1975 Ford Country Squire on BAT - Kentwood, MI

"Well, it could be a lot, lot worse" was my first thought. Considering it apparently lived in the Northeast rust belt all its life. Built in Canada too.





https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1975-ford-ltd-county-squire-wagon-2/

 

Well we just saw that blue ‘75 just short of $16 k and it only had 30,000 miles. If that’s the barometer, I would think this should hit 12 ish. About equipped equally, think the radio is a detractor in this one. Plus it’s a little more scruffy than the blue one, but for nearly 50 years in that part of the country, and Canada it’s really a lovely example. Like the green too. Plus the extra seats may help.

 

Interesting. Another "base" Country Squire. Straight bench seat. Aftermarket unknown brand radio/cassette and 6X9 rear speakers. The door speaker grilles look like factory, so I suppose this was fitted out like the blue CS. Standard equipment dial face clock unlike the blue one which had the optional digital clock. And the power lock/manual window combination.

The Edelbrock equipment will perk the 400 up a bit, but you'll need a cam, or at least the '71 timing set (if the age of the car lets it escape your state's emissions regs). I don't think the 400 came with dual exhaust. This car has a catalytic converter, so it's not a Canadian market car. My '75 was built in the same plant -- Oakville -- but for the U.S. market. So was my '76 Colony Park and my '85 CS. My '76 Montego was built in Lorain, OH but for the Canadian market -- no cat. Go figure.


I don't know if I'd pay $12K for a car with this much chassis rust, although it does seem to be mostly surface rust. This one's not nearly as clean underneath as the blue one appears to be. That one looks like it was undercoated (I do wonder if that undercoat might be concealing rust underneath it). I don't know how anyone can pay that kind of money for a car without looking it over themselves or having someone they trust inspect it.

Of course, in this market anything under $20K is considered "affordable". That's why I'm pretty much priced out of this market.

 

Not to be annal about stereos, but with the incorrect speakers in the luggage well, and the black speaker covers on the front door, my bet even more than the blue one, there was a radio conversion done at the dealer or shortly after. The speaker covers are correct, but black. On a factory equipped car they would have been the matching green front and back to match the door panel color. Just nitpicking, but I would look for the correct green speaker covers were it mine.

 

Wow. Already up to $12,800 with 6 days to go. Guess we’ll see if the extra seats makes the difference.

 

Also noticed another subtle difference in that the blue cars steering wheel had a wood tone inlay along the rim like a cruise control wheel. Again, subtle, but nice. I’m not surprised I guess that the green one is at $12,800, just surprised it got there so fast.

 

I went and checked since this one is Green, it took 1 minute from posting to the first Clark Griswald comment. LOL

39 comments, 9 of which reference family truckster or Clark.

 

Hey it ain’t easy being green! Well at least this one didn’t have a serf board or canoe on it. I get the Griswald reference if it’s a Panther Country Squire, or even the Vista Cruiser trade in. But come on. Enough already.

 

Also I got my question answered on the bid. Holy Moly that thing went from $7,900 to $12,800 in one swoop. That guy either really wants that car, or it’s the owner’s brother.

 

Sold for $34k. Is that crazy, or what?

 

That is seriously crazy money. Could those back seats have been worth $20,000? I’ll never understand and the bidding was hot and heavy at the end. Just cra cra!

 

Insane

 

The money really is nuts.

Not even high option.

 

Not everyone is an option freak (I am -- to a point).

What freaks me out is that on a car that does not have separate temperature and oil pressure lights -- just a single engine light -- the one gauge someone adds is a tachometer.

Interesting that in 1970, a Country Squire optioned like this one would have been considered a very well equipped car, while for a 1975 -- at least by today's perspective -- it's considered a near stripper. Still, the AC, power locks, right door mirror, remote mirrors and stereo were all optional for this beast. It just goes to show how expectations changed in the five years from '70 to '75, to say nothing of what they've become today.