OK, back to cars! Specifically, station wagons. Last week it was Chevrolet, yesterday Dodge and today, a Ford. And not just any Ford, but a big, brown bruiser of a faux wood-grained, 1973 Country Squire with a claimed 57K miles of experience. This baby was built back when a station wagon was a station wagon and not some silly little CUV that looks like a piglet on stilts. Big? You bet, so big it would probably require wharfage fees. Let’s take a look at this long leviathan, it’s located in Little Silver, New Jersey, and is available here on eBay for a current bid of $12,100, reserve not yet met.
Station wagons continue their march up the popularity ladder, many consider them to be the perfect antidote to a world gone mad with CUVs/SUVs. And they possess many of the same qualities, engines, transmissions, suspensions, etc. that their passenger car versions claim. By the early ’70s station wagons, like their passenger siblings, grew in mass and shrunk in power, however, – the Country Squire, included. As stated earlier, this is a BIG car and not particularly robust in the power department but those items, alone, don’t necessarily detract from this Ford’s desirability.
To say the least, this Country Squire is in great condition, even slathered in oh-so ’70s brown. It has a deep finish, nice chrome and no sign of torn, faded or nicked “wood” paneling. The seller refers to the exterior as “Dark Ginger Metallic” complimented with a “Light Ginger” vinyl interior; that’s a lot of ginger going on but I’m seeing mostly brown. This Ford was a one-owner car that has been garaged its entire life; not certain if New Jersey has been its long term domicile but this Country Squire has clearly avoided the potential ravages of northeastern winters. It is further stated as being rust-free.
The interior does match the exterior, in character anyway. It is in great condition, no sign of wear, rips, tears, stains or scuffs. As I recall, the vinyl material used by Ford in this era was pretty tough stuff. Ditto the cargo compartment – the part of a station wagon that usually receives all of the knocks and contusions, it is damage free. This example is, depending on your perspective, either an eight or a ten passenger wagon. Ford referred to it in their sales brochure as an “eight” passenger model with only two useable seating locations in the way-back but I can recall, from days long ago, parents claiming they could shoehorn four small ones into those two rear-facing seats – maybe if they were missing a limb or two. Two things noted, one is crank windows, not so out of place, even in ’73, and yes, the original Philco radio is still installed.
Under the hood is a bit of a dud in the form of a 400 CI, V8, wheezing its way to 167 net HP. Of course, Ford wasn’t alone in this endeavor as they had similar company with Mopar’s 400 “B” block V8 and Chevrolet’s over-bored, underpowered, 150 net HP small block of the same displacement. The good news? The big Ford engine is torquey enough to move this fully loaded wagon adequately though covering only about 11 miles per gallon of fuel inhaled and taking 13.3 seconds to reach 60 MPH. But that’s the way things rolled in those days. The seller doesn’t state specifically how this Ford wagon runs but does claim that it has had a “Complete tune-up with all new plugs, wires cap and rotor. Remanufactured carburator (sic) All new fluids, filters hoses belts. New battery Altenator new brake master cylinder, valve cover gaskets”. He further mentions that the A/C is cold and the car has always been “meticulously maintained”. It looks it!
While lacking hot-rod potential or candidacy for a surf-wagon conversion, this Country Squire presents itself as what it was, when designed, and what it is now, a large comfortable family-hauler. It’s hard to estimate the reserve but the bidding is starting to get into a pricy realm, nevertheless, that’s the cost to relive the earth-toned ’70s. Worth it?
I owned one of the these station wagons back in the late 70’s. Good snow car and would go anywhere with just snow tires. Being from Upper Michigan the car was quite a bit of rust thru by 78. The bottoms of the doors were clearly rusted thru. Great car, could haul six or seven kids down to the beach.
Michigan Tech rules!!!
Had a ’73 Country Sedan and loved it!
I got it from a co worker in 1980 for $275. Mine had the same 400 V-8 with a C-6 automatic transmission. It also had
an FM converter mated to the AM radio
that still worked great. I had no worries
about getting where I needed to go as
the car was reliable and always got me
there. And well-built? It was all that and more. It even totaled out a new
IH Scout that rear ended my car Christmas Eve after my ex wife and I went to Peoria to pick up some family
members for a big Christmas dinner.
The only damage done to my wagon
was a small crease in the right side
tail light and a slight springing of the
rear door/tailgate. Wound up selling it to my boss a short time later. His wife
had been in a terrible accident and he needed a large car to transport her and
her wheelchair to the many doctors that
she had to see. I really like this car as it
reminds me so much of my big old bus.
Just wish I had the cash and the space
to put it.
I am a Ford guy, and my parents had 1976 Ford LTD 4 dr Landau. It was a great car but drove like a boat, everything felt very vague. The car lasted forever and was extremely dependable . There was nothing exciting about these cars, if they were a food, they would be meatloaf . A very good meatloaf, but still meatloaf. If this were a couple of years older it would be more interesting. But 12 large for meatloaf? I don’t think so.
.
I don’t have first hand experience with the Country Squires but I do have experience with its close brother, the basic 1973 Galaxie 500 four-door. It was my Driver’s Education car. What I remember about it (other than it was green) was that it was b-i-g, with floaty handling and numb steering. Actually a fairly intimidating car on which to learn to drive.
Aside: at that time in my rural area of Ohio, Driver’s Education was administered by the school district. The instructor was a coach (naturally) and the car provided by a local dealer. In my case, the instructor/coach was “THE COACH” at the school, if you get my drift. My Driver’s Education class was 8th period, and I had (of all things) Typing Class in 9th period. Now, the instructor/coach did not have much respect for Typing Class; why would any guy need or even want to take Typing? So it didn’t matter to him whether we would get back in time, or not. The Typing teacher got very irritated with me for repeatedly coming in late, which I’m sure THE COACH found humorous. Thankfully I was there enough to become sufficiently proficient to pass the class. And, the way the world advanced, I’m glad I learned to type.
My sister took her road test in my mother’s 1973 Country Squire and didn’t have to do the broken u turn because the car was so big.
It does have some hot rod potential, either soup up the Windsor engine in there, or swap in a built 429/460. The 429 was an option in 73, so it will fit.
I love it but i am smitten by the station wagons in general and tjis is a nice looking rig.
I wish reality would set in on many things in life including car pricing.
Seems 5, maybe 10 years ago you couldn’t throw a car like this away let alone expect well north of 10k for it.
I like meatloaf
An Uncle had a 73 he bought new. He was a traveling saleman and put lots of miles on. One big problem was the Motor a 460. It was a BIT Of a Gas hog even on the road.
I love meat loaf 👍
Let me first note, that I’m a GM guy, have been for as far back, as I can remember…but I’ve always had a respect for Ford product, and as a guy, who is 70 years young, and has lived cars since birth, I have a love for many of the full size Ford designs, from the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and up till 76.
This wagon is all American classic, and if I still had the space, would be very tempting, even in metallic ginger. I’ve enjoyed several Ford Galaxies of this era, 68 thru 77 as company furnished drivers, and in my humble opinion, this is easily close to a perfect collectible…add power windows, vintage A/C, and increase the power, and I’d have the perfect meat loaf.
I owned the same car! Great wagon for growing family and 1st time I ever spent $5,000 for a car! It was indeed a beast….but sure footed in any weather and looked great with the wood panel sides….roof rack….and glistening chrome……..
We had a pale yellow Country Squire with the wood paneling when I was a little kid in the early 70s so I love this car!
Yesterday I saw 1975s The Stepford Wives and got to watch a pretty much exact car as this one listed cruising down the freeway during their move from NYC. Very fun. Kids loose in the backseat just like we were back in the day. No use for seatbelts! Haha