SUMMARY
Build completed in 2010Want to celebrate summer in a razor-sharp kustom that draws crowds at shows and turn heads on the strip? You can always buy a nice Chevy - Like everyone else... You COULD find a cool old Dodge and raise a few eyebrows... Or, you can call RK Motors Charlotte and snatch up this incredible Ford Galaxie! Featured in the August, 2011 edition of Street Rodder Magazine, this unique national award-winner wraps a brutal ROUSH Performance 427 in a modern, Ridetech-equipped suspension, custom-finished steel and supple leather hides. And if you're looking for a fun classic that mixes one-of-a-kind style with top-of-the-line performance, it's the good time you've been patiently waiting for!
BODYWORK/TRIM
Officially baptized in to the Kustom world by Hot Rods & Custom Stuff of Escondido, California, this super slick Starliner has been carefully finessed and expertly finished to the absolute highest standards. The smooth surfaces that make up the car's sleek profile are entirely comprised of clean sheetmetal that was fully blasted, fitted with fresh rockers, mated to a new trunk pan and laboriously block-sanded. That solid shell shines in a killer coat of custom Raspberry Pearl 2-stage that's been lovingly buffed to a trophy-winning glare. And today, this Ford rolls as one excellent-looking custom that's completely devoid of filler, questionable seams, strange bulges or anything else that might demerit its otherwise superior construction.
Beginning in 1960, the Galaxie traded ostentatious '50s bling for the Space Age traits that would eventually define one of the best decades of automotive design. And this coupe, playing on the decidedly minimalist appeal of the street rodding movement, pushes that aesthetic even further. At the front of the car, a custom, color-keyed grille plants custom-mounted headlights between a nosed hood, stainless-trimmed marker lamps and a narrowed, tucked and smoothed bumper. Behind that hood, like-new glass rides inside a filled cowl, straight stainless and capped windshield wipers. Beneath that glass, a flowing, monochromatic profile centers shaved doors between modified rocker trim, classy gun sight fender toppers and first generation Mustang mirrors. And at the back of those doors, correct pillar stars fall on a shaved trunk that caps factory taillights, a color-keyed valance, and a second narrowed, tucked and smoothed bumper.
ENGINE
How many times have you spotted a racy Kustom, sauntered over to grab a closer look and discovered some lackadaisical '40s powertrain dozing under its hood? No disrespect to 6-cylinder builds or flatty Ford fans, but some enthusiasts value performance more than authenticity. Dyno-ed at 460 rear-wheel horsepower in January of 2009, this Galaxie's ROUSH Performance 427SR twists big compression into rocket-like torque. At the top of the Dart block, a polished and color-keyed air cleaner mixes fresh oxygen with pure fossils in a 770cfm Holley 4-barrel that's seated between a Lokar throttle cable and braided fuel line. That carburetor funnels food through a polished Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, which seats a billet MSD distributor in front of an MSD Blaster SS coil. That distributor is centered between 9mm ROUSH wires, which snake spark around aluminum heads, Wiseco pistons, H-beam rods, a roller cam and a forged 4340 crank. Those CNC-ported heads hang polished and color-keyed valve covers over coated long-tube headers. Charge is provided by modern serpentine components, which spin a PSC power steering pump beneath a Sanden AC compressor. And cooling comes courtesy of a polished Be Cool radiator, which hangs dual electric puller fans behind a custom support that's tied directly in to the car's modified frame rails. Aesthetically, a recessed firewall, smoothed fenders and a fully finished hood make the balanced, blueprinted and Raspberry-coated mill look right at home. And well-planned details, like polished caps, trick dipsticks and ROUSH wire looms are both functional and appealing.
DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION
Take a look under this incredible custom and you'll find a highly modified skeleton that's been completely polished, coated and plated. At the front of the car's modified floors, a Mustang II suspension employs Bilstein shocks, Ridetech air bags and power rack-and-pinion steering. Behind that front clip, a Gearstar-built C6 jerks a Gear Vendor overdrive unit, which rides atop a third electric cooling fan. Behind that driveline, a tough Currie 9-inch spins 31-spline axles, a posi-trac differential and big, 3.73 gears between two more Ridetech air bags. The aforementioned headers roll spent gases through coated pipes that center an X-shaped crossover in front of Flowmaster Hushpower II mufflers. At the corners of that exhaust, polished Wilwood calipers clamp four drilled and slotted rotors. On the outside of those discs, Starliner-branded EVODs spin 245/40ZR18 Nitto NT555 Extreme ZRs in front of 295/45ZR18 Nitto NT555 Extreme ZRs. And everything, from this Ford's Wilwood proportioning valve to its quick Powermaster starter, is decidedly top notch.
INTERIOR
The car's supple interior, a completely custom creation installed by Armando's Custom Upholstery of San Jacinto, California, highlights modern technology while honoring old school heritage. Plush leather seats, Glide in the front and a custom bench out back, ride on clean Barley carpet that's stretched between LizardSkin floors, color-keyed mats and leather-wrapped sills. In front of those seats, a "Starliner" branded dash anchors rear-mounted Auto Meter Nexus telemetry inside a custom, black anodized instrument panel. At the base of that dash, a custom console centers touch-screen Alpine audio just right of controls for the aforementioned Ridetech air bags. Opposite that console, sculpted side panels hang polished door handles in front of power-operated windows. In front of the driver, a leather-wrapped Recaro steering wheel laps a tilting Flaming River column and billet foot pedals. And behind the cockpit, a fully finished trunk features upscale storage space.
AWARDS/FEATURES
Naturally, a build like this gets a lot of attention. Here's a short list of this Galaxie's major accolades.
Featured on the cover of the August, 2011 edition of Street Rodder MagazineOUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION AND ACCESSORIES
A build bookThis exceptional Starliner is one of the coolest cruisers in the Galaxy! Not only is this Ford a fully restored classic that's being offered at a fraction of its build cost, it's also a unique hot rod that's far removed from typical factory metal. Well-done early '60s Fords don't come along too often, and given the attention this hardtop is drawing, it certainly won't last long!