Vic Buraglio's 63.5 Galaxie

The Challenge

Part of Vic's "Plan B" triumvirate, this 63.5 Galaxie had to be able to take him wherever he wanted to go, including back to his youth. Our goal was to accentuate the car's classic lines with clean and timeless details and enhance its drivability with upgraded power, handling and adult creature comforts.

What We Did

On the outside, we tucked the bumpers, added rear view mirrors from a '64 Galaxie and replaced the factory side trim and tail light bezels with custom machined pieces. All the trim was either polished or painted gray to contrast against the Stallmeyer-sprayed black PPG paint. Inside, we built a clean and smooth dash that houses custom gauges by Classic Instruments, Vintage Air A/C and smaller than stock replica of the original steering wheel from American Retro for better aesthetics, comfort and control. Everything is wrapped in bright red leather, including reshaped seats with help from Ross Johns upholstery.

Under hood, there's a hand-built engine bay that surrounds a Ford Performance 5.0 Coyote engine that sits in an Art Morrison C6 equipped sub frame which we attached to the original boxed and strengthened frame. A torque-arm rear suspension with coil-overs and Watts linkage shore up the rear and it all comes in contact with the road via Billet Specialties 17 & 18 inch Bonneville G wheels. The Nitto tires got the red line treatment form Diamond Back Tires to help tie the retro-modern theme together.

What We Achieved

We created a fountain of youth, the kind Vic can take with him anywhere for a little R&R (Roadgoing Rejuvenation). In the process, we also landed a feature spot in Hot Rodder Magazine and a Good-Guys Builders Choice Award.