What wagon is the ultimate wagon to you?

Yes something like that. It is cheaper to change wagons then women

 

Well, from my experience, I wouldn't say so...

 

It depends on how they're wired. Some are secure in themselves like good Mopar, GM and Ford wagons, and some are fickle and fussy like Audi, BMW and Morris Minor wagons.

 

I have always like those old Mopars. The Dodges and Plymouths are really sweet in their simplicity and thhey are both cute and under rated. The drive well and they are actually quite comfortable. One of the things that I like on the older cars is the absence of plastic.. At least metal doesnt chalk and break down from the UV rays of the sun. My hat is off to you for preserving them.

 

They are easy to work most of the drive train parts interchange and the best part for me is no electronics to complete things. Here is a link to some vehicles that I have or had and sold

http://www.oldmopar.com/cars.html

 

Here's my Fav Mopar vintage

Just to get some regular programming back, Mopar did some nice trim features on their late 50's models:

 

^^^^

Those Exner-styled wagons starting in '57 were under-appreciated by the general public. It was obvious that Chrysler spent some engineering dollars in the wagon department
-- Rear-facing 3rd seat
-- 'Hidden' spare tire in the quarter panel
-- Roll-up back window in the tailgate
-- Some models with swivel-front seats

There's probably some more engineering features that they have. This is just what I know about.

 

Torsion bar suspension came out in the mid-50's too, right? Like 1955 and up? or was it earlier?

 

1957 Pontiac Safari Wagon tops my list.......Followed by:

1961 Pontiac Safari Wagon
1968 Chevelle Wagon
1965-1967 Pontiac Tempest Wagon
All other 1953-1975 Wagons

 

One that runs. That would be my choice. Note the frustration!!! Lately I've been letting mine kick my A**.

 

Well, this won't make you feel good either. I got mine running today, after changing the solenoid and changing all the battery cables and grounds.

 

Don't feel bad. The tranny just went out on our '84 Electra Estate wagon... Why do these happen at the worst possible time? :banghead3: Of course, it could have been worse - at least it got my wife home but I don't think that it is going anywhere again until that transmission is replaced.

 

-- okay been quiet for a little while.. but thought I would give my view. Since the subject is Ultimate what is then Ultimate?


1. final in a series or process:
2. highest, supreme, or unchallengeable:
3. most extreme:


There is a few more but I think this is what I would define ultimate when we take about wagons. Ok so if we are about US wagons then I would say it kind of means the last wagons before the decline (extinction), the last wagons that taken the wagon concept the furthest in terms of evolution.. You know like the Trex is the Ultimate meat eating dino.. For me a wagon is the loading area and it's doors. The rest is basically a normal car.

Taken this there can only be one ultimate wagon and that is a clamshell wagon. It has the most evolved solution of the loading doors and loading area (forward facing seats).

Now this said I don't say its the coolest, the prettiest, the one that most people want, the best make, etc.. There are wagon that are lot more ostentatious late fifties early sixties from GM and Chrysler, Cool -- the hideaway light on Ford/Merc in the late sixties and seventies, Sporty two door wagons and so forth and so on

Cheers Dyna

 

Great logic Dyna. But we're all victims of the marketing spin-doctors who define 'ultimate' with razzle-dazzle that each model year tries to redefine ulimate into their pictionary. It works too. So we look back and take each model as the ultimate for that year.

Take the late 50's Ford Edsels. They had all kinds of technical problems and the auto-media pundits shamelessly called them LEMONS. Now that they're rare, they're collector 'ultimates'. Or the 1939 Cord (my secret non-wagon ultimate ), was unique, ingenious, and probably highly impractical.

Maybe Ultimate needs a few more refinements when it comes to looking back at our toys?

 

I tend to place more emphasis on styling over practicality - hence my choice of a '57 Buick Caballero. I figure that choosing a 'wagon' as your vehicle of choice already places limitations on you. If you need to haul that much stuff, get a Suburban or a pick-up.