![]() ![]() ![]() It was unmistakeable as it had a Shell racing sticker on one of the windows…. Got rid of it then, but six months later I saw it parked on the street near where I worked. ![]() It was a great vehicle and we kept it until 1980, when the timing chain broke. ![]() Lots of room in the back for the two of us and our sleeping bags! It had the woody-sided look - wish I had a photo of it now! At that time we were part of the pit crew for a couple of fellows who were into racing (Formula Vee and Formula Atlantic), and we used the wagon as a sleeper when we were out at Mosport racetrack (see ) overnight with them. When we got married in the summer of ’72, we bought a new ’73 Ford Gran Torino stationwagon. Want to know what kind of wagon Gene’s family drove? Go to page 2! Manufacturers worked hard to top each other and wagons got a lot of distinguishing features, from all-around glass roofs to swing-out tailgates to push-button transmissions. car sales, and many versions were available, from entry-level economy models to high-end luxury versions. Thus the “Woody” wagon:īy the end of the ’50s, station wagons amounted to 17% of all U.S. Through the late 1940s, many had panels made of wood, due in part to weight issues and steel shortages in wartime. It wasn’t until after World War II that station wagons made the transition from commercial transportation to popular family cars. But because the first enclosed motor vehicles with extra room in the rear were so tied to the era of rail travel, the term station (for train station) and wagon were linked, and the term stuck. Originally used almost exclusively for transporting people from the train station to home, vehicles with larger back ends (to hold luggage) were part of a broader class of conveyance known simply as “wagons,” which of course pre-dates motorized vehicles. Their big engines were plenty powerful to pull a trailer or boat, and while the kids might sleep in a tent, Mom and Dad could always stretch out in the back of the wagon, where comfort and privacy were a bit better.Ĭlick on any image below to see a larger version.Īnd thanks to their large size, station wagons were quite the canvas for automobile designers, who used the expansive stretches of metal for two-tone color schemes, fake-wood panels, and all sorts of chrome ornaments and special features. Big enough to transport a lot of gear, the station wagon was the vehicle of choice for adventuresome families travelling to the beach, campground, or lake. Station wagons weren’t just automobiles they were often extensions of the home. But we loved them as kids, and piling in the station wagon often represented a fun family outing, whether the destination was the ice cream parlor on a hot summer day or a long road trip where sleepy little ones could curl up in the way back for a nap. In some ways the station wagon exemplified the American auto industry in its heyday - big, heavy, and hard to park. Until Chrysler introduced the first mini-van in 1983, most American families with more than two kids probably owned a station wagon at one time or another. ![]()
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