My first Ford Country Squire was sorta like that. I found it in 2005, it had been sitting behind a barn, under a tree for about three years. It had sunk into the ground. I bought it for $150, not running. All it was, a bad fuel pump. I was in college at the time and ALWAYS wanted a '75 - '78 Ford LTD Country Squire, so I jumped on that one. I had it towed to the garage I worked at. I redid all the brake lines, calipers, wheel cylinders, master cyl, rebuilt the carb, drained the fuel tank, and a few other tid bits to get the old gal back on the road. My '77 did more than most modern cars could ever think of doing. In its first month, some drunk kids bashed out my front windshield. When the glass was removed, it was discoverd all the metal was rotten. The glass never sealed right. A month later, hit a deer at 65 mph while coming home for Thanksgiving. For about two years, it had done its service as a wagon. Hauling all my gear back and forth from college, with my dog, getting to my college in snow/ice storms, driving drunk kids back to the dorms, hauling kegs, used as a true "tail gate" car for football games, it lived once again as a true wagon. It also became popular on campus, it had its own Facebook profile for a while (not by me). The winter of 2007, I blew a head gasket. I did not have my tools with me, nor did I have a garage to work on it myself. So I sent it to a local shop. One of the bigger mistakes I have ever made. It was nothing but a problem with the garage (hes no longer around). After taking the wagon back three times, I get it back in June 2007. I drove 150 miles north and the head cracked. Had it towed back to Macomb, where this shop was. Come to discover the gasket was put in wrong (didt think that could happen, looks to be a one way type gasket). This this garage puts in a used one, calls it good. Well I knew the rest of the engine was pretty much whipped out. I contacted a few lawers in town, none wanted to deal with it. So the same day I graduated from Western IL U, my buddy trailer towed my '77 with his '03 F-250. Well the trailer brakes locked up, rolled his truck, and sent my wagon for the ride of its life. Jake, I have known since we where 6. He made it out with some light scratchs. His truck was a total loss. My wagon, well, it had seen its better days behind it. It was chained to the trailer, put so much stress on the body and frame, all the rust or weak areas blew open. The trans housing cracked, and inside was gone (lot of my stuff bounced around, took out the headlinner and panels). The insurance company cut a check for my '77 for the damages. I ended up buying my currant '78 Country Squire. The '77 was sent back to me, so I parted it out for my own stock. I sold it then to a demo derby guy. He yanked the motor, dropped in a 460, added some cross members to the frame and ran it. He called me when "Aunt Edna" was going in her run. She did not give up the ghost easly, she won her division. There is a point, when anything, no matter what it is, you just have to let it go. I did't want to let my '77 go, she had given me a lot of great times in college, and she never let me down. It was like I gave up on a friend.....but it is, what it is.
Boy, you sure had your troubles with Aunt Edna. Your green '78 is very nice, though. Hope you've had better luck with it. BTW, did you name the '78?
Hemi, you're saying that '73/74 Impala wagon made it back on the road. Sheesh; I would've given that one up for dead, especially with the rust on that rear 1/4 and the front end damage. Good save. I am very impressed!
I remember when I picked up the '77 with a few of my friends. They looked at me like I truly went off the deep end. The rear bumper was falling off, dirt everywhere along with dead bugs (Asian beetle, I think that's what they where called) and moss growing all over it. After some cleaning up. My first day with Aunt Edna, parked in front of campus. I remember, kids kept looking, I could see they could not figure her out. Summer of 2006. Buffed out the original paint work, 'new' rear bumper, new wood grain (contact paper from Menards) and repainted the alum. wood trim. As for my '78 CS, I gave it the name Clark. Just went with the Vacation Movie idea I had with my '77.
The rear bumper, that is a story in it self. The rear bumper was so gone on the '77, it was held by wire and a lawn mower blade (you can see just a tip out of it in the picture). I had looked all over the internet for one, best one I could find was a base model bumper, meaning, no rub guards nor bump stops. And he wanted $500 PLUS S&H from Oklahoma. However, I had been dealing with a local junk yard around my college. He did not have any LTD wagons that where in good shape, most where too far gone other than trim bits. Well I asked about anything that he knew of. He had a '78 Mercury Marquis wagon, it was hit in front, "V'ed" the bumper and pulled the frame in a bit. I looked for it. It was FAR FAR back in the weeds, been there since 1984-85ish. The tail was up in the air, while the front was sorta sunk in the ground. And there it was, a full bumper, no rot, no major damage......his price, and him cutting it off the frame, $25.....even helped me load it in to my Mustang (fold down seats really help). I am getting the roof rack out this coming spring, one of out "over the pond" wagon owners wants the wind deflector for his '78 Colony Park. This is the wagon:
Holy cow, it's hard to believe it's the same car. Did you ever take it back to the owner you bought it from and show him what he missed out on? Nice, nice job.
Thank you. I had driven to his house a few times, he was never home. I saw him in town the last week before I left Western, he thought it was another car, not his old one.
Whaaaa??? no kiddin lol the odd places people find each other eh? Well we're both car guys so it was inevitable somewhere somehow.
Ive got my eye on 5 other clams to save but i dont know if i'll get them or if mother earth will reclaim them first. One is a 71 Olds, one is a 72 Olds, one is a 75 Pontiac, one is a 76 Chev and the last one is a 75 Olds. I know of a TON of other Ford and some mopar wagons but prying them from the procrastinators' hands is like bleeding a rock! .. heres some pics
Lots of nice stuff sitting around the country. I have an idea for this group that was born just after I became a member here and was about to discuss it with Stef but never did. I still love the idea but worry about the "committee" effect. I'm still kicking it around but think it would work better to START it on a personal and private basis and then invite the rest of our forum family in to participate however much they could/wanted to. I'm known for my good ideas in the creative, marketing and advertising fields and also with the auto groups. Anyway....I'm dying to get this one off the ground but it would take my moving to a central location in the states and getting other wagon lovers with as much passion about them to want to be involved. It would put wagons back in the spot light, make this forum the go to place and it would be a money maker for all participants. I wish I could swing it on my own and then offer it to everyone here. I'm working on it.......
SF! Did your weather necks show you how far south this midwest cold went last evening. Northern New Mexico! Down into below ZERO. Up in our north, it was -45C (-44F). You really want to go to the Midwest?!?! We're still at -27C at 12:39 PM!!! and most of this week, the nights are around -30C without windchill factors. :banghead3: Any idea that helps restore wagons deserves a good listen. Hope you mull it and refine to a successful conclusion.
