1965 Ford Country Squire

The Ford station wagon body styles were offered on the Falcon and Fairlane model, with the base-level Falcon resting on a 109.5-inch wheelbase and the Fairlane measuring 116-inches. The full-size line of station wagons included the Ranch, Country Sedan, and Country Squire with similar trim and accouterments to the Custom 500, Galaxie 500, and Galaxie 500 LTD passenger cars. The rear-wheel-drive 1965 full-size perimeter frame chassis used by the sixth-generation wagons had a 119-inch wheelbase and an overall length of 210-inches. Strength and rigidity increased with the help of fully-boxed frame rails. It continued to employ a double-wishbone, ball-jointed A-arm front suspension, and the front track width was widened to improve handling. In the back, the previous leaf spring setup was replaced by a three-link coil-sprung solid axle.

The Ranch Wagon was the base trim level, the Country Sedan was the intermediate level, and the Country Squires were the top-of-the-line trim. The six-passenger Ranch wagon was priced at $2,700, the country sedans were approximately $100 higher with seating for six, while the ten-passenger version was priced at $2,900. The six-passenger Country Squire listed for $3,150 and the ten-passenger version for $3,220. Both six- and eight-cylinder engines were available with the 240 cubic-inch 'Big Six' six being standard, replacing the 223 CID 'Mileage Maker' six. It had overhead valves, a Holley one-barrel carburetor, seven main bearings, and delivered 150 horsepower at 4,000 RPM. Eight-cylinder options included the two-barrel 289CID with 200 horsepower, the four-barrel version with 225 horsepower, and the 352 'Interceptor' V8 with a Holley four-barrel carb and 250 hp. The 'Thunderbird' 390 CID V8 produced 330 horsepower. The 428 CID and 427 CID V8 were not offered with the Country Squire.

All full-size Ford models received a complete redesign and an all-new chassis for 1965. The Country Squire continued to share its doors with four-door Ford sedans, and the roofline of the Country Squire was shared with the Mercury Colony Park. Below the window lines, the two models had different bodywork, and the Fords were vertically-stacked headlamps, an enlarged grille, and a raised hood line.

The previous third-row rear seat was replaced by two optional flat-folding rear seats facing towards the center of the cargo area, with seating for up to ten passengers. A 'valet' key was new for 1965, a feature that unlocked the front doors and could start the vehicle, but would not unlock the rear cargo door nor the glovebox.

The Lifeguard options package, with many accessories becoming standardized for 1966, included front and rear seat belts, a deep-dish steering wheel, reinforced door latches, a padded dashboard and sun visors, and emergency flashers. The steering wheel gained a padded center for 1967 and an energy-absorbing steering column.

The six-passenger Country Sedan was the most popular wagon with 59,693 examples built, followed by 32,344 of the ten-passenger version, and 30,817 of the Ranch Wagon. Ford built 30,502 of the ten-passenger Country Squire and 24,308 of the six-passenger Country Squire in 1965.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2021