1960 Ford Galaxie Starliner

Description

It's almost like Ford designed the Starliner to be customized. Every bit as attractive as the GM "bubbletop" hardtops, this 1960 Ford Starliner was a clean-sheet design for Ford and it instantly catapulted them to the front of the styling revolution. And there's no way to deny that the best-looking car of the period also makes one of the best-looking customs of today, because this car is simply beautiful.

The biggest change, of course, is the roofline, which wasn't chopped but rather lowered into the body, preserving the clean curve and making onlookers do a double-take when they see it. Is it stock or not? Along the way, the door handles were shaved, along with most of the emblems, but things like the Starliner's defining three round medallions on the C-pillar remain, making this car easy to identify even from a distance. The paint appears to be GM Atomic Orange, a high-visibility color that looks great on the curvy Ford sheetmetal. The bright line of trim that outlines the front fender and stretches back to form the tips of the tailfins is brightly polished and matches the single horizontal strip running just above the rear wheel arches, making this car look even longer than it is. It's got about 1000 miles on the build, so there are a few very minor signs of use, but we can pretty much guarantee that showing up in this car will cause a crowd to form anywhere you go.

Custom interiors can make or break a car and you can see instantly that a lot of careful consideration went into the design and construction of this car's passenger compartment. The buckets are both comfortable and stylish, wrapped in tan leather, and a custom center console continues the theme and adds a bit of practicality with a set of cup holders up front. The original instrument panel is still there, complete with the wide speedo and round auxiliary gauges, but there's a custom housing underneath for the A/C and AM/FM/CD/iPod stereo head unit. A tilt steering column and a leather-wrapped wheel add some elegance to the Ford's personality and things like power windows and electronic door poppers were added during the build. The back seat is still totally usable, although it's best for two instead of three, and you get a gigantic trunk that's outfitted with more custom side panels and plush carpets.

At its heart, this Ford is still running a Ford V8, in this case a 390 cubic inch powerplant has been installed in place of an original code-Y 352.. Finned valve covers and a matching air cleaner have been highlighted with body-colored paint, the firewall has been smoothed, and more than a few polished aluminum bits make the engine bay truly sparkle. It's also highly functional with Wilwood power 4-wheel disc brakes and steering as well as a modern serpentine belt drive system for the accessories. A big aluminum radiator keeps everything nice and cool and cast iron headers feed a custom dual exhaust system with a nice, mellow sound. The transmission is a C6 3-speed automatic, which powers a 9-inch rear end, so it powers along without much effort. The suspension is upgraded with an Air Ride setup that allows you to fine-tune the ride height, and on this car, ride height can make or break the look. Big 17-inch Torque Thrusts are the right look and carry 225/45/17 front and 245/40/17 rear Michelin performance radials.

This is a very cool car in just about every way. Very custom but also very user-friendly, it's the kind of car that makes everyone stop when it rolls into the show, and that just how we like it. Call today!