By 1960, problems at Studebaker were legion. Ford had increased production dramatically in 1953, and price cuts followed industry-wide. Studebaker had the highest labor costs in the industry. As prices fell, its profits disappeared, and its balance sheet deteriorated…. more»
Station Wagons
Aug 17, 2023 • For Sale • 35 Comments
Pint-Size Woodie: 1979 Ford Pinto Country Squire
In 1970-71, three of the U.S. automakers introduced subcompact cars. That included the Chevy Vega, AMC Gremlin, and Ford Pinto. The latter would last the longest (1971-80) and sell the most cars (more than three million units). Interest in… more»
Aug 17, 2023 • For Sale • 29 Comments
Nomad Alternative: Rare 1956 Pontiac Safari
Based on a 1954 concept car with Corvette styling, General Motors introduced the “Sport Wagon” in 1955. It was a 2-door station wagon that had a separate body from the regular wagons from the cowl back. Chevrolet called theirs… more»
Aug 16, 2023 • For Sale • 16 Comments
The Classic Wagon: 1985 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser
When it comes to station wagons, America is pretty tough to beat for crafting the ultimate version of a family hauler. The Europeans refined the concept by making wagons entertaining to drive in addition to hauling more cargo than… more»
Aug 14, 2023 • For Sale • 24 Comments
Spotless Survivor: 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate
I am a late convert to the world of the Station Wagon. I had always believed owners purchased them out of necessity and not by choice. How wrong I was! I received one as a company car, and only… more»
Aug 13, 2023 • For Sale • 9 Comments
Garage-Kept Survivor: 1974 AMC Hornet Sportabout D/L Wagon
AMC released its Hornet range for the 1970 model year, with buyers able to choose from two and four-sedan versions. It introduced a Station Wagon derivative in 1971 called the Sportabout, which proved to be an instant hit. More… more»
Aug 11, 2023 • For Sale • 5 Comments
Affordable and Practical: 1984 AMC Eagle Station Wagon
It is a question I have often pondered. How effectively would AMC have competed against “The Big Three” had it had access to a decent budget? The company produced some innovative products, and while some of its models wouldn’t… more»
Aug 11, 2023 • For Sale • 16 Comments
Older Restoration – 1957 Chevrolet Nomad
Sedate silver and white with a raunchy red interior, this 1957 Chevrolet Nomad in Olympia, Washington comes to market in a nicely prepared listing with plenty of pictures and a decent description. Any seller including close-up shots of the… more»
Aug 10, 2023 • For Sale • 12 Comments
Nine Passenger 1985 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon
Are we there yet? We can imagine kids in a chorus of impatience – anxious for their arrival at the next fun destination – park, campground, grandma’s place. Replay those days in style with this 1985 Buick LeSabre Estate… more»
Aug 8, 2023 • For Sale • 52 Comments
Aluminum V8 Wagon: 1961 Oldsmobile F-85
The F-85 was Oldsmobile’s first compact car, launched in 1961 on the new “Y” unibody platform it shared with the Pontiac Tempest and Buick Special. It differed from its cousins in that it had a 215 cubic inch aluminum… more»
Aug 8, 2023 • For Sale • 10 Comments
Cheap Longroof: 1981 AMC Eagle 4×4 Wagon
The seller refers to this 1981 AMC Eagle Wagon as being in fair to good condition, and there is some interior work to do, but it looks pretty solid from what we can see in the photos. That being… more»
Aug 5, 2023 • For Sale • 16 Comments
No Reserve: 1946 Chevrolet Suburban Project
The Suburban holds its place in history as the longest-running automotive production nametag, not only at your Chevrolet dealership but also worldwide, so kudos to the folks at Chevy for offering a vehicle that’s evolved over the years to… more»
Aug 5, 2023 • For Sale • 12 Comments
Clean 8-Seater: 1991 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser
I’ve long believed that everybody should have access to the classic car ownership experience. That can prove more challenging for large families, and if you are in that situation, this 1991 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser could be the perfect vehicle…. more»
Aug 3, 2023 • For Sale • 26 Comments
42k Mile Survivor: 1974 Ford Pinto Wagon
The Pinto was Ford’s first subcompact built in the U.S. and would remain in production for 10 model years (1971-80). The car would be popular enough to spawn a badge-engineered version for Mercury called the Bobcat. This 1974 edition,… more»
Aug 1, 2023 • For Sale • 48 Comments
One-Of-A-Kind! 1961 Ford Ranchero Rat Rod
When Ford introduced its new compact (the Falcon) in 1960, they shifted the Ranchero utility coupe to that smaller platform. And the Ranchero would remain a Falcon derivative through 1965. The seller (or a predecessor) took a well-used ’61… more»
Jul 27, 2023 • For Sale • 61 Comments
Sport Wagon: 1970 Chevrolet Corvette
There’s no doubt that Chevrolet’s Corvette is cool, but let’s be honest, they aren’t all that practical. Now, I get that practicality isn’t all that high on most Corvette owner’s priority list, but there are times when you wish… more»
