Usually, when we find a Chevy Biscayne, it’s a two-door sedan stuffed with a big engine that was designed as a nod and a wink to the street racing scene. Today, we have a 1967 Chevrolet Biscayne station wagon that is as Chevrolet intended – a bottom-of-the-line, no-frills wagon. You could say it’s rare, not because of the number built but because it still exists. Join me please, as we review this seldomly seen example of an entry-level people/cargo hauler from so many years ago. This Biscayne wagon is located in Tucson, Arizona and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $891 with twenty-five bids tendered so far. Thanks to Larry D for this discovery!
Chevrolet’s hierarchy for ’67 pegged the Caprice at the top, followed by the best selling Impala, the Bel Air followed suit – for budget-conscious buyers, and the Biscayne was the anchorman, holding down the fleet sales slot of what was America’s best selling brand that year. Biscayne sales were hardly tepid as almost 91K example rolled off of one of Chevrolet’s eleven North American assembly lines. Parse down to the six-cylinder version and that still yields 54K units. How many were station wagons vs. two or four-door sedans doesn’t appear to have been recorded.
Scorched by the Arizona sun, this Biscayne is still wearing its original Ermine White finish but the surface rust bleed-through is taking over. Fortunately, rust-through – a favored trait for this generation Chevy B-body, appears to be minimal but it’s hardly absent either. Underneath, the frame appears to be solid but it’s covered in scale so a closer look would be warranted. The bodywork is mostly straight but there are contusions here and there. It looks as if a driver, somewhere in the past, didn’t see the brake lights in time and kissed the rear end of something. The trim isn’t missing, being A Biscayne, it essentially had none. Of note are the taillights, even though this is a Biscayne, it’s wearing the same three and three taillight treatment usually reserved for the Impala – ’67 was an aberration.
Under the sun scarred hood is a 155 net HP, 250 CI in-line six-cylinder engine attached to a three-speed manual transmission. The seller has not tried to turn the engine over and does not know if it’s operable. The manual transmission is actuated via a relocated floor shifter. The mileage is recorded as 105K miles, but who knows, it could be 205K or something completely different. Of note, this Biscayne does not have power steering, and navigating it would have been a chore. Back in the day, we had a power-steering-less ’67 Biscayne four-door sedan in our family, and I remember being told that a short drive was a major workout.
The interior is shot, and worse, the floors have let go. The unrelenting sunshine has baked it out pretty well destroying the dash pad, upholstery, carpet, and headliner. The instrument panel is completely clouded but it’s surprising that the steering wheel isn’t missing chunks – just some small cracks. Good to see is the original Delco AM radio, if it works, it has collector value. This environment will require a complete makeover, including metalwork.
The seller suggests the usual, “Nice Ratrod builder or patina -mobile“. That’s a possibility but this subject is going to need a ton of work to see the operational light of day again. Of course, considering where it’s trending, it’s not going to break the bank either. Here’s a walk-around video that you can review. What do you think, a worthy project base, or keep looking?
Doesn’t look like there is a square inch that doesn’t need something done to it. It’s big enough to be like restoring a freight train. NASCAR driver Ryan Newman has one of these turned into a resto mod/rat rod that is really a good looking set of wheels. Lot of work ahead regardless of what gets done to it as it’s rare enough to be saved.
Note: Newman’s wagon is a ’60 Parkwood. If you Google Ryan Newman’s Car Collection it’s well worth the time. He’s got some interesting old cars.
While it’s sitting in Az I doubt this was a desert car to begin with – that’s not unusual as people move all the time and their cars come along. There’s simply too much rot-through around its green house and in typical splash areas.
It’s a well-known fact that I’m a big fan of 60s longroofs and this one being a bottom-of-the-barrel Biscayne (not even a BelAir!) is IMO what sets it apart. Every time I see one of these bottom-feeder versions I’m hoping to see it with I-6/3spd man so this one doesn’t disappoint. I’m somewhat surprised to see it wear 6 separate tail/back up lights, I was thinking Biscayne/Belairs had only 4. However it could be a wagon thing as the others I found online seem to have the same tail light treatment; anyone?
My aunt and uncle up in Maine had one of these, only there’s was a ’68. They originally wanted a stripped Chevelle wagon, but my cousin was too tall to comfortably fit in the rear seat so the next best cheap thing was the Biscayne.
Scrolling through those pictures inside the auction page frame is a pain – there is no way to see an entire picture
vERY LAUGHABLE, PUT IT DOWN AND BUREY IT QUICKLY.
Crush it and put it out of it’s misery (and ours).
Same engine and tranny that was in my ’66 Nova. Quick off the line but after 55mph it just maxxed out.