I am going to Cleveland this week to buy a cherry 1964 Galaxie XL with P Code 390 engine and 4 speed trans. The exterior and interior photos look almost new. It is said to be completely original (motor, trans, even shifter) and said to have no salt damage. I hear horror stories of guys who bought "cherry" vehicles and later found frame rot, rusted floor pans, etc. I am going to inspect it closely but since I live in the sunbelt, I have never seen the havocs of salt. Other than the obvious, what should I look for? Anyone forum guys in the Cleveland area want go with me Wednesday afternoon? Also, how much more performance should I expect from the solid lifter P Code 390 vs. the garden variety 390?

Thanks,
Bill

The 'P' Code is essentially a 390/375 with a cast iron intake and a Ford Carb. The 64s have the later heads. My cousins's 631/2 P code ran 14 flats @ 100 in full street trim. A 64 is a bit heavier.

Check every thing under the carpets, put it on a lift.

The Gonkulator puts the 61-64 390 "P" at a very true 330hp, vs the 390/"300"hp at 280-285hp. It used a solid cam but a milder one than the 390/375hp (also honestly rated).

I'm not sure of the heads but I think they were the stock c1ae-a, then c4ae-g. I don't know if the c3ae-c heads came on the 63-64 390/330 engines or not.

intake was stock iron, Autolite 4100 1.12 480cfm on top. 352/360hp exhaust manifolds.

All I remember about our 63 390/330 that we bought new was that by 1964, under 20,000 miles the tires were shot from wheelspin, auto trans and 3.50 gears.

On the 64, one problem area besides the usual rear quarters is the rear bumper, and a solid rechromed version is $1000 or so I hear. Junk gets trapped between the rear bumper and brackets and rots both of them out down there. Check closely, this is also a hint as to the rest of the car.

in the trunk floor and around the body mounts. Also look directly beneath the tail light buckets inside the trunk for water pooling and rusting there. Carefully look at the door skin seams, rocker panel drains, the quarters between the rear wheels and the doors as they rust in that area pretty well. Look at the bottom of the radiator support, if it has been driven in salt the support will be rotted on the bottom and is hard to cover up and hide. The other areas to look at are around the hood hinges, front floor pans around the accelerator pedal, and around rear spring shackle bolts.
Make the seller put it on a lift so you can thoroughly inspect the cars underside. Look for any fresh undercoating indicating they are trying to hide something. Good luck and I hope you found a jewel.

but can't get away Wed cause I'll be at work.

Ray covered most of it. Get one of those "bondo checkers" from your local body shop supply house. If it's been bondo'd up at the areas mentioned, then it's rusty underneath it.

Check the seams around the bottom of the quarters to see if they've been replaced. Check the panel behind the rear bumper as they usually get bad then the bumper follows as it rusts from behind.

Good luck
LarryK

1964 Galaxie 2dr 390/6-71/4spd
1964 Country Sedan Wagon 428/5spd
1969 F100 428/4spd
1967 F100 352/now a 4 spd!
1959 B Model Mack