What Qualifies as a Wagon?

Sorry a double post. I'm new here. CatmodelT would have never messed up like this.

 

HRP and you just happened to have a brochure of a 1954 Ford 2-door wagon as reference?
GM called them handyman wagons. They were used for the same things as the Fords were but there were no ranches in the city. Just handmen. Mine was also a six with three speed.

At least everyone knows they are not SUV's or mini-vans.
I still like station wagons that look like station wagons.

 

Yeah, I don't think you can factor in a type of engine as a qualifying factor in being a station wagon. And you can't limit the qualification to only those 'typical' American-built, V8-powered, tailgate-equipped types.

I don't think you are going to be able to get consensus here. What one person sees as a 'station wagon', another might just see as a 'hatchback' or something else.

The severe slant at the rear of my '74 Mazda RX-4 wagon (generic pic attached) would cause some to call it a 5-door hatch, yet Mazda labeled and sold it as a station wagon.


In '78, Toyota sold a 5-door 'hatchback' version of the Corona. I think a lot of us might agree that this is a wagon, but in reality, there's little difference in the roof line of the two vehicles pictured. For my own definition, I tend to go by the size and shape of the side quarter glass.

 

Since this is going on and on my choice is that the '74 Mazda RX-4 wagon is a wagon. But the '78, Toyota to me is a sedan or hatchback.
It's in the roof line, the over hang, and rear side window size.

 

I have several '54 wagon advertisement pieces.

I've been collecting wagon material for years.HRP

 

I love those old dealer brochures. I used to collect them for every old car I had. Probably have some for the 1954 Fords someplace. My favorites are for the Model A and 1933 Chevys.
What surprised me was when I started finding orange 1977 Corvette literature. Ours was a special model for that year. Forgot why. It was a different orange than the previous Corvette oranges, one of which I called baby poo orange. Well I used a different set of words because of how it looked. Of all of the other orange 77 Vettes we only saw one other exactly like it. The interior was a combination clothe and brown leather. Amazingly the brownish, and orange plaid weave cloth was the same as in our 1977 Concord motorhome. (By Champion) Would have never known if I hadn't found those posters and other info.

 

Without measuring, that looks like it just fits my definition. Its the ratio between length and height of the rear cargo area.
Length > Height = Wagon
Length < Height = Hatchback
This is pretty much my only criteria.

 

I just like the name on the back of the bus in the original post, "Holy Roller Special".

 

I think I need to be a bit more specific, then. I was referring to that wagons in the 1980s were in a way, elongated sedans based on much of the same platform with some differences. They have no trunk but no have cargo space behind the driver and passenger seats but do not have separation of glass between the cabin and "bed" area like a pickup truck has (unless it's a taxi cab with glass between the driver and passenger areas.)

Also, I'm not sure about the "Rides low" thing or not now. Get too high and it's more like an SUV, but then again I've seen a photo of a 1977-1990 G.M. Large Station Wagon on a high suspension.

 

is Chevy Suburban a wagon?

I have been wondering this too. We are really into station wagons and old pick up trucks and my husband is currently looking to buy a 63 - 66 Chevy Suburban and was asking if there are any on this forum: which it appears there are not. Would this vehicle not be considered a viable member of this forum?

 

Sure would! Heck, you don't have to own any vehicle to belong here. We've got enough for everybody. Some would maybe want to label that early/mid 60's Chevy Suburban something else other than a 'station wagon', but putting a label on it really accomplishes nothing.

IMO, the more (and different) vehicle we get here, the better. The main thrust of this forum will still be driven by that typical 50's/60's slice of Americana known as the 'station wagon', but it's good to not be all the same.

Marshall
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And P.S.; I was going through the member list here a day or two ago, and I remember noticing one member that has one of those Suburbans...... so there you go.

 

Well stated Marshall!

Graytoad, Up until about 2 years ago I had an International Harvester Travelall. Very similar to a Suburban but still not really a wagon. Currently I have a Corvair Greenbrier which Chevrolet called a Sportwagon. Weird for sure since it's really a van. Anyway, what's in a name when sharing and enjoying the forum is what it's really all about.

Chris

 

I personally like Chevy Suburbans. Especially those from the 80's on back. But like Marshall, I think of true station wagons as those from the early days thru the 90's as station wagons.
Those new cars being shown lately are nothing but hatchbacks.

 

Wagon OR wagon?

Well, thanks for the feed back! If it is not a car, and not a truck and has a 'back section' then it must be a wagon!?! It is kind of like the "Truck-or-not" argument of the El Camino and Ranchero: is it a car or is it a truck? We had one of those too: a 68 el Camino that was restored 'to the nines' what ever that means. To say the least it was fully restored and meticulously detailed yet it still did not fit a category: try to compete against a truck or Chevelle of that era! Anyway, when you love the odd balls you deal with that! Wagons really spin my gears, and if a Chev Suburban does not fit someone's criteria of a wagon: so be it! We have enough classic 'wagons' to fit in otherwise. I will let you know if we purchase one anyhow: let the critics speak!

 

Hi, We had this discussion on the Dodge Dart Forum I am a member of, this is what it says according to Wikipedia, and it is the definition that I follow.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station_wagon

"A station wagon, also estate car or estates, is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward[1] over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door (the liftgate or tailgate), instead of a trunk lid. The body style transforms a standard three-box design into a two-box design — to include an A, B, and C-pillar, as well as a D-pillar. Station wagons can flexibly reconfigure their interior volume via fold-down rear seats to prioritize either passenger or cargo volume."