Vehicle Description
It's really a shame that SUVs and minivans have taken the place of
the traditional station wagon, because everyone should have
childhood memories of cruising the countryside in a wood-sided
hauler like this 1955 Ford Ranch Wagon. With a smooth-running V8,
A/C, and a 5-speed manual gearbox, nobody's going to complain about
the journey or be in a hurry to reach their destination.
The car was repainted recently in its original code KE Buckskin Tan
and White combination, and it looks just fantastic. The paint is in
excellent condition showing minimal signs of use and only very
minor signs of age, which is inevitable no matter what kind of car
you're driving, and we love the subtle period look. Without the
wood of the Country Squire to get in the way, this 2-door wagon
looks incredibly clean and sleek, but also very appropriate. Of
course, with Ford, it was all about Jet-Age style, so you also get
Ford details like the round taillights (which are actually a
combination of '55 and '56 parts), that wonderful mesh grille, and
a sleek aircraft-inspired hood ornament. We also really dig the
Ranch Wagon script on the front fenders and the flip-down license
plate bracket that still shows your plate even when the tailgate is
down.
The attractive two-tone interior is a fantastic complement to the
tan and white bodywork and makes the handsome wagon feel very
upscale, which is entirely the point. Ford's corporate dash should
look familiar, with a hooded speedometer with a Plexiglas window in
back to light it from behind, a tach on the steering column,
auxiliary gauges under the dash and a big 2-spoke steering wheel
that makes the wagon easy to maneuver. Three round pods in the
center of the dash house the heater controls, a block-off plate for
the radio, and the clock, respectively, and there are A/C vents
discreetly tucked under the dash. And yes, that shifter manages a
5-speed manual gearbox, which makes this wagon a ton of fun to
drive and an easy cruiser on the highway. The cargo bay is
outfitted with heavy-duty carpeted mats and the seat folds down,
allowing this wagon to swallow a shocking amount of cargo, so it's
a hobby car that doesn't mind doing a little work on the
weekends.
Ford's "Y-block" V8 was a familiar sight throughout the late '50s,
a smooth powerplant with enough power to make the wagon feel peppy
around town. This is a 312 cubic inch version built by noted
Y-block expert John Mummert, so it runs superbly. Not radical, it
nonetheless delivers modern performance without looking out of
place. There's a custom intake manifold by Mummert and an Edelbrock
4-barrel carb on top, Pertronix ignition system, and a giant
aluminum radiator up front. The chrome air cleaner looks suitably
old school and the polished Thunderbird valve covers are exactly
the right touch. The 5-speed shifts easily and has nice clutch
take-up, and with overdrive, it's effortless on the highway. Dual
exhaust has been fitted, so it has a nice V8 burble that sounds
great but never gets annoying and the undercarriage has been
fortified with front disc brakes, rack-and-pinion steering, and an
aluminum driveshaft. It has all been rebuilt, so it's reliable and
it sits on fresh Coker wide whitewall radials with factory
hubcaps.
Nicely finished and ready to enjoy, this is the ultimate vintage
family hauler, and from personal experience, a cheerful wagon like
this is a great way to see the world. Call today!
