With the love of the Station Wagon, another History Guy

My wife's 2021 Grand Cherokee is more comfortable, more practical, and probably faster in a straight line than my E36 Touring.  But it doesn't handle better, and it will never be as cool... 

I miss my 01 Jetta 1.8t wagon. Handled great, hauled the dogs, swallowed up my hockey gear on a regular basis. If the auto-tragic had lasted I'd still have it. Loved that the rear seats folded forward and made a flat load floor. With low lift height over the bumper.

In reply to bobzilla :

Sorry no D pillar so not a wagon.  I do like it though.

In reply to Aspen :

so the accent would qualify because it has the window back there? Even though they are he same car.

Interesting to finally catch the etymology of the name... Depot -> Station.

And no, I will never be able to hear the wagon/SUV topic without feeling that once again the dog of the world is being wagged by the tail of the marketing department.

I differentiate Station Wagons from SUVs thus: Station Wagon - good looking, SUV - Ugly.

In reply to bobzilla :

Yes! 

Duke said:

VolvoHeretic said:

Back in 1969 when I was 13 years old, my parents where in the market for a new family hauler for their 7 kids. It was back when you could custom order a car to your exact needs. We settled on a 69 Pontiac Executive Safari wagon complete with simulated wood grain and with a 428 engine.

My buddy's father had one just like that in blue, but with a 400 and a manual 3 on the tree.  Also special ordered.

For that matter, my father had one just like that except a Bonneville.  Vinyl top and roof rack but no woodgrain.  428 auto TH400 (?).

If it was a 1969 Executive wagon, they only built 14 of them with a manual transmission - pretty rare. (if it was a Catalina wagon there were 170 with a stick, if it was a Bonneville wagon only 7 were built.)

My high school girlfriend had a 1966 Bonneville wagon with all the options including a 421 engine.  That big boat could move.

At the risk of being pedantic, the 1968 Firebird referenced earlier wouldn't have been a Sprint if it had a 350ci V8...the Sprint option included a high performance version of their OHC six engine.  

In reply to stuart in mn :

I believe my buddy's father had an Executive, but I wouldn't swear it was not a Catalina.  I know it was not a Bonneville.

I remember a story about Denis Jenkinson driving somewhere in his 356 and followed by Ak Miller and his crew in some kind of big wagon. He could not shake them and whenever they stopped Ak would ask if his little car was doing ok.

stuart in mn said:

At the risk of being pedantic, the 1968 Firebird referenced earlier wouldn't have been a Sprint if it had a 350ci V8...the Sprint option included a high performance version of their OHC six engine.  

I understand what you are saying having just looked it up trying to learn how much horsepower that engine made (265 gross). I can't explain it other than miss-learning or memory failure. 

firstgenfirebird.org: '68 AMA Specifications - Engine AMA Specifications-Passenger Car

VolvoHeretic said:

stuart in mn said:

At the risk of being pedantic, the 1968 Firebird referenced earlier wouldn't have been a Sprint if it had a 350ci V8...the Sprint option included a high performance version of their OHC six engine.  

I understand what you are saying having just looked it up trying to learn how much horsepower that engine made (265 gross). I can't explain it other than miss-learning or memory failure. 

firstgenfirebird.org: '68 AMA Specifications - Engine AMA Specifications-Passenger Car

Well then I'll add it didn't have a powerglide it had the st300 transmission which was designed by Buick.

Back to station wagons, my 2001 GMC crewcab longbed 3/4 ton truck is for some reason called a station wagon on its Michigan title.

Wait, really back to station wagons, we have two in the family:

Mine is a close version of the wagon I grew up in (we had a '65, this is '66 in the same colors and options):

My son Jack has a 1967 Falcon that was the fastest wagon at the 2019 Solo Nats:

In reply to VolvoHeretic :

I'd like to get a 1946-47  Buick woodie wagon. Preferably the Roadmaster with its bigger more powerful  straight 8 engine.    That combination of Art  Deco styling and wood.  Touches  all the warm places in my soul.  
  I'd leave the drum brakes in place but replace the actual drums with the latter dined aluminum drums. Well because or Art.   To ensure everyone saw them yes it would have wire wheels. 
    Hitched to the back would be my 1955 Chris Craft Cobra.  With that big gold fin.  While the Cadillac made more horsepower I'd still have the Chrysler Hemi. 
          

In the 80s my dad had one of these a 1967 Pontiac grande   parisienne in the yard. The one he had was grey. For those that don't know while it looks like a bonneville being here in Canada it's a Chevrolet chassis and drive train underneath.

In reply to MotorsportsGordon :

Well, in my defense, I was only 17 when that Firebird got wrecked. Ok, now back to the wagons. 

In reply to MotorsportsGordon :

That is way cool!

I'd completely forgotten about my HS friend's wagon:

It was an early 70s Chevy wagon with a big block. I remember them talking about it have a limited slip and something like a 4.11 R&P.  I don't think it was particularly powerful (maybe 325hp) but it never spun the tires. From 0 to about 50 mph it would leave many cars behind. He'd race people off lights and then back out of it. I can remember many a Camaro and Mustang driver being crushed that a wagon left them behind........if the stop light GP lasted 100ft more they likely would have blown past the wagon.Found memories of that one.

My other favorite wagon was our Mazda 1200 / Familia wagon we had in Hawaii; we'd take it to the drive-in movies. The first film was always family friendly. The second film was always an adult one; my folks would fold down the seats and we kids would go to sleep. I was always stuck in the middle spot but that turned out to be awesome. I'd pretend to be asleep but then watch once the movie started. At 11 or 12  I got to see many  naughty flicks like Get Carter...............happy times.