Wire Wheel Wagon: 1968 Ford Country Squire LTD
How can you beat the cool vintage styling, a V8, plenty of space, and air conditioning, all wrapped up into a classic wagon? This ’68 Country Squire LTD has some good things going for it, despite being a little rough around the edges. Reasonably priced, this wagon can be yours for $3,500! Find it here on craigslist out of Denison, Texas. Thanks to reader Rocco B. for the wagon submission!
It is always amazing what you will see on classic cars. A set of vice grips function as a wing nut for the air cleaner, although you have to give credit for the unique idea. Beyond the crafty thinking there is a 390 cubic inch V8 with an automatic. The fuel system needs an overhaul, but this mighty 390 runs when fed some fuel. One item that really makes this wagon more useful and desirable in this modern day and age is that it is equipped with air conditioning. Always a bonus having A/C when hauling family or friends. The seller claims this Ford could be drivable in day, but I am curious about the condition of the brake system. Needless to say this one needs some work, but looks to need simple work the could be performed by any backyard mechanic.
The exterior patina isn’t too offensive to look at, but the interior certainly needs some attention. The dash is a bit harsh on the eyes as it is in rough condition. A replacement would be wonderful, but for those who don’t care, this one works I suppose. The front bench is also ripped in several places, and the carpet is dirty, but looks reasonable. On the positive side, the back seat and storage area look very nice with little evidence of use. If you focused your efforts on the dash and front bench, this Country Squire would have a nice interior that would drastically transform this cars appearance.
This is a Texas car, so the paint is baked, worn, and rough, but there is little in the way of rust. Also for some the “patina” may not be an issue, with the faux wood paneling. The body is straight aside from the dented driver side front fender. Also the faux wood trim is broken on that fender. Someone has apparently added Dayton style wire wheels, to give a personalized appearance to this wagon. The chrome and glass look nice, and overall this wagon looks complete. This one could certainly be restored, or it could be a project of your choosing. What would you do with this Country Squire wagon?
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Comments
I would do some work and get it on the road. Work on it as you drive it. What concerns me is the tranny and driveshaft in the cargo area. When you look at the engine it is sitting level suggesting the tranny is still in place.
He spent so much on the wheels ,that he can’t buy a nut for the air cleaner💰
Does anyone else find it odd that the passenger side of the front seat is tore up, but the driver’s side is in good condition? Possibly a former rural mail car?
My 66 Plymouth seats came the same way. No rips in the drivers seat, yet a shark attacked the others.
Mama weighed 400 pounds. :O
I see nothing wrong with vice grips on an air cleaner, I used to use a pair on my TV’s channel changer.
Next thing ya know, people will be using aluminum foil as an antenna. Oh wait…nevermind
Never cared for the fake wood trim as with this one it will be a job to repair or replace it. I’m more of a one color no graphics / stripes / vinyl top type of guy. I agree with earlier post why use vice grips when a quick run to the hardware store will get you a wing nut. It doesn’t present well in the listing.
I liked the faux wood siding, but in this case, since it is in debatable condition, I see nothing wrong with removing it, and repainting the whole car . Wagons will never be in the class of past performance cars, so, a complete repaint ( and everything that goes with it) and not adding the faux wood siding wouldn’t be out of the question for me. what you’d have is a classy looking Ranch Wagon , and, if you will, a response for packer, seeing as the passenger side isn’t beat to hell, a former mail carrier wouldn’t be a concern a complete rebuild on the 390, would probably be in the making , would love the car, but finances….
These are iconic wagons. Don’t really know the numbers sold over the years vs other makers, but I always seem to remember them and these always get my attention when one pops up in today’s world.
In fact, there’s a 67 sitting fallow down the street from me. Guy done drug it home I’m sure with the intention of getting it going but since it’s been over a year I’m thinking he’s given up. Might have to tap him on the shoulder…
In this time period, Ford advertised themselves as “The Wagon Master”.
This is that little vixen that taunts me with her come-hither look…
Are “vice” grips a former police department tool? I have several pair of “VISE” grips in my tool collection! LOL! :-)
Haha, nice one!
This wagon has been for sale for what seems to be years. Used to be a package deal with a sedan.
Not for sale anymore. I bought it off the guy about 5 months ago.
I had Vise Grips holding down one side of the thermostat housing on my 72 Duster.
Those wheels are the poxiest things you could put on that grand dame – someone save it
The vise grips are probably just on the air cleaner to loosen the nut holding down the lid since it doesn’t have the factory style wing nut on it. They probably took the picture right before they took the air cleaner lid off to pour some gas down the throat of the carb to see if it would run.
Kind of a sad specimen. Too rough to use as is and not enough value to put alot of money in. Love the year and model; too bad…
I think the car must have been stored under a carport with the front end sticking out. Notice how perfect the rear bumper chrome and the tail lights look like brand new but the front bumper is very rusty. The sun was probably shining on the passengers side of the front seat and dried it out and made it crack. I would repaint the car with the factory red single stage enamel, replace the woodgrain decal and refinish the woodgrain moldings. There’s a replacement woodgrain fiberglass left frt. fender molding on Ebay right now so I would grab that right away too. Then replace that dried out front bench seat with some 1960’s T-Bird or Galaxie bucket seats and center console. Those lowrider wire wheels would have to go for a set of 15×7 Magnum 500 mags and some raised white letter BFG Radial T/A’s all around. Maybe a set of air shocks on the back to give it a little rake too. Maybe tint the windows with limo tint in the rear and 35% on the front door glass. And of ‘course a couple surfboards on the roof.
I like this car a nice to have Ford wheels are grate fix the
tranny and drive shaft and drive it!!
Grab that wood grain fender moulding, they are extremely hard to find! I passed on an earlier Ford wagon that needed a couple of those mouldings! The owner of the wagon had real wood mouldings made at a woodie resto shop and it turned out fairly well. He got frustrated after 2 years of searching. If you had the money, a total replacement of mouldings with wood would be awesome!
Oh my gosh, 23 years ago I bought a 70 LTD wagon much like this, 429, air conditioning, practically zero rust, lived in CA and TX its whole life, still had paint on it and the interior was clean and the AC worked, I paid $290 for it.
I named it ‘Lorraine’.
Mom and Dad had a beige one 302, always loved that grill with the hide away headlights.
I had (still have the title) Royal Maroon Squire myself. Bought it from the parts manager of the local Lexus dealership. It has Lexus wheel covers and floormats, and the wheel covers looked amazingly decent. He had just gotten a valve job done. Not one drop of any fluid from under that car the whole time I had it. When I first got it, full throttle upshift to second would chirp the tires. Wood grain was faded. Paint could look good right after a nice wax, but was etched all around. Bumpers same, could look great but slight rust around bolt heads. 390-2V /C6 of course. P235/65R15 BFGoodrich TAs ended up on it, and the stance was beyond perfect. I even rebuilt the entire suspension and it STILL had that hunkered down gangster look. Window tint would cheaper the look, unless kept subtle. Mine had no roof racks. Screw roof racks. My Magnum has no racks either. They create drag, look like a drag, and are a drag to clean, my 8’ longboard sat nose between passenger B-pillar and seat back, tail just inside left rear tailgate. No headliner. Never really cared, except the sound deadening effect would have helped. I’ll figure out how to attach pics if anyone cares. Easily one of the prettiest cars I’ve ever seen to be honest, and that’s why I bought it-for $950! In 1997. Drive it till 2001, when my best friend dropped a wheel off the shoulder and over corrected into an immovable pine tree at about 35mph. Right front end was caved in. I could t believe how much damage was done. I let a guy store it while trying to figure out what to do with it. That was my baby. Girls loved it. One band had there foxy lead singer lay on the hood with elbows above the grille, toes towards the windshield, and that was their album cover. Hot! Back seat, door panels, all near perfect. Front seat was good except for the driver’s spot. Dash had one crack from front edge to windshield in the center. AM radio worked. Dealer installed under dash AC worked. Exhaust manifolds had chronic leaks. Replacing them was not fun and got old, as they would leak within a year of replacement. Damned reliable. When I changed the alternator and starter in 1998, they were both original, and the new starters never sounded as smooth as the original. A Country Squire is the trim level. No Country Squire should ever be done without wood grain down the sides. It’s vinyl, and the trim is of course fiberglass and prone to deteriorating. Headlight covers were awesome. Tailgate was awesome, except the window motor was unreliable and the bane of my existence. The slots on the D pillar were to help keep dirt from settling in that low pressure zone. It wasn’t quick, but it would cruise at 110 if you had large balls. 12mpg all day long. I put the usual era correct Ford truck wheelcovers on it, the kind you’d find on a Bronco or F-150 of the time. The tips of the tires just barely went above the fender opening. Perfect. It had a slight rake. Perfect. Power brakes, discs in front which were big, and the rear drums were huge. When I rebuilt the suspension and brakes, I found ORIGINAL rotors still in the original plastic wrap, with 30 years of dust on them at the local auto parts cool shop. Unreal. That was my favorite car. Ever. My Dodge Magnum RT does everything much better, except for one thing, it’s presence. One day the Magnum will be a classic if it’s not already, but the Squire had presence, and character, and got smiles and thumbs up all the time. Chicks often think muscle cars and hot rods are signs of inadequacy. The Squire was the opposite, it exuded confidence. I will miss that car forever. If I ever win the lottery, and every single time I think about it, this is the first thing I think of, I would acquire one each of the entire full sized Ford lineup, all in Royal Maroon- the wagon, 4-door hardtop, 2-door coupe fastback, convertible, and even a coupe formal roof, sleepered out with as much horsepower as money can buy, maybe 1000 hp, twin turbo if needed, with nary a single giveaway above the hood, besides the ominous chop amd earth rattling idle, and of course the 2 1/2” exhaust tips, factory location, dog dish hub caps, 245/60R18 in front, 295/60R18 rear, and bagged. Maybe 4.11 gears, and wheels up launches would be the icing on the heavy metal cake. Yep The Squire. Show respect. Oh, and that caved in front fender- I was very, very upset. Couldn’t believe how messed up it was. I took an Estwing framing hammer, I think 28oz, and full overhand swing intended to punch a hole through the steel. Nope. It left a waffle pattern dimple. I was so blown away at how strong that metal was, I didn’t even take a second swing, out of sheer respect. My wife and I drove that car on our honeymoon. I WILL get another one. One day. Damned exhaust leaks! Maybe they’ll have leakproof gaskets by then. The Squire. 1968 is the only year too. The rest look like crap. I also had a 1967 LTD two-door. Beautiful car, classy, smooth, powerful, another story. I bought that one to drive while restoring the Squire. Until about 2002, I swore I would never drive a car made after 1971. Then came the Magnum. Elevens down the street all day long, 60-110 like it’s nothing, double speed off ramps, cold AC, no exhaust leaks, everything works, stops great, awesome car. Still not the Squire.