checked the VIN Plate against the alphanumerical stamping on the tab
just above the heater in the engine compartment, and they are the same.

Apparently when my father had the car worked on, some mechanic swapped the
original PI aluminum manifold for a cast-iron one, as the one that is on it
now reacts to magnets.

I (in my ignorance) traded in the old AutoLite 650cfpm 4100 carburetor in
when it failed to work, for a 330 cfpm AutoLite, not knowing that the 4100
that was on it originally was a valuable piece of equipment. When I rebuilt
the engine, I put the Holley 4160 650cfpm on it.

As you can see, it has an after-market distributor, which was recommended to
me as being immune to spark scatter, and when I did the rebuild, I installed
a windage tray along with the oil pan.

So my reason for writing to you is many fold. Permit me to explain.

In 1987, I was in a catastrophic murdercycle crash. It took me ten years to
recuperate, and rehabilitate. I realized a sizeable settlement, though the
doctors and lawyers got most of it. With what was left, I bought a house in
Onalaska, Texas, with the plan being to get myself back to where I was once
again a viable person, and then get back into the world, to continue my
life's journey.

The last thing that I needed to finally be alright was a left hip
replacement. And on December 1, 1998, I was scheduled for the procedure.
But on November 30, 1998, I was told that they couldn't do it because the
routine lab work had come back, and the time it took for my blood to clot
(Prothrombin Time) was elevated, and there was a chance that I would bleed
to death if they attempted to do the surgery.

Subsequent tests showed that I had an auto-immune liver disease called
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, which is the sister disease to the liver problem
(Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis) that killed Walter Peyton, history's
greatest football player. These diseases are where the immune system
destroys the smooth muscle cells, which are what the veins and ducts going
to, inside, and coming from the liver are made of. The difference between
the two diseases is that PSC is the destruction of the veins and ducts going
to and from the liver, and PBC is the destruction of the veins and ducts
inside the liver.

And so on December 1, 1998 I was told that I had better get my affairs in
order, for I had but five months left to live. Peyton died five months after
his diagnosis. As you can see, I'm still here nine years, and 28 days after
MY death sentence, and I have concluded that I must not be finished here
yet.

Actually, I have responded extremely well to the medication that is designed
to shut down my immune system to keep it from attacking and killing my
liver. But because of not having an immune system, I am forced to live a
"bubble boy" type of existence, with no visitors, and going out only when
absolutely necessary. I live alone in splendid isolated solitude. My only
social contact is by phone, USPS, and the Internet.

I tell you this for two reasons. First, had I been able to be back to my old
self, I would never have let the old PI get into the shape it is in, though
I HAVE kept it mechanically maintained, and I drive it two, 7 mile round
trips a week for food after the store is closed because I can't be around
people who may have colds, flus, etc., and I make one 26 mile round trip
once a month to see the doctors.

All of my finances went into surviving this damned liver problem, and have
long since vanished. I am now living on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid,
and the Prescription Drug Benefit Plan, but I am able to get by as long as I
don't spend foolishly.

But since coming into contact with the FordMuscleForum, life has taken on a
new brightness for me, for I have found that I apparently have an unusual,
and rare automobile. I really love this old car. It's the best car I've ever
owned, and I've had a number of really unusual cars in my life such as a
Fiat Abarth OT 1000 Bertone Spyder, a 1959 Studebaker Hawk with a 402cid
Packard engine w/ a Giovinanni roller tappet cam, 4-2 barrel Carter
carburetors, a Schiffer triple disk clutch, a Ponto Mossian (out of a
Chrysler Ghia) 4-Speed transmission with a Laycock de Normanville O/D, and a
No. 44 Spicer TwinTraction 4:55 rear end. And there have been others, such
as a 1931 Model A Ford, Crown Victoria with six 21" Kelsey wheels (it had
dual spare wheel wells in the fenders), along with a number of motorcycles
(2 Kawaskai Mach IIIs, and 2 Kawaskai 1100 LTD, B1 Shafts).

None the less, and here I am coming to the real gist of this rather long
tale, I used to work as a TV Producer, and Public Relations person for a
large off shore oil well drilling rig platform lifting system (marine crane)
manufacturer. And the President of the company is a VERY wealthy car buff.
And upon finding out that I have what appears to be a really rare car, has
indicated to me that he would (might) spring for a total premium restoration
of the old thing, with the condition that I would "will" it to him when this
liver problem finally catches up with me, as it inevitably will. I'm
figuring that I may have about four to five years left.

And he would want to know what the car would be worth if it were in pristine
condition. Like ALL ORIGINAL, and perfect in every detail. Greg Donahue told
me one time that he'd make it showroom new for $30,000.00. What I need to
know is: What could I expect it to be worth and to whom would it be worth
that?

This is the question that I've asked at the FordMuscleForum, and Deb, who is
the group moderator, told me to contact YOU! :)

Anyway, if you'd like more information about me personally (I'm a writer,
musician, vusician, graphics designer, TV producer, construction field
engineer, model builder, and all around fun guy! :)). Click here:

http://www.livingston.net/allison1/index.htm

If you need more information about the PI, don't hesitate to E-Mail:

allisonx@cebridge.net

Anyway John, thanks in advance for any information that you might be able to
give me. Accept my apologies if this missive has gotten to be a bit too
long.

I hope you are well, and hanging in there.

Sincerest Regards,

James C. Allison
P.O.Box 1421
Onalaska, TX 77360
Phone: 936.646.4174
E-Mail: allisonx@cebridge.net


RESPONSE FROM JOHN ROTELLA OF LOVEFORD

Hello James

You have an interesting car, for sure. I have heard of such high-line Fords
being used as police or fire vehicles. In fact, a couple of XL-bucket-seat 1963
Ford 300s (fleet series) were built for South Dakota. Of course it was much
more common to see police cars equipped in a more Spartan fashion back then,
my own town of Camillus had a single 1964 Ford Custom 2-door Sedan, with
6-cylinders and 3-speed. I doubt that it was able to catch many Corvettes and
Thunderbirds.

Anyhow, I appreciate you asking my opinion on its value and potential for sale.
Certainly, any solid lifter Ford or Mercury of the 1960s is an uncommon car that
would generate a lot of interest. What it would bring at a sale is beyond my
knowledge however. With our limitless marketplace today (the Internet) things
are a lot different from previous decades. A car that I would value at $10,000
could be easily snapped up at the last second by an eBay bidder willing to
spend $11,000.

The P-code engine makes things even more complicated. Some people want it,
some people don't.

Then we have the fact that this is a 4-door hardtop. Some people want it,
some people don't.

There are no options to speak of on this car. To some people, that is a drawback.
Others do not care.

My own sense of modest car values tell me that a like-new, pristine condition,
ready-to-drive anywhere, 100% factory correct 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 4-door
hardtop is probably worth at least $15,000. If it has fully-functional options like
air conditioning, power windows, and a power seat then it is worth more. I'm
talking about my own values. I cannot possibly foresee what the top-end price
of a car would be. Given the right circumstances there could be 1, 2, 10, or
1000 potential bidders.

I can see that it would take $30,000 by Donahue to restore this car. Keep in mind
that includes a substantial and legitimate profit to Donahue, but does that make the
car itself worth $30,000 when it is finished? Just because you might have that much
money in it does not necessarily mean that a 3rd-party buyer will pay that to you.
By the way, Donahue is in my humble opinion a wonderful, trustworthy resource.

On the other hand there may be some Ford fanatic in Sweden or New Zealand who
would pay anything for a P-code, regardless of condition. I don't know what the
potential for this is, but I do recognize the fact that the potential exists. You have to
be the judge as to whether or not you want to invest tens of thousands of dollars.

If you wish, I will write about this uncommon car in the next installment of Code
Cracker in Legendary Ford Magazine www.legendaryfordmagazine.com I will
also mention that it is for sale. Keep in mind that my column is not an advertising
medium per se, but I can direct attention to you.
I also recommend an eBay sale. Start with an inflated high price. You will likely get
a lot of hits and questions. This is a good way to feel out the market. You can even
take offers on eBay. Maybe this will help you decide. One thing is for sure, any P-code
1964 Ford is quite uncommon, especially in a Galaxie 500, and even more so in a
4-door hardtop.

I know that you likely expected me to give a much more precise evaluation of this car,
James, but I am really not in any position to appraise cars, and in fact I never make
appraisals other than what it is worth to me, today, at my house. I personally do not
believe there is any fixed value in today's world, it is all about who will pay $1 more at
any given moment....and reaching that person.

Best Regards
John Rotella