After an overripe ‘70s T-bird in 2020 and a near-extinct Mustang II last year, it’s time to get a look at this rotting beauty at last. I feature this one in a T87 Singles Outtakes post last year, but I found it again and was able to get some better pics. Seems I’m making it a habit to be running into dying Fords in this country (squire). Which is weird, as aside from Myanmar, Japan is probably the country with the fewest blue-oval-badged cars I’ve ever experienced.
Not that Fords are completely unknown here. Mustangs are quite well represented and probably constitute a sizable share of the marque’s JDM footprint. There are also a couple of Mazda clones with Ford badges, such as the Freda, but those don’t really count. Other Fords, such as the European or Australian varieties, are few and far between, though the other day, I did spot an early-model Ka – a most unexpected sighting, in this country. Such is Ford: a truly global brand, but they never did figure out how to break into the Japanese market and quit trying years ago.
This Country Squire, though it seems to be part of an experiment to find out how long it would take for woodgrain to biodegrade, was registered within the last 20 years or so, so it could well be that someone imported it from its country of birth when it was already a classic. Possibly with a view to restomod it. I don’t know if that was the intent, but it sure turned into a lowrider / ratrod on its own.
You guys in the US might have seen boatloads of these before, but for those of us who weren’t brought up in a time or a place that featured full-size Ford wagons, there is sure a lot to take in. The detailing on these cars is delightful, for a start.
Take this panel, for instance. That chrome script, over that hilarious horse head logo thingy (is that stock, btw?), with the Di-Noc backdrop… Adorable!
The last detail that caught my untrained eye was the D-pillar vents. They are pretty prominent, almost like a rear-engined car. I got a faint Tatra vibe from these, just for a second.
The body might be toast, but check out that interior! Pristine it is not, but it still looks pretty complete and salvageable. It would be a crying shame to waste all that vinyl.
This generation of the Country Squire, i.e. the 1965-68 sixth generation of the breed, makes for a very attractive wagon. Sure, the LTDs and Galaxie 500 fastback coupes got all the glamour and the big block V8s, but it’s the wagons that really get my personal vote. Not a line out of place (especially the 1966-67 models) and enough space for a small army – what’s not to like?
Well, in the present case, the rust. This one’s not quite a complete goner yet, but it’s getting close. It’s likely been sitting outside for several years, but it looks pretty complete and spares can probably be found to revive it. Here’s hoping someone takes on this challenge before all that rust turns to dust.
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Ad Classic: 1966 Ford Country Squire – Better Than Traveling In Bulgaria, by Eric703
Sad. This car didn’t get into this condition by being driven; if that were the case the interior would be torn up and those original hubcaps most likely missing. Their continued presence on a car nobody’s paid any attention to is the most “Japan” thing…
Only one thing can be said – WTH!
These wagons were very attractive – the 1966 looked the best. Fords of this era had a real rust problem. My family had more than a few and they all rusted quickly in Chicago. The floor pans especially were gone faster than they should have. This rust problem keeps me from wanting this generation – especially the 1968, which still kept this wagon body, and replaced the stacked headlights with a generic horizontal refresh.
And the details of the full size Fords of the 1960s are delightful. Those tail light designs had chrome touches that made them stand out. If a family during this decade needed a wagon every 3-4 years, Ford offered very nice ones. While not perfect wagons, Fords usually lasted long enough to make the final monthly payment – but not much longer.
California’s First Lady/Actress Nancy Davis Reagan’s 1970 Ford wagon…
My Dad had later versions (a ’69 and a ’73) but I see some details that persisted from this one to the years he owned. I should mention he didn’t keep either car long; 4 – 5 years and he’d moved on, so we didn’t see the rust problems, despite both cars being owned while we were in Vermont (albeit not the full time; the ’69 was bought while living there, we moved to northern Virginia for 5 years where we acquired the ’73 and brought it back as he was transferred back to Vermont in the mid 70’s). Even with rustproofing when new, rust was inevitable at least back then (haven’t lived in Vermont for more than 40 years now, though my niece lives there, don’t know how cars fare nowdays WRT rust).
One feature this one has that neither of his did was the side-mounted rear window deflectors; by the time the ’69 debuted it had become a single one built into the rear edge of the luggage rack (’73 was same). The external hinge for the swing out rear door persisted (though I think the door went from “2-way” to “3-way” the 3rd way being ability to open the door with the window up, which I don’t think the earlier models had. The tailgate was a big reason why my Dad bought Ford, especially once they came out with the clamshell tailgate which my Dad didn’t like…he bought a Chevy wagon in 1978; only after they came out with a tailgate like Ford and no longer offered the clamshell gate.
He bought the ’73 a few months before the 1st gas crisis, don’t think he was very happy with the fuel mileage of the 400. The ’69 had a 351, but gas was no big deal the whole time he owned it, not sure if there was a big difference in fuel mileage, but pretty sure the ’73 was substantially heavier than the ’69, so maybe that gave the ’69 better mileage.
These fake-wood, full-size late ’60s-’70s Ford wagons were everywhere when I was growing up. I hated them, especially the fake wood on the sides. Did anyone actually believe that was real? It was an insult to the intelligence of a 3rd grader (me!) Two of them always blew past me as I walked on Edwin Rd. to Mountview Elementary School. They had a distinctive rotten exhaust smell which I also hated.
My friend David’s parents had one–a ’74. I got to ride in it once. I’m thinking, “Wow, this car drives so creamy and smooth! You don’t even hear the engine at 20 MPH!” It was quite a contrast to my parents’ ’62 Comet (with clacking, non-adjusted solid lifters and exhaust manifold leak) and my dad’s ’70 Opel GT (2-seater–I sat in the back on a carpeted board).
Today they’re all gone, and nobody uses fake wood anymore. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but not by much. But these are such a big part of the American automotive collective consciousness.
Loving this! As a former owner of a 67 Galaxie 500, some things catch my eye.
First, I have never seen a 67 Galaxie with a hood rusted like this. Is this area near salt water where moist salty air condenses on the underside every night and rolls towards the front lip?
Second, that interior is gorgeous. 1967 was the last year Ford used really tough vinyl on the seats, it was cheapened considerably in 1968 for a material that felt softer and more luxurious when new but split at the seams with little provocation as it aged. And is that a tape deck under the dash?
Third – the amazing part to me is how the hood is rusted and the wood trim is a mess, but those two little black triangles glued onto the headlight door castings are still there and looking great! (A closer look makes me wonder if these are painted on.)
A nifty wagon, sad to see it rusty .
Islands always do this, I’ve seen so many low mileage classics and antiques that were way beyond saving due ti rusted frames etc.
I wonder if maybe a rust free body from the South West could use many of the nice condition parts here ? .
Obviously all the chrome needs re plating but it’s a shame to see this old beauty going to junk .
I *think* the rods under the horse’s head are croquet mallets perhaps ? .
-Nate
I *think* the rods under the horse’s head are croquet mallets perhaps ? .
Polo mallets is more likely, but the shape of the head is wrong for either.
The UK didn’t get full size Ford wagons but we did get Di-Noc on Cortina estates. I’m not sure we were the winner tbh.
Nice find, especially considering where you are
Perhaps the licence plate can give clues. Import or left behind by a GI ?.
Seems to be an import, in Japan most of the US cars sold new there got fender mirrors back then. They sold quite a few American cars there, most were sedans though.
Since this was Ford’s top of the line wagon as the polo pony emblems indicate, wasn’t it clever to incorporate an almost Lincoln Continental emblem into the back up light bezel.
I love these wagons, same as the equivalent Galaxies and LTDs. .Though large they are very well proportioned. Almost ever episode of The FBI has the bad guys driving the same white/cream coloured example!
Were they available without the fake wood panelling? That is one feature I could do without.
I once saw an example for sake that had a 428 V8 and an extremely rare manual floor shift.
When these models lost the stacked headlights, that is when I loose interest.
The 428/4speed one you saw was 1 of 1 as proven by a Marti Report. Found on Hemming’s Barnfines. The guy on that video eventually bought it.
It never got any better than this for Ford wagons. Not a line out of place and this one has 390 power, which was quite common. As for the wood sides, at the time it conveyed exclusivity and taste. Although Buick, Olds and Chrysler all had wagons, somehow lowly Ford created the most prestigious wagon of them all in the Country Squire. Like the Thunderbird, it may have been made by Ford but had a brand identity all its own. The Country Squire was very much in style at the country club and estate. Thousands upon thousands were sold to upscale customers that would never consider another model Ford.
Either been stored in a garage, barn, storage shed, or something. To have this much of “67 Ford wagon” still standing in 2022 is a feat!!
I appreciate these wagons more now than back in the day as I didn’t know anyone whose parents could afford such a large wagon.
These are scarce but now and then you might find one such as this Country Wagon in Calgary, A little rough on the outside and inside, its still legal to drive. I’d like to meet the owner.
Enjoy the 67; been to Japan many times …ours makes a living in film background picture car.
Yes, Ford offered plain sided wagons, the Country Sedan and Custom.
No, buyers knew the simulated wood trim was plastic.
Anyway, there was backlash to wagons and then minivans, since were not ‘sexy’. Will the common white SUV get same? All over suburbia nowadays, and only way to tell apart is badging.
Back in the mid to late 1970’s my dad owned and ran both a real estate company and building company.
Mom never drove so for years we were a one car family.
And since we did need two cars, dad figured he could drive a Cadillac or Lincoln! Anyway, when ever he was in the real estate side of things, he drove a Sedan deVille.
Mom, tired of seeing the car constantly messy from the construction days, suggested he find an old wagon. He bought a black over red 67 Country Squire. The original owners were proud of it, and it showed. They had ordered the way they wanted: a/c 390, etc.
We quickly realized that the 390 was very very tired! Like, it burned enough oil that we nicknamed it the Lawn Boy, famous for their 2 cycle engines!
One day we were on the way to a new home to do some final cleaning, and dad said “uh oh. Let’s get out”
With that he pulled over on the shoulder and shut down the engine. I asked what was wrong and he said that oil light was on!! I said “ oh terrific, we don’t have any oil here. Besides, I just checked it yesterday.” He told me it was burning about a quarter per 200 miles (or one tank full of gas!) When we first bought it, a year prior, we could go 1400-1800 miles!!
Anyway, from then on we kept a full case of oil in the third seat area!
We gave that car to my sister, who limped it along another 1- 1 1/2 years before the engine threw a rod.