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1969 Galaxie LTD 4 Door Purchase

2K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  TonyC2639 
#1 ·
Hey everyone,

First post here, and new to the Galaxie. I'm looking to get a fairly simple project to create a running classic. Not looking for a show car, just something that runs and drives. Something to tinker with. I am looking at a '69LTD 4 door and I'm wondering if it's a reasonable purchase price. It has the 390 auto with 2 barrel carb.

It's been sitting for 2 years. It ran when it was parked, and it is pretty much all original. It's been stored under some sort of cover for most of it's life, with 72k original miles. Some surface rust on the hood, and around the rear driver's wheel well, but not that bad really on rust. The fluid levels look good and the interior is faded and dirty, but not that bad. A couple tears on the driver's seat, but nothing major. I had a friend look at it today and I plan on going out there to charge up the battery and see if it turns over tomorrow.

The thing I'm looking to find out, is what's a fair purchase price on it? I'm just looking to put a few hundred into it once I buy it to get it running, and maybe keep it for a while or sell it once I have some fun with it. What do y'all think?

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
Well as they say a car is worth what someone is willing to pay. As it apparently has not been garage kept I would first carefully check the frame. They like to rust on these old Galaxies. They also like to rust from the inside out so bring a bright light and a hammer. If it's rusting I would pass unless you're willing to spend a ton of money. The brake lines might also be shot too so look them over. If it truly was running when parked, hopefully the motor at least turns over? Also it's a 4 door which bring less money. I don't have a problem with them but they are not as popular. Personally I wouldn't pay more than $1500 for it and I would try to get it for $1000. I have no idea how much experience you have with this sort of thing but a car like that can cost a lot of money just to be a dependable driver. As a point of reference I paid 6K for my 1968 2 door Galaxie 390/C6. The motor and Transmission were recently rebuilt. The rear suspension was completely redone. It has a new and perfect paint job on it. The car is near perfect inside and out, almost like it was new. Good luck whatever you decide!!
 

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#3 ·
Thanks for the advice! I ended up buying it for $1400. Really happy with the purchase so far. It looks very good under the hood and I have service records to prove it has 72k original miles. Working on getting a battery now, then planning on cleaning out the gas tank, carbs, replacing spark plugs, and firing it up!
 

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#5 ·
Looks like a nice straight LTD. If you can get those headlight doors working it will completely change the look of the front of the car. They should close after you start the engine and the length of time they remain closed after you shut it off can vary. My old Marquis would originally keep them closed about 6 hours after shutoff before I rebuilt the engine, now they sometimes stay closed up to three days after the engine has been shut off. These old cars had good vacuum lines from the factory and unless they've bene messed with should work just fine. The lines in my Marquis are original. The weak link is sometimes the vacuum motor located behind the center of the grille.
 
#6 ·
Yeah, I just cranked it up with a water bottle/hose gas tank and it ran and idled a little bit too! And yes, the headlights did go down. My plan for tomorrow is to drain the gas tank, clean it, clean the carb, replace spark plugs, oil change, pump up the tires, and hopefully roll it a little bit!

Any input you have on pulling the gas tank, draining it, and cleaning it would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
#7 ·
First be sure the car is supported safely and high enough to work underneath. Disconnect the wiring to the sending unit and the fuel line on it. There are two straps holding the tank and hopefully they are in good shape. Using a wire brush on the threads of the strap bolts and then a shot of PB Blaster to them will be a big help. You'll want a jack or something and a 2x4 or something to put between the jack and tank to distribute the load so you don't dent it as you lower it. You will need to disconnect it from the fill tube at the top and where the fill tube enter the rubber seal on the tank. That rubber is going to be hard and stubborn. Replacement tanks are available and priced fairly reasonable considering a tank with scale in it will cause you lots of problems for a long time. It's easier to replace the rear brake hose while the tank is out too! Project creep is a real thing!
 
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