Ordinary car guy vs. wagon nut

Its safe to assume everyone here is a car person. In recent years, as the popularity of new wagons among the general public has been replaced first by mini vans and then by SUVs, some of us have become wagon fans, missing the wagons we grew up with. Others here have liked wagons for years or even since childhood.
So heres the question, what event or what wagon, made you come to realize wagons had a beauty all their own and wagons can be and are very cool vehicles and not just the utilitarian predesessor to the mini van?

For me, when I was very young, in the early 60's, my dad had a new 60 Ford Country Sedan wagon affectionately called "the green monster" by my parents. I don't remember it being a memorable car till it was gone. In 66 my parents traded in the wagon for a Ford Econoline camper. I really disliked riding in the back of a van with no AC, and side windows that hinged from the top and popped out about 3" from the bottom. Long trips in the summer time were miserable in the back of that van pressing my face against the bug screens on the window openings trying to get some fresh air as we drove down the highway. Meanwhile, we lived in a neighborhood full of Country Squires and Vista Cruisers. Every house where there was a kid, had a wagon in the driveway, except for the 66 Econoline camper in our driveway. I think those years kind of set the stage for me liking wagons, and in 71 when Dad traded in the Econoline for a 71 Country Squire with a 429 under the hood, I remember really liking that car alot, even more than my mom's 69 LTD 4 door hardtop with the 390 that could melt the tread off the tires effortlessly. But in general, wagons had still been pretty utilitarian and not the stuff of a kid's automotive fantasys. Still there was one wagon that I remember seeing sometime around 1970 or 71, before Dad got his new Squire wagon, that grabbed the attention of my 10 year old self, and made me take notice,
It was a 69 Chevy Caprice Kingswood Estate wagon. In 69 that wasn't an especially rare car. There were Chevy wagons in my neighborhood and even a couple 69 Caprice Kingswood Estate wagons with the same wood like trim. But this nearly new wagon was different. It was bright red and it was obviously fully loaded. It even had the optional hidden headlights. It had Chevy rally wheels all around with some beefy raised white letter tires, and the car's stance was slightly lower all around from what I was used to seeing. I only saw the car once and I remember it had out of state tags, but I remember trying to look at the family riding in this wagon thinking they must be pretty special to have gone to all the trouble and expense to make a wagon look that stunning. I think seeing that wagon while riding in the back of the pressure cooker Econoline camper was probably the turning point for me appreciating wagons. Once I got my drivers license, it was convertibles and 2 door hardtops I craved (and still do) but I do know that I also appreciated 60's wagons in those years as I have photos I took in the late 70's or early 80's of a 67 Belvedere wagon and a 64 Fairlane wagon that I liked when I saw them in parking lots. By the mid 80's a buddy and I had together bought a 64 Ford Country Sedan wagon with plans of fixing it up (which we never did), and I guess I've liked wagons ever since. I could never feel that way about anything else with 4 doors.

 

Cool read

Well, this was my first station wagon, before "Superfast Wheels" came out from Matchbox. I don't have my origonal but have a few of them today.....I guess the image stuck, I do resemble the toy in a way

Funny how memories stir up.....

No wagon in our family ever, 70 Cougar was the family car and then a camper van...with A/C...I can imagine your pain in the back of that van with no A/C.

I can't remember her name, she moved away before school started but we played together ALOT! I remember rainy days, I would load a bag of my cars and go to her house....She had a doll house, I had my cars and we would play husband and wife with 2 cars in the drive way, this wagon (for the Wife) and my 67 Cougar Matchbox (Husbands car). The wagon, we would imagine family trips with kids and the dogs as we drove to the other side of the family room.....good times, loved women, wagons, and dogs since!
....And Cougars, Still own my first car, a 67.



And this was the Cougar, Funny how life is close to this 40+ years later, I have the wagons, the woman, a family, 2 dogs....but the cougar is in garage in a zillion pieces.

 

Time to get to work!

I do love the old toys. Is that what they call "life imitating art"?

I have been a car fanatic since I was, well born apparently.

I would say I'm a car guy who loves wagons.

When I was 6 we moved back to Washington. That is when we bought the Fury from Grandpa. My Grandparents lived in a new house (built in the 70's) on the same piece of farmland they had owned since 53. The original farm house, referred to as "The old place" was on the other side of the property. I remember in those first few weeks we went over there and Dad showed me around. At one point he said "and that is where I parked my 57 Chevy wagon" I asked "what's a 57 Chevy?" ( I was 6) it was at that point I started my journey as a fanatic of the tri-five Chevy's. His was a 2 door 210 wagon. I have asked my Grandmother if she has any old photos that might show it.

So, I spose that I have always loved wagons. Sure I also love coupes and convertibles as Jim has, but a wagon has always had a special place in my heart.

 

I had that Matchbox 67 Mercury Commuter wagon and 67 Cougar as well (you know Matchbox made them in the larger 1/43 scale as well), but my first wagons were a 1/25 scale blue 60 Ford wagon promo and tan 62 Ford wagon promotional model that my older brother had tired of. My first group of Matchbox, along with a 59 Impala, 60 Pontiac convertible,Jaguar XK-E, 58 Cadillac, and 61 Ford police car, included a Matchbox green 1959 Ford wagon. Matchbox also made a yellow 56 Ford wagon but it was discontinued when the 59 was released. My friends and I built roads and highways across the family room floor first with Kenner's Girder and Panel Bridge and Highway construction set, then with the Play Skool Teach-a-Tot Road System, and finally with the Matchbox Build-a-Road. We then had HO scale Plasticville houses and buildings to "drive" to. Those were the days before we graduated to Ideal Motorific and Aurora Thunderjet HO scale slot cars, and yes I had wagon slot cars too. An Aurora HO scale Thunderjet 1962 Ford Country Squire and a Motorific 1/43 scale 64 Country Squire wagon. The Aurora was an electric slot car set for racing. The Motorific was a battery powered slot car set with intersections that would always result in an eventual head on collision whenever two or more cars were run on the track at the same time.

 

I think for me, wagons represented togetherness. I come from a 'blended' family (2 girls and a boy from each side). We didn't own a wagon until the 'blending', and when my dad's '63 Nova got stolen, a new '65 Nova wagon took it's place. I liked the wagons, but back then I don't think I loved them quite yet. Being a teenager, and a bit small in size, I was relegated to the 'way-back' when there was more people than seats. Yeah - I was floppin' around in the cargo area. Folks didn't think buying a 3-seater was justified (You were wrong, dad...).

When I first went out to buy my own car, in the summer of '69, I didn't look at wagons at all. There was a time, maybe in '71 or '72 when I seriously thought about buying one. I remember a '68 Cutlass flat-top at an Oldsmobile store out in the San Fernando valley, and I really remember a white '66 Pontiac Bonneville Safari at the Ford dealer in West L.A. Unfortunately, at that time both of those cars were out of range of my measly budget. Thinking back, I believe it was looking at that Bonneville that did the trick for me, although it wasn't until 1976 that I owned my first station wagon - a 1974 Mazda RX-4.
--- And one of these days, I'm gonna own one of those Safari's......

 

Great idea for a discussion thread, Jim68. Thanks for posting it.

Let's see. I don't know when it was that I fell in love with wagons, but I can say it was very early on. I remember at 9 or 10 years old playing in my Dad's '63 Country Sedan for hours on end. I'd make believe it was an ambulance and I was speeding with my lights and sirens on or I'd get in there with my friends and pretend we were going cross country. Honestly, some times I could sit in there by myself and use my imagination to spend an entire afternoon in it. It just wasn't anywhere near the same playing in a 4dr sedan; the possibilities were so limited!

Once I got to be of legal driving age, we no longer had a wagon; Dad had a '68 4dr Buick LeSabre and Mom a '70 2dr Skylark, both very nice cars. A good friend of mine drove his mom's 70 Skylark wagon and we'd always trade because I much preferred his long roof and he liked my Mom's two door. I posted a story a while back about going down to Moorestown NJ and visiting my buddy Ricky when I was 17. We went over his friend's house who's parents owned a Caddy, a Beetle and a gorgeous '71 Country Squire. Neither of them had their license yet, (I did), and since his parents weren't home out in the Cadillac somewhere, we all decided to go "cruising". Rick and Greg jumped into the Beetle expecting me to as well, but no way was I going to do that with his Mom's Squire available. Neither one of them could understand why I was so hot over a station wagon, but then not many people did, (or do to this day!!) As it turned out, his parents caught us driving their fleet when they were stopped at a stop sign. Needless to say, we were in big trouble. Mr Bottomley asked me since I was the only one who had a license, why hadn't I driven the VW? He was quite flattered and surprised when I told him it was because I loved his Country Squire, so much so, his anger dissipated and we had a great conversation about how nice it was!

My first car was a 4 yr old '71 Cutlass Supreme Convertible, but after I sold it, I bought a '66 BelAir wagon, followed by a '73 Cutlass wagon and then an early 70's Opel wagon. Always have been a wagon lover and always will be!!

 

Neat stories guys.

I've owned a few wagons since I started driving in 1966. My mother owned 2, a 1963 Corvair wagon, then a 1964 Stude wagon. Both new. She wrote off the Corvair wagon on a patch of black ice (can't see it until it's too late).

Didn't buy my first wagon until 1985, A 1969 Plymouth, then a 1975 Town & Country New Yorker Brougham. The T&C inspired the passion, and depressed the wallet.

The next wagon was a new 1981 Fairmont Futura, loaded with all the toys. The 1981 was T-boned in Alberta, beyond repair, so I bought a big-a$$ 1972 New Yorker 4-door hardtop battleship. Heck of a car. Bought a few Rivs after that.

This current 1979 Fairmont Squire is a far better car, even with the smaller I6 engine. We've had it since 1997 - 13 years, from the original owner's estate, in Mexico.

Perfect size, comfort and economy that we expected from her.

 

I grew up with cars too. My dad started in high school when he took over the family car and decided to restore it rather than let my grandpa junk it. By the time I came around we had a few, and well among all the old cars, the wagon was the one we rarely ever used... I remember taking it for family trips and for hauling stuff. Otherwise she'd sit for months at a time. This kinda made it intriguing, and made me want to be around it more.
When I was little I remember going into the garage (the only one connected to the house so I could go in) and playing in the car. I always wanted to drive it. It was the first car I drove, one day when no one was home I backed the car out of the garage when I was about 9. Cleaned it up real nice. Dad came home, looked and saw I didn't hit anything and walk inside right inside without a word.
When my grandma got sick back in 02-03 and I started taking care of her cars (I was 9 at the time) the wagon being one and from then on I was undoubtedly a wagon guy.

 

Add me to the wagon-loving 67-Cougar-owning club

My parents never had a wagon when I was growing up, but we pulled a camper with a 68 New Yorker with a 440. Dad was a Ford guy until the mid 1960s then switched to Chrysler and Jeep.

I've owned a few wagons, the current project is my 63 Comet. The 67 Cougar, also a project, is an XR-7 that sat in a barn for 20 years. It only has 85,000 on the clock. It's a pretty unusual car in that it has the 289 4v, 4 speed, disc brakes but no A/C, no vinyl top, and no power steering.

 

i had a 57 Thames for my 2nd car....got in a fair bit of trouble in the back of it....thats appeal #1

I hate to be 'of the norm'...(no offense Norm)
and wagons let me be...'not of'....

so its a double edged sword for me that they are cool now

One day...one of lifelong buddies showed up at my shop one day driving a 61 /2dr/Falcon wagon that he had just got from the original owners !!
and I said...if you ever wanna sell that...I want it !!!!

3 weeks later he shows again and says...how much ya give me??

that was 32 years ago...been off the road for 17+...still have it...still workin on it...still havent finished it........still love it more than any woman ive met

 

Both my parents had Ford wagons while I was growing up. I learned to drive in that Baby blue Country Squire. But, my love of cars started way before that. My brother in the very early 70's had several mustangs which he street raced. It was also his daily driver. I remember him blowing the motor one night and he and his buddy pushed it up under my parents cottonwood tree and proceeded to yank the motor in the middle of the night, on a quite residental street. I'm really a drag racer at heart. Hence the Chevelle wagon. One of my favorite cars I've had was a 72 Chevelle. So the wagon can have the look I want but the utility I need.

 

I think for me it is the memories they bring back. My parents had a 74 Crestwood Coronet that I didn't appreciate at the time but now I wish I had it. After that they had an 83 Cutlass Cruiser eventually got passed on to me. Handled great but the V6 gave new meaning to the term "gutless." Taught my wife to drive in a 64 Valiant wagon we picked up for $500 (we were broke at the time). Still have the Valiant and a Buick Special wagon, wife drive a Subaru wagon.

Cheers,
glockr

 

My Dad; was a Chrysler man, he was a salesman on the prairies, and used too cover a lot of "Turf". His Favorite car, was his 68' Chrysler 300. About every 2 yrs. he would get a new car,one of his last Chryslers was a 76' T&C Wagon, we used that car for hauling everything from plywood to travel trailers. I started out acquiring C-bodys first, then recently I purchased a 66' T&C wagon. I tell ya, did that bring back the memories, and yes, I remember as a kid not even giving wagons a second glance. Now I wouldn't be without one! That goes ditto for the dog! She's in the wagon every chance she gets!! John.

 

my parents got divorced when i was 3, and i was primarily raised by my mom.
as an only child there was no need for her to have anything other than a 2 door. my mom liked to keep cars for a long time so when i was young she only had a dodge daytona turbo z and then a 1988 Buick skyhawk.
BUT!!
the neighborhood was full of wagons. my best friend buddy, his family had a 1979 fiat wagon.
but the most memorable was the neighbor across the street. a 1977 pontiac safari!.
a friend of my moms had 3 kids, and a Ford Taurus wagon. no 3rd seat but that was back when you could take risks and the state wasn't concerned with being a nanny! so we liked to ride in the trunk!!

that stuck wagons in my memories....
but when i was in high school and i became a Bona-fide car nut.
the 1991 roadmaster was ...in my mind...beautiful. back then ...the LT1 was considered gods own engine. and gm shocked the world by putting the LT1 in the wagons. when I read the tests in 1994 ... "my response was ..HOLY ****!!!! that's a giant car, that's fast, and thats for me!!"
took me 14 yrs to get one. but i finally got one!!!

 

I always loved wagons, 15 passenger vans, busses, motorhomes and such, even when i was a little boy. But THE wagon that made me really decide that my life would not be complete without a station wagon is the very same Mercury wagon that is in my gallery. 'Labruce'. Labruce is named after a real lady named Labruce. Labruce was a very close friend of the family along with her husband Ken. She ran a dance school and Mr Ken would pick up the kids from the day cares in Mercury wagons. They owned several before the 89, but in 1991 when they drove in with the white 89 i fell in love. I bugged those poor people to death, and i was 13 in 1991. But i told them i wanted that wagon. in 1996 they gave it to their son and he moved to florida with it, never to be seen again, i thought. in 2001 he moved back here to greenville sC. from 2001 to 2009 i would visit the car periodically, give it a walk around in his yard, and continue on, then one day it wasnt there. I knocked and he said he had stopped driving it, so i told him i still wanted it. He sold it to me at a price i couldnt refuse, and ive been fixin' and tinkering ever since. Mr Ken had passed away several years ago, and Ms Labruce passed in April of this year at 92. Restoring the car is kind of my gift back to them for being such great people, and their son has allowed me to keep the Labruce tag from the front bumper for as long as i keep the wagon. (Its a state issued tag that used to ride on her convertible mustang which was traded for the 89 wagon) There is a funny story from when the son lived in Florida. He Drove into a gas station in a questionable neighborhood, pumped gas and walked in to pay. He over heard this HUGE Gregory Hines looking black guy talking to a smaller weazle of a black guy saying ".....YOU go find out just who the hell this L.A. Bruce is and why he's on my turf!" TOO funny. Wouldnt he have been surprised to find out at the time that LaBruce was a dance teacher in her 80's!