Station Wagon Tribute Film

[BobPalma]

It will be interesting to see the film Wagonmasters these guys produced.

To be expected, I suppose, is a little historical nonsense and overreach, but fun commentary nonetheless:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50147648n

[Swifster]

I love wagons. I might have to get a copy.

[Johnnywiffer]

^sthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sushsoe_dAo

It had roll-down windows in the doors, just like the regular Ford sedans but the hatch had a split opening. The wood-framed glass lifted up and the tail gate opened down. The spare was bolted to the tail gate and covered with a cloth or vinyl cover. This woody had 2 foglights in the front; one came on with the high beam and the other with low.













Jimmy is a year or 2 younger than I. We loved to sit in the 3<sup>rd

st</sup>











Loved that woody!!

John

[Swifster]

The first station wagon we had was a 1970 Chevelle Greenbriar (CHEAP). It was a base car and the only options on it was the 307 V8, the automatic transmission and a push button AM radio. The rest was plain jane right down to the dog dish hub caps. My sister and I spent a lot of time on the floor in the 'way back' of that car. My mom learned. When that car went bye-bye, she got a '78 Ford Country Squire with the dual facing rear seats. The only options that car didn't have was power windows and power seat. As teenagers by that time, we didn't spend a lot of time in the back. I bought the car from her in 1985. That car rode so nice. Wish we had that one back.

[packardHawk58]

The mini vans that replaced them will never be collectable like this baby! I love my Buick Sportwagon.

[BobPalma]

The mini vans that replaced them will never be collectable like this baby! I love my Buick Sportwagon.

That's the truth, Brian. Did your Sportwagon come with that hood? Where was it built? I see that it is LHC and cars built for the Australian market were still RHC back then, weren't they? BP

[stude1964]

Bob
Thanks for posting the piece on the wagons. I saw it as well on CBS This Morning Saturday. I emailed Anthony Mason to see if he wanted to do a follow up story & would volunteer my '64 SR wagon with 3rd seat! I'm only about an hour from NYC. I have yet to hear back. Rob in PA.

[Warren Webb]

My dad had a few. the 57 & 59 Fords were ex U.S. Navy cars he bought from "Ebner's Garage" in Perth Amboy, N.J. The 57 was a 6 stick shift but the 59 had the Y-block V-8 & automatic. Both rattled like it was their last gasp of life but never let us down, regardless of the weather or conditions. I took the 59 once through the state inspection line. This thing looked so bad, like a refugee that escaped from the crusher. At each station the inspectors went over this car like it was their only one of the day. Finally, at the end of the line one slapped on the red sticker denoting "Failed", so I asked what failed? Without speaking the final inspector pointed to the slip of paper handed to me noting the "high beam indicator light" was inoperative. Sheeesh!

The other one was the Olds version like Brian's. The 3rd seat was over the rear end & one sat higher than the other 2 rows & had the additional view of the world through the extra windows for 270 degrees. I loved it. Smooth & comfortable with an air conditioner that kept up well, at least in the temps of New Jersey. It's a shame they only made those a few years. A great road car & looker too.

[packardHawk58]

Bob, I bought it in only a couple of years ago. I had intentions to buy a Olds Vista Cruiser like Warren must have had, mainly wanting the Vista roof deal not knowing that Buick built a version. Bought a 70 Olds Vista out of Canada and the guy just dicked me around to no end so the deal fell through. I looked at the Buicks and liked them better than the Olds so I located this baby up in Washington, one owner with all the documentation as well as the POP and build sheet. He also ordered it with the 400 BB engine as well, the car drives beautifully and probably is the only 400 Sportwagon in OZ. I couldn't resist finding a GS Ram Air hood and tack, although it took me 12 months to locate and buy one. 69 GS hood one year only and very rare.

[Dougie]

I learned to drive on my Dad's '64 Vista Cruiser. It was the first year and we thought it was awesome. Had the 330 but moved pretty well.

The video was good, but I disagree with one of their points that gas mileage helped kill station wagons. Wagons didn't really get much worse mileage than a sedan with the same size engine.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Here's my favorite 'Wagonmaster'....(as if four injected Buick engines weren't enough!)
Tom McCourey bought TV Tommy Ivo's old 'Showtime' exhibition dragster and re-bodied it with a Buick station wagon.
He later sold it back to Ivo, who ran it as a wagon for a while, and then restored it to the original 'Showboat' setup.
Jeff

[Dougie]

For some reason that reminds me of the "Monkeemobile". If the show had been on longer and they had kids, who knows??????????????