[Striker4416]

Hello, I am newer to FORD Galaxie world but have always thought it would be cool to own one. I recently purchased one in pretty great shape and had a few questions. It is a 352 with a Holley carb, what advise could you guys send my way to improving the performance of it a little. I havent had to bore anything out on past vehciles and am mainly a cruiser so I was thinking of just a cam swap, intake, and headers. Should I grab a 390 cam or whats a better option came wise? What is a better intake for myself?

After a few weeks of cleaning up the car and stuff I took it to my first cruise night of the season and I had a lot of questions from others about the emblems and skirts. I had researched quite a bit but I am a little stumped. My car has the 3 black stripes on the back sides like a 7 LITER which people thought I added them which they came like that. Also I dont have the lower chrome trim behind the back tires, did they all have that? The skirts seem to be the stainless steel ones, are they not an original item from Ford Motor company? Here is my door tag info:
Door Tag
Body(63B), Color(Z), Trim(66), Date(05B), D.S.O.(22), Axle(1), Trans(7)

Body 63B-Galaxie 500 2-door hardtop, bench seat
Color Z- Sauterne Gold (medium gold metallic)
Trim 66- black "Crinkle" vinyl and black "Venetian" pattern vinyl
Date 05B- February 5TH 1966
D.S.O. 22- Charlotte, North Carolina (Western North Carolina and South Carolina)
Axle 1- 3.00:1 non-locking
Trans 7- FX Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic, column or console shift

Sorry if the pics are to big, and please excuse the Star Wars stuff...they are the rulers of the galaxie

 

[dbshea]

Hello, I am newer to FORD Galaxie world but have always thought it would be cool to own one. I recently purchased one in pretty great shape and had a few questions. It is a 352 with a Holley carb, what advise could you guys send my way to improving the performance of it a little. I havent had to bore anything out on past vehciles and am mainly a cruiser so I was thinking of just a cam swap, intake, and headers. Should I grab a 390 cam or whats a better option came wise? What is a better intake for myself?

After a few weeks of cleaning up the car and stuff I took it to my first cruise night of the season and I had a lot of questions from others about the emblems and skirts. I had researched quite a bit but I am a little stumped. My car has the 3 black stripes on the back sides like a 7 LITER which people thought I added them which they came like that. Also I dont have the lower chrome trim behind the back tires, did they all have that? The skirts seem to be the stainless steel ones, are they not an original item from Ford Motor company? Here is my door tag info:
Door Tag
Body(63B), Color(Z), Trim(66), Date(05B), D.S.O.(22), Axle(1), Trans(7)

Body 63B-Galaxie 500 2-door hardtop, bench seat
Color Z- Sauterne Gold (medium gold metallic)
Trim 66- black "Crinkle" vinyl and black "Venetian" pattern vinyl
Date 05B- February 5TH 1966
D.S.O. 22- Charlotte, North Carolina (Western North Carolina and South Carolina)
Axle 1- 3.00:1 non-locking
Trans 7- FX Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic, column or console shift

Sorry if the pics are to big, and please excuse the Star Wars stuff...they are the rulers of the galaxie

She's a real beauty! I have a 67 merc fastback and the similarities are very cool. If you aren't going to do a full on build, IMHO, only change what you have to. Nothing against the FE but they are not cheap to build. Being a 352 puts you on the low end if the displacement side. If it's just a cruiser, get an Eddie intake and do a good tune up. Or, just do a good tune up. Intake swaps on FE are a pain in the rear.

 

[Tschwinn]

Great looking '66! As far as I know the "three stripes on the back" are normal as I've seen them on a few others as well as my own. The fender skirts are interesting, but I think they detract from the play between that great red and your wheel/tire combo. I'll agree with dbshea that the Fe intake swap may be a good idea but I would look at headers first as the FEs like to breath. Others with more FE experience will have more comprehensive advice. Welcome to the forums and to Galaxie ownership!
T

 

[ShotRod64]

Welcome to the forum and that's a nice ride you have! I see you must be a star wars fan too. I can't tell you too much on the '66 or 7 litre but i'm sure someone else here can. As for the skirts, they were usually color matching not chrome like yours. I can't tell you if they all came that way, with skirts or that was an option. I would think it was an option when someone ordered the car. Still it's a pretty nice car, enjoy it and do it however you want to do it.

 

[Striker4416]

Great looking '66! As far as I know the "three stripes on the back" are normal as I've seen them on a few others as well as my own. The fender skirts are interesting, but I think they detract from the play between that great red and your wheel/tire combo. I'll agree with dbshea that the Fe intake swap may be a good idea but I would look at headers first as the FEs like to breath. Others with more FE experience will have more comprehensive advice. Welcome to the forums and to Galaxie ownership!
T

She's a real beauty! I have a 67 merc fastback and the similarities are very cool. If you aren't going to do a full on build, IMHO, only change what you have to. Nothing against the FE but they are not cheap to build. Being a 352 puts you on the low end if the displacement side. If it's just a cruiser, get an Eddie intake and do a good tune up. Or, just do a good tune up. Intake swaps on FE are a pain in the rear.

Thanks guys, I was thinking my exhaust was going to be the best starting point
What are your thoughts on Cams? Stay with the original, get a 390, or other upgrade?

As for the skirts I just use them periodically people either love them or hate them. Guy I bought the car from also gave me the original air cleaner, all the AC stuff and it was plugged up nicely, the skirts, and a new set of white walled tires with original rims and hubs.

As for the intake if I went with Edelbrock which would be better the RPMer or Performer? Maybe another option, so Edelbrock might be the better option for me instead of other brands/types?

 

[Striker4416]

Welcome to the forum and that's a nice ride you have! I see you must be a star wars fan too. I can't tell you too much on the '66 or 7 litre but i'm sure someone else here can. As for the skirts, they were usually color matching not chrome like yours. I can't tell you if they all came that way, with skirts or that was an option. I would think it was an option when someone ordered the car. Still it's a pretty nice car, enjoy it and do it however you want to do it.

Thanks, I have always seen the color matching skirts except I seen a few Galaxies online with these. They supposedly are Ford Motor Co Stainless steel

And yes I am a Star Wars fan. I dress up as a Stormtrooper at various events from small venues to large Lucas films events The kids love it and I get to do a lot of charity work with this. Seemed fitting I went with a Galaxie

 

[Striker4416]

Any more input on suggestions below would be helpful.

I do have more to ask however ;p
I have started it every day with out issues just tinkering and stuff but noticed after not starting it a few days I needed to jump it. Even though the car seemed fine and all the lights and stuff worked I noticed the radio would cut out when I would give it gas (I dont think it cut off as much after jumping the car)..... I am not to great with finding out electrical issues and would love some help. Now before I wanted to pull the alternator I decide to pick up a multimeter. After jumping the car lol I took it to advance auto and got the multimeter. They tester the battery and it showed about 49X cranking amps on my battery of 1000. So they mentioned replacing but I knew I jumped it and was wanting to make sure it was that and not the alternator or regulator. I tested the battery (first time doing this) and if I did it correctly it showed about 12.xx was just under 12.5(I had a reading of about 11.xx at first but didn't think I was making good contact.) I had my wife start the car (Hard start) and it was not going up for a few minutes then went to about 13.xx (Alternator good???) i know its probaby just the battery but could something have wore it down? Could this be the regulator or just the battery? Even when the car need jumped the 2 side domes light up all the glove lights and even the oil/temp/amp light turn on with the key is turned...nothing dims.

As for the radio there is a black ground screwed under the dash, a yellow wire on a metal clip type of prong wrapping around one of the fuses (for memory?) and a blue wire that if plugged into the fuse box. I didn't see a red wire? Maybe I missed it?




AT dbshea

I didnt see your pick on the other PC I was on. That Merc is clean and researched the intake swap and YIKES lol....nothing like a SBC

 

[dmp1]

Welcome to the forum. You came to the right place to find galaxie fans and answers.

Great looking 66!

I believe the three stripe "badges" are standard on all 2d galaxie 500 and 7 litres. The customs and 4d (exception LTD) had no badges in this location. All LTD's (including 4d) have a circle with an LTD logo in the middle.

I also read a while back that the "three stripes" had no symbolism, just a design element? Someone else may know better?

 

[puttster]

WELCOME TO THE 65-67 GALS ARE THE BEST FORUM!

The exhaust manifolds on a 352 are the same as are on a 428 so I should think you are okay there, exhaust wise, but what is with those skinny straight back tail pipes? They look like something from a 1966 Volkswagen, not a 1966 Ford Galaxie.

If you decide to swap your intake for an Edelbrock please note that the EB sits 1" higher and can make a clearance issue. It also has a skinny base so your Autolite carb won't sit on it without letting in a vacuum leak underneath. IMO don't do it unless you have something specific in mind, like a new cam or heads.

Welcome to the Galaxie forum.

 

[lsugymrat24]

Putts, I was still considering the dual plane edelbrock performer rpm intake for my 1966 390. I knew about the potential clearance issue due to being taller than stock. I've also read that there are potential fit issues along the base of the intake. But had no idea that the top plate was too narrow for a carb. That kinda bums me out because those intakes get pretty good reviews in performance comparisons. Does it have problems mating up to all carbs? Or is just the factory autolite?

 

[Striker4416]

WELCOME TO THE 65-67 GALS ARE THE BEST FORUM!

The exhaust manifolds on a 352 are the same as are on a 428 so I should think you are okay there, exhaust wise, but what is with those skinny straight back tail pipes? They look like something from a 1966 Volkswagen, not a 1966 Ford Galaxie.

If you decide to swap your intake for an Edelbrock please note that the EB sits 1" higher and can make a clearance issue. It also has a skinny base so your Autolite carb won't sit on it without letting in a vacuum leak underneath. IMO don't do it unless you have something specific in mind, like a new cam or heads.

Welcome to the Galaxie forum.

Thanks for the heads up on the clearance. I have a holley carb on it now, would it fit it?
As for the pipes they came on the care that way and I havent changed it

 

[puttster]

One of the problems with the Autolite carb is there is no port on it for the PCV, you have to use the spacer to get a port. The Ford intake has a base wide enough so that when you set the spacer on it the open channel does not hang out beyond the base, which would let air in.

If you have the new intake handy (or if another reader has one) measure across the base/flange and see if it is wide enough for the spacer to sit on without leaking all around underneath. My memory is that the Edelbrock is not wide enough, it is only about 1/4" wide, but I'll attach a pic and measure of the spacer FYI.

If the only leak problem is under the PCV opening, I have heard of partially filling the opening with JB Weld. In my case, I made a gasket out of wood (pic) and set the spacer on top of it. Then Sardog, a member here, gave me a 1/4" tall plastic spacer with a PCV nipple similar to the spacer on a 1970 428 CJ, and that worked out better.