Here’s an era of automotive design I wish continued: the two-door “shooting brake” that this pair of Ford Ranch wagons captured beautifully. These are not entirely dissimilar in design from the pair of Opel Sport Wagons we featured a few weeks ago, but the Ranch wagons undoubtedly oozed a bit more style with their finned haunches. The seller is letting these two projects go as a pair, and you’ll find them here on eBay with a $6,500 Buy-It-Now and the reserve unmet.
Very few details are provided by the seller, other than to show the red one as still trapped in a garage with the white car at least rolled out into the daylight. These Ranch wagons were a departure from the big-bodied station wagons many of our parents probably drove, and the two-door wagon body style was definitely influenced by European designs of the era. Another favorite with a similar design is the rare Ford Falcon delivery wagon, which sported a more utilitarian vibe.
Among the few details offered by the seller is the fact that they both have motors and the red one is the more likely candidate for restoration. Notes the seller: “Red one has a 351 ran when parked extra parts. The parts car has a Y block engine. Has great panels for restoration of the red wagon.” I’m glad to hear the red one is the more sound example of the two, as there’s something about that red paint and low stance that makes it my favorite for restoration.
A quick check of Hemmings shows a fully restored example selling for around $30,000. An even nicer example of a ’57 is listed for near $40,000. That said, this could be a good deal – but more details are needed about the red car. Information such as where the rust is located and how much cutting and welding is needed to set it right would be helpful, along with whether the original matching numbers motor is still lurking around that dusty garage. What are your thoughts – is this a fair deal at the current Buy-It-Now price?
These are bargains…,🤔😎….they are scarce…in 2door form.
I would love to have them for sure….I would fix both…unless the white one was really far gone…very cool resto wagons…great find😀
Very cool…great potential for both! Here is one, Edsel, from Gas City last fall.
I really like it, I’m someone that hated the Edsel’s nose. That look with a 2 door, and the rarity of being an Edsel, wow !
On the very old late 50’s Donna Reed show, their family car was an Edsel station wagon. Amazingly to me at least that same car still exists and I saw it on a website recently.
On the subject of rare Edsels, I saw a website where someone converted an Edsel to a retractable hardtop (or a Ford to an Edsel). It looked perfect.
There is a guy in San Diego who has a yard full of Ford wagons, wagon parts, wagon bodies….mostly ’57 if memory serves me…though there might be some ’55’s and ’56’s.
He doesnt use the internet and doesnt even have a cell phone…. Old time beach guy who’s been at it for a long time.
He had a really rare Edsel wagon that only went in reverse ( thats not why it was rare :) )……..finally sold it to someone…I know he wants to start clearing his “stock” out. I wish there was a way to get his “barn find” collection on here. Mostly usable for parts but Ill bet someone could put together 2 or 3 cars
And another…
My father drove two-door Chevrolets in the ’50s when my sisters and I were growing up. Years later, when looking at old photographs, I asked him why he always bought two-doors. He told me that he thought it was safer for us in the back seat with no easy way out. Maybe Chevy should have made those cars with inoperable back windows, too. We had a great time in 1957 hand-feeding Mom’s cookies out the window to a bear in Yellowstone.
Also in the 50’s parents would take off the inside rear door handles on 4drs so kids couldn’t open the rear doors.
Haha, not a two door story, but the Bears story reminds me of the folks taking us down Haight Street in late ‘60’s when I was about 9 or 10 to ‘see what this hippie thing was all about’. When we got in the thick of it in our Black ‘59 Chevy Wagon with the big-ass fins, hippies FULLY surrounding us, I remember with a chuckle my mom reaching back and locking the two back doors for our …protection ;)
I just remember the sea of strange looking characters and wondering why they were all on the streets and not the sidewalks, not unlike bears in yellowstone.
Also remembering us kids would ride on the big fins as we drove down our 1/2 mile dirt road to the house, clutching the roof rack for dear life, bouncng over the cattleguards.
Sweet Memories!
Jeff, thank you, I would try it at $4000.00 and include absolutely everything related to both cars along with the purchase. I had a 55 Ranch Wagon and it was a great vehicle for doing everything. Another idea might be to try and find Park Lane parts for one of them and confuse people just for fun. These Fords were not notorious for sexy interiors but they were very hardy cars. Enjoy.
Those 2 door Ranch wagons are rare, my wife saw these and told me she grew up riding in one just like the white one.
@JW, that sounds like the greenlight to pick these two up!
@Canuckcarguy, nope, her younger brother fell off the tailgate when he was about 5 hit his head on something and developed Epilepsy, bad memories for her.
Naturally; Opel Sport Wagon comparison. Silly me, I was going with Chevy Nomad, Pontiac Safari.
I agree Jeff…we need some car maker to make a TRUE 2dr wagon again.
The $37k one in Lithia Springs GA on Hemmings appears to be a Del Rio which is a much nicer car that a regular Ranch Wagon like these are.
Looking for a particular wagon, I found that there were more 2 door Ford wagons from the mid-50s than 4 doors, whereas it was the opposite with Chevys. I am looking for a 1955 Ford 4 door wagon with the Fairlane stainless trim which runs over the front fender and down the side. Found it in a 2 door model multiple times and in a ’56 but that’s not what I need.
Funnily, I found just what I was looking for and about 10 miles from my home. No motor or trans but has the correct number of doors and the stainless trim I wanted (Fairlane?). Even has a title.!!!!! Waiting on some parts the seller was removing from another car such as the front clip and dash and it does need some floor pan repair but does come with a complete used floor. I did check a couple of sales brochures and did not find this model pictured.
Not a Ford but a two door; my Dad had a 1956 Plymouth De Luxe Suburban two door station wagon. Dark blue with a light blue interior, three speed manual with overdrive behind a flathead six. He bought it new and drove it until 1963 when he replaced it with a new 1964 VW Micro Bus Deluxe. Replaced by a 1971 Chevrolet Kingswood.
Talk about contrasts in cars, a full size wagon(for the day), to a Micro Bus(not really that much smaller just more primitive and lacking in power), back to a full size wagon(a real bloatmobile this one was, only 5″ shorter than the next generation which was the biggest Chevrolet built).
Back in the day (late 60s) as a young teenager I helped a brother-in-law and his teenage brothers with their 57 Ford 2 Dr sedan dirt track car. A dirt floored chicken coop was our race shop. Their dad, a very mechanically wise farmer sent us to Frankie’s, a local junkyard to buy a 57 Ford wagon rear axle. He knew that a wagon with a 3 speed and overdrive would have 4.10 gears in a 9″ rear. We found 2 such wagons, one 2 Dr and one 4 Dr. We bought both rears for $15.00 each, welded the spider gears and had racing rear ends! If only it were that simple now.
I believe Kenner Toys depicted a 57 two door wagon in their SSP demolition derby set along with a 57 Chevy post 2dr. Came with pull cord and already damaged and dented from the mfg.
I have been working on this one for a bit now. Due for final block and paint by next weekend. 312 tbird, 5 speed manual, wilwood discs yada yada. Should be fun.
Pretty sure the Park Lane model was one year only in ’56, so yeah it really would confuse people.
stunning!
The 351 would be the cheaper way to go, but if the y block is salvageable, save it and rebuild it over time. Gotta love the sound of em.
MadBrit….they made a Town Sedan in 55/56….think that’s the four door you need to look for……
had 1 in the green colors above (’55?). Dad got transferred to Boston so mom drove the 8 y/o boy’n 12 y/o girl up frm Baltimore w/the dog in 1960. It wuz a 4 dor tank but was totaled out when mom (not familiar w/sno drivin) slightly bent the fender on a tree. Tank I say cuz she slid forward on the seat @ impact, her knee hittin sompin, to have bursitis from then on.
Gee, now I got an idea Y I been drivin wagons the last 40 yrs…
I have a 57 Del Rio …..with a 1958 352 and C6 in it…..drive it all over…gets lots of looks…many say they heard if them but never seen…..real low survivor rate.
Dan, Did you change the side molding? Looks a bit different from the ’57 Del Rio I have. She sure is nice looking!
Hi, I just used the front lower section was missing the gold insert anywhy….came out simple cool looking this way.
Thx Dan