The Ford Country Sedan wagon was a very successful model when on sale. During its production cycle, it managed to continuously outsell its more exclusive counterpart – the Ford Country Squire. The secret was that it shared the same powertrain but was much more attainable due to the more basic standard equipment and options.
Motivation came from a 332-cubic-inch (5.4-lite), OHV V-8 that made 232–240 horsepower (173–179 kilowatts) and 320–340 pound-feet (434–461 Nm) of torque. Power was sent to the rear through three different transmission options — a three or four-speed manual and a three-speed automatic. The 0–60 MPH (97 km/h) took 8.6 seconds in the quickest version of the car (with a four-speed manual).
The 12-Step Process To Revival Of This Ford Country Sedan Station Wagon
Naturally, when a car has sat for half a century, there’s bound to be rust and dirt. Since the crew had already decided it was going to resurrect the 1950s Ford antique, we can only assume there isn’t enough rust to render the car not worthy of restoration. Aside from some of the trim missing, the main bits are all there. The car was parked among other abandoned classics, but finding the ignition key in a plastic box amidst other keys was surprisingly easy.
The first step after the car refuses to start is to check the spark plugs. The 332 V-8 is bound to need lubrication after 50 years, but the engine oil was surprisingly fresh, meaning the car was likely, running right before being parked sometime in the 1970s. As for why that is, no one knows, but we believe the oil crisis at the time may have caused the last owner to park the car and wait for better times.
Another key step is to make sure the engine hasn’t seized. It is common for corrosion processes to start inside the engine too in time after the engine hasn’t worked for a long time. The video clearly shows that you will need a new battery along with spark plugs and various miscellaneous in order to even attempt to start a long-forsaken classic car.
With that said, you will be surprised how well some of these things can stand the test of time, and while Ford may, sometimes, be the laughing stock of the American car industry, reliability-wise, this ’58 Country Sedan is a pleasant surprise. The real question is, what fate awaits the old family wagon? While Hagerty gravitates towards restoring the classic Ford to its original state, another option would be resto-modding it or even an EV conversion. What are your thoughts?
