Collector Car/Cars We Remember; Fabulous ’59 Ford Country Squire and the camper that never was

Q: Greg, I’m sending photos of my 1959 Ford Country Squire station wagon and it’s a real head-turner. The reactions it receives from people on the street are amazing. I have owned some great cars and wagons over the years and originally bought the red Country Squire with the idea of using it as a vintage “fishin’ wagon.” I’ve owned the Squire for seven years and it runs as good as it looks with a special 428-V8 under the hood.  

I’ve done some minor stuff to the Country Squire wagon, but the way it sits now is basically how I bought it in 2016. I still have the original 352-V8 engine and transmission, currently rebuilt, in storage and awaiting a home. I was born in Moline, Illinois, but grew up in the city of Chicago. Today I spilt my time between those two places. The car is known in both towns and from various shows across northern Illinois.

The mystery of the (driveline) story is that I have lost track of the guy who did all the work and installed the 428. He was a vintage hot rod builder, originally from New Jersey. He and his wife packed up and left suburban Milwaukee in 2017 for Kona, Hawaii to run a coffee farm and that is how I came to own the car. I wasn’t able to contact him after they left the Mainland but I keep trying to track him down. The 428 runs great, has a mild cam, plenty of power and gets maybe nine or 10 mpg. The Squire cruises real nice at 70-75 mph and it also has rear air shocks, disc brakes all around and a rack & pinion steering upgrade.

I’m interested in the modern American Station Wagon ethos and the evolution of our collective perceptions of station wagons within the context of US car culture. For instance, I have a friend whose first automobile was a yellow ’57 Ford Ranch wagon. In the early 60s he says he considered it hideous and was ashamed to be seen in the thing. 

Today these old Ford wagons are now considered masterpieces. I submit that they are among the most brilliant examples of 20th century functional commercial American industrial art. They are also a nod to our recent history. The faux wood trim on the Ford Country Squire (top of the line for ’59) represents the wooden wagons of the past, the 19th century trail west, and the gold rush, western expansion.

The ’59 fins represent airplanes of the early-mid 20th century while the “afterburner” taillights represent the future space age including outer space exploration and space travel as viewed from 1959. All heaped together into a stunning giant hunk of Detroit Iron. It could only have happened in that particular time and place. 

I’ll end with this fun experience. A kid came up to me at a gas station and asked if he could take a picture of his little puppy next to my Country Squire wagon, which we did. I think all three of us were thrilled, puppy included.

On a serious note, we always enjoy your writing Greg and thanks for your interest in my 1959 Ford Country Squire Wagon. Sincerely, Erik Carlander, Moline and Chicago, Illinois.   

A: Thanks so much Erik for you kind words and sending some really fine photos of your wagon. Over the many emails we’ve exchanged, I can attest that after writing these columns since 1974 perhaps but a handful of wagon owners come close to your passion and love for the hobby and station wagons.  

Over eight generations beginning in 1950 and ending in 1991, your 1959 your Country Squire was one of 269,378 Ford station wagons built that year. The ’59 Country Squire is a member of the fourth generation of Squire Wagons produced from 1957 through 1959. However, the 1959 models were two inches longer on the wheelbase at 118-inches versus 116-inches in ’57 and ’58.

As for being rare, your Country Squire was one of just 24,336 top line models delivered of the near 270,000 built. With the optional 352-V8 under the hood and a few ancillaries, I estimate that the original invoice of your Squire would be in the $3,750 range (expensive for sure) In comparison to 1959 siblings, the Ford wagon production was way higher than the Mercury and Edsel wagons, which combined for a total of just 32,448 wagons delivered.

Your’59 Country Squire is two inches longer on the wheelbase at 118 versus 116 in ’57 and ’58. Under the hood, the ‘59 engine lineup included the standard 200-horse 292 V8, a two-barrel 352-inch V8 with 225-horses and the top offering 300-horse 352-V8, of which your Country Squire had when it was delivered back in 1959. It’s good you have the original engine and transmission sitting in your garage for either a separate sale or as an add-on package if you ever sell your beauty.  

Speaking of transmissions, those ’59 Ford wagons offered a bevy of choices. In addition to the manuals that included both the 3-speed and 4-speed units, Ford offered automatics like the 3-speed Fordomatic and a 3-speed Cruise-O-Matic.

The difference?

The Cruise-O-Matic from a standing start moved normally in its first gear, while the Fordomatic started in second gear. If you wanted to move in first gear for better pep and torque, you had to manually move the shift lever into “L.”

Because the 1959 wagons featured the two-inch wheelbase stretch, the Country Squire grew in body size adding over five-inches in length. It featured the overall styling beauty of the Mercury Country Cruiser Colony Park and Edsel Villager. The simulated wood trim around the roof pillars was replaced by stainless steel, leaving the wood trim below the window line for what I feel was a better overall look. The third seat was also redesigned, allowing it to fold flat after the seat cushions were removed and stowed away.

Now for some interesting Ford station wagon trivia.

In 1958 Ford started experimentation with what would have been an industry first complete camper vehicle that rode on top of the wagon inside a flip-top rowboat.

I was able to dig up a black and white photo of the 1958 experimental version and two excellent color renditions of the 1959 Ford Country Squire Camper Edition, all aimed at families that enjoyed camping.

The Country Squire Camper looked exactly like a Country Squire wagon on which it was based, except the camper featured the upturned row boat attached to the wagon’s top. The boat included everything needed for modern camping starting with the bedroom, which would open by pressing buttons from the camper command center located inside and never stepping out of the vehicle.

Once every button was activated, the boat rolled over on its side and the tent underneath moved upward with sleeping room for two adults while an additional two adults could sleep in the rear of the wagon thanks to the aforementioned folded down seat. To get access to the rooftop tent, a ladder was included. The rowboat, not surprisingly, was totally functional and ready for the lake.

Unfortunately, even though the Country Squire Camper offered just about every need for a weekend at the lake, it just wasn’t practical and was scrapped for mass production. In my opinion, I think the Ford camper designers were checking the progress and “ease of camping” the new 1959 Volkswagen Camper Mobile / Micro Bus offered, sans the rowboat.

Thanks again Erik for your emails and keep that beautiful Country Squire in good health.

(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist who welcomes reader input at greg@gregzyla.com on collector cars, auto nostalgia or motorsports.)