I have owned Big Red – 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 Convertible for over 20 years. I purchased Big Red from a couple in Florida. I have always had an old classic car in my life. My first was a 61 Ford unibody pickup truck. But this car is very special .I have always wanted a red convertible. My late wife Kelly, gave me permission to buy the car. She was so excited once it got delivered. Kelly made sure to add all of the things she wanted. American racing wheels, raised-white lettered tires.
Big Red looked great on the outside but under the hood it needed a lot of work. The engine has been rebuilt and bumped up from the original 300 to 395 horsepower. New power breaks, new transmission, and new cooling system.
Kelly wanted to make sure this car was a driver, and a car to make memories with. Not a car that sits on a trailer and pulled around to car shows. Big Red has been used for my daughter Phoebe’ s prom, her high school parades, and various other holiday parades. Family ride-a-longs to mother day brunches. It has also been used for wedding photo shoots. My brother Chris, and his wife Phyllis, and their two boys John and Thomas take it out cruising the streets of Phoenix.
My son-in-law Jacob’s step father ( Mike) and mother (Kim) who were responsible for rebuilding the engine for the Galaxie.
Big Red has been a labor of love over the past 20. It has given my family some great memories from high school proms, parades and car shows. There is nothing better than having a conversation with someone at a car show, or just in a parking lot of a grocery store, when they begin the conversation of ‘I remember when….’ and they smile. It’s those memories that Big Red continues to put a smile on my face along with others.
Mike Glawe
Phoenix, Arizona
In Loving Memory of my wife, Kelly.
Photos by
Rod Loveless