1967 Ford Fairlane 500 Squire: Sixties Suburbia
Remember when Ford made cars? Well, OK, technically it still makes A car: the Mustang. But in the 1960s, Ford mostly made cars, and people who bought Fords usually bought Ford cars, not Ford trucks. Never was heard a crossover word! But today, you’re out of luck. And if you want a modern interpretation of the classic Ford station wagon, your best bet is finding a late-model Flex. But in 1967, you were spoiled for choice. Not just in cars, per se, but even amongst Dearborn’s wagons.
Just sticking with Ford and Mercury (no Lincoln wagons then, or ever: the 1998 Navigator was the first Lincoln that was not a sedan, coupe or convertible) you could have full-size Country Sedans and Country Squires at Ford, and Colony Parks and Commuters over at Mercury.
Midsize? Same deal. You could try out a Comet Voyager (non-woody) or Comet Villager (woody), unless you suddenly decided to forget wagon shopping upon spying the all-new Cougar with its sleek lines and Schick razor grille!
And over at your local Ford dealer, you had your pick of several Fairlane station wagons. You could also get a Falcon station wagon.
Interestingly, the ’66 Falcon and Fairlane wagons shared bodies, so the Falcon wagon was basically a Fairlane from the windshield back. The midsize Fairlane had been totally restyled for the 1966 model year, so the ’67s only had minor paint and trim changes, but they were pretty sharp in any body style.
I particularly loved the stacked quad headlamps, first introduced on the ’65 full-size Fords. Of course, the two-door hardtop was the belle of the ball, especially in GT or GTA trim; they all looked good in my opinion.
Folks of a certain age will likely remember this vintage Fairlane from the Dragnet TV show of the late ’60s and the “plain Jane” champagne-colored, four-door sedan piloted by Sgt. Joe Friday and Officer Bill Gannon. Occasionally I’ve seen 1966–67 Fairlane 500 hardtops and convertibles at various cruise nights and car shows. But none of those ever stopped me in my tracks like this amazingly preserved Lime Gold metallic Squire did!
It was September 2021. My friend (and frequent column-photo provider) Jayson Coombes had flown up to the Midwest from Texas in order to join me in attending the Des Moines Concours d’Elegance. We had a fine time, and the day he arrived we went to The Cellar in downtown Geneseo, Illinois, a favorite supper club of mine that has changed little since its opening in 1960.
Geneseo is also home to the annual Trains, Planes, and Automobiles car show, actually held right in front of The Cellar and continuing through most of the downtown area. So that Saturday we were back in town checking out all the cars. And about halfway through we spied this amazing station wagon.
I really did stop in my tracks. Holy cow! I’d never seen a 1966–67 Fairlane Squire in person and up close. And what a fantastic, oh-so-1967 color! I was smitten.
But as I began frantically taking pictures (which wasn’t easy, as this is a popular event and there were spectators all over the place) it became even more impressive, as it was an original car with only 16K on the clock. Wow.
That was apparent the more I looked at it. Check out those seats! And remember, these wagons, even the fancy ones, were workhorses in the day, hauling kids to school, being loaded with luggage and driven to Florida or the Grand Canyon, or lugging sheets of plywood and bicycles from Sears. So finding something like this is pretty rare.
And as a result I took many, many pictures of it! I will walk past a line of 20 red Corvettes, ’57 Chevys, and faux-Shelby Mustangs to gawk at a car like this. It’s just so cool.
In 1967, Fairlane wagons came in Fairlane, Fairlane 500 and Fairlane 500 Squire trim levels. Fairlane 500s were the fancy trim level of course, with niceties such as a wide chrome side molding (except on Squires, where the Di-Noc wood paneling and fiberglass wood-look framing replaced it), color-keyed carpeting, and a choice of four nylon/vinyl interior trim combinations—or all-vinyl, as seen on our wagon here.
The Squire came only in the Fairlane 500 trim. With the six-cylinder engine it had a base price of $2902 (about $26,000 today) and a curb weight of 3217 pounds. The V-8 was naturally a little bit more, to the tune of $3007 ($27,000), and a bit heftier at 3386 pounds.
Part of the reason that I had never seen one until 2021 is that only 8348 Fairlane 500 Squires were built for the model year. And that is the grand total for both six-cylinder and V-8 models. So they didn’t exactly grow on trees.
When I first posted pictures of this car online, my friend Jim Smith, who was a kid when these were new, said, “Talk about a rare sight! Even as a kid I don’t remember seeing a wagon like this on the street.”
Part of the reason for that is in 1967 full-size wagons were still king. The fanciest full-size wagon, the Country Squire, sold 25,600 six passenger and 44,024 nine-passenger versions in ’67, and those were just the ones with the Di-Noc wood sides. When wagon shopping, room is key, and honestly the big Fords had a lot more of it.
Price could also have been another factor. The Fairlane 500 Squire, with a V-8 like this one, based at $3007 as previously mentioned. The Country Squire could be had for a base price of $3340—or $3234 if you were willing to settle for one with the six. Granted, $200–$300 bought a lot more then than it does now in 2023, but to get a bigger, more useful vehicle for a couple hundred more? Judging from the 1967 Ford wagon production records, it seems that most folks voted for the “big one” with their wallets.
I so love it. And if the car appears to be in a different location in some of the photos, that’s because it reappeared at the 2022 Geneseo show. Despite taking way too many pictures of it in 2021, I just couldn’t resist taking a few more!
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I have a 73 Ford Pinto wagon that gets more looks, pictures and Pinto story’s then any of our other cars Mustang, Chevelle SS, Honda wagon, Ford van or Chevy van anywhere we go gas station, car show or just driving down the road will never sell. It is insured with Hagerty for 4 times the cost of it being new as there are getting very rare.
Liked the article. Would be great if we could get a little background on the cars featured from the owners.
Very cool autumobile. That’s all my dad had fords all his life and I as well.but these were very nice rides.brings back alot of memories.thank you for sharing.paul Adams.
I can a test to this article. That Ford Fair-lane 500 Squire Wagon certainly brought back some innocent 🥹 😊 👍🏾 childhood memories 👦🏽👦🏾 . I come from a Family of Six Children Count 3 Boys 👦🏽👦🏾👦🏽 and 3 Girls 👧🏽👧🏾👧🏽. Six Children add both Parents Mother 👩🏽 And Father 👨🏾. Which adds up to a Family of Eight.
Well our dad 👨🏾 at that time didn’t have a choice in the matter that he and our mom 👩🏽 had created. Which was a good 👍🏾 thing because because like i said our dad 👨🏾 didn’t have a choice in the matter, he had to get and have a wagon and not just any wagon at that. They were all Fully Sized Family Haulers and Work Wagons as well. Because back then there were no such things as mini vans but in the since there was it was called the mini 🚌. People back in the mid 1950’s and beyond. Introducing to the world 🗺️ 🌍 🌍 Ladies and Gentlemen, Children 👦🏾👦🏽 👧🏽 🧒 🧑🏼🦰👩🏻🦱 of all ages. I not only do I bring but I Give You The Volkswagen Mini Bus 🚌. To me that was the very first to coin the Phrase, the Family Man 👨🏾👨🏼👨🏻 with a Mini Van ha ha ha ha ha hahaha 🤣 🤪 😝.
Like I said at that time coming up in the 60’s and 70’s our dad 👨🏾 didn’t have a choice he had to have a Fully Sized Station 🚉 Wagon/ Beach 🏝️ 🏖️ Wagons. 4 or 5 out of 6 were 9 Passengers. 2 were Dodges, 2 Chevy Caprice Estates 1 was a 72 Ford Country Squire and the other was a 75 Mercury Brougham Grand Marquis LS Park Lane.
First there was the 1960 Dodge Dart 🎯 or The Pioneer. I remember that one ☝️ specifically because it had the tail fins on the rear quarter panel fenders above the taillights and the tail lights were pretty huge even the rear back up lights were too.
I remember because it was painted black on the exterior and the interior was a baby sky blue with cloth and vinyl seats 💺. The reason I remember it so well because the rear taillights were pretty huge they reminded me of the afterburners of the original classic 60’s tv series Ride The 🦇mobile. As a matter of fact that’s what we nicknamed it. You really had to see it that wagon was the Bomb 💣 of the the neighborhood streets.
For 1968 he bought a brand new 68 Black Dodge Monaco 🇲🇨 Full Size Wagon with all the Optional Features and Packaging you name it it had it. As years progressed 2 the 70’s he bought 2 1969 Chevy Caprice Estate Wagons and later parts of the 70s he bought a 72 Ford Country Squire with just about everything as in options you can think 🤔 💭 🧐 of and have in a Full Size Wagon and a Full Sized 1975 Top Of The Line Mercury Brougham Grand Marquis LS Park Lane Wagon Fully Equipped, Fully Loaded and Fully Powered with Big Block 460 4BBL V8 Power Plant under the Hood with Tilt Steering Wheel Cruise 🚢 Control AM/FM Stereo Power Driver Recliner Seat 💺 Front Right Passenger Seat Reclined as well. Powered locks 🔐 Powered Windows 🪟, with Dual Factory Front Matching Remote Control Mirrors 🪞 on Left Side Driver Side Door and Right Side Passenger Side Door. All the Chrome Steel Trimming all over every part of that wagon you can think 🤔 🧐 💭 of. It came with the Factory 🏭 Full Sized Roof Rack and Rear Wind Deflector Screwed very secured tightly to the back of the Roof Rack and the bracket screwed very secured tightly to the rear of the Roof so it could help keep the Electrical Powered 3 Way Tailgate Glass Clean and Clear of dirt dust and debris. The tailgate glass had the factory 🏭 electric rear defrost and defogger.
You might as well said that it was hollering screaming 😱 and yelling that, I am a Lincoln Continental Town Car Trapped in the Body of a Station 🚉 Wagon/ Beach 🏖️🏝️ Wagon. To this very day mainly when we’re on our smartphones remembering and reminiscing we bring up the time of how we made, confiscated, owned and took over the 3rd backward facing rear seat 💺 remembering, reminiscing and talking about the innocent 😇 that times as kids coming up.
Whenever I see Fully Sized Station 🚉 Wagons/ Beach 🏝️🏖️ Wagons like that they bring back very fawned and really cool 😎 and good 👍🏾 Memories for Me…
Oh by the way our mom 👩🏽👵🏽 went on Home to Glory around this time last year but our dad 👨🏾 👴🏾 is here still with us, except for our mom 👩🏽 and dad’s 👨🏾 the first born Son.
He he went on home to Glory before our mom 👵🏽.
“I will walk past a line of 20 red Corvettes, ’57 Chevys, and faux-Shelby Mustangs to gawk at a car like this. It’s just so cool.”
Me too. An amazing time machine. And same color and panel scheme as the ’72 Gran Torino wagon that was my family’s hauler of the ’70s.
Love the Fairlane Squire, and pretty much all station wagons from the ’60s and ’70s. Wagons were a part of my childhood. Dad’s first brand-new car was a red ’60 Rambler wagon. I learned to drive in Dad’s beautiful black ’67 Country Squire, learned to tow a trailer in that same car, and later took my date to the senior prom in Dad’s fully decked-out maroon ’73 Chrysler Town & Country with white leather interior and quadraphonic 8-track stereo! (I guess she was impressed; we’ve been married for 43 years now). Any time I see a vintage wagon at a car show, I have to stop and look it over. Like Mr. Klackau, I’ll pass up a whole show full of great muscle cars to gawk at a cool station wagon!
My parents had a 1966 Fairlane 500 4 door sedan as their first new car. I still have the window sticker. $2,843.44! I do not recall ever seeing a 1966 or a 1967 Fairlane Squire. Our neighbor bought a 6 cylinder 1967 Fairlane 500 2 door on my father’s recommendation. It was pretty stripped down as I believe that the only options were an automatic transmission, AM radio, whitewall tires and a remote control mirror. My neighbor liked the car, but due to the 200 cubic inch 6 cylinder engine, it was painfully slow.
Great story….I subscribe to Collectable Automobile, which features car’s like this one. The hub on the steering wheel was a safety feature put on all 67 Ford products in the event the driver might be hitting the steering wheel in a crash. The padded hub added a little more cushion.