You know a car is desirable when it needs a lot of work, it has no engine, no transmission, and yet the bid price is $8,200 and the reserve isn’t met. This 1959 Chevrolet Brookwood two-door wagon can be found here on eBay in Grand Junction, Colorado. The seller has a $12,900 buy it now price listed, I wonder what this rare two-door roller will sell for?
You can see that this two-door ’59 Brookwood wagon needs work but it looks relatively solid, much more than if it had been an upper-Midwest or a Northeast car. It’s almost as if it could have been a California car and had been parked in a barn for 35 years. Hey wait a minute, the seller says that this car is from California and it has been parked in a barn for 35 years! Actually, they say that it’s both a California car and it’s from the dry western states – either way it looks pretty solid.
It looks more than solid in this photo, it looks fantastic! I can see why bidders are salivating over this blank canvas. The year before this beauty was made, in 1958, every seventh car made was a station wagon. That seems like a lot but I would venture a guess that pickups and/or SUVs are a much bigger ratio of non-sedans to sedan sales now. The two-door Chevy wagon would go away after 1960 and it remained in hiding until the ’64 Chevelle two-door wagon.
This particular car originally had a three-speed manual transmission but that’s long gone now. I’m guessing that it’ll end up with a small block Chevy engine (the ubiquitous “Drop an SBC in it!”) and automatic transmission, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Whatever engine ends up being in this car, I’d want either a 4 or 5-speed manual on the floor, just to keep my hairy knuckles and my left foot happy. Chevy made both four-door and two-door base model Brookwood wagons. Then came the Parkwood wagon and the Kingswood, and finally, the Nomad. The Brookwood came with two seats only, front and rear – if a customer wanted to carry nine people they needed to move up a couple of notches to the Kingswood.
You can see how solid this car looks when the engine bay is nice and open. The seller has V8 listed but the VIN that they list doesn’t offer any help in figuring out what engine was in this car. Can any of you decipher that? The Brookwood came with either a 235 straight-six, one of several 283 V8s, or one of several 348 V8s. How would you restore this two-door Brookwood?
Crossed flag emblem on the hood, assuming that it is original, indicates that the engine was a 348 C.I.
That emblem is obviously put there – while we don’t get a useful VIN we can decode the cowl tag:
Style 59 1215 = 6cyl 6 pass wagon Brookwood
BodyVN = LA assembly plant, California
Paint 970H = Arctic White/Sierra Gold (not sure what H means, possibly which color on top…?)
Trim 801 = gray cloth/vinyl interior
Wouldn’t suprise me if this car makes its reserve. These are very popular hard to find and this one looks to be in good shape!
With no power train, this one is not on my list of considerations, due to the price being too high for me with no power train. $6,000.00 tops for me.
My jaw hit the ground seeing the price of this car.
I don’t know how rare this car is, but I have been looking at one in close to the same shape. The car needs a windshield and body and paint, plus the interior done. The car does have it’s original 6 cylinder engine and 3 speed on the tree. It is going to need a lot of trim parts, but he is asking $3,000 USD for it. The car is in Mexico but I don’t know if it was imported from the US or it was sold here originally. After looking at the pictures, it looks like the speedometer is in miles and not kilometers so it was probably imported.
I was just thinking yesterday the the Count would be able to do wonders with this car.
Seeing this car for 12K with no drive train is shocking to see.
Are you looking at a 4-door version?
No. This car came across my desk and I have never seen a 2 door wagon before, so I got interested.
Nice start for a very interesting project alright! I’d hate to see such a rare `59 go the resto-mod or pro-street route; this one deserves a new 348 4bbl. dropped in. Me? I’d ditch ther 3-speed and go with an automatic. The nice part is, so many parts for `59s are being reproduced today; yes–even those missing door panels.
The ‘old man’ bought one new with a six and 3-speed column shift. As a kid, I recall driving from LA to Bakersfield to pick up a puppy. It was during a heat wave. We sat on really weird cushions, with an open weave, designed to allow air circulation on your back side. The only other thing we had were floor vents and the vent windows. Cruising between 80-85 almost the entire way, was like spending time with a hair dryer pointed at your face. Yes, those were the good old days. Certainly miss the ‘old man.’
I read somewhere that they made around 19,000 of these. I own one in worse condition (upper Midwest…). The windshield and one “wing window” needs replaced, but the rest of the glass is good. Floors and rare trim (split taillight trim) are gone. I’d like 2K for mine. Definitely make a cool hotrod!
Sweet Brookwood. Blank canvas, anything from 283 to its original 348. I’d leave the outside as is. We had a 60, then a 67. Loved these old wagons. Good luck to the new owner!
Cheers
GPC
My eyes keep looking for those missing vertical seems and door handles. Unable to process a 2 door brockwood wagon. I need to look away.
So is this where we say “LS Swap it” and watch people meltdown?
The window where the second door would be looks almost exactly like it would if it had been a four door.
That makes it an odd design to me.
it looks like somebody filled in the gaps and removed the door handle, but it is a factory design.
How would I restore this one?
With someone else’s money.
I’m with ya!
LS, 6-sp, tubbed,
air bags 2 tone paint
Cooler than any Nomad.
Very rare and bone dry.
I think he may get BIN or more.
This is going to make one heck of a nice Resto-mod.
$12grand? I think the seller has been over indulging in some of that legalized marijuana. No thanks, the only thing uglier was a 59 Buick.
Haha; this seller also has for sale a very nice driver 59 Buick 4dht! Sure you don’t wanna take a peek?!
It is with individual tastes as with butts – we all have one , and they’re divided…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_90txNpGvE&feature=share
Here is some “consolation” for you regarding 1959 Buicks.
Great video, I gave it a Thumbs Up. Lol.
Optical illusion. almost looks like an altered wheelbase from back side view.
Much better shape than two door Ford wagon the other day.
Whatever this becomes, I hope the steelies and dog dishes STAY!
im on the hunt for a four door Sedan Biscane. best with V8 but a 6 cyl can also go. ist ok. the car can have some rust, but not hopeless rusty.
i wana build it like that one used in the Danish Olsen Banden movie. it was black and is super kult here in Danmark and Germany..
doo u know somebody with such a car, for sale im very intr….
best regards Jesper Bo Petersen Danmark…..
Oh this is funny, this used to be in my barn! One of my uncles need it his life’s work to get one example of every Chevrolet made in 1959. I was particularly fond of a couple of 1959 El Caminos he had. Someone bought all of them, about 40 cars in all.
This was the same barn as the speedster and 914/6 that you see photos of were in. Different uncle but the same barn.
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/210/2931/1600/Brucerobertson1.4.jpg
I still have the 914/6 , last I heard Craig McCaw had the Speedster.
Listing has been removed. I was curious what it would go for or at least get bid up to.
Look like reserve was not met ?