Pro-Street Starliner. Beautiful build, 514 big block, 4-speed, insanely fast!

Ford Galaxie 1961 Description

The 1961 Ford Galaixe Starliner was a game-changer. Long, low, sleek, and beautifully detailed, it became one of the early ‘60s most iconic looks. And how do you make a good thing even better? More power! This incredible Starliner was given the full Pro-Street treatment, a massive injection of horsepower in the form of a 514 cubic inch V8, a full-combat suspension, and a set of wide-by-huge rear tires designed to hook it all up. But this is no raw race rat, this is a fully finished street car with a full interior that’s just beautifully restored, a complete trunk, and plenty of comfort to make driving it a much more comfortable experience. In short, it’s the best of both worlds, all wrapped in some of the most attractive sheetmetal ever seen wearing a Blue Oval.

The fellow who built this car was a talented body man, a guy who insisted on painting all his cars black. As a result, you know how nice the bodywork really is, because there’s nowhere for half-hearted workmanship to hide on a black car. Those giant quarter panels are mirror-smooth, the black paint is so deep that you can almost go swimming in it, and panel gaps are at least as good as they were when it was new. There are plenty of modifications under the skin, all designed to make it go fast, but the exterior is restored to a very high standard and still wears all its beautiful original brightwork. And on the Starliner, there’s plenty of it, all beautifully refinished. There’s that highly ornate grillework up front, beautiful little ornaments on top of the fenders that are miniature works of jet-age art, and crisply rendered ‘Starliner’ script on the front fenders. The three star-like buttons on the C-pillar were a trademark design on the Starliner (hence the name) and they look best on dark cars like this. The modest fins are topped by bright chrome strips that highlight the long, sleek look, and there are lovely anodized panels behind the rear wheels. And, of course, you get a pair of lovely Ford taillights that look like afterburners, and they’ve never looked better.

When you think of Pro-Street, you think of roll cages, sheetmetal interiors, and racing harnesses, but when you open the door on this Starliner, you think, well, Starliner. It’s beautifully restored but there’s absolutely no trace of the modifications within beyond a set of updated instruments. The factory bench seats are beautifully reupholstered in black vinyl that’s luxurious-looking and correctly stitched into narrow pleats. New black carpets were installed on the floors and fresh door panels were installed at the same time, complete with factory hardware. The original dashboard is intact, but there’s a custom gauge insert full of white-faced Auto Meter dials that monitor all the engine’s vitals, plus a big tachometer up high where it belongs. A fatter Grant steering wheel looks right in the black and chrome interior, and there’s a Hurst cue ball shifter for the 4-speed manual gearbox. Note that the original knobs and levers control the secondary systems and they all work properly. An OEM Ford AM/FM/cassette/CD stereo system was neatly installed in the center of the dash and looks like it was born there. A neat set of monogrammed floor mats keeps it tidy and the full-sized back seat is completely unaffected by the wheel tubs, so bring your friends along for fun. There’s still a sizeable trunk, too, although it has obviously been modified with wheel tubs and a new floor designed to clear the fuel cell living underneath, although the neatly tailored carpets make those modifications all but disappear.

The thunder comes from a built 514 cubic inch Ford big block that fits neatly in the Galaxie’s massive engine bay. It’s a 460 block that’s been bored and stroked to 514 inches and puts out an estimated 600 horsepower on pump gas, and you’d better believe it’s nasty. There’s a lumpy cam in there, so it’s got that race car idle, but it smooths right out at speed and there’s thrust available at any engine speed. There’s a massive Holley 4-barrel carburetor up on top of a Weiand high-rise aluminum intake and an MSD ignition system lights the fires. It’s nicely dressed with Ford Blue on the block, a set of polished Ford Motorsports valve covers, and a bunch of braided stainless just to keep with the race-ready look. A thick Griffin aluminum radiator with two electric fans helps keep the big guy cool and a serpentine belt drive for the accessories is a nice upgrade. Prod the accelerator a few times and it springs to life easily with a bark from the custom exhaust system, which includes long-tube headers and a custom stainless steel exhaust system ending in Supertrapp mufflers (which can be tuned for sound level). It’s got that big engine lopey idle and wicking the throttle is sure to draw attention two blocks away. But it’s actually quite streetable for such a beast and happily drinks high-octane pump gas, so no worries about special fuel requirements.

The Toploader 4-speed manual seems to shrug off the big torque churning through it and shifts crisply with light clutch action, and there’s a custom-made driveshaft that goes back to a custom-built 9-inch rear end. 4.11 gears on a Track-Lok limited slip and 31-spline axles ensure that all the power reliably reaches the giant tires, so don’t be afraid to use it to its potential. And as long as you’re looking around underneath, check out the spotless floors and the beautiful back-half job that neatly bisects the original frame to make room for the oversized tires. Adjustable coil-over shocks and a robust 4-link keep it all under control and you’ll be surprised how streetable and comfortable it is on the street—no race car shenanigans here. The front suspension is stock, although it’s been augmented with a set of big disc brakes, lowering springs, and a fat sway bar. A giant 20-gallon fuel cell gives it acceptable cruising range, even with that big block engine, and the plumbing for the fuel system is race-spec throughout. Polished aluminum Centerline wheels with Ford hubs look great and carry 195/65/15 radials up front and those monstrous 15-inch wide Mickey Thompson Sportsman meats out back.

This is a flat-out gorgeous car. Let the haters say that Pro-Street is dead, but when you show up with this Starliner nobody is going to say a thing about it. This is an apex predator, a car that requires you to be at the top of your game before dipping into the vast horsepower reserves on tap, but one that will also consistently put a smile on your face, whether it’s on the road, on the track, or at a show. It’s the kind of car that everyone loves and is welcome wherever it goes. That’s a pretty rare combination. Call today!