With Ford’s arsenal of wagon options for 1974, it’s no surprise if you’ve never heard of the Country Sedan, especially since we don’t normally call a sedan a wagon or vice versa. This 1974 Ford Galaxie 500 Country Sedan in Westport, Rhode Island appears to occupy at least one 1000th of our smallest state with its prodigious size. This no-frills wagon is “a pleasure” to drive and seeks a new owner here on craigslist.org where $6500 will make it yours. I’ve been watching ’60s and ’70s wagons and sedans lately and you can buy nice examples of nearly anything in that category for under $10,000 but far fewer in this condition for under $7000. Thanks to reader FordGuy1972 for spotting this sedan-named wagon.
Of four wagons based on this model, only the Custom 500 Ranch Wagon set below this one. The Ranch Wagon would not have the mid-line trim worn with pride by this Country Sedan. Black-wall tires certainly match the functional duty of this Ford. The roof rack would have been optional on this trim package as well. The Country Wagon also gained a dual-note horn and trim updates inside and out.
The industrial-grade vinyl has worn well over the car’s 45 years and 102,000 miles, and looks ready for another dose of spilled cola and dog paws.
The 400 cid (6.6L) V8 represented an upgrade over the base 351 (5.8) and should prove ample to haul a family and camping gear if you’re not in a big hurry. Air conditioning, power brakes, and power steering ease the driving duties.
The 3-Way Magic Doorgate also opens sideways. This six-passenger unit features a floor-mounted well for objects you don’t want sliding around in the back. The nine-foot cargo area takes 4×8 sheets flat with the tail gate closed, a feat unmatched by most pickup trucks today. With full-sized SUVs over $50,000, you could buy this wagon, add EFI, drive it for ten years and 100,000 miles, and sell it for what you spent (or more) ten years from now. The 2019 SUV might be worth $10,000 after similar treatment. What’s this Country Sedan worth to you?
I like it! I’d install the correct wheel covers or different wheels altogether. Wish I could get a pic of my wagon to post!
Neat old wagon. Looks to be in great shape! 👍
It won’t be a racer with the 400 in it, but that’s not what it’s for anyway.
I wonder if the 400 is the same motor that became optional in the pickup trucks in 1977. I couldn’t buy my truck with the 400 if I wanted the 4 speed but the 351M and 400 could be had with the auto in the F150 line.
Shockingly nice condition for a 70s longroof especially considering its location. This one has to be of the better ones around. Though they lack the performance and muscular looks of the 60s wagons we must expect these to rise in popularity very soon
Nice wagon at what appears to be a reasonable price. It’s refreshing that the seller I didn’t include a picture of the speedometer and try to pass it off as a 2,000 mile car.
Steve R
Owned a ’73 similar to this one. And what a nice car it was too! Paid a friend
of mine $250 for it in the Fall of 1980.
Mine was gold with a gold interior. Like
this car, it had a 400 in it as well. My friend even threw in an FM converter for
the radio too! It rode well and ran great.
We used it to ferry the family from Peoria
to Bloomington for Christmas that year–
a job it performed quite well. Not far from our house, a fellow with a brand new Scout II rear ended us while we were
stopped at a stop sign. The roads were
slick and he slid into us. No one was hurt
and the car wasn’t that badly damaged,
but the Scout sure was! It had to be towed and was later totalled. After we
exchanged phone numbers and insurance cards, we squeezed him into
the car and drove him back to his place
where he wished us a Merry Christmas
before we drove away. That thing was
built like a tank and the only damage
I could see was a small dent in the trim
around the right tail light. Wound up
selling it to my boss who used it for a
shop car for a few more years. To this
day, I regret letting it go and seeing this
car makes me think of my old gold bomber. What a car, what a car.
Ken’s story reminds me of the hail storm we had back in the early 90’s. There was a 73-4 Ford wagon setting beside early 90’s Buick in an open parking lot. That Buick was beat all to hell– 10 monkeys with ball peen hammers couldn’t have done that much damage to it. Old Ford had ONE little dent in the chrome below the windshield. Told the wife ‘That’s why car insurance is so high’.
Actually, it’s a 10 passenger wagon. The two lift doors showing as the floor behind the main passenger seat lift up to show two – two passenger (as long as they’re midgets, or very friendly) seats facing each other.
We had a ’67 Ford Country Sedan and then a ’72 Country Sedan.
Front seat, Dad driving, Mom passenger and sister Janet in between. Second row seat, me, and brothers Wayne and Bill. The midget seats were occupied by brothers Ed, John, Steven and Michael. Straight age progression, oldest to youngest (smallest), front to back.
The posting for the 1977 Ford Country Squire 9 posts previous shows the rear area with the midget seats upright.
…all the way to Fire Lake.
Great family memories.
The well and doors are always there, having a seat in there was an option, we had a 70 country squire wagon growing up that had the well no seat.
When I was growing up, these were ubiquitous, especially the County Squires (wood sides ). Every time I see a full sized Ford of this vintage, I always think of the cop shows I watched growing up (not to mention real life police duty ). These were built Ford tough, and the 460 interceptor was a top choice.
Nice wagon. Blackwalls and incorrect wheel covers let it down. These covers were used on Bronco and F series trucks in the late 60’s- early 70’s. Were also used on ’69 Full size cars I believe. I’d be willing to bet this car shipped from the factory with whitewall tires. Most full size American cars did back then.
To amend my earlier statement: the wheel covers were used on 1966 (only) Full size Fords, then moved onto the F series trucks and Broncos for a few years from 1967 onwards. They are nice looking covers but do not fit well vintage wise with this wagon.
As CJM and others have pointed out, these are late 60’s Ford hubcaps (from much more attractive vehicles.) A good wheel and tire choice would class this thing up a lot.
I grew up in the back or jump seats of the near twin of this one, ours was a ‘74 LTD which, as best as I can tell, was identical down to the interior trim and switchgear. Also had the 400-2V engine. Dad bought it to tow and launch a medium sized cabin cruiser / house boat (video brochure here – it was big – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDN_y4VC9DY) which it had no problem towing… but it was a bit traction limited pulling the boat back out of the water on a steep boat ramp. On more than one occasion I remember hanging out the back window (rolled all the way down) watching Mom up on the flying bridge, approach the boat trailer at around 5 mph while dad waited with one foot on the brake and one on the gas. As soon as the boat started to clear the trailer mom and dad would would pin the throttles as simultaneously as possible and, when successful, the boat would come to rest on the trailer while also thrusting itself out of the water. On a steep ramp it was the only way they could pull the boat out of the water!
Its a good car. The price is fair. This is a Dreamboat Annie car which will always get you all the way to fire lake and then we well see just who’s gonna ride that chrome 3 wheeler just who’s gonna make that first mistake huh Dave ! Later…………………………………JIMMY
My dad had a wagon much like this only a Country Squire. He got carjacked in it and the next time we saw it, it was missing seats, doors, etc.
It was a 400 2bbl and boy what a SLUG!
A couple dozen years ago I had a 70 Squire wagon with a 429 2bbl and it MOVED. It was a car that had spent its life in CA and TX and the underside was so nice, you could just unbolt stuff that the factory put together. NO rust, it was beautiful. I bought it for $290. If it still existed it would be worth a lot more than this 1974 sled!
Wow, this ones in amazing shape ,and its in Rhode Island ? I used to pick these up in CT. the early 1980s for $50.00 or less and derby them . I liked that the gas tank was up by the differential instead of saddle tanks like other wagons had