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Ford Factory Race Cars

Last updated on 10 / 14 / 2001 at 10:31 a.m.

1963

War was declared!

In 1963 the race wars were waged as an all out assault

In a press release given out on April 19th, 1963 by Lee Iacocca:

Our attitude is based on three points:

Our philosophy is based on "Total Performance". In 1963 war was waged as an all out assault.

Ford started the attack by restyling the entire Galaxie line for the '63 model year.

Then Ford introduced a new engine, the 427 cubic inch Low Riser. This soon to become "Infamous". The 427 was rated at 425 horse and was like a gift from God to the Ford racers. However, even with the Ford "427" to help the Ford racers were still getting beat. Their race cars were just simply to heavy.

Ford did a first mid-year, they introduced the first "half year cars". Ford brought out the Galaxie and the Falcon sports roof cars. These soon became known as the "Fast Backs". The new roof helped the looks and stream lined the air flow over the rear of the car. The new Galaxie sat two inches lower than the '62 model and was 28% more aerodynamic. This was aimed at the NASCAR boys who badly needed the streamlining or they would have had to come up with another sixty horse power. The roof was quicker to come up with so Ford built it. Though it was a great relief for the NASCAR boys, it was of little use to the drag racers. They needed a lot less weight to stay in the game.

Ford was getting killed at the drags. The Pontiacs and the Mopars were running all over them. So, Ford's Performance and Economy Group was directed to come up with a competition package based on the 63 1/2 Galaxie 500 Sport Special 2-door fast back model. While they were doing this Ford grabbed 5 of the A/FX cars they had built in '62 and converted them in to '63 models. The reason being that they were getting creamed right now and didn't have time to wait for the "Conversion Package" to become available.

Click here for a '63 light weight in action!

Ford Performance Package part number AS-225-39D became available in due time. It cost $999.00 and was a very special car. Ford started with a 2-door Custom 300 frame for the small block engine, it weighed 45 pounds less than the big "R-Code" 427 Galaxie frame. Each and every Authentic Light weight is tagged with a small metal plate welded to the left front side of the cross member. The tag says:C3AA5005-AA MOD, If doesn't have this tag it's a fake.

Corinthian white was the only exterior color, the only interior color was listed as red vinyl , although it seems that some were built with gold vinyl too.

The Light-Weights' standard equipment was limited to the production 427 cubic inch / 425 horse power Lo-Riser, not the 427 High Riser, no factory Light Weight Galaxie came with a High Riser 427 engine and a hood blister in '63, all '63's had flat hoods and Lo-Risers

A 4-speed Borg-Warner T-10 was standard equipment as was a 4.11 rear end, the heavy duty brakes, the suspension, The above parts were just standard "R Code" 427 Galaxie parts. Next are the "Special" parts, light weight body parts, half thickness rubber floor mats, a minimally trimmed red interior.

Four 6.70x15 four ply nylon black side wall tires mounted on 5.5 inch Kelsey-Hayes wheels. No spare was provided or even offered on this model. The mounting bracket was deleted as was the jack and handle.

Ford went weight hunting every where on the Galaxie. The heater, the torsion bar on the deck lid, the trunk liner and rubber mat, one horn. The hood springs were replaced with the prop rod from the Falcon. The arm rests were deleted along with a few more things. These were: the dome light, rear ash trays, courtesy lights, the sound deadener, all the sealer in the entire car. Ford also got rid of the heavy factory bucket seats and used the Bostrom police car bucket seats. It was rumored that Ford was offering a $1.00 a pound incentive for pounds removed from the Fast Back Galaxie.

The engines Ford choose for the light weights was the standard 425 horse power 427 cubic inch Low-Riser. The 427 had the same valves as the 406,the intakes were 2.03 inches and the exhaust was a 1.65 inch valve. Later Ford still needed more power so they gave the 427 larger intake valves. The 2.09 incher was installed and Ford designed different combustion chambers, and a thicker deck for better sealing, Ford also made the ports larger.

The block was a deep-skirted affair with cross bolt mains on the center three. The block was stress relieved and ribbed. Ford did all this on a separate production line. The 427 blocks also had thicker cylinder walls, deck surfaces, ribbed main webs, and larger oil galleries than the other "FE's".

Ford used forged aluminum pistons with a 11.5 to 1 compression ratio. All the Light Weight cars with Low-Risers got a 300 degree, high lift camshaft, hollow shell valve lifters were often used on the 427 solid lifter engines. They got adjustable rocker arms too.

A aluminum intake manifold was used. This manifold was a piece of work. It carried two 585 cfm Holley carbs Mounted Backwards. This trick worked very well for the street crowd. When Ford mounted the carbs backwards they placed the front of the front carb over the middle of the manifold and increased the engines drivability. This increase in part throttle drivability was of little use to the racers, but was a great help to the street drivers.

Ford built NO 1963 Light-Weight Galaxie with a fresh air system, period! Though it is common to see almost all Light -Weights with the Ford the "Blister" hoods and their high beam head lights missing because of the air ducts that feed those Holley carbs, none came that way from the factory. This was a 1964 option that has been retrofitted.

The dual four setup used a air cleaner similar to the Tri-Power, three two barrel set ups used on the 390 and 406's. But, this one had only two huge holes in it instead of the three "D" shaped holes of the Tri-Power.

The Light Weights all had Borg-Warner T-10 transmissions. These had special heat treated gear sets. Ford saw even then that the T-10 was a weak link behind the 427 and tried to do something about it. These had a 2.36 low gear and a weight saving aluminum case. This all hung from a aluminum bell housing. This almost makes one wonder how anyone can still walk around on their own feet. The factory shifter was the worst part of the Light Weight package, The T-10 was next on the list. The shifter hung up on reverse and the transmission was to weak for a hot 289 much less the tremendous torque of the 427 engines.

Ford out did themselves when they designed the exhaust manifolds for the '63 models. These huge Tri-Y cast iron headers were free flowing as anything could be. They feed into a low restriction exhaust system.

Ford built, 4978, 427 full sized passenger cars, this number also includes the Light Weights. No one knows for sure how many Light Weight Galaxies really existed it '63. Ford built 170 at it's Norfolk plant, about 20 were built in Los Angeles. Holman & Moody, a noted Ford race car contractor, built or converted an unknown number of Galaxies to Light Weight specs using factory parts. However, if a person were to open the glove box door and find a little aluminum tag riveted to the inside of the door that measured aprox. 2in. by 4 in. that said:

1963 1/2 Light Weight Galaxie:

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