When I joined up here a few years back I had just wrecked my 88 Electra, 455 wagon. I was still whining about it when I found this forum. Like most of us, I couldn't believe there were others that loved wagons as much as I do. I was ecstatic finding this great forum and talking to everyone about wagons and getting educated about the one's with which I was unfamiliar. As time went on I was hoping that the camaraderie here would blossom into a real cohesive club. Now...I'm not much of a club guy and I try to avoid organizations at all costs...but, the possibilities of Stef's stationwagonforums growing into THE station wagon authority and savior are endless. To make it work, however, takes a commitment from all the members. There are, after all, a couple of other small wagon clubs that are struggling because they are NOT cohesive or commited. Put 2 people in a room and they will agree on very few things. If any. Nevertheless, having a creative mind, being a car guy and being in the advertising/marketing biz most of my life, I dreamed of this forum evolving into a real entity that would have an actual old gas station type building with a few acres of wagon only junkers. A clearing house for wagons. Members would always be welcome to come and work on their wagons, get recon parts shipped, sell their wagon from the lot, come and buy a wagon etc, etc. We would be the go to place for anything wagon both to members and the general public. I envisioned this stationwagonforums wagon world as a money maker for the club. We would selectively invite junk yards, part makers, used car lots, parts houses, auto repair shops, etc, from all over the country, to contribute and become "commercial members". They could contribute dues, catalog parts and services and hook up with us to support the wagon's continued longevity. We would solicit the donation of old wagons or buy them cheap from these vendors and private parties for our parts house or for our sales lot. The possibilities, as I said, are endless. As overwhelming as it sounds it could be done with a real commitment to the wagon. I have brought many similar things together all over the world during my career and, with help, I could make this happen and everyone would be delighted to be a part of it. It would take a few years to bring this to fruition and begin to make enough money to support it and peripherals like wagon runs and shows, but,....years is what I no longer have. SO. As I sit and dream of what I could have done and what could have been....there IS one segment of my dream that I STILL cling to. We tried to do it a couple of years ago and someone here even emailed ALL the members both active and non-active to try and get them to commit. Alas, it was like the 2 people in a room that I have previously mentioned. My dream, in whatever time I have left upright, is to, at least, have ONE good collective showing of our members and their respective wagons. I would LOVE to have ONE GOOD show and wagon run for WAGONS ONLY. I have kicked around here in this great forum for a few years and would really like to meet the members and see all the wagons in one spot. It would be great if it would then turn into an annual event, but, selfishly, I would be satisfied if I could attend just one collective event with all our members and others with wagons. I'm not talking 20 or 30 wagons....I'm talking HUNDREDS from all over the States. I know, I know, lots of reasons why some of our members "can't make it"....kids, work, short money, etc, etc. But...what it takes is a real commitment! Just say...I'm going to this event with my wagon come hell or high water! Cut out a week of your life. Or, just a day or two if that's all the time you can stay at the event. Can you imagine hundreds of wagons and their commited owners all gathered in one spot? And a miles long wagon run? Not to mention meeting all the members. I'm so commited to this part of my dream that I don't even care where it is held. I would GO. California?...long way for me but I'll BE there! Well....it likely won't happen but, hey, it's my dream. And dreams are just that. Dreams.
Your dream Silverfox, we are never too old, too busy, too poor to stop dreaming. I too am getting too old to plan very far ahead. I have so many half-done projects I see now that most will remain half-done. Still I keep the dreams alive. Even my station wagon remains partially disassembled for many upgrades which have not yet happened. The parts are bought. The disassembly done. The new AC, wiper kit, wiring, gauges, etc. sit in piles which are now mixed messes, as my health stops me, and my mechanic helper son discovers "girl" and fun, other than his true love, old cars. Still, I can see attending this massive station wagon meet someday in our future. Dreams are free and anything is possible.
SF, I think you very well may be on to something here. I, for one, have noticed an increase in the appreciation and respect of our beloved station wagons, in the last few years. You'd never see wagons in any car shows and though nowadays there aren't many, there are more than there used to be. The ones that are there always seem to have admirers checking them out and they seem to stay longer than when they're checking out an SS396 Chevelle or a '67 GTO. The reason for that, I feel, is that almost every body has a station wagon in thier upbringing; the same isn't true of muscle cars and the like; everybody wanted one but few ever did. That being said, I'll bet there'd be huge support for such a project, SF. I don't know how much time I'd have to helping set the thing up, but I will commit right now to bringing my Colony Park to it, regardless of where it might be. (Oh wait, Alaska and Hawaii might be a bit of a problem.) I wonder if Carlisle or Hershey or other such venues might work with us on a convention exclusively for station wagons. I'll bet they might if they knew they'd have a large # of attendees like they do for other such events. I say let's go for it.
Have you heard of Wagonfest? I've never been to one, but that is kind of what you are talking about above. I think they usually have several each year in different parts of the country. I think the junkyard thing would be cool too, but it would be hard to organize and keep everyone in all parts of the country happy. Heck we have a hard enough time just trying to get stickers made.
Wisconsin would be a great location. A road trip to House on the Rock and a show on the grounds!!!!!!!! Or Wisc. Dells. We'll bring the large coffee pot!
Do it I agree with how you feel about finding this site and and wanting a real world connection. That would really be great. Dont discount starting small and regional though.
I love wagons. ALL wagons. I would love to get a collective show and wagon run going for all the states. Biggest problem is that other clubs want it to be THEIR idea and want to control it and do it THEIR way. I've seen this already with just 2 small wagon clubs. Age differential causes many different views of the station wagon and how it is perceived. I would, if I had the time and money, like to bridge that and get ALL wagon owners thinking about the WAGON and the glory of the camaradrie in keeping them alive and showing them off and learning the thoughts and feelings of other wagon owners. It's about the wagon and not about personal differences.
I checked out wagonfest last night after it was mentioned. It is just for GM wagons(?) http://gmlongroof.4umer.com/t2889-wagonfest-florida So that's one groups take on a wagon show.
I'm all for a get-together, as long as there is enough lead time for planning. It would also be nice if I had a nice vintage wagon to bring instead of this modern pseudo-vintage thingy I'm driving now. Heck, maybe I can fly in and drive one home! As to other wagon events I believe the Longroof forum has some 'side' 'fests also scheduled. I know that Rufrax, that B-body reseller / speculator who moved from New York to Washington is planning a West Coast Wagonfest, but i don't know of any specifics. You would have to check the site for that. It's really to bad that they don't seem to want anything there but big GM wagons.... Also on the West Coast, there's a 'woodie fest' or something other, down in Huntington Beach. I believe this year's was just held. It's open to all wagons, not just those with wood (actually, I think it's open to all hot rods, not just wagons, but it's meant primarily for wagons. It's a really good show. Just a block off the beach in downtown HB. Nice stores, nice scenery.
