Restoring Dad's Car

My name is Randy Olynick and I am raising money to restore this car...the car is a 1965 Ford Galaxie 500XL.  Turqoise in color with matching interior.  Buckets seats with a console shift.  FE352-4bbl Thunderbird motor with a 3-speed Cruisomatic...

It is the car that my dad had when I was really young.  When I was about 5, my dad sold the car to get something newer for his growing family...the person that bought the car crashed it (totalled) shortly after the car was sold...my dad regretted selling that car and always wanted to get another one.

I have always wanted to get him his car back, or at least a reasonable facsimile...in 1989, when I was 19, I found one in Red Deer, Alberta.  I took the day off with my brother and drove to Red Deer without my dad knowing.  I had the cash in hand and planned on driving it home and hand him the keys when we returned...

Unfortunately, the car was in much worse shape than was promised on the phone and my brother and I came home empty handed.

I have been searching for the car ever since...I am now 45 years old...

My dad passed away on March 15th, 2003 after suffering a second stroke.  I miss him sooo much...

As my brother was driving home from Regina in the beginning of March this year, he noticed a car in Elkhorn, MB and stopped to take a picture of it and he sent me the picture...it was a 1965 Ford Galaxie 500XL...the same color and interior that I remembered of my dad's car...

it was unknown if it was for sale...but there was a phone number at the establishment that it was parked at...he took a picture of the phone number and sent it to me.  I immediately called...
 and the car was for sale...

While I cannot afford a project car, I could not let this go by...I will never find it again!!!  Everyone has a dream car...I have many dream cars, but this has been #1 on my list, forever and always...I couldn`t let this once in a lifetime opportunity go...

So, I removed RRSPs from my retirement fund to purchase the vehicle...I don't think I will ever find another one that has the same color combination that my dad had...

On March 18, 2016, my wife, brother, and I went to Elkhorn, MB, $5000 cash in hand...the car is 51 years old and all original...we purchased the car...


We drove all evening bringing it home...no problems...a few days later, we drove it out to my uncle's to show it off...my uncle told stories of he and my dad did with his car...

On the way home, we noticed there was blue smoke coming from the back...not good...one of the cylinders has no compression...oil is burning bad...needs a rebuild...ugh...

The car was originally purchased in 1965 in Hartney, MB...an all Manitoba car.  The person that I bought the car from had the original owners name and told me he now lives in Brandon, MB. 

I looked up the name and called, (he is an older gentleman)and he was very happy to hear that his car is being restored...he reminisced for a few minutes and I asked questions about the car.

I told him once it is restored, I would pick him up and he could drive it one more time...he told me that he is looking forward to it...

The car needs a lot of work but at least all of the parts are there.

The goal is to restore the car to original, that is how my dad would have wanted it.

I have found a donor car (convertible) with a rebuilt FE352 engine and other parts that are needed to restore my dream car...it is another $2000...


The money will be used to purchase donor car, have engine, exhaust, front fender, and windshield moved from donor car to the car we are restoring...money will also be used to have the car repaired, safetied, and repainted.  It will not be a show car, but it will be a beautiful daily driver...

I am hoping to have the car on the road this summer...

I am trying to restore the car in memory of my dad, who I am sure is smiling as much as I did when I drove it...

Thank you for any donation, any amount will go directly into the restoration of this beautiful automobile...

The memories the car brings back and the new memories it will bring will be priceless...this car will be passed down and kept as a family treasure...

Thank you again,

Randy Olynick and family