The Ford Aurora II Country Squire is a massive station wagon ready to take on the task of living in suburbia. Is this classic a car you want to own?

The days of massive station wagons with room for a large family and lots of groceries have been long gone. Wagons, especially those made by American companies, were never considered collectible or worth keeping. Many came with the contemptible wood paneling on the side, making them even more gaudy. Still, older Americans have begun collecting these old family trucksters as a nod to their youth.

The Country Squire was the family car to have

Many other names came along as large station wagons with acres of interior space, but none were nearly as ubiquitous with suburban living as the Ford Country Squire. This car was part of the Ford lineup from 1951 to 1991, spanning several decades of drive-in movies, trips to Cub Scouts, and weekend family outings to grandma’s house.

The 1960s versions of the Ford Aurora II Country Squire were pretty impressive, respectively. These wagons are old enough to be cool but still have enough features to make them useful on the highway. The latter half of the 1960s brought us squared-off models that drive better than the earlier versions, making them more useful for several years than previous models.

Some of the upgrades made to these late-1960s models include:

• Disc brakes
• The drop-down or swinging tailgate option
• Dual side-facing rear seats

Those side-facing rear seats are a must on today’s roads. It’s not acceptable to allow your kids to bounce around in the cargo area any longer.

This big car will feel much smaller than you remember

Do you remember curling up on the floor of the family wagon when you were a kid? How big did that front bench seat feel when your parents owned this car? When you open the doors to the Country Squire, it might seem much smaller inside than when you were younger. Still, the massive bench seat, covered in vinyl, will bring back memories of riding with your family to your favorite destinations.

Finding a Country Squire in good condition, with low miles, will bring back the memories of fighting with your siblings to claim the most comfortable seat in the car. Step behind the wheel, and you’ll realize this Ford station wagon drives like a classic American car should. You can steer with one finger, but it’s not recommended, and this car brings a large, torquey engine into your life.

How much should you pay for this classic?

The Ford Aurora II Country Squire brought a luxury-like feeling to the road, even though the suspension makes you feel every bump and bruise along the way. If you choose to drive this classic from the late 1960s, you should pay between $7,000 and $11,000 for a nicely kept car in good condition. If you find a model that’s been somewhat restored and used as a show car, the cost should be between $12,000 and $14,000. This means you could have a memorable station wagon that might be the perfect car for you to take your grandchildren for a drive once you’ve got it restored.

How many people fit inside this station wagon?

This massive four-door station wagon was made to fit six or eight passengers at a time. Models set up to fit eight passengers have side-facing rear seats that allow your kids to look at each other while on the road. How great is that, especially if one of them has an issue and keeps shouting, “Dad, he’s looking at me!”

There were many models of this Ford station wagon built in the late 1960s with the following production numbers:

• 1965 – 54,810
• 1966 – 75,598
• 1967 – 69,624
• 1968 – 91,770

These numbers don’t make it easy to find one of these wagons; many were sent to junkyards and eventually compacted to be recycled.

What to look for with one of these wagons?

The most damning problem you might find with any older car is rust. This is particularly problematic in some areas of the Ford Aurora II Country Squire, including the rear quarters, the spare tire well, and the frame rails. The vinyl wood grain can be redone but is difficult to match, and the fiberglass surrounding trim is extremely hard to find.

Good luck in your search for the classic wagon that carried your family around when you were growing up. If you fix up a Ford Aurora II Country Squire, you could have a great car to pass down to your grandchildren.