While we cover 1967 Fords rather often, that year’s Country Squire, however, doesn’t make the cut very often. Today, for your review, I have just such a rig that at first glance looks pretty fair. But as I read through the listing, and I hope you do too, my enthusiasm started to wane. These big wagons are definitely popular, but this example…well, I’m not sure. Resting in Everest, Kansas, this faux-wood slathered wagon is available here on eBay for a current bid of $2,551 with the reserve not yet met. There is a BIN option of $5,600 available, too.
Station wagons were still all the rage in 1967 and a suburban staple across most of America. Ford’s storied Country Squire, introduced in 1950, was one of the most popular wagons that year and managed sales of 70K units, while its non-wood paneled siblings, the Country Sedan and Ranch Wagon, added another 109K copies to the total. The seller of this wagon tells us, “THE CAR HAS SOME RUST BUT NOT A LOT, ONE FLOOR PAN (REAR PASS) WILL NEED REPLACED) THE REAR LOWER QUARTERS AND AROUND WHEEL WELL HAVE SOME RUST AND PLASTIC, BUT CAR LOOKS PRETTY MUCH LIKE IT LOOKS.” This one’s a sorta twenty-footer; it’s OK at a distance, but its foibles become evident under closer inspection. I will say that the Magnum 500-style wheels definitely help with the cause.
Part of the way through the listing, the seller states, “I NOTICE, WHEN I WAS TAKING THE PICS, IT HAS FRAME RUST -(SEE PICS) CENTER OF DRIVER SIDE ON BOTTOM .” Ruh roh! This one image isn’t encouraging, and if I were interested in this car, I’d want to know more – how many other areas of the frame are also going soft?
Continuing along in the listing, we learn, “PROJECT CAR-NOT RUNNING****! 390 (MAYBE LOCKED UP).” Wow, the hits keep on coming! This is the point where the seller goes for it and suggests, “I WAS GOING TO PUT THIS ON HERE FOR $8000-$9000 AS I FIGURED IF YOU DID A LS SWAP IN IT, IT WOULD BE EASY 20K CAR ***OR COYOTE SWAP EVEN WORTH MORE.” Oh brother, another GM engine in a Ford body suggestion? For the sake of authenticity, I would think one would want to at least consider a rejuvenated FE powerplant. I can’t comment on the Coyote suggestion, but a 428 would slide right in and bolt up directly to the C6 three-speed automatic transmission – no muss, no fuss!
Inside, we’re told, “FADED SEATS, BAD CARPET…INTERIOR A BIT ROUGH, NEEDS HEADLINER, WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED.” That’s a pretty apt description. The interior isn’t terrible, but it certainly is very tired, and there’s the matter of the rusty rear floor pan. This Country Squire is a ten-passenger model, but the lone image of the wayback is out of focus, so its condition is not clear. A/C is on the job here, but the locked-up engine means it’s marked off.
This Country Squire certainly has its issues. Trying to figure out what to do for power can be expensive enough, but the flaky frame on top of that? Hmmm, I’d be inclined to take a pass on this one; how about you?
That frame is way beyond “flaky,” and it’s likely there are other frame issues the seller is unaware of. Wagon frames were unique, and finding a replacement frame is going to be a very big challenge. On the other hand, there’s a lot of unobtainium here, so this might make sense as a “make one out of two” project.
High time to retire “put an LS in it” person to pasture cause they finally totally lost it..UGH