Quieter Than A Rolls Royce? How Ford Perfected the Quiet Ride in their 1965 Ford Galaxie & LTD

Learn more about the engineering philosophy behind the 1965 Ford Galaxie and LTD.

[@philrulon]

My Dad worked for Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN) in Cambridge, Mass in the 1960s. BBN was an acoustics specialist outfit contracted by Ford to do the instrumentation and analysis for the Rolls Royce comparison. Bob Newman headed up the project. Ford bought a new Rolls Royce for the testing. BBN instrumented both cars and ran the tests. The result they reported was that the Ford was indeed quieter than the Rolls. Ford was obviously delighted with the results of independent testing confirming their claims. So impressed, they offered Newman his choice of any car in their inventory. “That’s great” said Newman, “I’ll take the Rolls”. He drove it for years after that.

[@lqr824]

hillarious! I think BBN went on to write one of the versions of Unix??

[@philrulon]

BBN contributed an early version of the TCP/IP network stack to the Unix kernel and utilities. I might be worth noting that Bill Joy thought it was terrible looking code and rewrote it all at Berkeley. That work had a significant impact on the success of BSD. BBN also wrote TENEX, an OS that ran on the DEC 10. It was later adopted by Digital as TOPS. We can thank them for things like command line recall and editing, tab completion, the TECO editor, and other early advances in usability.

[@lqr824]

@@philrulon Thanks! Always enjoy getting the answer socially rather than looking it up. I started at the tail end of the Unix Wars. In college I still had BSD, but from my first job onwards SVR4. So I'd read bits of the history either in books or on usenet but spent 20 years+ just programming instead of studying history. Now playing catch-up to C++20...

[@emjayay]

@Benjamin-cd8vk ​Reported but KZbin doesn't have a category for random off topic proselytizing.

[@paullesho2693]

The Ford is much easier to maintain. Look what they are worth in great condition now.

[@wmalden]

In 1965, my dad traded his 1965 Mustang in for a 1965 Galaxie 500 2 door hardtop. He was a traveling salesman and found the Mustang too small for his needs. The Galaxie was dark blue and had under dash air conditioning. It was our first car with A/C. One summer, we drove from Nebraska to New York. It was a great road trip car.

[@mdogg1604]

So did Muhammad drive a Galaxie? I'm confused... @Benjamin-cd8vk

[@emjayay]

Another advancement for Fords in 1965 was fully integrated AC (which your dad's car didn't have.)

[@Loulovesspeed]

@Benjamin-cd8vk - This is not the venue to try and get people to convert to Islam, or any other religion. Allah would not approve of this practice. Go out directly to the people and seek new converts, but don't waste the space of completely unrelated videos to suit your desires. 😇

[@JavierBonilla78]

Back in the 60's Ford beat Rolls Royce in its own game of quiet ride, one year later Ford beat Ferrari in its own game at Le Mans. Those were the days of proud American cars.

[@67marlins]

Si-Si.

[@kevincostello3856]

Yes, very well said, thank you

[@rogersmith7396]

Yeah like Consumer Reports says a Toyota is better than a Rolls. They kinda missed the point.

[@dmer-zy3rb]

Rolls Royce lowkey were outdated cars that werent overall better than american luxury cars or Mercedes of the time. still nice cars though of course but the price was insane.

[@67marlins]

@@rogersmith7396 NO, you missed the point.

[@ppeller3]

Adam, your delivery of information is both smooth and somewhat soothing to listen to. I know you started this channel talking about the cars that you own. But now you've taken this channel in a new direction. Covering automotive design and development on the cars we all grew up with. I think you're on to something good here!

[@Al-thecarhistorian]

Adam has the #1 car channel, ranking far above everyone else. Others try but always botch the details, information and photos. All others rush their presentation and concentrate too heavily on power or speed. Adam is composed, knowledgeable, accurate, well researched and unbiased.

[@domenicogaldo6065]

For me as a European Adam has openned up a whole new world of Cars; many of which we knew very little about. (I´m looking at you Mercury) American cars were too big for our roads, gas prices have always been high in Europe and American car´s were always thought of as lacking sophistication compared to our car´s. I now know this is a wrong impression; certainly up until the malaise era when ironically American auto makers tried downsizing their offerings to more European and Japonese size engines and bodies.

[@nomebear]

@@domenicogaldo6065 There's nothing more shocking than being an American and driving a normal sized car in Europe, and then having to move aside for some German driving a gargantuan Cadillac Eldorado convertible.

[@domenicogaldo6065]

@@nomebear 😂

[@61rampy65]

My parents bought a new 65 LTD 2dr ht with 390. They traded our 63 Galaxie with 223 6cyl with 3 on the tree. Holy Moley, what a difference!! The 65 was absolutely gorgeous! I learned to drive in that car, and took my driver's test in it. Of all my parents cars, I liked the 65 the best. Useless tidbit: the taillights had about 1" diameter holes on the inside of the housing-this let light into the trunk if the parking lights were on. Fun story: Mom hadn't driven an automatic in many years, so when we got the car, Dad was driving and Mom asked what the "L" on the shift indicator meant. Dad stopped the car, dropped it into Low, and did a 50ft burnout! Mom was aghast, but I (being 13) thought it was the coolest thing ever! Loved that 390!

[@super20dan]

we had a 68 w/390 very fast and burned rubber forever

[@roscius6204]

big car, big motor and shite tires... the perfect burnout car.😄

[@roscius6204]

@Benjamin-cd8vk I guess given the Middle Eastern Origins of Allah, your preference would be the Rolls Royce ?

[@emjayay]

The Cruise o matic would have started in low gear if the selector was in D1 anyway. A better demonstration of L would be to be going 30 mph downhill and show how it helps keep the speed in check without overheating the drum brakes.

[@tombrown4683]

​@@super20danI had one as well. My dad bought it new & I bought it from him in '71 instead of him trading it in. Would definately smoke the tires !

[@colibri1]

My father had a 1965 Galaxie 500 sedan in the sixties. I was too young to notice whether it was unusually quiet or not, but it was a good, dependable car.

[@Bbbbad724]

I have a 1965 LTD 2dr and it ride’s absolutely amazing. I restored the suspension and it is better than a new car. All you can hear is 500 hp of FE , lol

[@jamesmcintire3800]

Thanks for sharing this video Adam. Your in-depth knowledge continues to amaze me. I've been fortunate enough to own a 66 Ford LTD now for several years; a 4 door hardtop with the 352 V8/automatic. Not a speed demon by any means but I simply love driving that car and with proper care it has been a very dependable car, too, asking for very little since I first purchased it. I love the soft quiet ride that it offers. I did update the brakes a few years ago to front discs to make it safer to drive in modern traffic. Otherwise she remains almost all original. That LTD will be with me forever.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

If the engine ever needs to be rebuilt, you can have it done to 1958 specs. You will have 300 horsepower. Also, you can swap out your rear end gearing with more aggressive gearing. That will give you LOTS more speed!

[@richardprice5978]

love the body style ( runner up in my consideration but bought a 1969 charger instead ) in hardtop/glass-roof/convertibles as im not into having a b-pillar blind-spots aka nice car 👍wishing ford/others made something like this in 2030~ in 120"in wheelbase/full-size or 115-118" 1/2-sized suisced back-doors

[@bartlevenson7851]

@@michaelbenardo5695 LTDs are about comfort not speed. If you want speed, buy a dodge Hellcat or a rocket sled!

[@Specrotors]

Ride aside, ain't nothing better to get your blood flowing, than a 427 4-speed Galaxie 👌 no matter how rare they may be lol

[@rogersmith7396]

How many of those were made? Like 2?

[@LongIslandMopars]

Hemi Coronet just entered the chat....😎

[@kingnillvwell381]

Exactly

[@Richard4point6]

Amen!

[@reginaldbowls7180]

Wagon

[@billsmith7255]

Congratulations you richly deserve this hundred thousand subscribers‼️

[@HAL-dm1eh]

A 66 Galaxie was the first car I ever drove. It was white with beautiful blue interior, powered by a 289 2 BBL and was being used as a personal car for my dad. After he had it for a while (letting me drive it around in the yard and the open field by our house) he gave it to his brother to use as a work car. Not long after it caught fire (I forget why, but his brother's cars didn't last long) and came back home to be permanently parked in that field. He took out that 289 and took it apart in front of me. He explained everything about how it worked and to this day I learned more in those few hours than I've ever learned since. I still remember driving that car, the look of pleasure on my dad's face when he drove it (who otherwise hated large cars) and the mixed smell of oil and old gas as he disassembled that engine.

[@LongIslandMopars]

Cool story. I still have my dad's 66 Coronet that he owned from new. Unrestored; just keeping it going as it left the factory.

[@Paramount531]

@@LongIslandMopars I absolutely love the 66 and 67 Coronets!

[@LongIslandMopars]

@@Paramount531 Thanks. It's a crew cab (4 door) with a 273 (smaller than that 289 you had). Dad called it the "little engine that could". Took him to retirement and 201k miles before I inherited it.

[@m.pietro9087]

Another excellent video from Adam! I’d love to watch a video about the 1966 Ford Galaxie. In my opinion, one of the most beautiful cars from the 60’s.

[@emjayay]

1965 actually, although the 1966 model was just a slight facelift.

[@josieann5031]

Channel is growing fast. Two days ago it was at 99.7 and today it reached 100K! Great content is why it's one of my favorite channels.

[@BillofRights1951]

The favorable comparison for quietness only worked with LTDs' equipped with the 289 V8. Still the 65-68 Ford were great cars. My parents had a 66 Galaxie 4D and I had a '68 Galaxie 2D....Loved those cars....and they were beasts. Very reliable and tough.

[@Johnnycdrums]

Love the MK II for a lot of reasons, especially quality. One of the women of the Ford family (Edsel's wife, or her daughter I think), kept her MK II around, and in 1969 had the 368? Y-Block removed and replaced with the last of the American "big blocks", the Ford "385 Block" 460 at the factory. A MK II with a 460 and it's legit, and has the factory tags to prove it. These were ten times better than any R.R. going throught the line in jolly ole' England..

[@johnsorensen2088]

Ah! '65. What a year. I remember this ad campaign well. Dr. Oldsmobile was another favorite of mine. I miss glass headlights. I'm so sick of cleaning the plastic cover that covers the bulbs of my Honda.

[@matrox]

Honda...🤣😂

[@Foxonian]

My Aunt had a dark blue '65 LTD that looked exactly like the one in this video. That car lasted up until 1978(still in pristine condition with only 78,000 miles on it) when she gave the car to my cousin who stupidly ran the car without lead additive that it required due to the 392 engine never being rebuilt. He ended up trashing the engine and scrapping the car after having it less than 6 months.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Sad that he would scrap it only because he needed a valve job.

[@kingkrimson8771]

390 engine, not 392

[@kingkrimson8771]

@Benjamin-cd8vk Allah can't be that great, I heard he drives a Lada

[@ValdezJu]

I owned a '66 Galaxie 500 (used) and it was beautiful to look at but, unfortunately, it had a 6 CLY, 3 on the tree, and no power steering!

[@JeffW77]

Memory of a Ford ad from about that time, with Mario Andretti. "I know Fords. I know how strong they build 'em. And when they build 'em that strong, they stay quiet. Real quiet."

[@rogersmith7396]

Remember Charles Bronson driving his Ford Pickup off the Grand Canyon in the movie Mr. Majestik. Did'nt even scratch the paint.

[@hugh007]

I had a '' 66" 7 Litre. White with 2 shades of red interior.. Like the T Bird furnishings. Sold it a few years later. Now they are somewhat rare and is my most memorable car. Thanks.

[@johneckert1365]

The 7 Litre came with the new 428. It was a great engine, but nothing like the 427 was

[@hugh007]

@@johneckert1365 That's true but probably more street-worthy for the average driver. I think the 428 was an option in the T-bird over the standard 390.

[@johneckert1365]

@@hugh007 Ha yea, it was definitely more driver friendly

[@larry_anderson]

My first car was a '66 Galaxie. It did have a great ride. Wish I still had it.

[@knowbodiesfull5768]

1:23 : Maybe those wheel covers from your '66 ended up on that '65! _(8/8/2023)_

[@roymcgaw7431]

@@knowbodiesfull5768SO happy to see that someone else noticed that 😊

[@johnlandacre767]

I was about 11 years old when the new Ford Galaxie came out. What a beautiful design, and what a quiet, comfortable ride. My brother’s friend used to come over in his dad’s baby blue LTD with dark blue vinyl roof. That was a beautiful combination. These cars were everywhere back in mid to late 60s. They must have sold a huge number of them. Btw, congratulations, Adam, on 100,000 subscribers. You have a great talent and superb knowledge of everything automotive, particularly from the classic era. I think I listened to your first couple of videos, the 66 (or 67?) Pontiac Catalina and ‘69 Lincoln Mark iII. Keep up the good work.

[@glennso47]

They were even featured on the Andy Griffith Show as the police car.

[@shedman7323]

Another great episode. This is such a informative channel for enthusiasts of anything car related. I’ve learned much about the inner workings of the automotive industry here! Thanks

[@empiesidbury1573]

werent they about the same as the 65's

[@iswc27]

Another thing that was significantly new for the 1965 Fords was the dual-facing rear seats for the Country Squire and Country Sedan station wagons. With them, Ford was able to promote seating for up to ten people, although that may have been more true if the people sitting there were small children. They remained a Dearborn exclusive until the last big Ford wagons were built in 1991. Anyway, interesting video, and BTW, congratulations on reaching 100K subscribers!

[@djplonghead5403]

The 1964 Imperial was the quietest car in the world, also quieter than a RR.

[@fivespeedv8]

I know the chassis/ underpinnings from ‘65 were carried through the ‘68 model year but I don’t know how drastic the changes were from ‘69 onward. Perhaps that could be a future video, comparing the engineering, ride, handling, and quietness between your cars of those 2 generations.

[@travelingfool9096]

yes great idea.

[@machpodfan]

@@travelingfool9096 I think I saw that at least the front chassis area survived basically the same into the Crown Victoria era, it was that stout and quiet.

[@travelingfool9096]

@@machpodfan My thought was three basic full sized cars post WW2: 49, 65, 79 ( panther)

[@deepthinker999]

The 69 & 70 LTDs put the radio on the wrong side of the dash where it could not be reached by the front passenger.

[@unclebob7937]

@@deepthinker999 Calm down passenger, The Captain has the tunes under controll.😎

[@seana806]

Absolutely love the 1965 to 1968 Fords, no other vehicle from that time captured the styling and aesthetics of the mid to late 60’s as the Fords did. GM and Chrysler was still clinging on to the jet-age styling while Ford went all out in the 60’s which was kicked off with the Falcon, Galaxie 500, and 1961 Lincoln Continental.

[@Htfsik]

I understand that Chrysler also benchmarked the Rolls Royce for its 1964-66 Imperial. I read somewhere that they put 235 pounds of soundproofing into the 1964, and upped that by an additional 10 pounds for ‘65-66. Interesting story on the Fords. Especially appreciated the engineering details.

[@williammaceri8244]

Hey Adam, as usual, an excellent review of the 65 model years. We had a handful in my neighborhood in the mid-60s. The people were in awh for months after the release date. In a few short months we began to see mostly LTD, and the Chosen Country Sedans and square s. Ford has Always been the Wagonmaster,s, and if you drove, or even road in one you'd see how it earned the title. The 65 LTDs suddenly had a much higher quality through out the car. Back in the day in our neighborhood you could see just how popular they were, and still they are everywhere. During the week you would see those wagons full of kids being taken, and get picked up in a late Ford wagons. They looked great (the wagons did) The interior fabrics and vinyls fit and finish was excellent the dashboards all the details, lead you to believe you were in a much higher class of car. Over the years, you could tell you were looking a Ford. Ford's tended to all have the Ford look. I wish they were still around today! If they were, I believe people would want one hands down. Most of the family's would be driving one. Not minivans and SUVs. But that's just me. An excellent choice to review. I loved seeing them

[@williammaceri8244]

Sorry for the duplicate comments. I just really get into your reviews.

[@filipfaraci2751]

I’ve never seen a ‘65 Ford with fender skirts. Does anyone know if they were available from the factory or an add on from the J.C. Whitney Catalog?

[@timr31908]

Ford Fairlane was one of the best drag racing cars just by their Superior ride but of course when you put the 427 in there you have a true winner

[@steves9905]

man the '65 LTD is delicious. Fords rode nice, but were kinda squishy...maybe that's why Mopar made great gains in the 60's with fleet sales to the police and other govt depts.

[@portaltwo]

CONGRATULATIONS on 100k subscribers! Well done. 🏆🎉

[@dennisg8119]

My grandfather had a 1966 lTD, it had the most comfortable seats of any car I have ever been in! And it was super quiet and smooth going down the road. It had the 390 engine.

[@stevef4304]

I had a 66 LTD from '72 to '74 with a 390. I went through two transmission rebuilds and junked it on the 3rd failure. It couldn't stand up to the 390 and the weight. But yes, everyone wanted me to drive because it was big, quiet and cool.

[@marko7843]

My godmother drove one for 20 years with no mechanical problems, with the SEEMINGLY delicate ulatrafine cloth seats, same drivetrain - and the BRAND NEW 8-TRACK PLAYER invented by Bill Lear for his jets! Unfortunately, when it came my time to drive it myself, BOY did that divorced-power-steering and handling suck!! I wasn't able to compare it to a contemporary Continental, but Dad's '71 Lincoln steered & handled soooo much better. I will, however, admit that it did ride solidly & smoothly as Adam explained with those oddly-planned chassis mounts...

[@williammaceri8244]

Hey Adam. The 1965 Full-size Ford was a beautiful transition from the 64s, and beyond, I say that and yet the 63, and 64, Full-size were very good-looking cars, so the beauty in the 65, takes nothing away from Ford's prior model years. The dark blue metallic you featured in the review is just gorgeous, and the black vinyl top fits perfectly. I was just 10 years old in 65, but I remember how attractive the 65s were, and yet very different from GM and Chrysler's styling. I guess you might say I'm a pushover for stacked headlights. The square grill and stacked headlights are very classy, and the shape of the taillights are magnificent. The new 65 look somehow said pure Ford even though it looked like no other Ford from the past. The new dashboard was really well done, even as a kid I could appreciate the dash layout. When you look closely at the LTD interior you can see the quality of the materials, and the excellent trim, the woodgrain panels, and the use of chrome is spot on. Ford really nailed it in 65, and the evolution of the look in the 66, and 67 continued the right direction. I have always been a big fan of the 67s softer look and the taillights were bold and classy at the same time. I knew then I would be a Ford man for life. And that doesn't even include the 66 Mustangs. Their subtle refinements of the 65s just added to my attraction. Ford just seemed to know what I like. The Ford blue color used on the engines was perfect. I can remember rebuilding the 351 Windsor in my 69 Mach l, I searched all the auto parts stores in the San Fernando Valley until I found that Ford blue color. It actually stopped the rebuild from progressing until I found the right blue. True Story. Thanks again, Adam, for another great review.

[@user-qr7ee2cp4y]

The good old days when people valued a quiet car

[@nomebear]

I took my driver's test in a new '65 Galaxy 4 dr. It was easier to parallel park than our '65 Catalina 2 door. The car was very solid, the engine was precision balanced as was the drive shaft. Was that the year of the wedge valve cover engine, where they set a glass of champagne on it to demonstrate how smooth it was? This was also the year Ford car doors stopped rattling.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Either that year or 66.

[@kingkrimson8771]

Galaxie, not Galaxy

[@timokuusela5794]

I had -67 LTD with 428 when I was young in the -80:s. I still love that car, I literally cried when I had to sell it to afford starting life as a family. There were only 3 similar in Finland at that time, and mine was the best version 4d ht. It was baby blue and a chick magnet. I met my wife with it, she was like a twin sister of that year's Miss Finland. Fond memories...

[@brianhdueck3372]

Adam I never understood the frame flex design that well until you educated us here. I recall how well and quiet these cars rode. Interesting thought came to me that we used to have smooth cars and good roads. These dynamics, at least here in Canada have done a role reversal it seems.

[@davidstuef290]

Congrats on 100k subscribers Adam! Well deserved!!!

[@michaelwhite2823]

SNL satirized the Ford commercials by doing a fake commercial with a moyel circumcising a baby in a Mercury Cougar Brougham sedan. Yes Mercury made a Cougar sedan in 1977.

[@michaelplunkett8059]

Aunt had '67 Galaxie. Unbeatable. 394,000 miles before she got a '74 Galaxie.

[@michaelkehm3663]

My 1966 Galaxie 500 2 door hardtop I had as a senior in high school in 1971 was one of the nicest riding and quiet cars I have ever owned. Fond of that car still today.

[@vanvirginian8032]

We had the same navy blue w/ black vinyl top ‘65 Galaxie 500 w/ the LTD option. Mother drove it till 1970 and traded it for a new LTD - a ‘70 bronze brown w/ chocolate brown vinyl top. I think the ‘65 LTD was the best looking, most modern looking car we ever had as a family car.

[@patrickchubey3127]

I had a '67 Galaxie for a while. It was the best camping car ever because you could put EVERYTHING in the trunk, even your fishing rods, without having to take them apart.

[@keeganandersson4281]

The ‘65 LTD is such a gorgeous design imo. So clean, simple, and elegant. I think this car, especially if coupled with any of the 427s, was the best entry-level-brand car you could get at the time, and one of the best in general

[@Johnnycdrums]

I think 66' is the best looking year for any iteration of the Galaxie, including LTD and 7 Litre Galaxie 500.

[@davidfrania8990]

My Dad bought a new 1966 Galaxie 500 four door hardtop that was white with a red interior. If I remember correctly it had the 289 V-8. I can also still remember the soft whooshing sound it made when you opened the flow-through ventilation system. One of my favorite design features was the formal looking roofline and rear window. @@Johnnycdrums

[@Johnnycdrums]

The 427 codes are (Q), (W), or (R). The last 427 appeared in 68' Cougar GT-E's, and it was the lower tired (Q) code and were only available with auto trans, unless you got the Cougar the GT-E with the 428 CJ. I think the Cougar GT-E was one year only, and the only Ford model available in 1968 with only two engine choices, a 427 or 428. How cool would it be to have both?

[@KevinBreak]

@@Johnnycdrums I had a 68 XR7 with a 302, loved that car! Thanks for the info, I've never driven a big block Cougar.

[@DanEBoyd]

@@Johnnycdrums Agree.

[@michaelpfaff6009]

100k!!!! You did it!!! YOU did it with your excellent content!! Congratulations!!!

[@kobewade8709]

My Grandfather worked at Chicago stamping for 42 years. Starting back in August of 56'. His brother started in 59' & stayed 39 years. & their brother started back in the 40's at Chicago Ford Assembly & stayed 47 years. So, I love anytime that u make anything for FoMoCo related. Especially land yachts & luxury cars.

[@charlesb7019]

The 1957 Imperial pioneered curved side glass, not Lincoln.

[@topgeardel]

I remember being in junior high talking to my buddies about the Ford LTD. Can you imagine a Ford costing $4000...a Ford? That was the discussion.

[@hutchcraftcp]

We had a 65 Galaxie 500 4 door in a light metallic blue. Then we had a 71 Galaxie 500 4 door hardtop. My parents traded the 71 in on a 73 Newport. Even though I was only 9 years old in 73, I noticed the sound level in the Chrysler was a lot louder.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Chrysler cars were all unit construction, Fords had a separate frame. Your ears noticed even at that young age.

[@norcal715]

Wow 100K subs congratulations. Impressive and you earned every bit of it with your knowledge of these cars. Please keep it up!

[@terry3193]

Hi Adam, WOW…this was an outstanding and detailed history of the Ford chassis during that era. Extremely informative. I’ve studied the American automotive industry primarily from a historical business perspective, but also from a product, design, and evolution perspective. And lastly, as a car enthusiast. Granted I lack any professional industry experience and have had this interest over the last 50 years and find it absolutely fascinating. The chassis area is my weakest area in terms of knowledge and your video was extremely informative and amazing. Thank you for sharing this and tackling this specific area as without going into great research of many documents your video summary I believe provides a great overall perspective. As always looking forward to your next video.👍

[@markdc1145]

1he '65 Galaxie and LTDs are still extremely handsome cars. Simple and sharp edged. They never quite got the formula right again on full-size Ford styling.

[@RareClassicCars]

68 LTD

[@markdc1145]

@@RareClassicCars Haha, ok, you got me! The '68 was also a good year especially with the hidden headlamps and possibly the best year for the fastback XL ✨

[@T-Babbbldot]

My first car was a 1966 Galaxie, 390/4bbl, 2 door.

[@kirks1959]

The downside of the torque boxes on the frame was they would rot and break up here in the northeast- in particular the 1965 and 1966 models. I was a tech in the 70's and we had to be careful when lifting them to look. I towed a few in with broken frames in the front corners.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

They did look nice, but the 64s were much better quality.

[@tombatha1182]

My family bought a Galaxie in 1965 and I still have it. Have had several others and it is my favorite Ford car. However, up in New England, every 65-66-67 Ford I have seen had rusted out torque boxes. This happened when they were about 10 years old. Unfortunately this resulted in many being prematurely scrapped.

[@middleclassretiree]

The mid 60’s ford, mercury and Lincoln’s were the best in my opinion in every aspect

[@sergioleone3583]

That 65 Galaxie 500 is such a great looking car.

[@hrc5534]

Congratulations on reaching one hundred thousand subscribers. Great channel!

[@RareClassicCars]

Thank you very much!

[@frankwalton7323]

I remember my dad bringing one home, a dark green LTD. The car was incredibly quiet in my observation. In addition the cloth seating surfaces were super soft. It was as if the Ford was now luxury class car. I was ten years old, never forgot that experience.

[@joebutchko2223]

Another beautiful thing about the 65 fords is that you could actually stick your hand up under that part of the dash that jutted out and disconnect the speedo cable on-the-fly. Mom would have flipped if she knew how far from home her little boy was venturing!

[@DSP1968]

These were the car for many to have during the late ''60s through the '70s. And they were quiet! FYI, the building behind the two cars is San Francisco City Hall.

[@clintonflynn815]

Cue the “needles and poop” comments!

[@michaelatkins9780]

Adam you just explained why 65-67 galaxies used in Nascar didn't handle, flex with coils would be great on the dirt tracks but, terrible on superspeedways. Thanks Adam.

[@travislostaglia8861]

The front suspension of the 66 galaxies was used in nascar on almost all manufacturers cars till the mid 70’s. I have never heard of them not working on super speedways

[@simonf8902]

I love Adam’s voice. ❤ The Galaxie was assembled in Australia and our Fairlane shared a lot of front end styling too. All Aussie Fords had the torque box too. However all our cars were unitary construction. And rear leaf springs persisted till the 1980s. It’s a very handsome automobile.

[@bartlevenson7851]

I learned how to drive on my mom's beige 1966 Ford Galaxie powered by the "screamin" 352, and later in a 1969 Ford LTD in Drivers Ed in school. My mother's '66 was quit and smooth around town and managed 11 mpg, 15 on highway. On the highway at 70 mph there was tremendous wind noise with the windows closed or open and it was tiresom on long trips. Conversely, the 390 cu. in. 1969 LTD driver's ed car drove lie a cloud, was super quiet, and could get closer to 20 mpg on highway. My favorite American car ride was a long trip in someones 1969 Buick Riviera. that car could cruise at 80 - 87 mph on the highway and was so quiet you could hear the clock ticking! A year later I bought my first car- a Citroen DS 19.

[@rossharris94501]

Here's a great Hemming's article by Jeff Koch on the subject: "The idea remains as shocking today as it did in 1965. "The 1965 Ford rides quieter than a Rolls-Royce!" shouted the headline. Ads in newspapers and on TV all touted the same results (and used a lot of the same artwork). Ford tested the Galaxie 500 LTD, a new model for 1965 that saw the everyman division pushing its reputation into Mercury territory, if not Lincoln spheres of refinement. We don't doubt the results of the testing, but we might suggest that there were a couple of mitigating circumstances to consider. One is age: While the Silver Cloud III came around in 1963, the Silver Cloud line itself debuted in 1955. Which means that the technologies used to make the Silver Cloud happen were probably developed in the 1940s, since Rolls-Royce (then and now) famously never invents anything, but refines everything. Compare this to the full might of Dearborn's engineers turning their attention to the chassis. Technology changes in a decade (or more), whether it's for speed, handling, comfort, you name it. And Ford's chassis was, in 1965, more advanced than most. The marque's all-new full-size chassis paired the company's hard-won expertise with unibody cars in the late '50s to its full-framed experience to make something that was uncannily smooth and good-handling, even in the base models. The body itself was built with unitized levels of stiffness, while the all-new boxed perimeter- frame chassis was more compliant. The four-crossmember frame was new for 1965, and incorporated torque boxes, located where the outer side rails joined the front and rear frame rails, to stiffen the frame and damp out road irregularities. The body was joined to the chassis via eight butyl-rubber mounts-mounted where vibrations cancel each other out, further preventing the harsh realities of the road from entering the cabin. Later ad copy described the full-size '65 Fords as possessing a "liquid-satin ride" and "velvet authority." We would also suggest that the Rolls is working harder than the Ford. Keep in mind that the Ford has a far lower profile (56.6 inches for the Ford versus 64 inches for the Rolls; the Ford is nearly 7.5-inches lower!); a 4,367-pound Rolls-Royce's 6.25-liter V-8 engine would have to work rather harder to get that car to 20, 40, and 60 mph than a standard 200-hp "Challenger" V-8 would in the lighter, 3,700-pound Ford. If it's working hard, it's gonna make some noise. if it's 7.5-inches taller, then the body is smashing against that much more air, which will send sound (however thoroughly damped) through the cabin. We'd suggest that squeaky leather seats played a part, but history has not divulged exactly how these test cars were equipped. Rolls-Royce hardly needs defending. Rolls-Royce was unaffected by the comparison, which was rendered moot the moment that the Crewe crew launched the unitized-body Silver Shadow in late 1965 to replace the decade-old Cloud series. In any event, for an ad about quiet cars, Ford sure made a lot of noise about it."

[@jdgimpa]

The mid 60s Fords were some of the best looking Fords of the decade. 1965 was a banner year for Ford with the fully redesigned full size cars and the Mustang. It was also the first year for the twin I beam front suspension on the pickups. The 65 full size was the best looking in my opinion, followed by the 66 Fairlane GTA. That new frame on the full size cars would bite them in a few years when the cars in the rust belt would have the frames rust in half!

[@johnehlert4366]

I would think a flexible frame would be weaker.

[@Matt_from_Florida]

10:01 [LTD] I'm a bit surprised that Ford put out a brand new design, especially a range-topper, which still employed a simple under-dash A/C system in 1965. I would've thought any clean-sheet design would have a fully integrated HVAC system by 1965.

[@paulne1514]

I had a 1965 country squire (10 passenger, 352 cu in, I bought from my folks, when they moved up to a 1970 country squire. That car saved my life when I was hit by a 1972 Buick Rivera, while stopped at a traffic light. He hit me doing over 60 mph, never hitting his brakes. I drove home with a dent in my tailgate. His car was towed. I drove that car for 10 years, hauling my boat, before I donated it to a non profit. Even then, it still ran great.

[@jamesstuart3346]

Gotta love those advertising guys..."The 1965 Ford is quieter than a car designed in 1953"

[@gregt8638]

Thank you for another wonderful video, Adam! Thoroughly enjoyable and educational. I was a boy during these times and beginig to get car crazy, so your videos really hit home and bring back a flood of happy memories to me!

[@GadgetyMV]

Very interesting coverage from a technological and historical perspective.

[@edwartvonfectonia4362]

1965 was the peak for Automotive industry of America. With subsequent several years of good models.

[@markbehr88]

The 65 Ford was an excellent car. Elwood Engel I believe was the main designer? Prefer to see factory stock images rather than modified cars if possible.

[@kokopelli2378]

In 1965 I was a physics major at Villanova University, Penna. and myself and three others did a sound analysis of both a Ford and a Rolls Royce (2 of them) and indeed the Ford was quieter. The Ford was provided by a local dealer who, by chance, gave a ride to one of my friends while he was hitchhiking to the University! The 2 Rolls Royces were provided by another dealer along with their head mechanic as a chauffeur. It seemed to us that the tires on the Rolls and Ford were much different and that may have been the reason for the quieter ride.

[@garydalrymple7531]

Prefer the 1965 Pontiac Bonneville . A much fancier design but I remember the famous slogan that Ford used . Ford Has A Better Idea .

[@nileshalinger]

my uncle had a black w/ red interior - and it WAS quiet - there was no engine noise.

[@Trefoile]

The 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 is one of the most beautiful cars ever, not just for Fords.

[@Yankeededandy62]

On a side note, I'm very reliefed you're not using background music to distract from the stories. Love the channel.

[@williamwoolcock]

My dad's company bought him a new Galaxy every 2 years from 1960 until the company died in the late 70s, his last was a Crown Vic. He bought the new Galaxies due to their higher ground Clearance and tough suspension for traveling on new highway projects in Michigan (like I75) as a highway engineer. He put over 100,000 miles on each before getting the new one. Occasionally he took me on road jobs with him. I remember him gunning the car on a brand new stretch of I 75 before it opened, loved those Fords. But he had friend at GM who sold my Mom a used Oldsmobile station wagon, after her 57 Chevy crapped out, so not totally loyal to Fords, but what cars!

[@georgewilson1184]

I love the Ford LTDs we owned 3 different Country Squires and a 94 Crown Victoria But I love Chevy Caprice & Impala And Pontiac Catalina

[@rossharris94501]

I love this channel and it's well presented content. Adam's experience, knowledge, appreciation and narration makes Doug DeMuro look like the loud, brassy incompetent clown that he is.

[@daviduliana4447]

Mid-decade Fords of the sixties were quite nice cars except for brakes and cornering stability, both of which were dismal. THey were quite nice riding cars.

[@Barbarapape]

Rolls Royce adopted the Hydropneumatic suspension developed by Citroen. Whilst it worked Rolls were big heavy cars and the handling was not intended to be rushed, reliability was only average, and spares were and still are very expensive. Stick with Ford or spend a fortune in parts and labor.

[@RK48frazergasser]

I own a 1966 Ltd and all these years later it's still very quiet except for when I open the cut-outs it has a supercharged 289 my little hot rod

[@joewoodchuck3824]

I miss real full sized cars. What they call full sized now was a mid size or smaller back then. They serve a purpose and are still relevant. Why else do you think people cherish their Crown Victorias and keep them running?

[@davidyoung8521]

My uncle had a 65 LTD . White with a blue interior. First car with AC in the family. It was a very quiet car. He traded it for a 68 four door Torino.

[@eth39232]

Blue LTD sedan identical to one driven by George Baxter in the 1964-65 season of Hazel.

[@BillAlexander-cv6oj]

I drove a 1965 Galaxie 500 4dr Ht with a 352 4 barrel, Very quiet and Plush, it was Dark blue and matching interior, Later in Life I found a 1965 Galaxie 500 Convertable, Fire engine Red with a Black interior, 390 engine, not real quite as Quiet but a nice smooth Ride, I think style wise these were one of the Best Full size Fords ever Made....

[@radioguy1620]

the only thing that killed a 65 Ford was a neglected leaky oil pressure switch. people would trade them in thinking a big problem was lurking. Ford dealers and others i would suspect happily sell them a new car.

[@radioguy1620]

Ford stylists knew how to take the best from Pontiac and tone it down for all to like, to me the Pontiacs had too much overhang out back . of course in those days car brand loyalty was everything to a youngster, you only liked what your Dad drove. You eagerly waited for the new models to come out, today not so much,

[@paulomiranda1717]

Well,in Brazil this basic design lived Tru 1983 and it was dead quiet inside with the 302 only engine available

[@Crazyuncle1]

Big sedans then we’re smooth and quiet. There was nothing like cruising down the boulevard with the radio on and your little squeeze snuggled up close to you on those big bench seats.

[@roylcraft]

I notice the left side mirror is the same style as the T-Bird. The right side is rare rare rare.

[@dalewilliams2063]

And that remote control mirror was the most attractive design on the market.

[@mark98070]

I loved the styling of the Galaxy 500 that the 65s replaced. Absolute timeless beauty

[@swapsplat]

I have a '65 Galaxie LTD. It's a great car. And it was super quiet before I put a 429 under the hood.

[@markbrookes6557]

My Dad bought a 65 Galaxy 500 XL 2 dr. back in74. He got it for $200.00 and the guy he got it from painted this thing when he got drunk many times with a paint brush. We used , I don't remember how many cans of Zip Strip to get the layers off. When we were done, it was painted it's original dark blue As ugly as it was, that previous owner preserved the body on this thing. I loved it! Oh, by the way; we had it professionally spray painted. We didn't use a brush! It was beautiful, I loved driving it.

[@jetsons101]

The 1965, 66 and 67 Fords were really good lookers. The 1967 7-Liter R-code 427 fastback "with 4-speed of course" has to be the best of the bunch. Thanks to Adam for posting.

[@johnehlert4366]

68s were in there too.

[@jetsons101]

@@johnehlert4366 I think 68 was a different "new" platform. But a 68 Galaxie LTD, Fastback, 429 PI, Manual trans would make me happy.....

[@rogersmith7396]

And then all the Rolls Royce owners rushed out to buy cheap Ford sedans. The dealers were giving away free coffee and donuts.