Ford built seven generations of full-size wagons between 1950 and 1992 and this wagon is from the sixth series. The Country Sedan was the mid-level trim wagon below the Country Squire. Many of us older folk have memories of station wagons in the days before minivans and SUVs. Sometimes it was a long trip to see some old people who smelled funny and were somehow related. Other times it was a vacation to someplace fun. This example is listed on eBay in Kansas City, Missouri. With a few days left, bidding has not yet reached $5,000 and there is no reserve. You may not like green cars or station wagons, but have a look at this wagon. It’s a great barn find and survivor.
The owner used it to haul his airstream. After he passed on it sat in a garage for years. It’s being flipped, but the seller provided pictures of every ding and scrape. They even pointed out the damage from hauling it out of the garage. They have also done a great job getting it roadworthy. Inside things look well cared for and in good shape. The trailer brake is still hanging off the steering column.
Ford claimed you could seat 4 people back here, but they’d have to be pretty small kids. The interior was well taken care of and there’s no sign of damage.
It could use lots of cleaning under the hood but it’s all complete and unmolested. There’s the 402 CID, 260 HP V8. They wouldn’t get much better than 10 MPG but these wagons could haul a lot of kids and stuff.
The underside isn’t showing any rust damage. The seller mentions replacing the leaky transmission pan gasket.
It sounds like this wagon is ready to drive home. They’ve serviced the fuel system and brakes, installed new tires as well as taking care of other mechanical needs. The seller says the heater works but doesn’t mention the AC. The 41,000-mile claim is suspect as always, but in this case, it just might be true. The AC will likely need service, but that can wait until spring. I’d do something about the rust spots in the paint, but other than that, it looks ready to go. This time, this car may be as nice as it is in the eBay post. This looks like the perfect thing to haul your parts to swap meets or even haul your next project home.
Way back in 1980 we were just out of high school and scraped together $75 and bought a wagon like this but with a bad case if the tinworm. We cut the top off of it and managed all kinds of summer tomfoolery. Rain, no problem drill holes in the floor. Alignment so bad we ran snows on the front. Ah, youth.
I like the door in the bed
Hope it finds a good home…
Based on the interior, and the story (used to haul a travel trailer), miles could be legit. Underside looks good too.
Had a ’73 Country sedan, great wagons! Would buy this one and put it to
work hauling newspapers on my sister in law’s paper route. Sure, the gas
mileage sucks, but you get a great car with a solid reputation for a long
service life. Just try doing that with your modern run of the mill SUV/CUV!
Looks like ‘Seafoam’ green; my ’71 F100 bears the same colour, along with ‘Boxwood’ green for a beautiful two-tone finish. I love to see these original, vibrant colours in today’s world of silver, grey, black and white vehicles…this old wagon would turn more heads than a modern “supercar”, and that alone is worth the price of admission.
This is the part where somebody comes here and talks about how they can get a newer car with more features that’s better on gas, and then gets offended when told they’re on the wrong site.
Never understood that… people ask me what’s in my truck, I tell them it’s a 390 and their next question is about gas mileage. I tell them I only care about my smiles per gallon…
Sweet car. Rear diff looks a little wet in the pics, pinion seal maybe?
Had one of these – in yellow. Bought it in Vermont for $500 in 1981 – of course it had rust, but pop-rivets and sheet metal were the de rigueur repair in those days and it ended up serving me well for a couple years until its death in Virginia. It was built like a tank!
A 402? Ford never made a 402 – it’s a 400. Plain as day on the decal on the air filter lid.
Although Ford lists the engine as a 400 in literature and on the air cleaner, the actual cu. in. are listed in the specs as 402.1. I do find this strange that a auto maker would round the cubic inches down.
the reason for this back in the day, if you had a engine over 400 cubic inches the insurance companys charge you more, so 402 became 400s same with 396 chevs and 400 small blocks
Ford built a 425 cubic inch FE and called it a 427, go figure. Probably one upping Chrysler’s 426 I suppose.
This is odd. I just found this car for sale in Mexico.
It looks similar inside and out.
I know it is a 1972.
Here is the interior. Just like the one above.
The guy here only wants $3400.00 though.
I’ve owned a ’72 Galaxie 500 2 door since 1995. Bought it from the original 92 year-old owner with 34,000 original miles. 351 Windsor, FMX trans and dealer installed under-dash air. I love big Fords; started out with a ’69 Galaxie Custom with a 428 PI and next was a Galaxie with a 429 PI. The 71-72s are big, comfortable with decent power and, considering how many were made, not seen too often these days.
I’ve added a Holly 600cfm, Edelbrock Performer intake, MSD billet aluminum distributer with a Blaster coil and dual exhausts with Flowmasters. It’s a big car but those upgrades really perked up it’s performance. Apart from chrome smoothie rims and under hood mods, it is entirely as it left the factory; paint, chrome, stainless, upholstery, carpets, even the floor mats. Just turned 52k.
I would LOVE to have this wagon! Clean it up, do some upgrades over time but keep it stock-looking and have a really unique ride. No money for it now but if I could, I’d be the winning bidder. Why does it seem you’re always broke at the wrong time?
FG-72, beautiful car! If you were to park it on the grass, it would almost disappear…
Wow, your car looks much better than mine.
I have a 1972 LTD Coupe Brougham that I drive every day.
I just can-t bring myself to drive one of the newer pieces of crap.
It says its from the Colin Gish Estate, Mr. Gish passed in 2013 at 88 years of age so he would have been 47 when he bought this. Chances are his kids, if he had any ( I cant tell, the full obituary costs money to view), were probably grown by then which accounts for the perfect back seats.
I believe this one really has 41k original miles on it. Of course you are dealing with a vehicle that likely has almost 50 year engine seals, internal transmission seals ect… But I love these old boats. Id buy it if I had the money to spend on such things right now…
Its amazing to look at the window sticker, could you imagine driving this old beast with a manual transmission, 4 wheel drum brakes and no power steering? Those options were well worth the money!
“could you imagine driving this old beast with a manual transmission, 4 wheel drum brakes and no power steering?”
Welcome to Mexico. Also add in heater delete and no air and you have most Mexican cars.
Even though my car is a Chrysler Windsor and people ask me how do you afford the gas for it {which really isn’t that bad} I ask them how much is your payment a month for your new car? Mines paided for. That usally shuts them up. LOL. Bruce.
I’m really not sure why people are so obsessed with gas mileage, you don’t own are car like this if that’s your concern. You drive one of them beautiful prius (gag).
Thanks Bruce and all else who have the right idea about gas mileage. It’s the joy of the thing and not the gas mleage. I just sold my 69 Ford Country Squire with a big V8 (390 I think) and it was terrific for hauling everything including humans. I never thought once about the gas mileage. And you’re right about car payments:
Gas is pay as you go; car payments are being enslaved by a Bank. Weather you use the car you bought or not. Having said that I have two small engined cars: A 38 year old pickup called the Puppy by its many friends, and a Honda that everybody in the family drives. Everything else is a V8 or a big 6.
Thanks for Barn Finds. I’m negotiating on a bigger place for the cars and as soon a that’s done I’m going to expand because I think a correction is coming so it’s going to be a good time to buy.
I went to work for a car dealer that had one of these sitting on the back lot. The body was perfect as was the interior. It had been sitting for four years as a trade in with no title. When I inquired about the car. I was told that I could have it for free. I was able to contact the last registered owner and they signed off on a duplicate title. I had to replace a couple of freeze plugs and install new tires. The A/C worked great and we took a trip with another couple to San Francisco. Had a great time. I sold it (I know stupid) a few weeks later for $2,500. That was about 1984. I really liked driving that boat.
I had a ’71 LTD 4Dr sedan with a 429, 2::) and C4 trans (was told that was a police intercepter trans). At highway speeds I enjoyed 20 mpg, but only 10 mpg in town. Sorry I let that one go.
The 429 PI would have had a C6. You could order a ’71 Galaxie with a 429 but it wouldn’t have been a 429 PI. I also don’t think the 1971 429 PI Galaxie would have been an LTD. Most were Customs which was the lowest trim level; vinyl seats, rubber floor mats(not carpet), basic trim and poverty hubcaps. I had a ’69 Ford Galaxie Custom with a 428 PI and a 1972 Ford Galaxie Custom with a 429 PI. Both were bare bones, no frills ex-State Police cruisers.
Maybe a Captain’s car would have been ordered with a higher trim level. I have seen one 1972 ordered for a captain with cloth seats and carpets but it had a 351 Cleveland in it, not a 429. Obviously, that one was ordered for show and not for pursuit.
Dad had one like this a 1970 what a boat , red with red interior ,I thought it had a 390 v8 , nice road trip car