Ordinary car guy vs. wagon nut

I bought a '72 Dodge Polara wagon well over 25 years ago and that car convinced me that I would always have a wagon or a van. I could lay a 4X8 foot sheet of plywood in the back with the seat folded down and close the tailgate. Sedans and coupes are just not practical for me. If I had only one driver, it would be a wagon or van. I currently have one each.

 

My parents never had a wagon when I was growing up. We were pretty much a one car family as long as I was at home.
In 1970 my Dad slammed on the brakes one day, the motor mounts broke and the fan went thru the radiator. It was then and only then he finally gave up his '51 Ford Victoria and came home with a yellow Toyota Corolla wagon. That was really a great car. It was the bottom of the line rubber floormat special with a 4 speed but it was a great car. I probably should have bought it from him when he decided to let it go but oh well. That was when my obsession with VW bugs was in full swing.
About 6 years later I was really looking for an old car to play around with. I really was looking for a 46-47 Chevy or Plymouth coupe.
One day I see this '53 Plymouth wagon driving down the street with for sale signs on it. A couple days later I see it again. Next day it's sitting in the Co-op parking lot and I decide I'll stick around and talk to the owner.
The guy comes out and says he wants $450 for it. I tell him I'll think about it and take down the phone number. Another week goes by and still no old Chevy or Plymouth coupes. Trust me, I was scouring the countryside as well as the want ads for one. So I call the guy up and he still hasn't sold the Suburban. Says he'll take less since he's moving to Tahoe and the u-joints are going. I offer him $350 and he says "No, that's not enough". He said at least $400, I told him I couldn't afford that much, and gave him my phone number. A couple days later he calls and says "How about $375 ?" Done deal. I had a lot of fun with that car until I got it about 75% restored and then I just sort of lost interest and parked it for awhile. At the beginning of the year I felt the urge to start driving it again and after new tires, everything new in the brake department except the lines and backing plates, new plugs & points, a complete cleaning of all the electrical connections and lamp sockets, new rear trans seal, a set of headers and a new exhaust it's finally back on the road again. Still keeping it at work until I do a couple more "little" things to it that are much easier to do at a bodyshop than in the driveway, but since I got the brakelights working I've been driving it everyday at lunch.....

So that's how I got my wagon.

 

We had a wagon growing up i can remember the chrome wing vents on the rear .

We used to steer going to the dump on Saturdays.

 

So I sat here last night writing a reply to this thread, which by the way is very interesting reading everyones car history, well it took me about an hour, thinking, checking the spelling, editing, anyway I clicked on "submit reply"and it vanished:confused:. Probably a good thing I was born with the gift to ramble on...
My story was great too! For the most part between my brother and my husband that is where most of my car expriences have come from.
Being female having an interest in cars wasn't easy. During my teen years our friends(boys) had alot of nice cars, a Roadrunner, a Firebird, a Boss Mustang to name a few. But the other girls thought I was after their guy, they couldn't believe I was amazed with their cars! So I drooled from a distance. After I was married my brother found my very first car purchase. An orange 69 Nova. But since I didn't have my license my husband picked it up for me...never did drive that car.
Years, 3 babies and a few cars later we purchased an 89 Caprice wagon (Eeyore). That car was AWESOME!!! Had the thrid seat in the back, sat six kids with ice creams comfortably and hauled groceries with lumber on the roof without a problem...not sure whatever happened to that one. Loved it though.
But now my everyday car is a 2001 Jimmy(Allover). I'll post a few pics sometime, he replaced my mostly 1990 Blazer. And now My first project car Fannie! For me it was love at first sight, for my husband, well...he's more of a Camero guy, but he's coming around.
I haven't had the exposure that you guys have had, most of my car knowledge came from building car models with my brother. And helping my husband in the garage when I could. So I'm hoping Fannie will be a bit more hands onWell thanks for the look back.

 

I hate when that happens. Now when I have a long post, I'll highlight the whole thing and then click "copy" so I can then "paste" it back in if it disappears when I hit "submit".
Great story. I feel your pain though. You had to be a car person without a car for too long. Good luck with the Beaumont. I want to see pictures.

 

I've had that 'vanishing' act too. My guess is that some ISPs between us and the SWF server just get a huge load of traffic or a storm and the servers blink, right there and then. Jim's right, Select All (CTRL + A), Copy (CTRL + INS, then Paste (Shift + INS).

It always seems to happen when you've posted a bunch of pictures and explanations.

 

Thanks, this was a much shorter version of the lost story. And now I'm going to try and attach a couple of photos of "Allover 1" and "Allover 2".
it worked!!!
A few pictures of Fannie are in the gallery...I think:confused:

 

Wagons

I grew up in a family with wagons. The first one I can remember was a 61 Belair wagon. That got hit in the sides by a NUN and killed it.
After that we got a 67 Impale wagon. It was a 327 with the quadrajet on it. Us kids flipped the top of the air cleaner over so when the secondarys kicked in you could really hear it. I still remember vacations in northern Wisconsin with my Uncles. My Dad would step the thing to the floor and BBWWWWAAAAAA, everybody would laugh. It was great fun.
I took my drivers test in that wagon.
My older brother raced a formula ford. He pulled it aroubnd witha 73 Kingswood wagon. It was a 402 Big block. It got 15 MPG with the trailer behind it and loaded down with tools. It got the same empty. Didn't matter how much stuff you loaded her with, it always got 15 mpg.
I had a friend that had a 69 Impala wagon. 350 Auto. Spent many a summers night tooling around in that beast.
I bought a 73 LeMans wagon for my wife when we first got married. It came with a 3 on the tree. I swapped that for a 4 speed on the floor. Painted it a Nice Medium Green. She hated the car. I never could understand that. I loved that Pontiac.
After that I had a little white K-car. a hunk of junk, at least it was a wagon.
Now my daily driver is a 06 BMW 530xi wagon. All wheel drive, 6 speed, the thing gets 30 mpg on the highway, goes thru 8 inches of snow like a Panzer tank. Great car. It is really a great all around vehicle, it handles great, stops fast, decent on gas, very comfortable. Smooth as silk engine. I bought it used with 1500 miles on it for about 1/3 off the list price. And with BMW's warranty it was a good deal. It was about a year old at the time.
I also have a 65 tempest wagon project that I am fixing up. I bought a 65 Tempest hardtop this summer and I've been working on getting that thing driveable. So the Wagon project has been neglected. Oh well, something to do in the winter.
I do like wagons.

 

Welcome Klunker. I like that last comment, "I do like wagons." Quite an array of rides. Show your wife what those LeMans are going for now. I hear a faint 'gulp'!

Now you ain't gonna have any peace until you post some pics of that Tempest, or have you already?