The 1959 Ford Galaxie was Ford ’s attempt to marry style with inwardness , undertake to evade the growing unfavorable judgment in the fifties thatDetroitmore often than not attempted to pass off the former as the latter .
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To be certain , the X produced more than its fairish share of " all - new " cable car that were n’t , " major founding " that really boiled down to trivial gubbins , and styling sizzle masquerading as intention steak . Yet it must be asked whether this was really so speculative when we mirthfully bought most everything the industry put before us . If we were sometimes duped , as the critic said , some of us were at least uncoerced victims .
As the best - known practitioner of " figure by opinion research,“FordMotor Company came in for much of this literary criticism , specially once the Edsel flunk . Yet the approach gave Ford at least as many success , include the 1959 Ford Galaxie . The 1955 Ford and Mercury , the 1956 Lincoln , the 1957 Ford , and specially the four - rear 1958 Thunderbird come about as considered answer to what purchaser say they want – and who promptly put their money where their mouths were .
Ford would score even greater marketing victory in the sixties ( like the phenomenally successful Mustang , to name the biggest ) , but we should n’t forget a popular 1959 ontogeny : the first Ford Galaxie . It come as a precipitate effort to cash in on the winner of the " Squarebird " hardtop , whose semi - conventional wide - quarter roofline foregather with overpowering credence .
Of course , it had been too late to vary 1959 standard - Ford styling by the time emptor interpret their verdict on the Thunderbird , but fellowship planners estimate a similar roofline might encourage the appeal of Fairlane 500 sedans and hardtop . It did .
As the net Ford in the design cycle began with the all - new 1957 , the 1959 Ford Galaxie and other simulation experience far more changes than most death - of - the - line evolutions , believably because Ford knew an all - new 1959 Chevrolet was coming . The previous 116 - in - wheelbase models run over to the 118 - in Fairlane / Fairlane 500 span . New outer jury covered a much - modify 1957 - 1958 inner social organisation , resulting in giving , bright , blockier cable car .
Ford rather immodestly hyped them as " The World ’s Most Beautifully Proportioned Cars . " However dubious that title , the 1959 Ford Galaxie and its brethren looked downright cautious next to the revolutionary newfangled " bat - fin " Chevrolet , but it went on to win a Gold Medal for exceptional styling at the 1959 Brussels World Fair .
It could have been otherwise . Some 1959 proposals were ugly , heavy sculptured function with tremendous circular tail lamps , reverse - rake rearward windows à la 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser and – amazingly enough – " batwing " white tie and tails , though more quiet than Chevrolet ’s . Fortunately , Ford had the beneficial good sense to reject those nightmares .
For more on how the 1959 Ford Galaxie help oneself Ford go forward its Detroit authorization , go to the next Sir Frederick Handley Page .
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Continued
1959 Ford Galaxie engineering showed good sense , too : a unattackable frame with more widely spaced side rails for extra home room ; engines slightly detuned for better thriftiness ( a definite selling point after the 1958 recession ) ; a light , redesign two - fastness Ford - oxygen - Matic with 105 fewer constituent ; and a new link - case front stabilizer prevention and variable - rate rearward springs that did nothing for handling , but damp the ride .
Of gravid long - terminus importance were the borrowing of more durable aluminizedmufflers , full - flow filters providing 4,000 - nautical mile oil - modification intervals , and " Diamond Lustre " enamel paint that was n’t supposed to need climb .
The wisdom of introducing a new top - line stock serial with Thunderbird cap styling caused little debate , but there was argumentation about its name . Ford considered variations on its more democratic late monikers , include Townliner , Crown 500 , and even Thunderstar , then select Galaxie – wrongly spelled , but perhaps inspired by the belated success of the U.S. space program .
No matter . The big Ford Galaxie with " the Thunderbird flavour " sold strongly despite a late , mid - model - yr start : good than 464,000 units . That figure is a bit deceptive , however , in that the Fairlane 500 Sunliner and Skyliner became Ford Galaxies at the same prison term through a dewy-eyed change of rear pilot script , though all 1959 Galaxies retained Fairlane 500 rearward - deck recognition .
Yet even if the two drop - upper side are tote up to the Fairlane 500 ’s total , the 1959 Ford Galaxie still comes out forward by almost three to one . At over 405,000 units , its four closed models accounted for honest than 27 percent of Ford ’s entire 1959 loudness .
With this , plus vastly beneficial quality than in 1957 - 1958 , Ford tweet Chevrolet in calendar 1959 sales , though Chevrolet advance the example twelvemonth production race by a bit less than 12,000 unit .
But the 1959 Ford Galaxie had made its stop , and would remain the top stock Ford for the next decade , always a unattackable seller . It also prompted a similar roof grafting for the 1962 Falcon compact , which rise just as popular . Which only move to show that even the best steak seems to taste better with the right sizzle .
To see the specifications of the 1959 Ford Galaxie , keep reading .
1959 Ford Galaxie Specifications
The 1959 Ford Galaxie may have been a latecomer to the crowded 1959 field , but it certainly held its own . The 1959 Ford Galaxie specifications below assistance show why the Galaxie helped agitate Ford back to the top of the Detroit mountain .
Specifications
railway locomotive : I-6 , 223 Criminal Investigation Command ( 3.62 × 3.60 ) , 145 bhp ; ohv V-8 , 292 Criminal Investigation Command ( 3.75 × 3.30 ) , 200 bhp ; 332 cid ( 4.00 × 3.30 ) , 225 bhp ; 352 cid ( 4.00 × 3.50 ) , 300 bhp
Transmissions:3 - speed manual of arms ; overdrive , 2 - pep pill Ford - O - Matic , 3 - speed double - range Cruise - group O - Matic optional
Suspension , front : upper and down in the mouth A - arms , coil springs
Suspension , rearward : alive axle , semi - elliptic foliage springs
brake : front / rearward drums
Wheelbase ( in.):118.0
Weight ( lbs):3,388 - 4,064
Top speed ( mph):95 - 110
0 - 60 mph ( sec):10.0 - 18.0
