Ford Galaxie XL abandoned for 38 years rescued from vacant property

This 1968 Ford Galaxie XL was rescued after being parked and forgotten about for almost 40 years. 

The Galaxie was first launched in 1959 and derived its name from the ongoing buzz around the Space Race at the time. 

Production ran until 1974, with various models launched during that time including the Galaxie 500, Galaxie 500XL, and the XL. 

Decades on, this poor Galaxie XL was found on a vacant property after spending 38 years exposed to the elements. 

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The Ford Galaxie XL had been parked for almost 40 years

Fortunately, the Galaxie XL was spotted by the team from the Budget Buildz YouTube channel who stepped in to to rescue it. 

The vehicle had spent so long outside, it had basically become part of the natural landscape. 

So much so, that the team from Budget Buildz had to cut down trees and hack away vegetation just to get the Ford Galaxie free. 

Budget Buildz has some solid experience when it comes to rescuing old motors, such as the time they got their hands on this burnt-out Chevy Bel Air to restore. 

But even they knew that getting this Galaxie back up and running was a pretty big ask. 

To say the car had seen better days would be a massive understatement. 

Not only is it absolutely filthy and filled with rubbish and junk, but the car’s paintwork has somehow changed from blue to white thanks to decades exposed to the elements. 

Would the vehicle start after so long off the road?

The first job for Budget Buildz was to give the car a much-needed clear-out and clean-up. 

After removing all the rubbish from inside, the car was vacuumed and then the exterior was tackled with the help of a power washer, soap, and a large helping of elbow grease. 

With the Galaxie already looking a lot better than when it was found, the team got to work on the engine. 

Much like the rest of the car, the engine needed a clean-up of its own.

The oil pan was removed and the ‘sludge’ that had built up over the years was cleaned away. 

With some fresh oil added, the team attempted to turn the engine over, and – somewhat miraculously – it started. 

The whole process really goes to show just how impressive a bit of hard work and specialist knowledge can really be.