Introduced for 1950, killed off after 1991, Ford’s Country Squire (later LTD Country Squire) was a mainstay in the American full size wagon market for just over four decades, serving millions of families as their ride to holiday excitement over its eight generations. This example hews from the last of those, introduced for 1979 and updated for 1988 with a slightly aero front end. It’s not a 1991 final year version of which only about 4,000 were produced though, the tell is the lowest part of the front marker light is white instead of orange and wraps around to under the headlights that way, so this Oxford White example hews from anywhere between 1988 and 1990.
The Panther isn’t nearly as well-regarded as GM’s B-Body around these parts but I’ll happily be the contrarian and declare that I somehow still love this big lug, in all of its majestic V8-powered Di-Noc’d woodgrain glory. This one with the bikes on the back looks ready to head out for adventure, and on the summer day a few months ago that I took this there was no concern about the rot behind the rear wheels getting any worse. The last 1991 Country Squire was produced in December 1990, so almost 31 years ago now. That’s well worth celebrating and hoisting a coffee cup to…or a 44oz Super Tanker Soda from the last gas station in the middle of nowhere enroute to whatever magical destination awaits as with so many of these, whichever beverage floats your boat.
There are a few cars that I both love and can’t stand, all at the same time. This is one of them. I love the wagon-ness, the Ford Country Squire tradition, and the sound of that 5.0 V8. I like the looks when in the right color and trim combo (and white is not it).
I can’t stand the AOD transmission and gearing, the flexy, squeaky wagon body, and some of the era’s Ford-isms like the odd tilt mechanism of the steering column. And the looks are something I am still trying to get used to. Yes, I both like and dislike how the car looks. I can’t explain it.
If they’d only been able to push the rear axle back a few inches, it really would have helped the proportions.And the loading! To my eye, it looks like if you loaded a dozen bags of crushed rock just inside the tailgate, the steer tires would be floating! You probably have to be really careful with your tongue weight if you’re towing, too.
Jim – I’ve always liked these and preferred them to the GMs. From their introduction until about 1985 I had the need to rent big wagons from Hertz – often. It was this, the clone Mercury or Chevrolet. These were easy to load with lots of personal luggage. They were reliable, durable and perfectly served the purpose of carrying four plus gear.
I did own one for several years – a ’79 with a 351M engine. Carb still. Vinyl interior. A later fuel injected 5.0 would be nice, with that gorgeous leather. With a choice I do prefer no “wood”. A year ago or so I bid on one in Arizona; did not get it. I still admire them but certainly don’t need one; it would be just a toy.
Our featured car has big, multiway-adjustable head restraints, so that shaves a year off the range. It’s an 88-89.
For reasons that elude me, Ford shrunk down the head restraints on all its older-style rear-drive cars (Crown Vic, Mustang, Mark VII, etc.) when they added airbags in the 1990 model year. Could the big restraints have somehow interfered with airbag operation? More likely, they were just looking for ways to cut costs.
My theory is that the large head restraints were also meant to be impact protection for rear passengers. When they got airbags they also got shoulder belts in the rear hence they no longer needed the head protection and the likely obstruction to rear view.
Saw one last Wednesday and might have even been a year or two earlier. That all brown color which always made the wagon look like it just came in from the trail. Ratty outside but not in the heavily dented look. Ratty in the inside as there was clutter everywhere.
Why?
Well the driver was a notch above a homeless person who would be camping in a tent but a notch below one who has a beat up camper. The car did run as I saw him drive off from the parking lot of an average size market shopping center.
I’ve had mine for ten years now; with about 85K now, it has asked for little except new tires, shocks, and (most recently) a rebuilt rear window motor. I should sell it but have no idea about the value, and there sure is something about how that big hood seems to shrink in front of you as you power down the road ….
Thank you for not referencing the appalling Family Truckster Barris creation …
God gave us Station Wagons, Mam foolishly sent them away .
-Nate
I’d try one of these, but make mine a 351W, please! My favorite Ford power plant. (Did those even make it into the Panthers?)
My Dad was a wagon guy. He ran a little TV repair business out of our garage for several years. These were perfect to lug the sets around and still be suitable for family use. He initially tried a Corvair Greenbriar van, but didn’t like the weak engine and thrown fan belts. His first wagon was a ’64 Tempest (326 V8) followed up by a ’67 LeMans (350 V8) then a ’67 Chevy BelAir (327 V8, big and cheap feeling). My Dad never liked straight sixes. He even got adventurous and tried a ’60 Chevy Suburban! I got to drive all of these while I still lived at home. Later he would have two ’78 Chevy Malibu wagons at the same time! Those shared space with a Ford Windstar for a time. He bought a new Chevy stepside pick up in ’75 and he kept that and the two Malibus until he passed away.
I grew up driving wagons while I was in high school and developed an affection for them. My first wagon was my ’97 5.0 Explorer. which I loved. My current wagon is a ’17 Flex, but I never refer to it as a wagon in front of the Wife! I’m attaching my favorite wagon image below.
I too grew up around them as everyone seemed to have one back then especially if they had three kids or more. The first was a white Comet station wagon my mother drove. Remember riding in the back, no seats, no seat belt, and the rear window down. The next and last one my mother had was a 1968 Plymouth Satellite wagon with the 318 as a teenager. Drove that a lot and really liked it especially for going down to the beach. I no longer sat in the back though.
There’s an 86-87 Crown Victoria wagon in my neighborhood, and it used to park near an ovoid-era Taurus wagon. I’d always hoped that I’d be able to photograph them right next to each other, but I never saw them that close.
Now, only the Crown Vic remains, however.
And I didn’t realize that there was any difference between the ’90s and ’91s. Now I can’t wait to see one in order to look at the front turn signal lenses!
This is one of those cars, that you saw dozens of copies of every day, and you took for granted. Then one day, you saw one and realized that you hadn’t seen another for days and days.
And then they were gone.
We just completed our 20th summer season with our 1991 Mercury Colony Park. It has now been put away for the winter. After 20 seasons of summer vacations, pulling a pop up camper, three kids to Disney World from Minnesota 4 times, three kids off to college and back, it is now towing a matching Vintage Cruiser travel trailer.
The biggest problem with these for me is they have the 1988 (and up) flush-at-the-sides bumpers up front, but kept the blocky protruding old-style bumpers at the back. What a cheap-ass move. I have the same issue with the ’85 Pontiac Parisienne, except in that case it’s the reverse: nice flush bumpers out back, with the wider, less well-integrated bumpers up front. Pick one or the other for both ends of the car. The mismatching to me is unacceptable.