Ok. I'm not technically in the market for a wagon....yet. But, here's my deal....

I plan on moving to the big city within the year (either late fall or by the end of next Feb. at the LATEST). There's no way in Hades that I'm taking my '70 Chevelle with me. I'll park her in the garage at my parents until I'm in a more secure place. My dad bought the car brand new. A fender bender would be one thing, theft and gone for good would be a total heartbreaker.

ANYWAY, I do need a 2nd form of transportation, so my wife can use our GMC truck for her daily duties. I need something pretty darn cheap and that I could work on if minor mechanical maladies popped up. Something I could pay cash for.

SO, I'm thinking wagon. My wife isn't thrilled :rolleyes: . BTW, I hope I don't get flamed by the wagon owners on here, but I figured they would be a bit cheaper and maybe more....ahem....pedestrian-looking in nature for any slick-fingered car jackers. Yet, something that is fairly familiar (just big A-bodies, right smile.gif ) for me.

Since I haven't really searched around the question is:

Can one find a '65-'70...well, maybe 65-72 wagon that is faaaairly straight (not concerned very much with paint, just not a rustbucket) and is reliable transportation? Something in a V-8, heck even a 283 or 307 would be fine, with an automatic. A/C would be cool :cool: tongue.gif , but power options I could care less about and would actually prefer not to have.

I'm 30 and need it for short trips to school (yep, I'm going back....again smile.gif ) and grocery getting. Am I crazy for even thinking this? I know wagons are getting to be pretty popular nowadays, but I thought I'd get some input from the experts, for the going prices and availability of an idea like this.

P.S. As I said, my wife and everyone else thinks I'm crazy for even thinking this, but at the same time they would think that I was being practical for picking out, say....a mid to late 80's Pontiac Grand Am or something similarly crappy and nightmarish to work on. I just can't afford and have no desire to buy anything even moderately new. Why must older vehicles have such a bad stigma placed on them? graemlins/sad.gif Anyone feel my pain? :(

Thanks all! graemlins/waving.gif

I don't know what the stigma is about old cars, most everyone likes my wagon. It is also very economical to drive as long as someone is pushing it, very good on gas when being pushed, very good. What are you calling the big city, I see you live in arkansas ?

Stigma as in:

Cool car for transportation, I get flamed by family, etc. Crappy mid-80s car that costs no more initially, but would be much harder to work on and more expensive to maintain with the computers and such, now that's economical. :rolleyes:

Big city....Houston, TX. Very big. smile.gif

The wagon will be cheaper, but be forewarned, you may fall in love and start looking for a "driver" to replace the wagon. I bought mine to drive back and forth to work, but ended up selling all of my "rarer" cars to complete a full resto rod treatment to the wagon. I still drive it to work now and then, but I can't carry plywood and cement in it anymore. You might be happy with a Nova wagon with a six cylinder. Good on gas, nice size and pretty cool looking. I am seriously thinking about finding one myself. Even if it's a four door.

A wagon is just what the Dr. ordered for your needs. Most wagons have stronger rear suspentions then two doors. A better front to rear weight ratio. Better traction then a 2 door and there quit rugged. I use to take my 68 Impala Wagon and drive through motor cycle trails in the woods when I was yong and stupid. I truly think you will thank yourself for buyng one. Heck I also hauled a 396 BB and TH400 for my 64 Impala SS in it.

No need to "apologize" for wanting a wagon. I've always loved 'em...looooong before they started being accepted as anything other than a good source of parts for their more desirable 2-door short-decked siblings. Some people just don't get it. Someday, when I have all my other projects done, I want to try my hand at creating a 2-door '70-'72...Nomad style with slanted doors and everything! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Skip

Thanks for all the positive replies guys!

I guess I should defend the wife a little bit here. We talked it over and she thinks that it's a feasible idea, but is afraid that I'll become attached as Jim mentioned. She's probably correct. ;) One can only hope, right? :D

So, how much would a wagon, along the lines of what I described, run these days? Not to lay my hand out, but I'm only good for say, about a $1000-1500 ride. Am I crazy or can they be had for that amount? Something that would pretty much need a good tune and a set of tires to be a daily.

BTW, any pitfalls or idiosyncrasies(sp?) about wagons that I should look out for, having not messed with them?

I don't know if you can pick up a solid 64-72 wagon for that low a price. You would probably have your best chance by checking out local newspapers and auto trader magazines for a "grandma" car, because anyone who knows anything about these cars will certainly want more money for a solid driver. Rust is always a problem. Look around the trim on the rear windows for rust forming around and behind the trim. Try to find a solid tailgate; look at the bottom of the tailgate on the inside seams and around the hinges. Check the spare tire well for rot and of course under the rear cargo mat. Some of the places for rust on the earlier models are on the frame, passenger side behind the front wheel. A/C cars especially might have some rot at this spot because it is where the evaporator drains. Also the rear body mounts at the rear tire are sometimes rusted away.

Jim, I was afraid that I might be a little high on hopes and low on cash. I'm checking all the local auto trader papers and have put the word out among my gearhead buddies. So far no luck, but we'll see what turns up.

What makes me sick is this:

Over the past year, I've gone a few times to a country salvage yard with a buddy to get some parts for his 442. We've taken the front fenders, rear end and other small things out of a 68 Olds Vista Cruiser wagon that would have been a MINT project car. It looked to have needed a tune up and tires. Now it would need way more than I care to deal with. :(

I'm goin to head back to that yard soon to see what else the guy has in stock. He has more wagons and 4-doors than any other place I've been.