I’m sure there’s an interesting story behind this car! Listed for sale here on craigslist in Conneaut, Ohio, this base model Chevrolet wagon is showing 2,762 original miles and is being sold by the original owner, who unfortunately doesn’t tell us anything about why the car has been driven so little. The pictures do leave me curious about some things, though!
The exterior of the car certainly looks nice enough. The Brookwood was the least expensive Chevrolet full-size wagon offered in 1972, below the Townsman and Kingswood Estate models. This particular wagon, despite having power steering and brakes, which were standard according to this brochure, literally has no additional options that I can find. There’s even a blanking plate where the AM radio would go! The automatic transmission had been made standard on even the Brookwood the year before, so of course this one has it.
You’ll notice the car appears to be a different color green in this shot. I’m hoping the seller’s camera/cameras caused that–you’ll see why in a moment.
Interior-wise, apart from being really dirty, I don’t see anything that tells me that the car isn’t really that low mileage. But let’s look under the hood for a moment.
What’s wrong with this picture (besides the dirt and corrosion)? Hint: it’s in the center.
Give up? Why is the upper part of this engine painted red? It should be orange! Now, if that’s just an error in the seller’s camera, that’s one thing, but I’m pretty sure that oil cap should be black, right? Help me out here, Barn Finds Chevrolet lovers. What would cause someone to repaint engine components of a car with that low mileage? And even though we’re on the shore of Lake Erie, that’s sure a lot of corrosion for a car with this low mileage.
What I’d really like to know is what kept this car barely driven for so long? Did it have some engine problems right away and there was a long-lasting argument with the dealer about a repair? Or did the family argue about engine color and someone didn’t want to be seen in a green wagon with an orange engine? Yes, that’s a nutty theory, but I really would like to know why this car was driven so little. What do you think?
Must be 102,xxx miles. Sure does look strage in the pictures. Should be orange motor not red. Not real sure of the original oil cap color. Same as the motor I thought.
I have seen this car in person . 2,700 miles is correct looking at oil change sticker . The motor is not red ,is chevy orange and not repainted. bad camera colors .body has some shelf ware bit no rust any where , interior needs a good cleaning from sitting but is like brand new. bare steel parts sitting in storage for 40 plus years are going to have corrosion . Every buddies is talking about whats wrong and cant believe things milage is correct. contact the owner about car or stop talk crap about it.
Then please explain why the entire engine compartment is so dusty/dirty? That is 102k miles of crap in there, that’s why.
Oil cap would be engine color…
I dig it ! not to sure about the red paint though. note the tailgate is manual thought the window retracts electrically. I am guessing that is a 350 though the 307 was still around in 72?
CALL & ask why low miles:)
I’m trying to remember the 73 impala we had, i don’t remember the motor being the same orange hue as my 64, 68 or 69 Chevy motors that I have now, more red I believe. I believe the motor was red. Need to check the numbers on the block on this one for sure, great car, and if The motors wriong, well it just makes it that much easier to drop in the latest and greatest
That’s gotta be 102,000 miles, if it’s 2,000 they were hard miles driven in winter on salty roads lol. Red motor makes no sense at all. Something is off with this one I would say. I’m sorry there is no way $18000 even if it is true 2000 miles. I’d say between $5000-$8000 and that’s pushing it.
Needs written documentation to prove 2K miles. If no written documenttion, it could be 102K or anything. Probably the speedometer was rolled back with a hand drill or replaced with another. Unfortunately, doesn’t seem like this seller is transparent so I wouldn’t believe anything–yet. Price is absurd, laughable and, hopefully, the seller will quickly get very negative feedback from the marketplace. Makes me want to avoid hucksters, Craigslist and internet sales
I wish I had a dollar for every car I’ve seen on these sites with “only”5,000 miles or less. What a joke. I’m guessing the miles on this wagon are probably 70-80k, the odo has been turned back. You can always tell, because the numbers will not line up perfectly. This is also true on an odo that has turned over 100k.
Not a chance in hell this is a 2k mile car. Not in their most delusional dreams.
Nice old wagon. A late friend of mine ran the ambulance service in the small town of Lamesa, TX (south of Lubbock about 50 mi) for many years, and one of his early ambulances was a ’72 Chevy wagon like this. He could make the run into Lubbock very swiftly with his Chevy wagon. But he had one problem: the stock alternator wouldn’t hold up well. He ran a Federal VisiBar lightbar, an electronic siren and a 100-watt G.E. low band radio. I think that the radio pulled more “juice” than anything else. On more than one occasion the alternator went on emergency runs into Lubbock. The wagon had that “clamshell” tailgate that was electric. On one run into Lubbock the alternator went at a busy intersection. A passerby stopped and put his jumpers on the car to get the tailgate down. By then a local ambulance showed up. I had heard the call on my scanner and headed toward the scene. I had operated a standby ambulance service myself back then. When I got there, his patient was being loaded into the other ambulance. When I found out what was going on I told him that he needed a heavier-duty alternator. He was towed to a local auto electric shop and they replaced the standard alternator with a 100-amp. unit and he never had problems thereafter. But I’ve never forgotten that wagon or that run.
This time, I have a feeling the miles might be correct. There are just too many little things in the photos that show a car that was used very little but has been sitting for a long time. The tailgate dealership sticker would have been long gone, along with the power steering pump sticker which also looks factory. Being a basic model in a pittyful green with pie plate hubcaps and black walls, along with a radio delete with the delete plate still in it’s place? Sounds like an original old lady car to me. I came across an old Chevy chart from 73 which shows two engine colors offered. Code DE1620 which is Chevy Orange and Code DE1607 which says, Chevy Red-Orange. I also thought I remember seeing a few other small block Chevys of this era with a more redish looking engine color. Anyone know more about this?
nessy, in no way am I challenging the little things that you’ve pointed out, but, and this is a question for anyone, why is the brake booster rusty on the front face? Or, why is there apparent wetness on the upper master cylinder body? I can understand condensation – to a degree. Is it possible that the sticker on the power steering pump is that of a rebuilt unit? I’m also curious just how the amount of grunge in the intake manifold pocket, under the accelerator linkage, could have built up that much in less than 3k miles. And the red/orange paint? I seem to recall what you found, and that is, that the color was used here & there. Maybe it was out of a particular assembly plant? Either way, I believe the engine color is not a respray, but someone please explain the intake manifold grunge and damp stained, or over filled, master cylinder body. My 88 Lincoln daily driver with 108,000 miles has the same staining on the body of the master cylinder.
Also, in the picture of the hood of the car on the actual c-list ad, there are a lot of rock chips and pitting in the paint. That kind of wear does not appear on sub 10k mile cars. Even if the previous owner drove all 2700 miles on a gravel road following a dump truck, I don’t think you would see that kind of wear.
I’m pretty sure the 307 had a more red hue than orange.
Sorry, no way, again. Even with 102K, that’s still only 2300 miles per year. 2,700 miles should look like brand new, and the engine color is clearly a rattle can tuneup. Still a nice car though. Most of these ended up at the demo derby, so this is kind of rare.
the red paint is 100% wrong. Chevrolet NEVER used it. Also the tailpipe is wrong. it should be on the other side and runs with the body line, doesn’t stick straight out.
The tailpipe is correct. I had a 1972 kingswood and it is in the drivers side exiting on the side. This was to prevent exhaust fumes entering the cabin in the rear if the tailgate was rolled down / window rolled up – clamshells had side exhaust pipes on all GM brands.
Those are bias-belts on there with tread yet. And Conneaut is in the “snow belt” along the eastern shore of Lake Erie. Never run in winter? Lots of summer cottages up that way. Could be!
But 5k is a stretch!
I know exactly where this car is. I drive by it at least twice a day. It looks pretty nice from the road. Anyone want a p.i. on it or more pix contact me.
It’s absolutely foolish believing mileage stated on odometers with 5 digits for ANY CAR!! You can detail about any cared for car with 150K to look like 50k. Apart from a exotic sports car here of there, every car should be assumed to have +100k miles at this point. It’s a ridiculous selling point on a classic anyway.
I remember red engines in the chevy’s . Seems like they were in the bottom dollar cars. And if a car sits for 30 years, how can you calculate the miles per year by the age of that car ? I have a car with 26,000 miles on it and it’s 51 years old. So that’s 509 miles per year, NO it was parked for 30 of them. It might have been driven 3000 one year and 300 the next, who knows.
I have an 06 F150 with 13,200 miles and an 09 Santa Fe with 4,400 miles
Without a doubt 102,782. There is no way all the bottom end rust and interior wear is from a sub 3K car. Owner is delusional, a liar, or looking for a sucker. Or all three!
those band hose clamps wouldn’t last 120 tho. miles but on the othere hand this car doesn’t have near the rust for a car of that would over 100 tho. in that part of the country
Looks like road salt stains on the floors
2,782 one mile trips perhaps? That would be 63 trips per year.
I have vague recollection of pulling a red small block from a ’70 Impala about 35 years ago…
I was at the auction this car was sold at. It was an equipment auction for a company that had a lime stone quarry on Catawba Island. As a result I beleive the miles to be true, it was on the island its whole life. Well maintained, ran good. But the white stains in the wheel wells and inside are lime stone splashes and lime is highly corrosive. Underside was pretty scaley. It does have some great potential. but a lot of clean up needed. I can’t imagine why the seller didn’t at least wash the wheel wells and clean up the carpets etc. ? Even on a quick flip how much could that have cost to do and many of the questions above would not have been brought up. It is kind a neat car in a plain Jane sort of way.
Now that makes total sense, this kind of information would be very helpful in the ad. Not worth $18,800 though, not at all.
Thanks, Bob, for “the rest of the story”! It all makes sense now, apart from the red paint… :-)
Its not red. Im looking at the car at this exact second! They’re orange!
Do you recall how much it went for?
I don’t I stopped bidding at $8000. And it kept going for a good while. Low teens? I’m not sure. Higher than I imagined on a snowy cold day to boot
WOW! Isn’t the Barn Finds community just awesome? One of us “drives by” this find on a regular basis and another one of us was at the auction the current owner bought the car at….so glad to be part of this.
wonder what this guy paid
I have a 72 Impala in my project shed, I went and looked at it and the motor in is red not orange like I was expecting!!! Oh yeah and the oil is also red. I also read were the Brookwood were manufactured in Canada, and I also read that for a period in the 70’s Canada manufactured GM had red painted engines, in everything?? I just don’t remember were I read it!!
I found it, Classic Industries Factory Matching Engine Paint For GM
K89180 1963-79 GM Engine Red
I talked to the owner and the car was and maybe he will chime in here?
To answer all questions. this car was sold new July 17 1972 to the Drummond Dolomite Inc. Drummond Island MI. It was #73 emergency car. I believed it was kept in a heated garage till needed. The engine is original Chevrolet orange, sorry next time I will hire a professional photographer with photo shop. The mileage is “2782” only thing replaced so far is the battery, all other is factory original. Station wagon exhaust crossed over to the left side, go look in a Chevrolet parts book. Being from a quarry it was always on dirt-gravel roads, always. The pictures were as bought it has now been cleaned up and pressure washed on the under side. Good construction companies constantly check all fluids including brake, there is even a wire tag on the radiator -30, sorry the tag is not factory installed. I have reduced the price and open to offers. This is a brand new 1972 Brookwood wagon. This car was never from Ohio. I have bill of sale. warranty book with protect-o- plate, owners manual and Michigan registration. Any questions call.
Lance, your car is very cool, and I’m very tempted to make you an offer, but I’m out of room, but the garage is being built as we speak! Good Luck with the sale,
Price has been reduced to 16,500 or best offer. Gas tank drained and cleaned new fuel pump, spark plugs and carb rebuilt. Cleaned and detailed in and out. Come buy it now 440 779 4875
Maybe the oil embargo was the. Cause of the low miles….a lesser gas guzzler purchased..a friend seen the car and offered like 6-7k and the owner got all kinda bent out of shape….not a high sought after car
There has not been any offer at all made on the wagon. See above for reason of low mileage. Make a reasonable offer..
I saw the car in person this morning. Went over it as best I could with just a cursory look over. The car is super clean. I did not get to look at the motor but the body and interior are fantastic. For the guys saying this is a 100k + mile car I would have to say unfortunately you are wrong. There is a small dent at the right rear passenger wheel well but I didn’t even notice it on my first time I glanced at it. A paint less dent guy could easily bring that back I think without too much trouble IMO.I didn’t get to climb in or have them start it up ( it’s parked outside a business on concrete) but if the engine runs like it should you would have a sweet ride. That said, unfortunately this isn’t a highly sought after car but for the right price I think it would be well worth it.
Thanks for the kind words. I drove it in town after winter storage it now has 2803 miles. It runs great waiting for it’s next owner. It will be at Goodguys Columbus inside for $16,000 if not sold before. LANCE
Interested in the wagon. Where exactly are you located? Any way to get some more pictures? Thanks is it still available?
Not a chance in hell, in Conneaut, OH, OR Michigan that this car could be 102K miles like people are saying. Good grief, in three years there’d be rust around the rear wheel openings and in front of the front ones; the cheapo Biscayne interior would be shreds, including the instrument panel pad, and the black door panels would be faded.
People consistently fail to remember that cars weren’t engineered to go past 100K miles in the ’70’s and if they did they very-much looked the part, everywhere.
Sold it in september 2016 to a person who saw it at Columbus goodguys.
A great wagon would like to still have it. For those that care it sold for $14,500
Thanks LANCE
Damn good deal.. wish I would have seen it before it sold… I have a 72 kingswood also, would of loved having an original one🙂
That car was solid. I saw it many times and there is no way it was a 100k+ mileage car. I only wish I would have had the money to buy it. Hope it’s somewhere nice now
Ahhh…I went to an Elton John concert stuffed in the back along with 10 other kids back on July 4, 76…I remember these particular Chevy wagons crystal clear !
If I had the bread ide buy at asking price just for the memories, I had a few drive-ins under my belt too !! Haaaa !!
Best of luck.