It’s good fun to find a car that has done its civic duty in some capacity, such as this 1972 Ford Custom 500 Ranch Wagon with “Dual-Facing Rear Seats.” According to the seller, it was shipped from its Los Angeles assembly plant to McChord Air Force Base in Washington State. In 1984 or so, it was “declared surplus” and ended up with the Washington State Department of National Resources, and finally, it ended up at auction in 1993, when the current owner purchased it. Because the seller is the only civilian owner the car has had, it will come with some documentation of its history. It’s currently for sale here on eBay in Edmonds, Washington, although no one has yet matched the $7,500 opening bid.
A few years after the current owner took possession, the engine was rebuilt with hardened exhaust valve seats (more on the engine in a minute), and the paint, which had been resprayed “Emergency Yellow,” was again redone in its original “Strata Blue.” The owner also performed some rust repair, which apparently needs to be redone after 30-plus years.
The door tag has some interesting information, including the District Sales Office code of “834197.” The number “83” was reserved for cars sold to the government, and the last four digits indicated the special order number. Everything else on the tag looks appropriate for a big Ford wagon.
The engine code of “H” denotes a 351 two-barrel, but since Ford had several 351s, you didn’t always know what you were going to get. Luckily, the seller tells us that it’s a 351 Cleveland. The engine compartment could admittedly use a little love, but the FMX automatic was rebuilt in 1999, the power front disc braking system has seen some work more recently, and the “WER” rear end (which had an 8.75-inch ring gear) was upgraded to a Ford 9″ unit soon after the seller bought the Ranch Wagon.
The car also has power steering, but the front end needs some work. The lower ball joints have been replaced, but the car will come with “a pair of upper suspension arms with new bushings and upper ball joints” that have not yet been installed. The tie rod ends could also use replacing.
The front seat was reupholstered with J.C. Whitney material back in the ’90s, but the carpet is original and could use replacement. The car is as austere inside as you might expect, with no radio or air conditioning (but it does have a working heater), although the rear window is electrically operated from either the dashboard or via the key lock on the tailgate. If you think you’re seeing things, such as a green steering wheel, you’re right; the original was cracked and the owner replaced it with a better one. Unfortunately, it’s green.
Although Ranch Wagons were available in a six-passenger version, this one has the dual-facing rear seats. Why did the Air Force need them? I’m afraid the answer is probably lost to time.
This looks like a neat wagon for those who are interested in military vehicles, Fords, or simply something a little different; however, given that it seems to need a little cosmetic work after 33 years of current ownership, it will be interesting to see if someone will get the bids started or if the seller will settle for less. The eBay ad is extremely thorough, so I suggest checking it out if you’re interested, and let us know in the comments if you have any experience with government surplus vehicles.
Well, my military experience is less than zero, not particularly proud of that, just the way the it worked out time wise. Not sure exactly what I would have done if it came to that, something neat in the motor pool, and not slog through the swamps of SE Asia. Thank you to those that did that, but this wagon was for those unruly service folks that had a bit too much fun at the local watering hole. You know who you are. I’m not sure what you’d do with this car, I’d certainly paint the darn thing. The “A-F” motif does nothing for any value, in fact, may actually deter sales. You want to drive around with that on the door? Here you go. TEN-HUT!
The year before I was eligible my draft number was 1,the next year 300 +
My lottery number was 352, so I enlisted. I didn’t slog through any rice paddies, but I spend many hundreds of hours at 8000ft over Viet Nam in an (air conditioned) EC-121, and then landing in that den of sin, Korot RTAFB, Bangkok. I doubt that was a crew/alert vehicle, it would be difficult crawling in and out with your flight bag and your harness and chute and carrying a butt boat (assuming your gear wasn’t stored on the a/c), a station wagon would only hold 2 people. In SEA, I remember staff cars with the rear facing seats so that the MIFWIC (Mean MF What’s In Charge) wouldn’t have to talk to the back of someone’s head. But I can smell that car. The smell of sweat and cigarettes and scared shitless young men, and yet I think of all the brothers I’ve lost over the years, and the few I still talk to. And don’t thank me for my service, I should be the one thanking YOU for letting be serve America. Enough “old guy” reminiscing, back to my coffee.
I bought one of these wagons way back when as a beater for $500, it was yellow with a tan interior. It turned out to be a decent car, I got two years out of it and didn’t put much money into it. The featured car looks tired and needs work, I can only see a fan of vehicles associated with the military wanting to take this on. GLWTS.
What an incredible find. Sorry to see the longtime owner selling this original USAF car. I own a USAF Staff car as well. A ’71 Custom sedan, 71B 4260. I fully restored mine about twelve years ago, I got lucky and found an NOS blue steering wheel for mine. This is the first USAF ’71-’72 Ford I have seen without factory A/C. Mine has a 351Windsor with FMX, power steering, power disc brakes, factory A//C, tinted glass all windows, and radio delete. Mine was also built in Los Angeles, and shipped just up the road to Norton AFB in San Bernardino. It was auctioned off in the late 1980s to the collector that I purchased it from. He had about 60 surplus Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps vehicles on his property, and never used any of them. Cleveland engine is correct for this ’72. Maybe I am biased, but there is no better color than Strata Blue. Hope the new owner of this car keeps it original to its Air Force roots. A bit of trivia; the dual facing rear seats were not available on the Custom trim level. That is the reason the Air Force wagons are Custom 500 trim level.
Thanks for the extra details about these cars, David, especially about the rear seats. Any idea why they needed the extra seating?
Hauling pilots out to the flight line.
Love it – plain and simple, honest workhorse.
Give it the TLC that it needs and use it the way it should be used.
This might have been an alert crew vehicle vs a crew cab Dodge or an IH truck. It could have also used for moving transport air crews from Base Ops to their jet on the flight line. If there are holes in the dash and floor it might have been an Operations Group Commander’s staff car. It would have a sharks fin antenna and radios for comm with the air crews and airfield operations.
Hi Phil. I knew you would like and appreciate this one. I thought about you being excited to own this when commenting above. This would be an awesome addition to your fleet. At least with you its Air Force originality would be guaranteed.
Bitchin ! I would roll around in this wearing full USAF dress. With a helmet on too !!
This would be a great rat rod. Clear coat the exterior, coyote swap.
Love the Strato Blue wagon. I’d strip all the air force lettering and put this to use as my daily. Which for me is all in one; family, work, hot rod and Ford. Once cleaned up and on the road I’d upgrade as needed. There are a lot of basically simple upgrades available if you know.
Ask seems a little rich but as a good, solid runner, for the most part, maybe not.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, it’s on the wrong coast for me. Though maybe this could be the vacation I need flying out and driving it back east? Looks like it would be up to the task in it’s current condition.
As this was an Air Force car, it probably only saw trips to the country club on a regular basis. If it was a USMC vehicle, it would have been parted out and made into a target for Grunts to drop mortars on. Good luck with the sale.
For reference, this is a photo of the 8 TFW commanders car at Kunsan AB ROK. The fighter wing is known in USAF speak as the “Wolf Pack.” It was a late 60’s early 70’s Ford with a custom paint job that “Wolf 1” drove. The custom paint job was done on base to match the F-16’s flown by the wing.
That is not a normal engine bay rust build-up. That is rusty water belched out of the cooling system. (don’t ask me how I know) So plan on a cooling system flush and some radiator repair/replacement..I had a ’71 green wagon that had been sitting on the back lot for years. It was actually in nice shape. It had been traded in by the Salvation Army and somewhere along the way the title had disappeared. So I procured te proper paperwork from the DMV and for a $25 donation they signed all the paperwork and I owned it. It to, needed some cooling system repairs. (Freeze plug in the side of the block behind a motor mount IIRC. Cleaned it up and did a trip to San Francisco with friends aboard. I sold it soon afterwards as I really didn’t need a big barge wagon. Mine was that pretty light green color with tan interior.
it really cool. the opening bid is high @7500.00. neat backstory but it’s got a ton of miles on it and they show. in reality this is a 4-4500.00 wagon it’s just too rough @ 7500.00
Agree. I have a 1971 Dodge Polara so I have to care and feed it and cannot take on this project. It would be interesting but my marriage is more important right now.
Great car with a great story. We bought a AMC Rebel 343-4v HP owing Everett pace car from the 747 project. Like the Bullitt McQueen car it had 8mm camera holes in the fenders and was used to film 747s on take off. My four cousins learned to drive on it, eventually the frame rusted out.
where’s Barbara Eden with her blink when you need it ? That’s a Tony Nelson car for sure !
Looks like a hid a key under the hitch!
As clean as this looks externally……why in the world would you not power wash that disgustingly filthy motor prior to it being listed?!
If I had the money, I’d make into a hand me down SP LE patrol vehicle. Thats what we had until 1978 when we were issued new Plymouth Volare and Dodge Aspens for base patrol.
I drove a car exactly like this at Whiteman AFB in Missouri in 1975. I was in radio maintenance. A lot of our radio equipment and towers were off base. There were usually two of us, and we threw our tools, spare radios, and other parts in the back.
We owned a (Gran?) Torino wagon, very similar this one in color and style, and about the same time period. As I recall at the time, it was a nice roomy car for my young family.
Not sure what became of it. I did a lot of buying/selling back then.
That car’s another one of my lifelong ‘fleet’ of cars, that didn’t get its picture taken.
Sigh….
1 hour to go in the auction and not a single bid.
Somebody got a nice wagon. Sold at the single bid #, $7,500.
Tony Nelson ? He drove cool cars like a GTO !
I would have liked it at $3500 as it would cost me probably $1200 to have it brought to Southern IL.