OK, I've had the "way cool wagon" a couple of months now and pretty much gotten used to people walking up, and staring at the old girl, when I park it. (She's not ugly, but really just a good 20 footer, faded wood and all) Some want to start a conversation about the wagons in thier life, I'm always happy to oblige. (After all, I'm just another retired old fart in an obscure little, South Florida gulf coast, backwater town.) Today was a real hoot. My bride and I, having finished jousting with other crazies at the "black friday" merchandising rip off events, decided to stop at the Metroplex and take in a movie. (Hunger Games 3). While we were waiting in the ticket line, I swear, the old girl started drawing a crowd. The car, not the wife, lol. (damn, that one's gonna cost me) While waiting for the cattle gates to open, I found myself doing a "show and tell", complete with hood up and doors open, for a bunch of genuine antique teenagers. Mercifully, the gates opened, so I folded my tent and went to watch the movie. When we came back out, there were a few more folks gathered. Again, a good time was had by all. I'm thinkin' about buying a hot dog cart to tow around... I know I live in a retirement community, 35 feet past the end of the world, (average age in town is about 73) but it's the little things that make living here fun. Just had to share, anybody else got a story? Thanks, Paul
Driving any old car as a daily driver is not for the shy and retiring! Even my battered up, end of the road 79 Thunderbird used to get people coming and talking! That, though, may well be because they did not believe she actually ran, and ran rather well at that! Have fun with it. You meet the nicest people that way!
I get asked about my Bonneville almost every time I drive it. I don't think my wife took me seriously when I told her about all the interest it generates...until she took it to buy flowers and gardening supplies last May. When she came home, she told me she needed to know a little more about the car because she couldn't answer everyone's questions!
I would get that when I was driving my Ranchero or my Colony Park. Lots of people appreciate that we keep these older cars going.
I can relate, Paul, thanks for sharing and starting this thread. When I had my 1975 Caprice Estate wagon, I often found myself getting stopped in the parking lot while walking to or from my wagon by someone who had a either a comment, story or question relating to my wagon. For a short while, my wagon was my daily driver. I cannot recall all of the instances, but on more than one occasion someone told me, "Don't ever let that one go!"...but alas, I did, regrettably. When I would drive it to work (where I had a parking garage that had security guys walking around all day), I always parked the wagon in the same spot - along the wall - and the same security fellas would make it a point to keep an extra watch on it for me. I'd see the same guy every morning and the same one each evening as I arrived/left. It was the grocery store and Home Depot lots where I most often got approached by someone with a fun story or questions. Thanks for sparking the memories Paul. Matt
My '86 Ford Country Squire is my daily driver. I love the attention it gets, too. It would be a real PITA if I did not like that attention. One of my co-workers has a 17-year old daughter who thinks my wagon is the coolest thing on wheels! Since nothing with woodgrain has been built in her lifetime, this is something out of a museum, to her. It is THE only wagon in a parking lot at work full of new pickups, SUVs and four-door sedans. I get asked occasionally "Why don't you drive a newer car or truck? Aren't parts hard to find for your wagon?" My answer is "I have NO car payment and I like older vehicles" and "No, they're not". I got asked at a gas station once "What kind of mileage do you get?", and I replied "Why, are you offering to buy me a tank of gas?"
On my trip to southern California, I thought I would get a little interest. What I got was...........nuthin'. Only interest shown was from a gas station attendant in Redding, CA on the way down. Them SoCal people must be jaded......
Tell them the fuel use is about the same as a NEW Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel, and watch the eyebrows climb!
Christmas trees I know I have mentioned this before...but we always go Christmas tree shopping with our 1989 Crown Victoria wagon. I love it when the 12' tree disappears into the cargo area and I shut the window . Usually as I do this, there are 5-6 modern euro-japan cars and sometimes an SUV or pickup. The modern-car people watch in amazement and sometimes can't stop staring as we drive away. Don't forget station wagon peoples...when you pull up at a light alongside an older couple squeezed into a modern bucket-seat car with a center console...stretch out and make sure that they see how comfortable you are!! ...you're probably driving the car they got rid of to "upgrade" and are now on their way to the chiropractor!!!
Pretty jaded around here also, only the older who remember them new and had/had similar way back and little kids show any interest where I live.....and like you KK, I'm only driving 80"s wagons............ But I do get constant interest in my 72 Beateor mainly for the lack of rust.......from the Demo guys I know and from others I don't.
Great story, Paul! Years ago when my daughter was little, I took her to breakfast in my '61 Chrysler (sedan, sorry). After the meal and talking to just about everyone at the restaurant about the car, my girl told me my old cars are like being with a movie star. Everyone wants to talk to you! I know what you speak of, jmt455. In 2007, my brother rode with me to Tulsa in my '58 Plymouth. He is not a car person at all, but just wanted to go on a road trip. At the first gas stop of the journey, when I returned to the car from the cashier office, there was a crowd around the car, talking to my brother. When we left, I had to coach him on what kind of car it was, model, engine, etc., so at the next stop he could answer some of the questions thrown at him! Pete
seems that the cars get more and more attention;my wife , being from Germany, where it is proper not to talk to people for fear of invading someone's spaece, just loves the attention we get in our yellow 76 Estate Wagon, people talking to us when stopped at a traffic light, driving by with thumbs up and just last Sunday given her a scare when we sat in the car talking at a traffic light and a bicycle rider came up and startled her by saying "way to go guys-love that wagon!!" Funny too that lots of women make great comments on the wagon.
You mean a story I haven't already told? I did tell the one about entering the 1990 Mercury in a car-show next to a black 1989 Mercury Sedan which was also in pretty good shape. There were only two wagons in the whole show; The Mercury and a 1930 or thereabouts Wagon and I won five quarts of oil. There were kids there who had never seen such a car with the two-way tailgate. Another time, I took my Dad to a grocery store in the Mercury and then an Amish man was commenting about the car.
