Paul’s 1959 Ford Ranch Wagon
The 1959 Ford Ranch Wagon was a one year only design that proved to be very popular with consumers. The Ranch Wagon was produced from 1952 until 1974 with 1959 having the highest sales with over 112,000 vehicles sold. The styling of the 1959 wagon appears to be the primary driver for the sales surge. The wagon was offered in both two door and four door body styles. Ford produced 45,558 of the attractive two door Ranch Wagon in 1959.
The overall design was acknowledged at the 1958 Brussels World's Fair with a gold medal for design by the Comite Francais de L'Elegance, a significant accomplishment for Ford. For the 1959 model year the designers at Ford tastefully integrated space age design cues popular at the time. The oversized tail lamps resemble the exhaust ports of a jet engine. The tail lights are flanked by the optional three chrome "flying dart" emblems on each rear quarter panel. The body lines are sleek and smooth with tasteful chrome touches. This wagon pops with an April Green/Sherwood Green two tone paint job. The wagon also sports the optional "tee ball" front fender ornaments. On the rear quarter panels the Galaxy ribbed metal lower panels were added for additional appeal.
This particular car received a cosmetic and mechanical restoration in 2014. I first saw the wagon at Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale in 2022. A dealer in the Scottsdale area purchased the wagon at the auction and sold it about six months later. The wagon popped up again late last year at a dealer in San Diego. As it turns out, the wagon had been purchased by a collector in Corona from the dealer in Scottsdale. I flew down to inspect the wagon and after a lengthy negotiation, the deal was done. Even though the wagon is almost a 10 cosmetically, there are a number of mechanical issues that need to be addressed. This underlines the importance of either seeing a prospective purchase in person or having the vehicle inspected. I look forward to bringing this beauty back to life over the next couple years.
Three V8 powertrain options were offered for the Ranch Wagon in 1959, one Y-block motor - the 292, and two FE big block engines - the 332 and 352ci. This particular wagon is outfitted with a 292 backed by a Cruise-O-Matic 3 speed automatic transmission. The 18 year old bias ply wide whitewall tires the wagon is currently sporting will be replaced with five new (includes the spare tire) Coker Classic wide white radial tires which I have already purchased. The single reservior master cylinder will be replaced with a dual reservior model from LEED Brakes. The wagon has drum brakes at all four corners. The car apparently was not driven much and was not run for extended periods of time to eliminate moisture in the system. Both mufflers have rusted through due to this and will be replaced. All fluids are being replaced. I make it a point of driving my vehicles every 4 weeks or so for 15-20 mins to avoid these types of issues.
Overall, the car is a beautiful, rust free survivor and will be mechanically solid when I am finished with it. For now, keep your eyes peeled for this beauty on the roads close to Angels Camp. Once I finish, there should be no boundaries for this stylish cruiser!
