Lone Star Longroof

Two doors, eight cylinders and five forward speeds – texan perfection!

- Simon Telford

It is a damn shame that Australia didn’t get any homegrown two-door wagons. Ford could have easily done it with its early Falcons, since such a thing already existed in the US. But no doubt the economies of scale and the conservative tastes of Aussie motorists meant it was never to be.

Which is probably why many Down Under car pervs today have a bit of a thing for the two-door long roof. Maybe it is the allure of forbidden fruit? While they look impractical to Aussie eyes, two-door wagons often served as a budget offering for many US brands in the 50s and 60s. But these days, they are among the more desirable of the litter, with their long coupe doors and even longer rear quarters.

Don Hardy from Don Hardy Race Cars in Floydada, Texas, built this stunning example of the breed a decade or so ago – specifically, a ’61 Ford Ranch Wagon, the last of the Blue Oval’s full-size, two-door ’goons. Not only is the ’61 perfectly slammed and subtle, but it is also running a très-cool 312 Ford Y-block mill, backed by a T5 five-speed. What’s not to love?