Hey Folks, new here and my wagon is new too! i just got it last nite (10/19) This craigslist purchase was just TOO good to pass up. it needs a tuneup bad, but the costmetic condition of the wagon is 95%. all the work tha'tll need to be done is mostly under the hood. suspension is in wonderfull shape, and mostly everything except two powerlocks, the rear power window, and a/c all work great! just needs some love, and Towanda will be running great in a few months. the interior is in amazing shape (pics soon) and am thrilled to finally own a car i've wanted since i was a teenager. Thanks to national lampoon's vacation and my dying to know what car they used in the film. once i found out, i never looked back, fell in love with the real car, and now i own one. i want a 1975-78 squire too in forest green or rust orange, all i due time. will keep updates going as it's worked on in the forums here as Towanda's guts get tuned up and trim work, paint buffing is done. Will Hemb
to the station wagon forum. You'll have that wagon ready for your own vacation travels in no time to WallyWorld. And with the help of members have a Squire in your driveway too.
Welcome! You sounds just nuts enough to fit right in around here! Love the idea of the late 70s Country Squire, too. The dark green you are looking for is called "Dark Jade Green Metallic Firemist" by Ford. Great colour! There have been a couple of them for sale lately, too. Check out the threads in the Auctions/Craigslist section, and you are sure to find what you want eventually. In the mean time, congratulations on the 84. She looks like a sweetheart of a wagon. Just one quick suggestion, though. If you ever have to do the shocks, the best, and least expensive, option is your local Ford dealer. The gas shocks from Ford are under $40 a piece, with a lifetime warranty, and they work really well. They are made by Monroe, but are calibrated differently than the aftermarket shocks. They ride smoother, handle better, and carry load better, all at the same time. I'm more than familiar with the Panther Platform beasts, including those built before it was called the Panther platform. In fact, I am sitting in one at work right now. I only wish Nora looked half as nice as your wagon!
the 1984 country squire "towanda" got new plugs, wires, distributor, and rotor tonite. my mechanic friend jacob also got the ingintion timing back to where it's supposed to be. the rich mixture seems to have dissappeared and runs MUCH smoother now. tomorrow , replace the radiator,coolant hoses and oil change! fannie, towanda is from the movie fried green tomatoes. it just fits the car's personality to a t. to everyone , the more my friend and i work on the car, the more we realize how incredibly lucky, we really are. for $2000 the amount of work being put into it will more than likely be less than $1000 to get it running in tip top shape before adding performance items (k&n air filter, aux trans cooler, amsoil oil, coolant and trans fluid etc) the car is jsut in such amazing shape i can't get over it. whoever owned this car before the guy who sold it to me, REALLY loved it to death. and i intend to keep that going. more photos tomorrow after the radiator is replaced! Will Hemb
