During a car club meetup I attended earlier in the fall in the Midwest, we paid a visit to the Kansas City Auto Museum. One of the cars on display, a striking 1962 Ford Galaxie 500XL Club Victoria Coupe, belonged to the group’s tour guide. The car was named “Red Baron” by its owner, and it had special meaning to him because it was a close replica of a car he drove when he was younger. We can all relate to the power of automotive nostalgia.
The Galaxie nameplate was applied to all of Ford’s full-size models in 1962, and the 500XL (or “extra lively”) trim was at the top of the ranks. One magazine advertisement said, “This one defines luxury better than a dictionary. It has all-new interior trim… foam-cushioned bucket seats, separated by a Thunderbird-style console… and a four-speed stick shift or automatic transmission. This lively blend of elegance and action is appearing in person at your Ford dealer’s. The line forms to the right!”
Exterior features included chrome brightwork, quad headlights, dual side mirrors, Galaxie 500XL badging, body side moldings, and afterburner-style taillights consistent with the Jet Age styling that was popular at the time.
The interior was dressed in red, featuring chrome dash trim, center console, manual-crank windows, radio, and custom floor mats.
Under the hood was a 406ci V-8 rated at 405 horsepower and 448 lb-ft of torque. A placard accompanying the car said, “The engine in this car is bored to 414ci with approximately 510 horsepower. Drivetrain includes optional BorgWarner four-speed transmission and 4.11 differential. Also has traction bars, driveshaft loop, and straight-through mufflers.” One of the Galaxie 500XL selling points that Ford talked about was the fact that it only needed service twice a year or every 6,000 miles.
“Definitely not for pedestrian tastes,” Ford said of the 500XL when it was new. The same holds true today for enthusiasts of classic full-size Ford models. This black beauty was my favorite car on display at the museum, even alongside a 1964.5 Mustang with reportedly over 613,000 miles on it.
By the way, since the car belonged to our tour guide, I joked with him and said, “Fire it up for us!” He declined, but he assured us the car will run and drive whenever he wants it to.
Swing by and take a look for yourself if you’re in the area. Ticket prices at the museum range from $7 to $9 per person, and children age five and under receive free admission. Each month, the museum curates a themed exhibit in its “drive-in” area, ranging from Japanese cars to military vehicles to Chevrolet Corvettes and anything in between.
