1987 Ford Country Squire - Wagon Queen Family Truckster

Straight out of "Family Vacation" we are building a replica of the Griswold family's station wagon - the Family Truckster!!

Starting with an 87 Ford Wagon that was in great shape - no rust, runs great, AC works - everything works!!  The Family Truckster had a few quirky things done to it to make it special - the rear windows were shrunk, the fuel filler was moved to the hood, the roof rack was extended, taillights doubled, and of course - the crazy headlights - 4 per side.  We are working our way through all that, trying to recreate the car as it was on the big screen.  Check it out...

The starting point:

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Stripping it down prior to paint, and making changes to windows and tailgate...

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 The fuel filler is added to the hood, and removed from the quarter panel - filling is now done inside the car within a toolbox built into the side of the rear cargo area..

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Roof rack is extended - doubling the capacity so there is plenty of room for Aunt Edna to ride up top...

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Front end removed and being prepped for extra headlights - it takes two front ends to make one for this car...

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 Headed to bodyshop and paint....

 

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The iconic front end being built...

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Getting some Pea Green Metallic (a custom blend)...

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Custom 8-headlight front end attached...

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://scotlea.com/gallery/item/108-wagon-queen-family-truckster#sigProGalleria0dc5c507f9

Making the "crown" emblems for the hubcaps and body.  Started with clay model, molded in silicone, then cast as plastic and painted.  Attached to vintage Cadillac hubcaps...

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://scotlea.com/gallery/item/108-wagon-queen-family-truckster#sigProGalleria0452391496

The roof rack was extended, then raised up 2 inches to make it even more obnoxious.  Period correct luggage was found via ebay searches to complete the look... almost - still missing Aunt Edna wrapped in a tarp...

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://scotlea.com/gallery/item/108-wagon-queen-family-truckster#sigProGalleriaa700b98dbd

Custom side body vents are molded from plastic then attached, and all that woodgrain starts going on...and on....and on...

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://scotlea.com/gallery/item/108-wagon-queen-family-truckster#sigProGalleriad5f2f67bd5

Custom Green Wall tires with crown hubcaps installed.  Taillights doubled!!!!

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://scotlea.com/gallery/item/108-wagon-queen-family-truckster#sigProGalleria14753815cf

Most difficult and time consuming part of this build is the trim that surrounds the woodgrain.  None of the original pieces of trim were used as they ran the entire length of the car and the corners were all wrong.  Each panel on this car has a full "picture frame" of trim - cast of plastic from custom made silicone molds, then fitted together to make a single piece for each panel.  Each trim frame was then wrapped in blond oak vinyl and attached to the car.  Took about a day per piece.

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Front bumper is heavily modified - lower vents cut out, outer sides chopped, then rechomed.  Custom grille and hood ornament built and chromed.

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All put together and ready to roll to Wally World!!!  What makes this replica special is the attention to details; such as: extended and raised roof rack, fuel filler door deleted from quarterpanel, front bumper cut down, correct grille and hood ornament, correct size side vents, crown emblems on sides and hubcaps, and those green-wall tires.

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