For over five decades now, this car has been owned by a woman in the Los Angeles area where she bought it brand new and it’s been there ever since. That’s pretty amazing. It’s being sold by the owner’s child who has it listed here on eBay in Van Nuys, California. The current bid price is $5,100 and there is no reserve.
This side of this Country Squire isn’t quite as eye-poppingly “pleasant” as the other side is as seen in the opening photo or this one. If it wasn’t for that faded Di-Noc woodgrain on the driver’s door it would look nice here, too. The sixth-generation Country Squire was made from 1965 to 1968 and as much as I love stacked headlight cars such as on 1965, 1966, and 1967 cars, it’s hard to beat hidden headlights on the one-year-only 1968 Country Squire for me.
The rear bumper needs the Hammer of Thor to straighten it out a bit unless the next owner can somehow find another one in a junkyard or online. I did a quick search and didn’t run across anything other than two on Car-Part.com for a Galaxie 500 wagon, one in Oklahoma and one in Arizona. The rear door opens down or swings to one side and the window opens as it should. Those built-in bumper steps to get into the rear seating area are a sweet detail. That part of the interior looks almost like new, doesn’t it?
The front part of the interior, not so much. There’s some sort of cover or beach towel on the top of the dash which means one thing 99% of the time: it’s in tough shape. The seat also needs work, it’s as puffy as a botox-lipped aging Hollywood starlet, but that should be an easy fix for any decent interior shop. The back seat looks basically like new other than the backrest portion obviously having been in the down position for quite some time.
This engine is a nice middle compromise between the head-spinning choices that buyers had “in the ol’ days”. This one is a Ford 390 cubic-inch V8 which with its four-barrel carburetor would have pumped out 315 horsepower and 427 ft-lb of torque, enough to spin the tires nicely, if that’s your bag. There was also a 340-hp 427 V8 option that knocked a full second off of the 0-60 time, because stoplight racing with a faded 53-year-old Ford wagon is probably a thing. The seller says that this one runs great but there’s a slight exhaust manifold leak and is that an electronic ignition on the left inner fender? Would any of you restore this Country Squire or get everything working like new and drive it as it looks now?
The fat motor in ’68 was the 428, Scotty.
Nice wagon. WHen I was young they were embarrassing, now they are loved. What is that 4 door 1978-79 looking bronco pickup shortbed next to wagon?
Put a get up and go 3.55 rear gear in there with that select-shift automatic and this wagon would come to life. Add a Nice dual exhaust also 👌
Interestingly, I watched “The Getaway” with Steve McQueen last night, he drove one just like this and it had the hidden headlights. There was also a nice ’66(?) Buick and a ’63 Galaxie, both 4 doors.
That 63 Galaxie took quite the beating, especially taking out the porch of the house and making it all the way across. Super tough car.
This must be Wagon Day at Barn Finds!
To all Readers, Happy New Year and let us hope 2022 is better than 2021! Stay safe and healthy.
To Barn Finds Writers, thanks for another year of fun finds. You people do great work!
That’s darn nice of you, FrankD! Happy end-of-’21 to you and everyone and thanks for all of the great comments over the last year!
My dad had one exactly like this! He took all of us from Windsor, Ontario to California and back in it! What a blast from the past! His Country Squire didn’t have A/C so you can imagine how hot it got driving through Death Valley! Everything about this wagon was fabulous.
Had one just like this. Did a valve job and forgot to replace the oil deflector. Leaked like a sieve! Sturdy wagon, though.
That’s an MSD. I don’t know who talked granny in to putting that on there, was a while ago too. Maybe they made some other mods? Maybe she’s the little ol lady from Van Nuys.
Nice car, I would love to have it. I’d love the short bed crewcab also, as rare as the wagon most likely.
I was 12 years old in 1968. Dad took me new car shopping to Koerner Ford in Scranton, PA. I was against him trading in our beautiful 67 Catalina, but he needed a wagon. I chose the 67 fastback Mustang 390 4 speed on the floor. That didn’t go over well. We went home in an el cheapo new 68 white Ranch Wagon. No wood. No air conditioning. Basic. 302 two barrel. One of the worst cars he ever bought. Rotted out by 1974. Took my drivers test in it in May 1972.
Hidden headlights on a station wagon is always cool.
I would be tempted to replace that bumper & di-noc, & just drive it as is. If the bidding doesn’t go too much higher, this could be a bargain!
Bought it new in ’68 and her “child” is selling it?
one w/that lrger motor ran the boards’n auction houses a while back. The owner knew how to build final sales price (wuz he a pod caster for “Junk Find tv” or sompin?). He did wrench it (or contract out) so passed the flipper status a bit. Taught those interested how to sell a car~