Seattle Squire Survivor

A Seattle Squire Survivor story.
First off I am very happy to stumble on your forum and look forward to being a member.

My Dad just loved and babied his 64 Country Squire Wagon from the very first moment he placed the order thru a local Ford dealer. It was the very first new car that he had ever owned and therefore very special. This car was delegated for the family's Sunday drives out in the country. It did manage a few long trips down to the South West and the Canadian Rockies.
Now let's jump a head to last Summer when I freed this old girl from it's sarcophagus (My Dads garage) after 53 years. Had her taken by a flatbed truck to a well respected shop known for their classic restorations. I spared no detail and even ordered bias ply tires to match the same driving experience as my Dad had five decades before. When October rolled around I finally got the pleasure of driving it and it was worth the wait, it drove like it was on rails and I had just drove her off the showroom floor. I only managed a few nice drives before the rainy season had started and it was time to slip it back in a garage to it's pampered lifestyle.
I was lucky to find a friend who let me use his garage for a winter resting place. I eagerly look forward to the spring when the local classic car show season starts so I can share my Dad's pride and joy with other classic car fans. I would love to post some pictures here but I currently only have them posted on facebook and not on a URL site.

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome Ramrofncf.
It's nice to see another 1964 wagon from Washington!
That's a great story about your car. Is your Dad still around?
It looks like you have done a fantastic job getting it back on the road.

 

Welcome Ramrofncf!

 

Dad passed away a handful of years back but my Mother continued to live at the family home. Last february she also passed away (a month shy of her 100th birthday) and so it was time for me to take the car out of it's cozy garage and have the car gone through at Mathewsons shop in Renton, Wa. The car had been sitting for quite a few years and they did a wonderful getting it back on the road. It is a pleasure to drive and it runs like it did when my Dad would take it out every blue moon. I was told I should put radial tires on it and I went with the original sized bias ply 8.00 x 14 and I'm glad I did, the car feels like it has power steering with that big steering wheel.

 

I am sorry to hear that your Father and Mother didn't get to see the old wagon brought back to it's former glory.
I'm glad you took it upon yourself to restore it. I hope you get much enjoyment out of it.

 

Thank you for those kind words.
Here are the things that the shop did to get this car in tip top shape.
Gas tank boiled out a coated.
Clutch plate remanufactured and flywheel turned.
Master and wheel cylinder replaced (My dad had bought those years ago).
Drums turned.
New brake hoses.
New fuel pump.
New water pump, flushed and filled cooling system.
One new U-Joint.
A new muffler.
Oil Change with new filter and zinc additive.
Installed my new bias ply 8.00 x 14 tires and balanced.
Changed tranny lube.
Replaced windshield wipers with period chrome ones.
Boiled out carb.
Turned distributor shaft to work oil up into heads before attempting to turn motor over.
Full inspection for any other issues and lots of TLC.

 

Stunning, just stunning...

 

Wow, looks like you drove it out of a time machine!
Welcome to the forum. Please post lots of pictures.

 

Thank you for your warm complements.
The car is as basic as you can get with it's 289 which just rolled over the 33K mile mark.
She is also running a three on the tree and power nothing.
My dad custom ordered it out of Detroit just the way he wanted it and he always went by the adage " the more sh!t you get on a car, the more sh!t you have to go wrong". For my two cents worth, I love to drive a car with manual transmission, manual steering and manual brakes because it's as close as you can get to be one with the machine (aka: Riding Bareback).

 

She looks beautiful, Ram.....
Surprised the wood grain and surround trim looks as good as it does.....

Welcome to the forum!

Marshall

 

I Love It..What A Beauty. Memories Of My Neighbors Growing Up... I Lost My Mother Too before My Wagon Was Completed. I'm Sure Yours & Mine Are Smiling

 

I keep my dads nylon "Ford" jacket that he use to wear when he attended vintage Ford picnics in the 1980's. So I guess he is always backseat driving while I'm at the wheel.