Vehicle Description
High-quality restoration of a clean California car. 272 cubic inch
V8, three rows of seats, original color combination. Runs and
drives great, beautifully detailed, fully operational. See the
country the way you did when you were a kid! Hailing from
California, this lovely Country Squire was treated to a frame-on
restoration that reportedly cost more than $70,000. As a solid
west-coast car, there was no need to disassemble it down to the
molecular level, and as a result it retains that tight,
all-of-a-piece feel that the best original cars have while showing
off freshened paint, interior, and mechanical pieces. According to
the door tag, it's wearing correct Colonial White paint that has a
bit of cream in it so it looks warm and inviting, particularly next
to the faux wood panels. Fit and finish are exemplary, with doors
that fit well and close without slamming, a tailgate that opens and
closes easily, and proper hood alignment that sits right. Modern
urethane paint gives it a deep shine that's unquestionably better
than new and should last for years to come. The fiberglass
surrounds are in exceptionally good condition with light woodgrain
effects and the decals are sharp and well-rendered. And with all
this talk of wood, it's easy to overlook the fact that all the
chrome has been refinished and looks fantastic. Inside, the
two-tone red and white interior is perfect for the flashy '50s.
Fully restored, it features correct patterns and materials
throughout, from the pleated seats to the surprisingly plush
carpets which make the wagon feel quiet and upscale inside. Of
note, this car carries all three row of seating, with the third row
bench being rather rare as early owners often removed it to
increase cargo space. The steering wheel and gauge were restored
and look almost new, and even the AM radio is fully functional, a
relative rarity in the old car world. The second row seat folds
flat for carrying long objects and the passenger-side seat tips
forward for access to the third row, which is surprisingly
comfortable, even for full-sized folks. There's a bright white
headliner overhead and the cargo bay is fully finished in matching
red carpet with bright rub strips. The engine is a 272 cubic inch
Y-block V8 that's been rebuilt and neatly detailed. There's bright
Ford Red paint on the block, heads, and intake manifold, and a
proper oil bath air cleaner up top. Correct markings and
reproduction decals were used throughout the engine bay. It starts
reliably, and once it comes off the choke it idles smoothly and
runs great. On the road, it pulls easily with impressive low-end
torque and the 3-speed Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission shifts
with a delightful firmness. With 3.54 gears, it's lively around
town, yet happily cruises at 60 MPH with a happy burble from the
twin tailpipes. The suspension and braking systems were rebuilt
during the restoration, but one glance underneath reveals the true
beauty of west coast cars and why this car didn't need the body to
come off the frame. Correct Firestone wide whitewall tires have
been fitted to the original wheels and crowned with a set of
beautiful full wheel covers. We haven't seen many Country Squires
better than this. In fact, it is so nice that it was invited to the
Concours of America at St. John's a few years ago. This is the
ideal car for the hobbyist with a family and it will always be the
source of joy for folks who know what America looks like from the
back seat. Call today! Harwood Motors always recommends and
welcomes personal and professional inspections of every vehicle in
our inventory.
