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Been looking for a -68 Country Squire for a while and found one which has been sitting for a couple of decades. Not on grass as far as I know.
Seller says that it has some rot on roofrails, bottom of the drivers door and tail gate. Floor is a maybe. What other can be expexted? Outside looks solid in the pictures. One would think that the same question applies to other models but do wagons have any special places to look for?
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Guess I'll find out once it arrives. It's a risk but hopefully worth it?
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I'd guess the most rust will be right where you can't get a replacement panel. Your sheet metal fab skills may get a work out.
Get a factory service manual and with part numbers you should be able to find interchange info to see what other years and models can be donors.
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Wheel arches have been just about only places where I've usually used replacements because of the shape. Otherwise it's not a big deal to fab a floor or rocker panel. Especially when it doesn't have to look like 100% factory.
Last edited by palikka (June 6, 2018 11:04 am)
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If the frame rails under the rockers are rusted, pass it up. The repair is costly and tedious. Ford changed the chassis in 1965 and the 1968 is the same design. The tip off used to be rusted brake lines and sure enough, every car I saw the rails and floor pans were rotted through. If the roof is rotted through, water will have collected elsewhere in the car.
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Won't be expensive but the tedious part is correct because I'll do it all by my self(excluding sandblasting). I do have the bad habit of poking all suspicious looking rust spots even it would be for my own good not to 
Just got more pictures and mats looks like there has been water on the floor so expectations aren't too high. Underside doesn't look bad in the pics(has been sitting on concrete) but that doesn't say anything about the floor thickness. Frame seems to have only mild surface rust. Have to wait and see how bad it really is. Not too many cheap or "reasonably priced" -68 wagons in the market. Especially with hideaway headlights, complete trim and pretty good looking original interior(except floor mats).
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my 2 cents.
I bought a 62 Country Sedan on "Ebay" OK lets all laugh.. It was in Nebraska, but for some reason
I wanted it, I just think they are a great looking car.
I new that I did not want the engine\trans, as I was going to use my Cleveland and a 4R70W
when I picked it up, It was then I found out the wagon has sat in water, at least up to the frame and
some what into the car.
The frame was perfect, the front fenders perfect, the rear passenger side quarter inside panel
rusted out, as was the rear portion of the wheel arch.. the front fenders both sides rusted
at the rear where they meet the door..
The doors and tail gate are solid...
It was the floor pan that was really bad... just to much rust everywhere.. so I found a donner floor pan
and I'm installing it now...
So I would say all in all the metal that Ford used back then was pretty damned good...
Best
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palikka wrote:
Been looking for a -68 Country Squire for a while and found one which has been sitting for a couple of decades. Not on grass as far as I know.
Seller says that it has some rot on roofrails, bottom of the drivers door and tail gate. Floor is a maybe. What other can be expexted? Outside looks solid in the pictures. One would think that the same question applies to other models but do wagons have any special places to look for?
My family when I was growing up had a 1965 Ford Country Sedan basic station wagon. Eventually, the rust issues were the spare tire booth floor area, tailgate door seams and underside of doors and door seams, rear wheel well arches, dog legs, and lower front fender areas as well as front and rear foot wells of the floor boards. Frame-wise, the front and rear torque box areas were a real concern, especially the front ones. We grew up in northeast Ohio and the road salt in the winters ate these cars up fairly quick.
You are better off to source an old Ford station wagon out of an arid part of the country, like the south and south western states. It is better to redo the sun baked, dry rotted interior than to fix a car with a lot of rust issues.
Good luck.
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