Ford Country Sedan - Rear Gate Advances

Rear Gate Advances

(Originally from Ford Country Squire)

Prior to 1961, all Ford wagons used a two-piece tailgate assembly that required the operator to lift the rear window up and lock it into place via a mechanical support, and the drop the tail gate down to fully access the rear compartment.

For the 1961 Ford adopted a tailgate assembly that used a self-storing window feature which could either be rolled down into the gate via crank on the outside of the gate, or by an electrical motor actuated by the key or an interior switch. A safety lockout measure required that the rear window had to be fully retracted into the gate before it could be lowered.

With the introduction of the 1966 models, all Ford wagons introduced the Magic Door Gate which allowed the tailgate on the vehicle to function as a traditional tailgate that could be lowered, or a door that swung outward for easier access to the seating area. The Magic Door Gate was made possible through a use of a traditional stationary hinge on the right, and combination of hinges along the doors right side which carried the weight of the gate as it swung outward when used as a door.

GM, Chrysler and AMC would adopt a similar configuration by the end of the 1960s.