If you ask the “big-wigs” of the automotive industry, they’ll try to convince you that the family station wagon has come and gone. However, nobody seems to have bothered telling classic car enthusiasts who continue to eagerly snap up any decent wagons when they appear on the market. I’m talking about wagons like this 1968 Ford Country Sedan. It isn’t perfect, but not only does it appear to be a straightforward restoration prospect, but it will happily swallow a family of six. The owner has decided to part with this Ford, so if you feel like channeling your inner Clark Griswold with a cross-country trip, you will find the wagon listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Henderson, Nevada, and while bidding has reached $2,370, the reserve hasn’t been met. I have to send out a thank you to Barn Finder Larry D for spotting the wagon for us.

For those who have laughed along watching National Lampoon’s “Vacation.” you have to admit that the Country Sedan is a far more attractive vehicle than the movie’s Wagon Queen Family Truckster. The Lime Gold paint that the Ford wears also sounds far more inviting than a color called Metallic Pea! The owner doesn’t give the impression that the vehicle is perfect, but it appears that a life spent in the dry climes of Nevada has left it rust-free. There are a few dings and dents on the passenger side of the wagon, and the seller believes that these were due to a previous owner arguing with that side of his garage. There is Bondo that will require work, but the owner believes that there is solid steel hiding beneath it. There’s a lot of steel that will need mild massaging before a fresh coat of paint is applied, but the wagon still appears to be a straightforward restoration project that the buyer could tackle in their home workshop. Considering the number of minor marks and dings that have accumulated over the years, most of the exterior trim appears to be in good condition for a driver-quality car. The original owner ordered this Ford with tinted glass, and I can’t spot any problems with that.

When buyers ordered their ’68 Country Sedans equipped with a six-cylinder motor, what they were buying was an automotive slug. These are a heavy beast, and they require a decent engine if owners are going to have any hope of extracting respectable performance levels. The original owner of this Ford chose to tick the box beside the 390ci V8, which means that they had 266hp at their disposal. It seems that they were seeking an effortless driving experience, so they also chose to equip the 4,354lb Country Sedan with a 3-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. None of this offered the type of performance that would cause muscle car owners to lose sleep, but the Ford would have acquitted itself well in most circumstances. The owner has recently fitted a new aluminum radiator, along with a fresh brake booster and master cylinder. While he was at it, he rebuilt the carburetor, fitted new plug wires, and treated the wagon to a tune-up. The result is that it runs and drives well, so that trip to Wally World might not be that far away.

If you are looking for a wagon loaded with luxury extras, you’ve come to the wrong place with this Ford. However, if what you’re seeking is a practical family wagon with hard-wearing upholstery that will cope with all of the abuse that you can throw at it, this Country Sedan might be ideal. Forget cloth, velour, or supple leather. The upholstery here is good old vinyl, and it’s in surprisingly good condition for its age. There is a split in the driver’s seat, but the rest of the upholstery looks pretty good. The vinyl on the door trims looks slightly wrinkled, but I think that the buyer might be able to stretch that back into shape. Otherwise, it really doesn’t seem to need much. As I said, there aren’t a lot of comfort features. Ice cold air conditioning appears to be it, but I can’t think of a more appropriate feature in a vehicle like this located in Nevada.

This 1968 Ford Country Sedan lacks the glitz and glamor of some other classic wagons, but that doesn’t make it undesirable. It does appear to be a solid vehicle capable of transporting a family of six and all of their luggage in comfort. Returning it to a factory-fresh state would not be difficult, but adding some custom touches to make it stand out could also be worth considering. If the buyer attended to the panels, applied a fresh coat of paint, and bolted on some appropriate alloy wheels, this Ford would undoubtedly stand out. Adding a few touches to the interior like a CD/MP3 player would help the time and miles pass more quickly and should be a cheap investment. There is a world of possibilities available to the next owner, and I’d love to see this Ford once they’ve weaved their magic. I think that the results could be pretty surprising.