Functionally an update of the second generation, the body underwent several styling revisions, along with multiple functional upgrades. Production of the 1991 model ceased in December 1990. The full sized Chebbies started off brilliant and went downhill as the model years passed by. ..... Also be sure to view results in ..... 480-285-1600 [email protected] 1345 East Chandler Blvd. The seats themselves were extremely comfortable, and he thought the Ford always felt more confident and easy to maneuver, too. Largely carryover from 1954, the Country Squire chassis retained its 115.5 inch wheelbase and chassis underpinnings. Toyota, Honda, and now even Kia stepped in quite capably and took the market GM and Ford abandoned. [9] In line with all Ford sedans, the 1959 Country Squire adopted the 118-inch wheelbase previously exclusive to the Fairlane. For 1991, the front turn signal/parking lamp lenses were changed from amber to clear. Sold for $47,750 on 5/25/20 1963 Ford Fairlane Squire Wagon. 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire Woody 1:18 Scale Diecast Replica Model by Greenlight. I’d love to do that conversion on one, but alas, I’ll have to settle for living vicariously through those who have actually done so, and documented their efforts on these fine interwebs. Coinciding with the liftgate redesign for 1961, the front and rear fascias were redesigned, marking the return of (small) tailfins and large round taillamps, in line with the Ford Thunderbird. [24] The rear leaf springs were discontinued, replaced with a three-link coil-sprung solid rear axle;[24] in various forms, Ford would use this suspension configuration on rear-wheel drive full-size vehicles through the production of the final Ford Crown Victoria in 2011. Available for use with the side-facing rear seats was a folding table with an integrated magnetic checkers board. 1964 Ford Country Squire (wood trim repainted). These would also be the longest and heaviest station wagons ever produced by Ford. A 292 cubic-inch V8 (retuned to 185 hp) made its return, along with a 352 cubic-inch V8 (235 hp with 2-barrel; 300 hp with 4-barrel). [1] Wood construction remained for the side bodywork and upper and lower tailgate (using mahogany plywood trimmed by maple or birch). The Big Three really did piss it away. Even when the cars got better with time, they were still a lot more hit and miss between good and bad cars than modern vehicles. These cars were a very confident execution of traditional American virtues in a new package. I can believe the structural stiffness of these cars wasn’t anything outstanding, but was it really all that much worse than the GM wagons? Stupid. [3], During its production, the first-generation Country Squire was fitted with two engines, shared with Ford sedans. Right… Motor Trend was correct, however, to state that quality would become increasingly important to American buyers, a lesson that the Japanese manufacturers had already taken to heart well before 1979. For the 1969 model year, a new generation of Ford and Mercury cars made their debut; station wagons for both divisions rode on a 121-inch wheelbase shared with the Ford sedan line, a gain of two inches. The Country Squire was Ford Motor Company's top-of-the-line station wagon throughout its production run from 1950 to 1991. All Rights Reserved. At least the test car was a high-line version, which tended to mitigate some of car’s weaker design points. To comply with the implementation of safety regulations in the United States, many running changes were made during this generation, effectively standardizing the equipment introduced by the Lifeguard option package. As the years progressed, both brands were able to tweak their cars to fix any deficiencies and improve overall quality. For the 1970 model year, visible changes were limited to detail changes in bumper and grille trim and lost the divider bar. Everyone forgets that the big minivan players – Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, and (now) Kia – had long ago put all their car eggs in the FWD basket, meaning it was a lot easier to use FWD for their minivans. Since the 90’s I have never had to take any of my cars back for any quality shortcomings from the factory. In all models, catalytic converters were now standard equipment to comply with emissions regulations. Name Email Required. Ford and GM, OTOH, were still going with RWD for their bread-and-butter full-size cars. 1979 ford ltd country squire woody. Tom, thanks for the shout out. Plus the newer drivetrains are easily transplantable into the ’77 – ’86 models if you wish. With 180k miles, it was well broken in but still ran really well. The 292 cubic-inch V8 returned (with a two-barrel carburetor), producing 212 hp. Behind a rear fender well was a hidden, lockable compartment, not visible when the rear seatback was in the upright position. And that strictly comes down to personal preference. So, it was substantially harder for Ford and GM to spread the cost of FWD minivans across their product lines. I had it shipped to a garage near my home in Massachusetts. Well one of the things that the Astro/Safari and Aerostar did better then the FWD vans was in towing. [4] While gaining an inch in wheelbase, the second-generation Country Squire was reduced approximately 10 inches in length over its predecessor. In a major change, Ford sought to change the marketing of station wagons, transitioning their use from a commercial vehicle to a premium family vehicle.[1]. The Country Squire would also become synonymous with the DI-NOC wood grain vinyl trim that served as the ubiquitous signature of upscale wagons. 15 results per page. The 1989 TBI 305 evened things out a bit more and it’s interesting to note that it made 20 more horses than Ford’s 302 but 15 less torque so the Ford probably stepped out better. When I started buying new cars in the 80’s i only had two or three issues that needed dealer attention. By GN – November 17, 2015. For 1979, Ford downsized its full-size car lines. Free shipping . 1975-1978 models were nearly identical except for small differences in trim and emblems from year to year. In a major shift, for 1957, Ford station wagons no longer shared a body with a Mercury counterpart; instead, the body was developed for the Edsel line of station wagons, with the Country Squire becoming the counterpart of the Edsel Bermuda (distinguished by its combination of woodgrain sides and two-tone paint). It may have been downsized, but this car still looks bigger than the house behind it – as I assume was the marketing team’s intention. FOLLOW. 1979 ford ltd country squire woody. The guy was a salesman and had put a ton of miles on it, but had maintained it to the Nth degree, too. And I will tell you why. ABS has eliminated all that drama! The genuine wood body panels were manufactured at the Ford Iron Mountain Plant in the Michigan Upper Peninsula from lumber owned by Ford Motor Company. The quality of these cars was pretty awful, seams didn’t line up, and some quirks in design were a pain. No mention of miles or the state of the A/C’s condition so the asking price of $800 was “iffy”. I agree with Chas, that the B-body did improve with time. [22] Coinciding with its becoming a counterpart of the Ford LTD, the Country Squire adopted its split-grille front fascia, adopting vacuum-operated hidden headlamps; as a fail-safe, the system retracted the headlamp covers if engine vacuum was lost. $26.95. In 1950 the Country Squire was introduced, and would soon be leading a successful new sub-segment, the fancy trim wagon from a low-price brand. It was a very hard time. To further reduce vehicle height, the rear leaf springs were moved outboard of the frame rails and the wheels were decreased in diameter from 15 to 14 inches. However, in all, Motor Trend enjoyed the Country Squire and felt it did its job well. As part of a model shift, the Galaxie was slotted above the Fairlane as the flagship Ford model range, with the Country Squire becoming its station wagon counterpart for 1960. Ford’s marketers bragged about being the Wagonmaster, and buyers agreed. For a variety of reasons, 1972 saw a major decrease in powertrain output. The Panthers and the GM full-size cars were definitely better by 1987, but fewer people took notice, as they were considered a sideshow by that point. The Wagonmaster had ruled from the 1950s into the 1970s. Or, in less of an analogy, the last full size station wagons made by Ford. [2], For 1951, Ford outsourced final assembly of the Country Squire, contracting Ionia Body Company (an assembler of wood-bodied station wagons for General Motors). Friends of our family bought the base sedan version, and one base model wagon was in my Dad’s company fleet. The 41-year production run of the Country Squire is the third-longest of a Ford car nameplate in North America, surpassed only by the Ford Thunderbird (46 years) and Ford Mustang (56 years, currently in production). From the 1950 to 1991 model years, eight generations of the Country Squire were produced. The second and third-row seats were redesigned, allowing their removal without tools. The Panther stabilized into a consitent and fairly strong seller during this period. [8] Three versions of the 312 cubic-inch V8 were offered: 245 hp (four-barrel), 270 hp (dual four-barrel), and 300 hp (dual four-barrel, supercharger). [19], As with the previous generation, three and four-speed (overdrive) manual transmissions were offered, along with three-speed Fordomatic or Cruise-O-Matic automatics. It’s interesting how the fortunes of each company are reflected in these cars. Although, we had friends that were pretty happy with their ’77s. [14] Shared with the F-Series, the Country Squire used 11-inch drum brakes on all four wheels. For the first time, power windows were offered as an option. The 1980 fuel economy and cost cutting oriented refresh took a real toll on these cars compared to the ’77-’79 versions. [7] In a change that would last through 1968, the Country Squire was the flagship Ford station wagon, with the four-door (non-wood) Country Sedan and the two-door Ranch Wagon. Following a minor grille update for the 1967 model year, the Country Squire underwent an exterior update for the 1968 model year. Looking for a 1970 to 1979 Ford Country Squire cars for sale ? It’s too bad the trend has now reversed, with makers from around the world increasingly offering only cocoons with small glass areas—well, I guess it minimizes the glare on mobile devices…. [10], For 1957, the Country Squire carried over all three engines from the 1956 model year, with revised power outputs. Introduced in 1949 as a two door steel-roofed wagon with real wood inserts in the doors, quarter panels and tailgate, they were soon a family staple. We were a household of dedicated GM B body believers, but we had ’78 and up versions. While it is possible that the mechanics were cleaned up for ’87, that was about the time the cars that remained were plagued with door mounted seatbelts and some very questionable tack-on broughamtastic styling updates. This is one of the reasons the Panther or the big GM cars didn’t get a new body for many years. [8], To further expand load capacity, the folding mechanism of the middle seat was redesigned, allowing for a completely flat load floor when stowed (the rear seat still had to be removed). While the roofline of the Country Squire was shared with the Mercury Colony Park, the two model lines shared different bodywork below the window lines (including front fascias and rear quarter panels). “The full sized Chebbies started off brilliant and went downhill as the model years passed by.”. After about 1981, however, Ford worked hard to improve its quality control. Following the discontinuation of Edsel, Mercury marketed the Mercury Colony Park as a divisional counterpart of the Country Squire, sharing bodywork and trim. Ford thought they had a loser on their hands with the Panther and it wasn’t until the economy rebounded under Reagan by 1983-84 did it look like we wouldn’t run out of oil. For 1957, the Ford model line underwent its first complete redesign for the first time since 1952. But Ford sold way, way more Explorers than they would have sold 90’s Country Squires, no matter how good they were. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 0 For Sale. I remember during the 70’s when my Dad bought several new Olds he created a punch list of problems that should have been obvious at the factory and the dealership. American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others, Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment, Vintage Review: 1979 Ford Country Squire – The Wagonmaster Goes To Weight Watchers, Curbside Capsule: 1986-90 Nissan Pintara/Skyline – The Boxes Enter The Ring, Curbside Review: 2021 Nissan Rogue SL AWD – Stalking From The Rear, Ag History: Ford N Series Tractors And The Handshake That Changed Farming Forever, CC Capsule: 1968 Fiat-Abarth 595 – Small Scorpion, Potent Sting. Eleven inches shorter and nearly 1000 pounds lighter than its 1978 predecessor, the redesigned Country Squire retained its 8-passenger seating capability with only slightly reduced cargo capacity. [4] As with the previous generation, the second-generation Country Squire used a two-piece tailgate. General Motors introduced wood trim for the 1966 Chevrolet Caprice Estate and in 1967 for the Buick Sport Wagon and Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser. [7] The Lifeguard option package was introduced, offering a deep-dish steering wheel, upgraded door latches (to prevent ejection); as an option, seat belts and a padded dashboard were offered. I think the big let down was the lack of fuel injection. and my situation has changed and no longer need the car. Even the neighbor Hamtramck seems better and more suitable! No, it's a 1979-81 Ford LTD Country Squire. Comments Required. That old 70’s Ford feeling that came from sitting low inside a behemoth tank gets a lot of criticism, but personally, I tend to like it better than the Euro alternative of a higher seating position in relation to the windows. It comes in blue and features openable front doors and rear gate. The Country Squire was discontinued as part of the development of the 1992 Ford Crown Victoria. I had both an ’89 (owned from 1993-2002, the Olds 307 was replaced with a TPI 350 which turned that Caprice into a hot rod) and a ’91 (owned 2008-2012) Caprice wagon. For the 1960 model year, in place of a yearly update, the Ford model line underwent a complete redesign. Just didn’t feel as smooth and confident. The Country Squire had been a Ford staple for many years by the time the 1975 model came along. today we are proud to offer, for yourconsideration, this 1979 ford ltd. country squire station wagon. As an added degree of redundancy, a dual-chamber brake master cylinder was added for the 1968 model year (on the Country Squire, alongside all other vehicles sold in the United States). A neighbor had a 1981 302 2BBL Panther wagon and I remember it being a dog and not getting very good MPG. Another school friend’s folks owned a 1983 Caprice wagon in two tone blue with the 305 4BBL and 200R4 and it was a superior drive train in every sense including mileage. That feature alone would have had me choosing a Crown Vic over a Caprice if I was looking to buy a car new in 1987. [8] To allow for a lower floor, the frame layout changed from a truck-style ladder frame to a perimeter frame. On both tailgate designs, the tailgate used a torsion bar spring to counterbalance its hinge.[11]. [8], For 1958, the front and rear fascias underwent a revision; while largely to accommodate quad headlamps, the taillamp design was revised (replacing two round taillamps with four oval ones) alongside the design of the wood trim. I had an 84 Country Squire when it was about 16 years old. 1979 Ford Crown Victoria WOODGRAIN. wickey 2009-06-12 14:49. seems to be a new wagon of Sue Ellen / Miss Allie since 3rd season. As for quality control – neither company was stellar in that regard in 1979-80, but GM was ahead of Ford in that regard. [8], For 1958, rear air suspension became an option for the first time; intended to keep the load floor at a constant height, the system saw few buyers. With the launch of the newly downsized LTD, Ford showcased the wagons prominently in the promotional mix.   All of Ford’s famous wagon features, including the dual facing rear seats, Magic Doorgate and fake wood trim, made the transition to the downsized car. As with the LTD sedan, braking performance was abysmal, including long stopping distances and dangerous rear wheel lock-up. Two displacements were available, a 332 cubic-inch V8 (240 hp with a 2-barrel carburetor; 265 hp with a 4-barrel carburetor) or 352 cubic inches (300 horsepower, four-barrel carburetor).