[DesertXL]

Greetings,

I've been watching this forum as a guest for a while and thought I'd join. There's always seems to be great ideas on here and maybe I can share one of my own you might find helpful.

We've bought a project car, well actually 4 of them. But the one I'm tackling first is my favorite, a 1968 XL fastback. The remaining 3 cars are all 2door '66 fastbacks. One of those being an XL as well. They are all truly basket cases and none of them ran ( I love a challenge), either they were delivered or we picked them up with a car trailer and hauled them home.

It'll be an interesting journey. Here's a pic of the '68.

Regards,

Desert XL

 

['66 LTD]

Welcome to the forum! These guys here are here to help; anything you'll need, you'll get. If you don't mind, could you post a couple pictures of the fastbacks. Good luck on your projects! -Taylor

 

[Ron W]

Welcome! Here in Maine (the rust zone) we envy the apparent lack of rust on your excellent projects. The guys on this forum are great and are very helpful. Keep us informed. Ron W

 

[ScottURnot]

Welcome! That looks like a great project, I would love to start with that.

 

[puttster]

Welcome! That looks like a great project, I would love to start with that.

Not me. The 68s and onwards have little uniqueness to them. To me they look like the Universal Old Car. People don't know if it's a 1968 or a 1998.

Now the 65-67, vertical headlights and distinctively Ford tailights... people know immediately that car lived in the muscle car era classic. Drive your 66's into town and you will get lots of thumbs-up, never the vacant stares that the 68 owners get.

Those are my thoughts, don't know if everyone would agree...

 

[DesertXL]

Hi Taylor,

Thank you for the welcome. If you wouldn't mind waiting till next spring for the other 66's pics. They are wrapped up tightly out in back for the winter. I'll be happy to shoot some pics then.

DesertXL

 

[DesertXL]

Hi Again,

I would agree that as you exit out of the 1960's and enter the 1970's the styling isn't all that and a bag of chips for big American cars. But the 1968 has more sentimental reasons to me. My very first car I owned (Junior in High School) was a beat up rusty '68 galaxie 500 fastback.

It wasn't anything special, it was the bottom line version, no accessories, little 302, no A/C and black interior and a black vinyl roof. In the summer I roasted in it... It's all I could afford and I didn't know anything about cars, but even back in the early 90's it still had that old car cool thing, and that grew into an interest for me.

Had I bought a little Honda (no offense to Honda owners) or something, probably would have not taken the interest in the car hobby as much. As I learned to work on it and many other old American tanks that proceeded it, I gained experience and after college eventually wound up working in the automotive world as a testing engineer and then design engineer.

So I owe a lot to that old '68 Ford, as it started me off in the car hobby and ultimately my career, sadly it didn't last long, the frame corrosion was so intense the rear axle starting ripping free.

I've always wanted the XL version (love the hide-a-way headlights), fully loaded, and free to make modifications to make one really nice daily driver out of it and be proud to take it to the car shows on Friday nights.

OK I promised myself I wouldn't prattle on, so I'll make another post of the process of dismantling it for a body off frame restoration. Time to crack on...

Desert XL

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

It's a nice start, and the 68 isn't so bad, even though I agree it's a typical old car but not a super classic design, still it's gorgeous in it's own respects.

Good luck! Come back often We will help as much as we can.

 

[ScottURnot]

Not me. The 68s and onwards have little uniqueness to them. To me they look like the Universal Old Car. People don't know if it's a 1968 or a 1998.

Now the 65-67, vertical headlights and distinctively Ford tailights... people know immediately that car lived in the muscle car era classic. Drive your 66's into town and you will get lots of thumbs-up, never the vacant stares that the 68 owners get.

Those are my thoughts, don't know if everyone would agree...

I guess we can agree to disagree. When we take our 69 to meets and shows it draws a big following, more so than the nice restored muscle cars around it. Regarding looking like a "Universal old car" I dont agree, you never see anything close to it at shows or on the road. It exumes old car, there isnt even a hint of it being a 1998.

Of course this is just my opinion, and you know what they say........

Our 1998 Muscle car

 

[colkerr]

69 Galaxy screams huge muscle car to me. As a kid in the early 70's I remember seeing these cars, jacked up, huge "Fisk Sprint" bias ply tires and slotted mags. It's this era of car that got me into this whole hobby. In early 70 my uncle rolled up in a brand new red with white convertible top 69 XL. White interior. Sweet ride. M2C

Matt


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[puttster]

don't know if everyone would agree...

hehe I guess not all do!

 

[JIM4]

Desert xl,
You have a great ride with that 68. It is everything you could want in a muscle car. Not too popular so lots of people don't know it. But I do, had one as a teenager, cut the top off with hack saws ( wanted a vert), could peel out with six people in it all day long. I used to win peel out contests with it. It would lay rubber as long as you held the pedal down. What a blast that car was. After years of abuse, sold it for a profit. Man I miss that car. Don't listen to some who don't know what is cool and what is not. They are boring anyway. Keep after it and keep the pics coming.

 

[mainsoda]

My universal old car

 

[agggilli]

Mainsoda I never get tired of looking at your car. That baby just so kicks ass! Scott your car is just plain awesome, have you and your son decided on a color for it yet? DesertXL I just commented on yours in your other thread, and it is going to be one sweet ride when it is done. Actually if you were to put some nice rims and tires on her she would look pretty darn nice as it sits!

 

[Squidnut]

That is a nice straight start. I envy your garage most though. Wish I had a lift. Cant get momma to put her truck outside
Here is a pic of my 67. Just got the motor mounts in so it sits straight. All that is left is carb, tranny and paint the motor. Only a year into it. Welcome to the forum.
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[DesertXL]

Hi Mainsoda,

Your 1970 galaxie is anything but "universal" Your car has that classic muscle car roof-fender slope lines. I fear I don't know much about the 1970 model, what was roof design was that called by Ford, a fastback? formal? or ?

Cheers,

DesertXL

 

[DesertXL]

Mainsoda I never get tired of looking at your car. That baby just so kicks ass! Scott your car is just plain awesome, have you and your son decided on a color for it yet? DesertXL I just commented on yours in your other thread, and it is going to be one sweet ride when it is done. Actually if you were to put some nice rims and tires on her she would look pretty darn nice as it sits!

Hi Agggilli,

Thank you for the kind words and the welcome. I did have some fascination driving it around the neighborhood for a while, but it's such a basket-case, anything over 50 MPH and it's a scary ride. Feels like your driving a jellyfish.

The body is a "bondo bucket" and the frame needs the side rails replaced (rusted through), shocker there right, haha. It was a Colorado car all of it's life and surprisingly one owner only, they gave me the original '68 title from Ford, the little postcard one, along with a newer letter sized current one.

Most of the pics I have so far are from earlier this year. I hope to have the rest posted as to where I am right now with it.

Cheers,

DesertXL

 

[DesertXL]

That is a nice straight start. I envy your garage most though. Wish I had a lift. Cant get momma to put her truck outside
Here is a pic of my 67. Just got the motor mounts in so it sits straight. All that is left is carb, tranny and paint the motor. Only a year into it. Welcome to the forum.
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Hi Squidnut,

Thanks for the welcome, I like your '67, do you have any more pictures of it by chance?

I wanted to mention the car lift is removable, even portable, too a point... Everything is on wheels. It unbolts from the floor and you get your area back when you're done.

I did install this and probably went overboard with the installation as our concrete floor was only 2-3 inches thick. If your concrete floor is in good condition and 4 inches or more in thickness, then all you have to do is drill holes and the anchors will work just fine, according to 'Max Jax'.

I'll be happy to post a thread on the installation of it.

Cheers,

DesertXL

 

[pride63]

Hello & welcome from sunny England

 

[mainsoda]

Hi Mainsoda,

Your 1970 galaxie is anything but "universal" Your car has that classic muscle car roof-fender slope lines. I fear I don't know much about the 1970 model, what was roof design was that called by Ford, a fastback? formal? or ?

Cheers,

DesertXL

My car is just a plain Galaxie 500 base model, not a fastback. I like the lines too, the 1970's seem to be super rare. There are only a couple even here at the forum.

I am excited to see the work you do on your 68! I love the front running lights on those cars.

I have some work to do on my top yet, here is a shot from the back corner.