A Nostalgic History of the Station Wagon

[Anti Federalist]

 

[RJB]

I was stationed at Whidbey Island north of Seattle and a friend, who we called "ski" owned one of those oversized wagons. We called it "the boat." He was under 21 but the drinking age was 18 in Vancouver, Canada.

Anyway. It was 2am on a Friday night, we were all a bit merry, and we decided to go to Vancouver. We loaded up and every seat was taken and a few girls had to sit in the laps of others. At the border, the officer stopped us and scowled. It was one of those, oh crap moments.

"How many are in there?" The cop growled.

Ski, who was probably slightly stoned, looked back at us and nodded his head as if counting for a few moments. He then turned back and said really cool like, "A lot."

All of us burst out laughing. The cop scowled even deeper and then burst out laughing. He waved us on saying get the hell out of here. I don't remember much else from that night, but I remember having a good time.

 

[phill4paul]

I grew up looking at the world from the rear facing seat of a '69 Chevy Concourse Estate. I was 4 when my dad bought it and 17 when it left my life. My dad loved to take weekend trips everywhere, anywhere and all the in between. With a wife and four kids the station wagon fit the bill.
He kept it on even after my older brother and sisters flew the coop and he upgraded to a Buick Park Avenue. When I turned sixteen, passed my drivers course he gave me the keys. That was in '81.
It had never been in a wreck. He did repaint it himself. Not the best job, but not the worst. My friends called it the "Green Hornet." A 350 4 barrel. Damn, it could go.
It only had an AM/FM radio. But the glove box was plenty big enough to install a tape cassette player.
I sold it to a friend for $300 when I went into the Navy.
They say you'll always remember your first car. It's true. Soooo, many memories in that Chevy.

 

[acptulsa]

The depot hack predates the Model T.

Not mentioning U.S. Body & Forging is ridiculous; that was, after all, the company that first applied the name "Suburban" to a motor vehicle.

Station wagons in those days weren't just, or even predominately, applied to car chassis. Plenty went on light truck chassis. What is called an SUV today was a station wagon through the 70s, it just happened to also be a truck.

Dodge used a Budd all steel body in 1923. The Chrysler Airflow was all steel in 1934. Both predate GM's Turret Tops of '36.

The Town & Country was not more luxurious than the Crown Imperial limousine. They also weren't wagons in '46-'48, though they were woodys.

Ford had fake wood a year before Buick, in '52. Plymouth and Dodge had all steel wagons in '49.

There was no Buick Roadmaster Estate until the 90s, and no Plymouth Reliant was as big as a boat.

Not all third seats faced the back. Ford resisted rear facing third seats for decades, going from front facing to dual seats that faced each other. Both types were problematic for seating adults. GM reverted to front facing third seats, too, when they did the silly vanishing tailgate--those had no legroom at all.

But I forgive them, because they said the unspeakable--CAFE drove Americans out of safe, aerodynamic cars and into tall, topheavy light trucks--accomplishing exactly the opposite of what those regulations were purported to be there to do. And yes, I said aerodynamic. Say what you will about coefficients of drag, and modern bar of soap styling. Frontal area makes a bigger difference in wind resistance, and minivans are typically a full foot taller than automobiles.

 

[Anti Federalist]

But I forgive them, because they said the unspeakable--CAFE drove Americans out of safe, aerodynamic cars and into tall, topheavy light trucks--accomplishing exactly the opposite of what those regulations were purported to be there to do. And yes, I said aerodynamic. Say what you will about coefficients of drag, and modern bar of soap styling. Frontal area makes a bigger difference in wind resistance, and minivans are typically a full foot taller than automobiles.

Hallelujah, amen!

There was never any lack of buyer's interest in station wagons, Uncle Sucker effectively outlawed them

They are killing the Chrysler 300 this year, and their sales are still strong, and why not?

A full size, rear wheel drive, V8 powered, well equipped sedan, under $50k.

If Uncle Sugar allowed it, I'm sure a well equipped, rear wheel drive, big V8 powered station wagon, with a body on frame so it' would be strong enough to tow a large trailer, and carry 9 (!) people comfortably on bench seats, would sell like crazy..

 

[tod evans]

I grew up looking at the world from the rear facing seat of a '69 Chevy Concourse Estate. I was 4 when my dad bought it and 17 when it left my life. My dad loved to take weekend trips everywhere, anywhere and all the in between. With a wife and four kids the station wagon fit the bill.
He kept it on even after my older brother and sisters flew the coop and he upgraded to a Buick Park Avenue. When I turned sixteen, passed my drivers course he gave me the keys. That was in '81.
It had never been in a wreck. He did repaint it himself. Not the best job, but not the worst. My friends called it the "Green Hornet." A 350 4 barrel. Damn, it could go.
It only had an AM/FM radio. But the glove box was plenty big enough to install a tape cassette player.
I sold it to a friend for $300 when I went into the Navy.
They say you'll always remember your first car. It's true. Soooo, many memories in that Chevy.

Growing up there was a progression of wagons in my life some of the more memorable where the Dodge Polara, Mercury Colony Park and a Pontiac Grand Safari all big-block powered and all capable of hauling 6 kids and groceries.

 

[mt4rp]

My second "fine" ride ($225) was a 67 Bel Aire station wagon which had been minorly T-boned before I owned it, the back door was crushed and wedged into it's jamb (inoperable) and because of the ill fitting damaged door the thing was a dust bucket, but man we had fun in it for a brief time. It's last driven mile was realized when it was decided we needed to Dukes of Hazard a railroad crossing, it probably looked very similar to the Griswald's "Summer Vacation" scene and the end result was a broken frame and a tow truck ride to a scrap yard.

 

[sparebulb]

My folks had a '67 Dodge Coronet station wagon. Very unique looking and a bit ugly. My dad special ordered it with AT, power steering, a/c, and radio delete. Manual drums all around worked fine. 318 was pretty trouble-free except it vapor-locked in the summer. My dad wasn't a big believer in oil changes and that engine was done about 110k.

We went to the east coast and west coast and even ended up in East St. Louis when my dad took a wrong exit.

My mom kept the car into the '90's when the city started threatening her with fines for keeping an unregistered car under her carport.

I wish that we would have kept it.

 

[phill4paul]

My second "fine" ride ($225) was a 67 Bel Aire station wagon which had been minorly T-boned before I owned it, the back door was crushed and wedged into it's jamb (inoperable) and because of the ill fitting damaged door the thing was a dust bucket, but man we had fun in it for a brief time. It's last driven mile was realized when it was decided we needed to Dukes of Hazard a railroad crossing, it probably looked very similar to the Griswald's "Summer Vacation" scene and the end result was a broken frame and a tow truck ride to a scrap yard.

Lol. I did that Dukes of Hazard crossing jump at a Boy Scout Camp. Was one of the reasons I was fired as a Boy Scout camp quartermaster. Glad I wasn't the only one. LMAO.