Spotted this Chrysler Town & Country, c1977, pulling out of a Williamsvilleparking lot a few weeks ago. This was a b-i-gstation wagon! Actually, Chrysler told us in their advertising that it was “…really more than a wagon. It (was) an ultimate expression of luxury motoring.”With 102.4 cubic feet of cargo space, the T&C was capable of doing something that most of today&rs
If nothing else, you’ve gotta admit that American Motors was ahead of its time with this car. Today’s RealRide, a 1985 AMC Eagle, was one of the Kenosha manufacturer’s last hurrahs in the automobile business. Call it the first modern crossover if you will. Based on the Concord series (which itself evolved from the popular Hornet compact), the Eagle combined a rather rugged 4-whee
This 1979 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, seen a few days ago on Buffalo’s West Side, is wearing a dealer plaque from Courtesy Olds, which was located on Bronx Boulevard at East 236thStreet in, where else? — The Bronx. The building is now occupied by a health care facility called Medical Pavillion. Olds touted their big wagon as “A working wagon with the elegance, comfort and ride you
The brochure called the 1969 Chrysler Town & Country“The world’s best equipped station wagon.”Some of it was standard, including: “beautiful, scuff-resistant, Cherrywood vinyl apliqué; double-action tailgate; 3-speed concealed windshield wipers; 8.85 x 15 tires; rear roof airfoil vane; electrically-operated rear window; and a new double-action tailgate.”Nee
When an ordinary station wagon just wasn’t enough for some buyers, a lot of them turned to the Chevy/GMC Suburban; others drifted towards the similar Dodge Town Wagon. Then there were those who wanted something a little more out of the ordinary. Some of them ended up behind the wheel of an International Travelall, a rugged-looking family hauler manufactured by the truck/tractor builder Inter
Day 7 of Wagon Week…This 1973 AMC Hornet Sportaboutmight have been one of the nicest styled station wagons of the era, IMO. Yes, its sloped rear roof might have cut down a bit on cargo space, but hey, it looked great! AMC interiors of the day also seemed to try a bit harder to look cool (bottom photo), and of course the obligatory fake woodgrain side panels were also offered. Standard power
Day 6 of Wagon Week…Station wagon? Perhaps, depending on who you ask. When this 1973 Volkswagenwas new, VW advertised is a the VW Station Wagon, or, in this iteration, the Campmobile— a version which they advertised as combining “…the best features of three cars and a house.”The house part might be obvious (VW explained it as “a vacation home”).But, thre
Day 5 of Wagon Week…And now for something completely different — the 1972 Citroën Ami8. Depending on where you were at the time, it was either a Break(France), an Estate(Great Britain) or, here in the U.S., a Station Wagon— or at least it would have been had it ever been sold here. The predecessor to the Ami 8, the Ami 6, wassold here from 1963 to 1968, but Citroën onl
Day 4 of Wagon Week…The all-new 1963 Studebaker Lark Wagonairewas unique in the American market with its sliding roof panel which could help owners accommodate… what? A small refrigerator? A potted palm? Or maybe, as was suggested in the brochure photo seen below, a safe place for the kids to stand when the parents park in the middle of a poison ivy patch, Lol… The Lark statio
Day 3 of Wagon Week…Is this 1960 GMC Custom Suburbanreally a station wagon? Well, a full complement of side windows and three rows of seats would seem to say, yes. (It was also available as a panel van, sans all the windows save those in the doors.) Based on the GMC pickup, the Suburban (or Model 1001) was available with a choice of two different rear door configurations: the typical statio