My new wagon!

After 33 years of searching, I finally bought my first Country Squire station wagon yesterday (a red 1972). Ok, it was really only a few months of searching, but I'm 33 years old, so I guess that fits as well.

The car was purchased new in Bend, Oregon in 1972. Fast forward to 2004, when the original owner passed away. His son took possession of the car at that time. The car was then carefully placed in a machine shed and prepped for storage. Although the car had been driven some over the past 6 years, the tags had been expired since 2006. Here are a few details:

73,000 original miles
351 Cleveland that runs beautifully (no leaks whatsoever)
FMX 3 speed transmission (shifts very smoothly)
Original blue Oregon license plates that haven't been issued since 1974.
No rust whatsoever. The car was undercoated early on and spent all its life in the Eastern Oregon desert.

The car is not heavily optioned (no A/C), but I was very impressed with how original it is. I paid a little more than I was hoping to, but there was a lot of interest in this car so I wanted to snap it up.

It needs some relatively minor cosmetic reconditioning (rock chips on the front rocker panels, a couple of panels of woodgrain applique need replaced, etc.). I drove this car home about 330 miles yesterday. It ran like a top and I got about 16-17 miles to the gallon.

I've already nicknamed it "The Big Red Machine." I want to thank Silverfox and everyone else for their excellent information and advice.

 

Beautiful car! Good story and great find!

 

The big red machine is cool! The applique and trim on the sides looks in really good shape. Nice find!

 

One tip off on how nice it is - they shiny original red paint.....at least it looks original.
Nice find......

 

All that and a Cleveland to boot, do you have any idea what you can do to a 351 Cleveland, even if it's a 2V 2 bolt main......they can run with if not out run big blocks with some tricks

I'm happy for you, real sharp wagon!

 

Very nice find! Looks like it is in excelent shape. That Eastern Oregon desert (like the eastern Washinton desert) is great for preserving cars. Good luck with it!

 

You're right on, KK. It's the original paint. It has a few rock chips, but in general the paint is amazing for a 38 year old car. The paint's so shiny that when I was driving it home yesterday the reflection of oncoming vehicles startled me a couple of times!

 

And the DiNoc is still on the trim around the wood! WOW, tig...you DID it. And you did really WELL from what I can see! Congratulations!! That looks like an absolute BEAUTY and just what you wanted. I'm damn happy for you!

 

Thanks Fox, I really appreciate it.

 

Very nice! Reminds me of the blue with blue interior 71 Country Squire my dad bought new in 71.

 

You're welcome, tig. I gotta say...that looks like a car worth waiting for!

 

Fantastic find! I love that it is still in original condition.

 

Looking mi-t-fine tigabeast!

 

Wow, Tig, what a gorgeous Squire. You lucked out as that is quite a rarity to be in that good of a shape and it's all original. It's stunning, it really is. I think it's really neat that it didn't come with ac; makes it very unique and even more rare. Best of luck with it. I'm jealous!!

 

Really cool, I have a 71 Country Sedan in no where the condition of yours! Mine is in the process of a badly needed (due to rot) frame off repair/restoration. Won't be original when done. Yours is a great find. I have found parts to be difficult to impossible to find for these cars and when you can find parts they are pricey. It can be like finding parts for a U.F.O. Well yours looks like its all there. Congrats!