While two-door station wagons fizzled out in the late ’50s/early ’60s, someone at Chevrolet saw value in continuing the trend with their brand-new 1964 Chevelle. Offered as an option on the 300 series trim level, there is a bit of a Nomadesqe vibe with these cars thanks to their slanted B-pillar. Today’s find is clearly a project but options moving forward will abound. This 1964 Chevelle is located in Los Angeles, California and is available, here on craigslist for $8,500.
Unfortunately, these two-door wagons weren’t too popular. As the seller correctly notes, only 2,710 were assembled in ’64. Things fared no better for the almost identical 1965 version – only 1,600 of those saw the light of day and then production ended, there was no ’66 variant.
The seller tells us that in spite of this car’s rough-looking exterior – the black finish is actually some kind of a rust converter with a top coat, it’s actually pretty solid but it will need to be completely restored. The frame is claimed to be solid, but, lower in the listing is a reference to needed floors and “metal work” so maybe it’s not so solid after all. It sounds as if the seller has all of the missing trim and he states that the glass is all crack-free.
It’s a roller but the VIN indicates that this Chevy was V8 powered so it was probably a 195 or 220-gross HP 283 CI engine attached to the ubiquitous Powerglide automatic transmission. It’s a blank canvas now so the next owner can build it his way, he’s gonna have to, after all. The listing claims disc brakes but I believe that’s an error.
The interior is gutted with only a steering wheel and the folding backrest of the rear seat present. There’s not enough of a view of the dash and instrument panel to ascertain their condition and completeness. I would run with the assumption that it’s going to need everything save for the upholstery panels in the cargo area – probably difficult items to source these days.
The seller has included a walk-around video and it’s pretty helpful in providing various different views that the listing images don’t. OK, it’s now what to do with it time. It seems that most of these Chevelle two-door station wagons get turned into hot rods and that’s the likely fate that this example will experience. If done properly, it’s a good way to go. That leaves just one item, and that’s the price – $8,500. I’m not feeling it, how about you?
As I’ve repeated Ad Nausem my family drove across the US in a 6cyl column shift 3 spd with one of these in avocado green in ‘64 from NJ to CA then back to Reno-no A/C or power anything. It did the job admirably so was later treated to 283ci from a wrecking yard nearby.
Many years later I found it in that same wrecking yard and pried off the tag on the firewall for a keepsake..
Inasmuch as I’ve grown fond of the looks and appreciate’64 Chevelles/El Caminos, this one is a major undertaking and looks AMAZINGLY similar to the one we saw in November from Alabama that Russ covered…
Very cool car. Will definitely be purchased but I think some haggling on price will have to happen 1st as it’s more of a 6k car as it sits. How long is the current owner ready to let it sit for sale? That’s the question. Someone will eventually get close to asking price.
A 2-door Chevelle Wagon is a pro street blank canvas. Like a 63′-67′ Chevy II 2-door wagon, a Vega 2-door wagon(very very popular in Australia and US)
I’m not feeling it either
Nope. Me neither.
For a California car that seems pretty rusty!! The body is going to need a lot of filler. Paint could shrink for years too
come. I’d pass on this!
I’m feeling about $3500ish.
About $1500 ! Needs to many things and cash ! If i were younger and had the stash it would make a awesome project car. Love these old wagons
I’m feeling about $3500..
I didn’t know they made a two door variant. One day during the summer of 1964, my father drove off with our 1955 Mk VII Jag (it was gorgeous, by the way) and arrived back home with a Malibu station wagon. It appears the family was getting too big for the likes of the Jag. The Malibu was red on red, with the rear bench seat, electric rear hatch window, roof rack, 327 with three on the tree. I learned how to drive in that car. It was gorgeous and remained so until about 10 years later when dad sold it to his barber.
My thoughts are this thing is way over priced, although it might be of interest to someone who can handle most of the work. Albeit at a much lower price.
Only reason for these were to amortize the door and maybe interior panels of the El Ranchero. Chevy catching up again.
I’m nearing the end of a complete rebuild of a 4 door version of the wagon, and would much rather have a 2 door, but this thing would take at least double the 20k I already have invested in mine. 383/700R4. Sniper EFI, Dakota Digital dash, Vintage Air, TMI buckets, P/S, power front discs, 17 and 18″ Aluminum rally wheels…
Have one would love to have another, but can’t afford it at this time. These things had some very poor door seals. Mine is from Arizona but has the same floor problem. But my drives side door fitts horrible.
Had a chance to trade a motorcycle for one of these back in 1981. It was factory black with red interior, rebuilt 283, was a 3 on the tree but came with a Muncie . Had 2 NOS quarter panels included. The rust in the quarters was fixable with out replacement,doors and fenders were rust free. The bike I was selling was $750 would have traded but had a Nova project and no room for storage so I passed. A mistake probably.
Got a blue/blue 64′ 4 door 6, 3 on the tree as my first company car. Made a
personal 5000 mile round trip to CA for only .035 cents/mile allowed, gas included.
Only good for rescuing a 2 door now or I am surprised that it is still in one piece.
For the asking price it will sit for another 30 years or until the california department of stupidity tows it for being a gross polluter for not running.
I never paid much attention to these until I met some enthusiasts for this era of Chevelle’s. I had no idea how rare and desirable they are, just from what they say the price may not be that far off.
This car was listed here last November , same pictures. the opening bid on Ebay then was 3G and there were no takers , now its on Craigslist for $8500 ? Either this is a scam listing, or the seller is dreaming . I’m surprised as stripped as this is, that the front clip wasn’t taken for a 2 door car years ago. I’d say the only real future for this would be as a bracket racer ; the engine and interior is missing anyway, and only then if the price goes way down .
Dang, I’m about the farthest thing there is from a chevrolet guy, but I kinda like this, don’t recall ever seeing one. Doesn’t seem like the price is all that bad.
The price isn’t bad until you get into the thing for 40k+. Then you realize that you made a huge mistake. Too late, you’re already in. That’s the dilemma that many people face until it’s too late and realize that they can’t even get their money back. It PAYS to price out as much as possible. Without doing that at the moment, my best guess on this car would be $1,800.00 MAX. Even at this price you’re doing the seller a favor. Good luck to the new buyer. Very nice article.
Personally, I believe this car could reach 6 figures at auction when fully redone, even as a restomod. Therefore, it’s a rich mans game to start with, hence the asking price. I love this site for the dreams it offers, and we all have projects outside of our pocket books. Thank you so much barn finds, I think that car is absolutely fantastic, and the dream is alive.
8500 …nope.More like 1500.imo.
In my dream world where I had more money and time than brains, I would make this a “Nomad”. I feel that G.M./chevy missed the mark with this body type. Again with $/time I’d build it out has a Malibu, w/283/4speed/full instrument, w/tach and A/C. This line of bodies could have been a cool return of the 55-57 Nomad wagons.
I’m feeling the three grand to 3500 range and that’s if the floorboards aren’t completely wasted. When I was a kid my neighbor had one 283 and a 4 speed factory. It was gold with white interior, a sharp looking car. I knew then that that was probably as close to original nomad as Chevy would ever build again. Around 1974 I bought a 57 cameo that was nicely restored for $1,850,the next month my neighbor put that Chevelle wagon up for sale for $2,200, didn’t get any offers. I would have bought it, if I hadn’t bought that cameo. but I didn’t know he was going to be putting it up for sale. pissed me off! And that was back 50+ cars ago! Wouldn’t still have it now anyway…. Just before I bought the cameo I was about 15 minutes away from buying a real nice Sunbeam tiger, British racing green and light saddle interior $1100. My pop bribed me saying that if I’d buy The Cameo instead of the tiger he would loan me the other 850..I only had a grand. But he pleaded with me “son please don’t make me have to peel you off of a big tree somewhere when you wrap this tiger around it” I was only 18 at the time but even then, I knew it,he was right.
Many of us could have been peeled off a tree. The cars were fast back then and Eben the slow ones were fast enough to kill us. Back about summer of 63 we were at my Aunts, we all heard the engine rev and the big crash afterwards. Nice corvette wrapped around a big shade tree. Those trees no longer shade the homes along the road. To many crashes and to many deaths (in a city speed limit 25 zone). We all had that car we wish we bought or kept today.