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Why The Sudden Popularity
of Station Wagons?
Why The Sudden Popularity of Station
Wagons?
In May, 1998, an entire issue of Custom Rodder
was devoted to station wagons. The May, 1998 issue of Car Craft had
an article in it about the "Top Station Wagons Of All Time." The same month's
issue of Chevy High Performance had two articles about a total of
seven station wagons. Any magazine in the old car hobby worth its salt
has run an article on station wagons recently. Why?
The station wagon was almost always the top car
in an automakers line. A station wagon was a more expensive car than a
two-door hardtop or a convertable. Recently, however, American automakers
have ceased production of station wagons (at least the car-based ones).
The car was the top of the line and it is no longer being produced. Like
the Woody, before it, the station wagon is now popular. The station wagon
is practical as well. Not only does it hold more people
/cargo
than a two-door hardtop or a convertible, but, unlike the Woody, which
was very heavy, it can be fast. Enlightened drag racers have known for
years that the wagon's rearward weight bias allows it to hook-up better
than other body styles. For examples of people who are in the know, go
to Long Roof Racing
I would blame my love of station wagons on living around surfers in
Southern California if I could, but it wouldn't be true. I loved station
wagons long before I lived in So. Cal. Besides, most of the surfers I knew
were too young to appreciate American Iron. They drove lowered Japanese
Mini-Trucks. After I got married and had my first child my affliction with
station wagons relapsed. I remember being in the parking lot of Pep Boys
and thinking that what I really needed was a `60's era station wagon. A
few years later I found the wagon I drive today.
When I was a kid we took cross-country trips at
night. When we had a station wagon, my dad would lay down the back seats
so that my brother and I could sleep in the back while he drove. When I
wasn't asleep, I would lay there and look at the stars. At one time we
had an Olds Vista Cruiser and I can remember watching the stars through
the window in the roof. I called it my "interstellar observation port."
As a kid, when I was asked what my favorite car
was I would reply; "a station wagon." I enjoyed riding in the two-door
hardtops we had, but I liked the roominess and the adapatability of station
wagons -- It wasn't until later that I discovered that a station wagon's
rear weight bias helps it handle well when pushed hard and "hook-up" well
when drag raced. I am partial to Intermediate sized station wagons.
Here
is our station wagon. I bought it for $5. It is our only car and we have
taken two vacations in it.
Stationwagon.com
-- This is a must see. Stationwagon.com's excellent page of station
wagon links.
Check
out this wagon! It has a 4-speed manual transmission from the factory!
In addition, this original owner `64 Chevelle only has 88,000 original
miles!
Truck-based
Station Waogns
Links
National
Woodie Club
The Land Yacht
Marina's Station Wagon Page
Column about
station wagons
Nomad
Page
`66 Impala
Wagon Page
Model
A Station Wagon
Nova Wagon
Page -- Did you know that some of them had third seats?
Chevelle Wagon
Page
Vista
Cruiser Online
A very
interesting paper about station wagons
Truck-Based
Station Wagons.
The original Station Wagons were trucks. It wasn't until about 1939
that the automobile manufacturers started producing car based station wagons.
In addition, these were woodies. There were no all-steel car-based station
wagons until 1948. American car-based station wagons are no longer produced.
If you want to buy a new American station wagon today, you have to buy
a truck. If you want an American 9-passenger station wagon, you have only
one choice: The Chevrolet/GMC Suburban (if you can settle for an 8-passenger,
there is the Dodge Durango as well).
Thanks to David Miller I have finally found a page
for Old Chevrolet Suburbans. Does anyone know of any others?
The Chevrolet Suburban has been in continuous prodution as an all-steel
wagon since 1935!
Early
Suburban Owners Club
David Miller's Truck-based
Woodie Wagon Page
Dodge Town Wagon
and Panel Page
The
Unofficial Dodge Town Wagon and Panel Page
1968 International Harvester
Travelall 1200
1973
International Harvester Travelall
Dodge Durango page?
Land Rover Web The
short-wheelbase Land Rover Station Wagon holds 7 people and the long-wheelbase
Station Wagon holds 10-12! These British Station Wagons (as well as Hard
Tops, Soft Tops, and Pick-Ups) are amazing utility vehicles.
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Last Updated on September 6, 1999 by Robert
S. Cascaddan
