I am about to purchase a 1966 Ford Country Squyire that does not have the "way-back" seats; which I would like and so do my 3 kids! My questions: 1. Can the wagon be converted to the additional seating? How difficult? 2. Where can a find the seats & parts to do this? Ebay? Any specialty junkyards? Thank You!
1) You might need to get all the bracketing from the donor car, that is fastened to the floor. I'd make a template of the donor floor bolt locations. Getting a set won't be easy. You need to find what range of years would fit, like say 1965 to 1969 or maybe later up to the next big style change, which I think might have been 1973 or 1974. Look for Mercury Wagons of the same vintage. The biggest problem will be where the gas tank is on the donor car. Your's is likely in the Fender. My Fairmont has the tank under the spare cavity in the floor, so no way-back seats. I do know of a 1970-71 with those seats in a buddy's scrapyard up here in Central Canada. I can ask. Or you can call the place. (204) 222-2626 Midnite Auto Parts. They've seen a lot of snow and rain and freezing and thawing sitting in the wagon itself: Other than that, you might look here: http://www.dvap.com/ Or their other sites: http://www.azclassics.com/ http://www.arizonaclassiccarparts.com/ http://www.dvautoparts.com/ How about an introduction and some pics?
The donor cars to look for will be in the 1965 to 1968 generation.That's when the full size wagons shared the same platform as the Lincoln Continental.1969 was the first year of change.But most of that may have been cosmetic.We all recently went thru this discussion,dealing with mid-80's GM wagons.Like Norman suggested,climb underneath(lift it up for a better view,if you can)and check for how it all connects up---in yours and the models that have the seats you want.1967 was the first year of the two seats facing each other,being available.The other popular choice was the backwards facing seat.Not sure if FoMoCo was still offering the third row of seats that faced forward,at that time.Models from the earlier Sixties had them as an option.(You would have to fold down the entire backseat to let people in and out of that one.Unless you don't mind them walking on the upholstery.
I don't know what year that wagon is in my pics. I think its a 1970-1. I've found a lot of original parts and brackets on mine are from the Sixties starting with C5BB or C6xx etc. even up to C9xx. Some start D1 or D5 (1971 or 1975), so he might have some serious luck finding good brackets from a later one and using fold-down seats from a Mustang or Capri (1983 to 1988). In either case, he should check his floor from underneath to see if the weldnuts are there, or make some up with the extra steel plate between the floor and the weldnut. I doubt that seatbelts were compulsory back then, but if those weldnuts are there too, it might add to the 'look'.
Seatbelts weren't required in FoMoCo products,they were just there.From 1958 on,I do believe.My 68 Colony Park had the backwards facing back-backseat.And it came with seatbelts.The Driver's seat and front passenger seat also came with shoulder belts.They were not the retensioning kind however.Having it on made it difficult to change radio stations.AM only,but five speakers.And not one speaker in a door.
Didn't Dr. Brian convert his '67 from 6-passenger to 9-passenger? Seem to remember something about this. Check his resto thread. It's in this section. http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1380
I certainly did! It is not easy to find the complete rear seat option. If I'm not mistaken, you can pull the seats out any donor Country sedan, or Country squire from 1965 thru 1968. You will need to get ALL of the hardware, to make it work. Simply dye the donor seats to match. The hardest part is finding them!! Trust me on that. Dr B
Came across this wagon, don't know if it has what you need but it might be worth giving them a call. http://www.sunmanford.net/arrival_photo/1968%20Ford%20Country%20Squire%20Wagon.html Martin
$185.00 !!! I'd grab the whole car! If just for the glass! Took 3 months to get a replacement tailgate and quarter window, when some kids shot them with a BB Gun! Eyes of a hawk, Taranau! The inside cargo panels get pretty banged up over time, too, so you'd have spares you could clean up and store (in your wife's closet? ) Sheesh, reminds me... Last Saturday I was walking back from the grocery store, and this lady was setting up for a Yard Sale. She spotted me and said she was cleaning up her husband's closet. They own two homes, beside each other, and he was pulling stuff from both garages (his closets) .
