RIDE-CT – Classic Cars Celebrating Classic Cars in Connecticut
LITCHFIELD, CT – The 1966 Ford Fairlane Country Squire station wagon dubbed “Hotel Ford” by the family that modified it into a clever camper has a new owner. Claiming the rig this week were Veronica and Daniel Korn who live less than a mile away from longtime owner Doyle Finan. They plan to restore it and use it for family excursions – just as Finan did with his family.
RIDE-CT first wrote about the Fairlane three weeks ago. The story told of how Finan cut a hole in the roof of the station wagon, grafted a pickup cap atop it, and used the vehicle as a camper for a six-week, 8,400-mile cross-country trip with family members in the summer of 1983.
The station wagon was later used for other trips until its 289-cubic-inch V8 engine caught fire about 15 years ago. It has been parked at Finan’s house in Litchfield ever since. He recently decided to give the car away to anyone willing to restore it and use it for taking their family members on adventures.
Veronica Korn said she has known Finan for about nine years, “but I didn’t know he was wanting to part with it until about a month ago.” The decision was made to take the Fairlane off of Finan’s hand, although the Korns didn’t get it for free. They paid $1 for it.
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“We want to go camping. We have a lot of camping equipment, but I would rather not be in a tent,” she said. “This is a lot more protection.”
The Korns have two children – ages 11 and 13. “We want to promote more outdoorsy adventures and less screen time,” Veronica said.
Daniel added that he hopes to get the Fairlane back on the road in three to six months, and said he is fortunate to have a garage where it can be worked on in winter.
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A first attempt on Thursday to remove the car from Finan’s yard failed as the tow truck was too big to access the car, which eventually got pulled out and moved on Friday.
“I have big mixed emotions,” said Finan of relinquishing “Hotel Ford” after so many years, but concluded, “It’s time for a younger family to take over.”
(Photos by Bud Wilkinson.)
