When an enthusiast considers a classic purchase, vehicles from some locations offer greater potential than others. Take this 1963 Ford Country Squire. It is a blue-plate classic that has spent its life in sunny California. Therefore, discovering it is rust-free is no surprise. It isn’t perfect, but its new owner could enjoy all it offers immediately. That would leave them to address its few shortcomings once summer draws to a close, which sounds like a win/win proposition to me. The Country Squire is listed for sale here on eBay in Oakland, California. Bidding has raced to $20,100 in a No Reserve auction.
This Country Squire makes a positive first impression. Its Champagne paint glows warmly, with no visible problems. The same is true of the faux woodgrain that is a defining feature of these wagons. There is no patchiness and no evidence of rips. However, it isn’t all good news. The photos reveal a sizeable ding on the passenger side rear quarter panel above the wheel arch. It is clearly visible in this shot, and addressing it without damaging the vinyl could be challenging. The rest of the panels look excellent, but the best news is this vehicle’s lack of rust. The exterior is free from the dreaded tin worm, while the underside shots show nothing beyond the occasional spot of surface corrosion. The glass looks flawless, with the trim and chrome in a similar state. The seller dropped this wagon’s ride height slightly and added a set of American Racing wheels. They suit this classic’s personality, but purists would have no trouble reversing the changes if they don’t appeal.
Buyers in 1963 could order their new Country Squire with a six under the hood, but it seems this wagon’s original owner wanted something out of the ordinary. Therefore, lifting its hood reveals a 390ci V8, backed by a three-speed automatic transmission. While the six offered 138hp and the ability to cover the ¼ mile in 22.5 seconds, the V8 pumps out a healthy 300hp that slashes the ET to 16.5 seconds. The engine bay presents nicely, which is hardly surprising considering the condition of the rest of the vehicle. The old Ford runs and drives well, with the seller supplying this YouTube video to support the claim. The car sounds fantastic, it tracks straight and true, the transmission shifts smoothly, and there are no signs of rattles or any other problems.
The practicality of this classic is demonstrated when we open the doors and examine the interior shots. The seats wear two-tone Champagne and Beige vinyl upholstery that should be heard-wearing. It covers the seats and door trims, showing no signs of physical damage or other problems. This classic has room for six people, and the legroom should allow taller people to feel comfortable. The dash is spotless, while the rear cargo area has avoided the type of wear and physical damage typical in family wagons. The factory AM radio offers entertainment on the move, while air conditioning should help make life pleasant on sunny summer days.
When we are young and enthusiastic, we often find that classic car ownership is beyond our financial means. Often, by the time we reach the point where such purchases are possible, growing families can place a limit on our potential choices. A couple of children can make a Corvette impractical, while teenagers often find First Generation pony cars short of head and legroom. That’s where vehicles like this 1963 Ford Country Squire can fulfill that person’s needs. Its healthy V8 offers excellent performance potential in a package that should comfortably seat growing teenagers. Maybe this old Ford deserves a closer look if you’re in that position.
That is a beautiful wagon!
What a stunning Country Squire wagon. This one checks all the right boxes in my opinion including the wheel selection. As long as this barge is, having curb feelers on the driver’s side too might be helpful. Man I love the Red, White and Blue Ford emblems as well as the “390” ones too. Hope this brings the Seller all the money.
Sure could’ve used this to haul our new swimming pool home from Big
Lots this past weekend. Practicality
at its finest! Would look great sitting
under the carport at our house as our
home was built in ’64. What more could you want from a classic car?
Wish I still had my ’63 Country Sedan 289 with Overdrive. What a fun car to drive with excellent gas mileage.
My dad had the same setup with our ‘63. I cut my eye teeth with that wagon beginning my love for cars at age twelve. Washed, waxed and cleaned interior with great joy! Blue on blue colors. ❤️
I’m kinda old but , I don’t see the sizable dent in the quarter panel .
Oh , I forgot about my new fangled technology that expands the picture . Yeah , if you’re gonna show it , fix it but , if you’re gonna drive it , just leave it .
I’ll bet a paintless dent repair person could make that nearly disappear. If you’ve never witnessed that magic in action, you should try.
Oh , I forgot about my new fangled technology that expands the picture . Yeah , if you’re gonna show it , fix it but , if you’re gonna drive it , just leave it .
I noticed watching the driving video that when the driver put a load on the engine (gave it gas) I heard either a lifter issue, or possibly a exhaust leak issue. It was a ticking sound and it is something. It appears to be a nice example, but also read some of the Sellers reviews on eBay. Let’s just say that there were some unhappy car/truck buyers.
The 390 is a pig.
Yes. Smooth, reliable and powerful are terrible things to have to deal with!
This car looks nearly perfect. The only thing I would do is to put stock wheels and wheel covers on it. But I bet most people will want to keep it exactly as it is. Phenomenal!
Beautiful wagon.Nice wheel choice.
Just fantastic! I had a 1958 Country Sedan with an Interceptor 352 V8 and 25,000 orginal miles..maybe the most useful, practical car I ever owned. Should never has sold it but put ten thousand miles on the clock in three years and figured to sell it with low mileage..or drive it the rest of my life..but that would have meant parting with the 56 Coupe De Ville! I’d just love this..and never let it go..
If this nice old classic has spent it’s life in California then it should be sporting the original Black plates that were issued in ’63. The Blue plates came out in ’70 and could have been issued in that time period due to a transfer of ownership issue or lost/damaged original Black plate.? I would not mind having this old long roof in my stable, I have always had a soft spot for this year Ford body style. Would like to see this one stay here in California and maybe I will see one day at a C & C or other car show.
Given my families automotive history, I would love to have this one in my stable (we had a lot of wood-grained FoMoCo wagons. Seller definitely undersold huge right-side rear quarter crease, but other than that, appears to be all it.s made out to be. Would much rather have the more dependable 289 than either the 390 pig or it’s worse little brother the 352, but had I the resources for a x-country trip, its selling price, and a stable in my shop for it, I’d be all about it.
Why do some commenters regard the 390 as a “pig?”
Ken – when I was younger, family cars had both the 289, 352 and 390. Found the small block to be more responsive, better mannered around the gas stations. In sedan/wagon trim, the 352/390, while having a ton of power, they sucked gas and were slow to wind up. Yes, the Stang that McQueen drove to fame was a 390, but that one had a little different tune than the wagons. Just my observations.
I have a response to that, but we’re supposed to be kind to one another on here.
Good call boatman
Greg, I think that tap you hear is the
fuel pump return spring. My folks had
a ’65 Mercury Colony Park that had
such a tapping sound that Dad thought it might’ve been a collapsed
lifter. Long story short, we tore that
engine down 3 times before we found
the problem when I took the fuel pump over to Dad so that he could
reinstall it when I heard the sound we
were looking for. I showed it to him
and Dad was really shocked! We
found out later that the fuel pumps in
the 352 and 390 engines suffered from weak return springs which must’ve caused a lot of grief among
the owners. A fresh fuel pump solved
our problem and all was right with the
world. If you wanted velvet smoothness with power on demand,
the 390 was your choice hands down!
To each their own I guess.
Very interesting Ken. I would have never guessed.
sold us $42,200.00
What brand are those cool wheels? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen them before.
Steve – they look to be halibrad dragmasters. Fairly popular back in 60s