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Ford Mainline Ranch Wagon - Statist of prosperity

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Created on January 11, 2023

Text:

Paul Krüger

Photos:

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The Ranch Wagon was the cheapest station wagon in the Ford range in 1953. The Country Sedan and Country Squire ranked above it.

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The Ranch Wagon was the cheapest station wagon in the Ford range in 1953. The Country Sedan and Country Squire ranked above it.

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The square indicators and the black stripes next to the "radiator projectile" distinguish the 1953 model from the previous year. Before and after that, the indicators were round and the projectile was enclosed by a ring.

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The Mainline Ranch Wagon was the only two-door station wagon in the Ford range. The Country Sedan and Country Squire had four doors.

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The plain rear end lacks any indication of model or engine. Only the Fordomatic gearbox would be mentioned here - if the photo car was equipped with it.

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"Seafoam Green" with "Timberline Green" was one of three possible two-tone combinations.

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"Seafoam Green" with "Timberline Green" was one of three possible two-tone combinations.

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If the ample cargo space is not enough, the huge luggage rack is there to help.

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On the Crestline and Customline, a full-height cover protected the rear mudguard from stone chips. A small corner must suffice for the Mainline.

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Like all models of the year, the Mainline Ranch Wagon also rolled on 15-inch steel disc wheels in the body color. Whitewall tires naturally cost extra.

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The "fringed" headlights look like they were made in a Kustom workshop, but they are recessed from the factory. The outer ring was not even chrome-plated on the Crestline.

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Ford began using the three-color emblem in 1950. A crown was added in 1955.

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For 1953, Ford varied the jet fighter motif of the radiator grille and made it even sleeker.

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Unlike the saloons, the estate has the model name rather than the model series on the fender.

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The stickers in the load compartment window prove that this station wagon was not only used for working, but also for traveling

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The Ranch Wagon only transported picnic baskets and blankets at weekends. On weekdays, ladders and wooden crates lay on the laminate in the trunk.

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In the estate, the spare tire is located under the load compartment floor. In the saloon, it is located on the right-hand side wall of the trunk.

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The steering wheel of the base model had no horn ring. Only Customline drivers were able to enjoy the small chrome trim.

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The interior of the Ranch Wagon was always upholstered in light brown "pigskin". Gray fabric and blue and white vinyl were also available for the sedans.

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As a simple semicircle, the speedometer comes closest to the often-cited jukebox aesthetic. At the edge are the displays for oil pressure, fuel level, water temperature and charging current.

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The horn button celebrates half a century of Ford automobiles. It is the biggest distinguishing feature in the interior compared to the previous model year.

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Where the clock is located in the Customline and Crestline, the Mainline only has a panel that is somewhat reminiscent of the wheels of the Citroën 2 CV. At least there's a radio.

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At 101 HP, the "Mileage Maker Six" is not that much weaker than the 110 HP "Strato-Star V8".

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Thanks to the "Automatic Power Pilot", the six-cylinder engine was supposed to be particularly economical - whatever that was.

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In terms of design, the OHV six-cylinder was more modern than the side-valve V8. It was not until 1954 that the eight-cylinder engine caught up with the new Y-block.

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The circular tail lights in afterburner style are the work of Ford designer Joe Oros. There is still no hint of tail fins.

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The radiator grille and coat of arms also lend the workers' station wagon a touch of noblesse.

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The lower tailgate extends the loading area. The license plate hangs on a hinge and remains legible even when the tailgate is open.

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Unadorned models like the Ford Mainline dominated the street scene of the early fifties. With the popularity of chrome-and-fin monsters today, it's easy to forget that.

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Ford Mainline V8 Ranch Wagon (1953) - The landscaper's dream in "Polynesian Bronze" and "Sandpiper Tan"

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Ford Customline V8 Country Sedan (1953) - Brochure illustration in "Carnival Red" and "Sandpiper Tan"

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Ford Crestline V8 Country Squire (1953) - The brochure makes the wood-trimmed Country Squire in "Glacier Blue" appealing to the Swiss, although Ford does not even offer the luxury station wagon in Europe

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Ford Mainline Ranch Wagon (1953) - Dimensions

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Ford Mainline Ranch Wagon (1952) - Judging by this press photo, the ideal car for anglers and pipe smokers

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Ford Mainline Ranch Wagon (1953) - Illustration from a Belgian sales brochure

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Ford Customline Ranch Wagon (1954) - From 1954, the two-door station wagon was also available in the mid-range model series. Naturally, the Ford owner only buys quality food to go with her car

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Ford Mainline Tudor Sedan (1952) - Naked base model without trim and whitewall tires

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Ford Crestline V8 Victoria (1952) - In contrast to the Customline Club Coupe without center roof pillars

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Ford Customline V8 Fordor Sedan (1952) - The middle model series in a contemporary press photo

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Ford Customline V8 Fordor Sedan (1953) - with Fordomatic transmission, as the lettering on the rear reveals

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Ford Crestline V8 Victoria (1953) - new face and refined body details - at the Geneva Motor Show in 1953

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Ford Crestline V8 Sunliner (1953) - The convertible with "Breezaway" top was reserved for the most expensive model series

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Ford Crestline V8 Sunliner (1954) - As the pilot of the third most expensive model, the lady had a good laugh

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Ford Crestline V8 Skyliner (1954) - The new top model. Despite the tinting, it quickly became very hot under the Plexiglas roof

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Ford Crestline V8 Skyliner (1954) - A curious feature was the roof made of transparent Plexiglas

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Ford Crestline V8 Skyliner (1954) - View into the cockpit of a car with Fordomatic at the 1954 Brussels Motor Show

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Ford Customline V8 (1954) - The chassis with the new "Y-block V8"

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Summary

Modesty is an adornment. And it sometimes adorns a car body better than any chrome-plated strip. Simple everyday helpers like the Ford Ranch Wagon once stood in their thousands on every main road in the USA, bravely going about their duties together with their owners. But despite their numerical superiority, they were overshadowed by the splendor of the chrome-adorned show-off sleds. So in this article, we pay tribute to Ford's contribution to America's 1950s commuting scene by showing a 1953 Mainline Ranch Wagon in modern photographs and the Ford family from 1952 to 1954 in historic images and sales literature.

This article contains the following chapters

More steel, less wood
The most expensive model: a station wagon
Still a commercial vehicle
A modern engine at last

Estimated reading time: 9min

Preview (beginning of the article)

At the end of 1952, all was still right with the world in the USA. The average annual income of a middle-class family was 4,000 dollars, the Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower had just been elected 34th President of the USA and Elvis Presley was still an unknown high school student with a penchant for extroverted clothing. Meanwhile, in the suburbs of the cities, growing prosperity meant that more and more households became "two-Ford families" who could afford to put a second car from Dearborn in the driveway. The chic sedan was often complemented by a practical station wagon in which both the weekend shopping and the weekend luggage could be conveniently stowed. Suburbia slowly discovered the advantages of this body shape, which had previously been used mainly by painters, fruit merchants and radio engineers.

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