Say you want a classic car, but you need it to fulfill a practical purpose as well. Not only that, but you don’t have a lot of money to spend, at least for the initial purchase. Think you need an SUV or a pickup? No, not really — you need a classic American station wagon! This 1969 Chevrolet Kingswood has been donated to a charity and is listed for sale here on eBay. It’s located in Orange, California and as I write is a bargain at $1,531 with no reserve!

The Kingswood is not pristine by any means, and this undoubtedly home-produced bodywork in the right rear shows that. Some would think it adds character, though!

Chevrolet produced 8 different wagons in 1969, of which four were off of the larger full-size platform shown on the left. This Kingswood represents the second-best level of trim in the lineup, with only the Estate and its Dy-noc fake wood more luxurious. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a production number breakout to see how many wagons were produced, as the production figures for the Kingswood were combined with the Impala line and totalled 777,000 of the 1,168,300 full-size Chevrolets produced in 1969.

Most states will require you to find replacements for the side marker lights missing on the right-hand side in order to pass state inspection. Luckily, they are relatively inexpensive and plentiful. I’m actually surprised there isn’t more rust than there is, but that’s just another reason to look for cars in the Golden State.

Aside from some cracks in the dash, the interior doesn’t look bad at all, and the seats are either remarkably preserved or have been re-upholstered. While the ad states they are leather, I’m pretty sure they are vinyl.

And here you go — covered storage and haulage area! Who needs a pickup truck with a load floor like this? Okay, I grant you, it’s not as versatile as a truck, but show me a running classic truck that has a good chance of being purchased for less than $1,500? That’s right, I said running!

Here’s the small-block V-8 of indeterminate size. There were several small blocks available in 1969 with different specifications, so we’re not sure exactly which one this car has. However, we’re told it runs and there’s video proof right here. It also smokes a bit and the seller states that two of the doors won’t open and that the car needs shocks. I’ll bet a decent backyard mechanic could have this car safe to drive in a good weekend for less than $500. So for a total outlay of less than $2,000, you could be cruising in this classic. Okay, maybe $2,500 with a new set of tires.

The seller (or someone along the ownership path) has been kind enough to equip the Kingswood with four matching armrest covers in the finest duct tape (you can tell it’s the good stuff because you can see the fabric through it). So what do you think about this useful classic? Still want a $50,000 SUV or pickup? Let us know in the comments!