We find it interesting when sellers sometimes refer to a car they own and have purchased from another individual as a “one-owner car”. Here is, according to the present owner, a “one owner original survivor”, which means a one-owner car before I purchased it. Listed here on craigslist, parked in Belchertown, Massachusetts is a 1959 Ford Ranch Wagon for $11,500.
The original owner lived in New Hampshire and purchased the car new. This 100,510 mile car has the original paint, interior and dash. It is powered by a 292 Y block V-8 with a 3 speed.
The owner claims the window and bumper stickers show some places where the car has traveled over the last 56 years. Recent service and upgrades include: new carpeting, new wheel cylinders, servicing the brakes with shoes and fluid flush, new exhaust, new fuel tank, new radiator hoses, and much more, some of which is included with in the ad along with more images. There are 1957 Cadillac hubcaps on this car for some reason and there is an image of one of them in the craigslist ad?
The back is ready for the next family road-trip.
This wagon comes with the original owner and service manual. The owner says this is an original car and will provide additional images if you request them. The owner closes the ad with: “Serious inquires ONLY appreciated”, so we remind you again there should be no jokes about the Cadillac hubcaps or any other topic when you inquire about this 2 or more owner car. If you want/need a clean Ford Ranch Wagon and have the funds and space available this appears to be one clean machine though. Do or did you or your family have one? Do you remember those long family road-trips? Are we there yet? How much longer?
Motor-on,
Robert
Hmm… This kinda reminds me of my 1965 Comet Caliente. It was put in an auction after the original owner died. I wasn’t there, and didn’t buy it. I bought off of the guy who bought it’s front yard. The guy said he had it for about a week, and the only reason he bought it was because nobody else seemed to want it. He restores cars, and the typical wife story, so it was last hired, first fired. He said he had it delivered on Tuesday, and I bought it on Saturday. He hadn’t done a thing to it other than move it 50 feet from his garage to the front yard. So legally, I’m the 3rd owner of a 47k 4 door survivor Mercury Comet Caliente, but I’m really the second owner. That may be the case with this one.
I’d love to see a pic or two of your Comet, David.
Nice car.. my dad owned one.. the ad was removed from craigslist
Gone in a flash….
Wow if true way too cheap probably coming back about 5k higher
Wow! This was a learning experience.
The design of the 59 Ford is one that I have always loved. And after seeing this car, it occurs to me for the first time (correct me if I’m wrong) that Ford was the only make of the big 3 (and others) who didn’t go hog-wild with big tall shark tail fins during this era. Well, OK, Packard never went too crazy with fins either I guess.
But still, the 55 thru 59 Fords didn’t have the crazy tail fins of the Caddies and the Plymouths. The Fords were more understated. OK yes in ’60 they got a little bit of the horizontal fins like the 59 Chevys, but there weren’t really any tall shark fins on the Fords of this era. Anybody got some inside info on Ford’s design shop during this period?
Loved dad’s 59 Ford Country Sedan wagon. 9 passenger 352 300 HP with 390 gears(3:89?) and 3 speed stick on column. Original owner had raced it at Mn Dragways when new(I found photo of it in staging lane online). Dad got it in 1960. Had the Holly carb on it. Dad raced for paychecks leaving work, won everytime. ….My oldest brother bought that salmon color 59 Ford Hdtp with cruisomatic. When folks would go up north and leave wagon home, we boys would borrow dad’s 390 gears and put them in brother’s car, swap over the holly carb as well and Tom would win races all weekend. Sun aftnoon would have it all swapped back. In the photo I posted you can see the front bumper pushed in some what…due to mom ramming the front of the garage every night she pulled into garage.
We boys added on shock absorber coil springs clamp ons over shocks…and bolted steel plates onto leaf springs to stop the occasional wheel hop when coming off the line. Told dad it was for pulling the extra heavy loads/camping/trailers.
Rex…… Ford used to advertise their large round tail lights in commercial as safety item, as people were better able to see the lights come on thus seeing the turn lights and brake lights come on.
I was looking at this car and a first I thought wow nice car then I saw the shot of the back and it looked like the red was a redo with a paint brush. So I expanded the pic. And sure enough you can see brush strokes. So I took a second look at the side shot and they too look like there are paint brush stroke on the sides especially in the red.
I might be wrong what do you guys see.
If I’m right this is a sketchy car, so I hope I’m wrong. Are my eyes deceiving me.
The multiple-owner “one-owner” car is a pet hate of mine……it’s funny that addition doesn’t seem to be a problem when it comes to adding up the price though!
One owner, sure, and the sleazy flipper doesn’t count. And it was the Ford assembly plant that ran out of spray nozzles and had to paint the car with a broom, and they ran out of wheel covers so the plant’s president went out and popped the wheel covers off his 1957 Cad. Sure, just like everything we read on craigslist and eBay.
Right?
I think the number of owners is a goofy gimic regardless of how accurate it is.
The number of owners has little to no relevance to the maintenance or care of the vehicle, so what value does it hold? Other than some unrealistic romantic notion, if you really think about it it’s meaningless.
If you are adamant that the number of owners IS somehow relevant, what can go wrong in the short duration that a typical ‘flipper’ owns the car?
In England you frequently see ‘one previous owner’ the log book will show the current owner, and details of any previous owners, so ‘one previous owner’ means currently 2 owners total, yes a little bit devious, but if you are going to spend that much money on a new toy – it really should be low on the list of things to check!
I think that by saying that a car is a 1 Owner, it may give the buyer an impression that a vehicle has been better maintained and less likely to have been jerked around and mistreated like something that has had been owned multiple times. Fewer owners….less chances to be mistreated!
Unless it was a negligent owner followed by a diligent owner…
You have a good point there, Bobsmyuncle!
Sweet!
One owner as in “mine is the only name on the pink slip”. Isn’t that how it works?
Years ago we had in Philadelphia a sort-of-skanky dealer one of whose favorite ad lines was “Bought new by original owner.” Who could argue with that?
I think the relevance of a “one owner” or ” second owner” car has more to do with its history, documentation, or provenance rather than its condition.
I helped a widow friend sell her late husband’s 1964 Corvette Stingray; He bought the car in Feb 1964 (with cash). We sold it with its original bill of sale, actual color photos of him sitting in the car at the dealership, and the original windbreaker complete with Corvette patches (unused, still wrapped in clear plastic).
The Corvette’s history and documentation contributed to a quick sale at a significantly higher price.
I really like this car! The color is perfect for a wagon of this vintage, and the car looks to be in great condition.
“The original owner lived in New Hampshire and purchased the car new. ” How else would the original owner purchase it?
Don’t you just love it when idiots drill holes in bumpers to fit extra number plate light, because tow bar is fitted, and fit extra taillights etc.
“This wagon comes with the original owner”. Just ask him the story, but remember senior housing is quite expensive!