1969 Ford Country Squire

1969 Ford LTD Country Squire for sale on BaT Auctions - ending August 17 (Lot #117,227) | Bring a Trailer
in my opinion this was a great looking year for the Country Squire.

 

It took 26 min into the bid for the 1st "Family Truckster" mention.

 

This is very nice. I like the fact that it shows original wear and has not been restored to death. Or, as people like to say, "refreshed".

 

Sold on 8/17/23 for $25,250
And dad says "we are listing to Am 1050 classic country and none of you can do anything about it."

 

Well C’mon Mark it is a green wagon with wood.

 

I wonder what the thought process was that put the heating/AC controls (and radios) to the left of the steering column...

 

It's a wrap-around style instrument panel, which was likely inspired by Pontiacs. Unsurprising considering that Ford had just poached Bunkie Knudsen from GM. Note that the radio and the wiper/washer controls are on the left, the clock and heater/ac controls are to the right. The idea, of course, was to make all displays easily viewable and to put all controls in easy reach of the driver. I don't know if there was an actual rationale behind putting the radio on the left, other than that it had to go on one side or the other, but the result was that the driver -- not any teenaged passengers -- had exclusive control of it.

 

If you notice, the radio antenna was on the left front (driver's side) fender. So they saved .08 cents per car on the shorter coax cable. They "fixed" that for 1970 and put the antenna back on the right side I believe.

 

Having spent many years in the commercial truck business, I vividly remember a comment made by an OEM industry executive about cost cutting on a high-volume platform. "I'll cut your heart out for a nickel a unit".