When you choose to embark upon the journey of buying a classic car, there are two paths that you might choose to follow. The first is to find a vehicle that needs some work, and then be prepared to get the car to the standard you desire. The second is to find the best example available on the market and to buy that vehicle with the knowledge that you can enjoy it immediately. This 1974 Ford Country Squire would seem to represent that second option because it is an amazingly clean and original survivor. It is loaded with optional extras and is ready for you and your tribe to tackle your next cross-country adventure. The Ford is located in Sherwood, Oregon, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. With bidding now sitting at $15,600, the reserve hasn’t been met.
At nearly 19-feet in total length, there is no arguing that this is a classic wagon with a ton of presence. The owner provides an enormous selection of photos, and every aspect of the car is either faultless or so close that it doesn’t matter. The wagon is finished in Medium Ivy Yellow, and the paint presents beautifully. There are no significant marks or dings, while the panels are arrow-straight. One of the potential issues with vehicles like the Country Squire is the deterioration of the woodgrain finish. If this fades or is damaged, getting a perfect match can be a challenging assignment. I have seen more than one of these where this has happened. Often, the owner has been forced to replace the whole lot to maintain excellent presentation, or to delete it entirely. That isn’t an issue here, because the woodgrain appears to be in good order. One interesting feature of this wagon is the fact that it was ordered with a Green vinyl top. Seeing vinyl on a station wagon is not that common, but in concert with woodgrain is a rarity. The vinyl is like the rest of the exterior, which means that it has no issues. The vehicle is fitted with a chrome roof-rack, and it is as shiny as the rest of the trim. The LTD was ordered with tinted glass all around, and this shows no signs of damage.
When I started to dig deeper into this Ford and realized how many optional extras it was ordered with, I was quite surprised to find that it features the standard 400ci V8 under the hood. That’s not to say that it’s not up to the job, because it does pump out 170hp. The Country Squire needs every one of those horsies because, at 4,883lbs, it is a reasonably heavy beast. It also comes equipped with a C6 automatic transmission, along with power steering and power brakes. The listing indicates an odometer reading of 13,600 miles. It isn’t clear whether this original, or whether it has rolled over. Given the overall condition, I wouldn’t be surprised if those miles are genuine. When it comes to the question of mechanical health, a picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is even better. The owner supplies this YouTube video. It is a bit long, but it demonstrates the vehicle running and driving. There isn’t a rattle or squeak to be heard anywhere. The engine sounds crisp and clean, and the transmission shifts smoothly.
The original owner went to town when they ordered this car because it is loaded with some excellent equipment. This includes air conditioning, power windows, power locks, cruise, a rim-blow wheel, a quadraphonic AM/FM radio and 8-track player, intermittent wipers, trailer towing package including a trailer brake controller, rear defrost, and the Brougham interior trim package. When it comes to the question of presentation, there is nothing to be critical of. The term “time capsule” gets overused in the classic scene, but that is what this interior seems to represent. There is no fading, no wear, no rips, and no cracks. This rates as one of the cleanest interiors that you are likely to see in a wagon of this age. Its condition also makes that odometer reading seem plausible. Also included is the original Order Sheet and Warranty Card.
This 1974 LTD Country Squire is quite a vehicle. If you are looking for a classic station wagon, this has to be worth serious consideration. The Order Sheet tells a fascinating story because the base price for this wagon when it was new was $4,898. By the time the owner had finished ticking the boxes, he had added an eye-watering $2,024 worth of optional extras to the vehicle. That makes this a classic that is fully loaded. If you are searching for a wagon, the decision is up to you. Would you buy one that needs some restoration work, or would you slip behind the wheel of this one and drive off into the sunset?
I’m inclined to believe the low mileage claim; this wagon’s overall condition seems to support it. It’s in fantastic condition and loaded with options. I do find the vinyl rood a bit odd-looking, but apart from that, what’s not to like? If you want the best vintage wagon money can buy, this Country Squire should fit the bill very nicely.
This says it all to me….😂
https://youtu.be/NRZI81GcnVU
Nice, but pricey. Last time the seller listed it for auction it was bid to $19,000+ without meeting reserve. I’d rather have a pre-smog, small bumper wagon for that kind of money.
Steve R
Steve R, this one’s pre-smog. 1974 was the last year before catalytic converters. My mother had a ’74 Custom 500 wagon with the 400, and I had a two-door 74 LTD with a 400 as my first car. They both ran on leaded regular.
No, it’s not pre-smog!! Why do you think it has only 170 HP from a 400 CI engine? It’s the smog equipment that robs it of a lot of HP.
My 4 door 2010 f150 does a better job in every aspect and it cost me less and i pull my fifth wheel with it …
not in looks !
Well , they are both ugly but the 150 is better in every way
I am not one of these guys that proudly drives his pick up
I own it because it hauls my tt and car trailer
I had the oppurtinity to buy one in the 2000’s.
It was a 9 passengers version with bench facing for the third row.
It was brown/copper with wood grain. No option unless the 460 engine.
It was parked since 1990’s not so much corrosion but many dings around.
This one looks great! Vinyl top on a wagon, never seen one or knew it was possible.
We’ve seen several Country Squires here, but this one may be the best. The buyer must have just ticked every option box on the order sheet. I’m not sure I have ever seen one with a vinyl roof, it does look a bit odd. To me these big bumper models look okay, the bumpers fit with the overall immensity of the vehicle. Obviously the seller knows what he/she has, and understands these have caught on in the market. Would make a great cruiser and Cars & Coffee entrant.
So odd to see a cloth interior in a wagon from this time. Vinyl was de rigueur. I’m going to guess that this wasn’t ordered by an interior decorator. A brown vinyl top & interior would’ve flowed better, but I do love this nevertheless.
Vinyl top, green interior, fake wood paneling. My God, she’s beautiful.
first time I’ve seen a vinyl top on a station wagon
You could get a vinyl top
On a squire wagon starting in 1970. I have a 72 with it.
Tis a nice wagon, but boy do i long for the days when you couldnt give these away, so owning and enjoying one was a very tame investment.
For those of you that might wonder, “quadraphonic” AM/FM radio and 8-track player was the term for the seventies attempt at four channel audio. Like betamax and other similar concepts, it never caught on. Think of it as surround sound for the seventies.
…didn’t you have to find and buy the quadaphonic 8 tracks? It would play standard two channel, but to get full effect, you had to buy the right tapes.
There was a hardware, electronics and applience store in our town that had a big library of laserdiscs, and the appropriate player to rent…
Looks like the original owner pulled a trailer with this rig. The wagon has a trailer brake controller, air shocks and a trailer hitch. The best feature is a the rollers that are mounted under the rear bumper to keep the bumper from the dragging on a sloped road or driveway.
If pricing doesn’t get too irrational or the Seller’s reserve isn’t on another Planet you’ll spend about $700.00 doing what needs to be done exclusive of tires and have a long roof that you’ll own with joy forever. Forget stupid SUVs.
This may not have been special ordered ; given the amount of options it has it could have been ordered by the dealership to put in their showroom to show customers what could be had.
The cloth seat upholstery is about the same color and style as the ’71 Monterey my father had.
If ordered by the dealer, my guess is that the salesperson/manager was color blind.
Nice wagon.
GM began offering vinyl tops on Pontiac wagons in 65. While not common, they were occasionally seen. There are a number of 70 Buick Estate Wagons with a vt as well. Not sure when Ford began putting them on wagons, but they were most often seen with brown vt over the dark brown paint. This green/yellow combo must’ve been ordered by someone who’d owned a Mopar of the late 60s/early 70s as there were a ton of yellow/green int Mopars around then.
Nice car, but the carpet, wear on the steering wheel, and engine room that appears to have been cleaned but is not pristine say no way on the 13k claim. Also it’s worth noting that the numerals in the odometer are not perfectly aligned. That’s pretty common once an odometer has rolled over once but an almost unheard of occurrence on the first time around.
It looks to me like a car that has 113k miles on it that was very well cared for. Which to me is fine. I’d sell it that way rather than lie about it. I’m so sick of seeing so many claimed ridiculously low-mileage cars. All they make me wonder about is what else are they lying about?