Looking at the size of this 1973 International Travelall 1210, we almost could have included it in last week’s “Five Days of Big Trucks”here on RealRides. That rear-mounted spare really gives you a feel for just how big the tires & rims are on this thing. International told us how it was “…a foot-and-a-half shorter than a conventional wagon yet has 20 percent mor
Considering how many were sold, it’s kind of amazing (IMO) how few full-size GM station wagons you see these days from the mid-1960s. So imagine my surprise coming across this 1964 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Fiestaa few weeks ago while driving through Silver Creek! Although Chevy sold gazillions of these things in Biccayne, Bel Air, and Impala guise, the three BOPs’ (Buick, Olds, and Pontia
You certainly see plenty of vintage Wrangler-types and CJs on the road, but how often do you come across a 1973 Jeep Commando(besides almost never)? We found this one a few weeks ago sitting in a parking lot in Portville. The Commando was an all-wheel drive model offered in pickup, roadster, and like today’s RealRide, wagon styles. Somewhat like Doctor Who’s Tardis, Jeep advertised the
This 1958 Studebaker Scotsmanhas been given a few upgrades from what is largely believed by automotive enthusiasts to be oneof the (if not THE) most cheapskatiestcars to be built in the late 1950s. The paint is the most obvious, with simulated side and tailgate trim from a 1956 Chevy Nomad airbrushed on. (See the Nomad and the stock Scotsman below.) While searching the internet, we came across an
As you can see from the accompanying photo, this 1964 Chevrolet Bel Airstation wagon was purchased new in Potsdam, New York for a family vacation trip to California and back. Over the years its owners have managed to preserve the many travel decals seen on the wagon’s side windows. This RealRideis an unrestored car; the wheels obviously have been changed-out, but the car is otherwise pretty
The cars we remember in our neighborhoods 50 or so years ago… so many of them ended up on the scrap heap, yet myriad Tri-Fives, ‘Vettes, and two-seat T-Birds seem to have somehow survived. But every once in a while you come across something like this 1965 Ford Falcon Squireat a car show which puts a smile on your face. This was the top-of-the-line Falcon for MY 1965 — although,
When I passed this 1977 Chrysler Town & Countryearlier this year in a Youngstownparking lot, it was pretty faroff the road. Needless to say though, that yellow paint job combined with its sheer massiveness made it hard to miss. It was parked at the local country club, and I was wondering how many golfers plus their bags made the trip!Jim Corbran, RRofWNYGot a RealRideyou'd like to see featured
At the risk of offending someone out there, I’m naming this 1987 Plymouth Reliantas the worst automobile purchase I ever made… and that’s saying something considering my first car. The Reliant was a “we need a car now” buy as my nine-year-old Ford Escort neededabout eleventy costly repairs all within the span of a couple of weeks during the year I was a stay-at-home
When was the last time you saw a big fuselage-bodied wagon out in the wild? This one, a 1973 Plymouth Sport Suburban, was seen last month sitting in a North Tonawandaused car lot. The wood-grained Sport Suburban was the Plymouth Fury line’s most deluxe version; there were also Suburban and Custom Suburban models (below). The least expensive, the Suburban, was available only as a two-seater a
Not quite so evident from the front, but one look at the rear of this 1969 Mercury Marquis Colony Parkleaves no doubt as to its Ford lineage (below).The Colony Park was the Big Merc’s super-luxe wagon, with “…elegantly paneled body sides and tailgate.”This one also sports a black vinyl roof, luggage rack, and wheel covers which look like they might have come from J.C. Whit