Sitting on the lawn mower is always a wonderful time to have some uninterrupted thoughts. Knowing Wagon Week was coming up, I was pondering which wagon from the year of my birth would most tempt me. The options were as rich that year as ever, and likely this was the peak of station wagons, as there were small, medium, and large offerings. So sit down in the time machine as I hand you a pile of imaginary money for you to go shopping.
Not wanting to miss out on a terrific option, we’re stopping at the AMC dealer first. Wagons are at their pinnacle of variety as even tiny AMC has three offerings, with this Hornet wagon on the petite end. AMC was getting into the swing of 1970s chic and a person can get their Hornet wagon with some really eye-popping upholstery; who wants conformity?
Stepping up to the Matador gets you the 258 straight-six as standard equipment plus your choice of four V8s, ranging up to the potent 401 cubic inch (6.6 liter) mill. Wood trim was optional as was an automatic transmission.
While the Ambassador wasn’t a biggie in the same vein as Ford or GM, it was their biggest available. A V8 was standard equipment. The green one is painted Grasshopper Green; I would like to see it devoid of the faux wood.
For years, Ford was much more competitive in wagon sales than Chevrolet. In looking for brochure pictures, I’m not sure how Ford was so successful, as they dedicated approximately 0.05% of their brochure space to wagons for 1972. To its credit, Ford provided voluminous amounts of wagon material to their salesmen. These pictures were contained in a 150-page wagon guide for salesmen; perhaps Ford’s strategy was to carpet bomb prospects with all manner of lurid and tawdry wagon facts?
The Pinto was still rather new to the market in 1972. Here’s a picture with all sorts of sales propaganda; a wood grained appliqué for the automatic transmission bezel was standard on the Squire models. How could I resist such luxurious temptations? If there were a 302 V8 available, we might be talking.
I am terminally biased against Torinos; everyone has a car they love to hate. Such a beautiful name on such an ugly car.
However, Ford was very good about providing distinct trim differences on their wagons. One could also get a 429 cubic inch (7.0 liter) V8 in their Torino wagon. There is the rebellious part of me who wants this engine in an innocuous looking Gran Torino Squire just so I can annoy the neighbors by burning rubber down the street at 5:30 am.
While I do find the full-size wagons attractive, I just don’t see one as being a good fit for me. However, lots of folks felt differently, as Ford sold 206,000 of their full-sized wagons in 1972. It was by far the most popular wagon for 1972.
I do find the plainer version rather more compelling, and it would be as satisfying as a cold beer on a hot day (or a warm beer on a cold day).
Maybe a Mercury, seen here in Colony Park trim, would be more my style. That front end reminds me of the Parthenon for some inexplicable reason, and it provides a certain allure and fascination. Its face helps balance out the heaviness of the rear for a nice overall look.
While the Colony Park sold quite well, the Marquis wagon sold a mere 2,085 copies, making it the most rare wagon found for 1972. Even the Mercury Monterey wagon outsold it by a factor of two.
You can send a jackass to charm school, but it’s still a jackass. And this Mercury Montego Villager is still a Torino. Others seemed to think the same thing; Where Ford sold 81,000 Torino wagons, only 15,000 Montego wagons moved somebody to sign on the dotted line.
The choice and variety is simply astounding. Since we are walking Retail Row, let’s keep going. Next up is the Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge dealer.
Some wagon names are legendary. Ford had the Country Squire, a name that conjured up images of portly English gentleman traipsing around the countryside with an air of self-importance. Pontiac had the Safari, giving mental pictures of hanging a rifle out the window, waiting to blast some hapless rhinoceros into oblivion. Even Buick had their Estate wagon, appropriately named as it was about the size of some estates, as we shall soon see.
However, the definitive wagon name has always been Town & Country. It provokes images of doing various wonderful and exciting tasks regardless of where you are, a wagon that proves its luxurious utility every day with every chore. Even the full-figured fuselage Town & Country emits vibes of swanky usefulness and comfort. It’s high on my list.
However, the Dodge Monaco wagon trumps the Town & Country. Maybe it’s the hidden headlights or lack of fender skirts. Maybe it’s the simply rarity of it, as this is one of the least numerous of the bunch with only 7,700 being built. Regardless, this Monaco is a looker. It came with a standard 360 cubic inch (5.9 liter) V8.
The Polara wagon, propelled by a standard 318 cubic inch (5.2 liter) V8, sold a smidgen better.
Now for this being 1972, odds are many people will have a garage designed for a wagon somewhat less full-figured than the Monaco or Town & Country. If that’s the case, this Coronet is just the ticket. Not all Coronets wound up as police cars or taxi cabs, and this would be an attractive car for you and the family.
Skip the slant six; go for the optional 440 cubic inch (7.2 liter) V8.
Who would have guessed? Dodge wasn’t the only one with hidden headlights available on their wagons; Plymouth also had them on their Fury. I still prefer the Dodge, as the bumper doesn’t look like it’s trying to consume the front of the car.
The Fury wagon outsold the combined production of Polara and Monaco wagons by about 3 to 1.
As a child, I watched entirely too much television. This brown Satellite wagon is even about the same color as the one from The Brady Bunch. I have to pass on this one simply for the association. We’re car shopping, so we can discriminate all we want for whatever reasons we like. Plymouth’s Satellite wagon would outsell the comparable Coronet by a factor of two.
Since there is no Checker dealer for us to check out an Aerobus, let’s peruse the GM store.
Chevrolet has their nifty Vega Kammback wagon. Rumor has it there are a few engine issues starting to crop up, so let’s keep looking.
This Chevelle looks so bug-eyed and very 1968. By 1972 any mechanical wrinkles should have been ironed out long ago and it’s likely as solid and robust as anything here. The porky Torino still outsold it by a 25,000 unit margin.
The 250 cubic inch (4.1 liter) straight six was standard equipment, as was a three-speed manual. A Powerglide could still be bolted to this engine or the optional 307 cubic inch (5.0 liter) V8. On the other end of the power spectrum, one could obtain a 400 cubic inch (6.6 liter) V8 with a four-speed manual. Now that would help overcome that bug-eyed face.
While Ford again stomped Chevrolet in wagon sales, Chevrolet’s sales figures for wagons were still the second best of this bunch with 160,000 built. Of those, 158,974 would meet their demise in demolition derbies around North America.
Four different V8s were available.
Maybe it was deemed suitable, but I pity whoever chose a Pontiac LeMans wagon with the standard 250 cubic inch (4.1 liter) six-cylinder. Maybe it works out well for the pillow salesman whose territory is primarily flat prairie ground. I have been in several precarious situations due to a lack of engine power, so I would go with the available 455 cubic inch (7.4 liter) V8. It’s 1972 so fuel economy is not a pressing concern.
For those aiming to have an air-conditioned journey in Africa (or visit a drive-through animal park) there is the Pontiac Safari, based upon the Catalina. For those overachievers who want mahogany-looking wood and an extra 55 cubic inches of motivation, there is the Bonneville based Grand Safari.
There were two Safari wagons sold for every Grand Safari.
Being barely more popular than the Monaco is the Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser. Unlike Pontiac LeMans wagon, the Oldsmobile A-body Cruisers had a 350 cubic inch (5.7 liter) V8 as standard equipment.
With the Olds, the Vista Cruiser is what captivated buyer’s attention, outselling the Cutlass Cruiser by over a factor of four.
The Vista Cruiser has certainly played a wide number of roles over time.
For the discerning Olds buyer who wanted something more traditionally sized, there was the Custom Cruiser wagon. Not wanting to disappoint its customers, the 455 cubic inch (7.4 liter) V8 was found under the hood of every Custom Cruiser wagon. At around 5,000 pounds it doesn’t weigh that much more than a new Honda Odyssey minivan.
The last stop on our excursion is the Buick dealer. Despite the slathering of attention on every type of Skylark, Buick didn’t see fit to place the A-body wagon in their brochure. While this might seem to be a turnoff to prospective buyers, it apparently wasn’t, as Buick unloaded 14,400 of them. Like over at Oldsmobile, a 350 V8 was standard.
Two out of three Buick wagon buyers went for the 455 V8-powered Estate Wagon. While these weighed about the same as their Oldsmobile counterparts, these do look more lithe and svelte. Maybe it’s the open wheel wells in the rear.
You could certainly stuff a lot of kids into these Buick wagons.
So which would you choose? Would you take a ’72, or do you need to re-enter the time machine to reach your year of birth? What tantalizes you?
After looking and thinking about it, I know I’ve made my decision. There are 401 compelling reasons why I chose it.
Easy choice, 1972 Plymouth Custom Suburban. Hidden Headlights, dual AC, 400 4bbl, trailer tow package, 3 seats, Mopar light green and green interior. I had a 71 sport suburban in green with green seats in high school, I hated that color combo then, but the Mopar green feels so right. The 400 4bbl is the best engine in these big wagons, lots of power but it will not kill you on the gas. The dual ac in the Mopar wagons was neat. I would also get the AM FM stereo radio with the floor mounted cassette player.
If I was looking for a nice compact wagon in ’72 I would have chosen the AMC Hornet. For an intermediate, I would have looked seriously at the AMC Matador and Ford Torino. I like the Matador’s styling more. For full-size, probably a Ford Country Squire or a Mercury Colony Park, which looks more upscale. I think the GM full-sizers were just too big and ungainly in ’72, but they would probably have won me over in the 1977 downsizing.
Well, I’m honored that I actually HAD a 1972 wagon! https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/coal-1972-chevrolet-concours-wagon-american-iron-or-american-icon/
However, if I had the choice of a do-over and all of the above options were available, I think I might have to try the Matador or the Fury. A fun read, thanks!
Coronet or Satellite 360, burnt orange, hold the Di-Noc. I actually think the wagons wore the B-fuselage look better than the sedans did.
The T&C illustration must be in the running for most deformed catalog pic ever. It looks to be hauling lead ingots so massive, the front tire is no longer circular.
A great year for wagons. All the Mopars are quite interesting. The T&C was rare even when new, and you knew it was something swank when you saw one.
I was an Olds guy back then, and I’m anti rear facing seat now, for safety reasons. So, the Olds Vista and Custom are both viable choices. I have a lot of experience owning and driving big GM iron from this era, and they were pretty easy to handle once you got used to them. So, I’m going big here: Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser.
Tough decisions! As much as I love the GM clamshell wagons – especially in Grand Safari form – and am quite taken with the Fuselage wagons (unusual, because I’m not a huge fuselage fan), I think I’d probably be sensible and take a Vista Cruiser. Sufficiently stylish but not too large… Great for a family!
’72 Chevy Suburban (I know it’s a truck, but it is in the Chevy wagon brochure). Second choice the Olds Vista Cruiser or a B body Mopar.
My choice would be the Chevelle with the TH350 and 307 2 barrel and a look towards various heavy duty choices on the options sheet. A towing package would give me more durable heavy duty parts and a 2.5:1 rear would serve me well in two years when gasoline suddenly starts costing more.
I spent many hours in the back of two of these wagons. The most time was in a Satellite wagon, awful bronze and tan with a sort of medium bronzeish interior. My mom’s best friend had 7 kids and we would jam most of them, mom and me into it, with the smallest kid’s jaws firmly attached to the dash most of the time (All their cars had teeth marks in the center of the dash within a couple of days after buying them). The Sat wagon stuck around for a long time, maybe ’84 or so, when the rust was too far along. It’s replacement was an awful, in both looks and reliability, Ford, in an awful green.
The other one I rode in a lot was my best friend’s mom’s Chevelle wagon. It was a base car, with only a heater and AM radio. No A/C. It was white, at first, but rapidly became orange in all the usual areas. Soon it was patched up by my friend and his dad, and Earl Sheib’ed chocolate brown. It stuck around until the mid 80’s, when it was replaced with a Caravan which was hit by a drunk neighbor and totalled when it was 3 months old. It was replaced with a Voyager, in a truly awful dark brown and beige two tone. I remember when my friend told me his parents had ORDERED it in that color scheme. I was shocked. I can’t think of anything worse, or even as bad as that.
I thought I would be the only one feeling this way, but I see I’m not. A Vega GT wagon for me. Re-engine it with the a sleeved Cosworth twin cam. This in spite of the fact that a 1972 Vega was the worst car I have ever known – and not by a little bit, either.
On second thought, maybe I should change my choice to the Pinto. That Vega was a real heap. I don’t know that it’s appealing enough to be worth the trouble.
I have two favorites:
olds custom cruiser(must have the roof windows)
plymouth
in both cases I’ll take mine sans roof rack and sans fake wood on the sides and a trailer towing package
If a Buick was available with the roof windows I would prefer that over the olds.
1. Colony Park (429-4V)
2. Monaco (440-4V)
3. Olds Custom Cruiser (455-4V)
Might as well go all out and with this group I would have no problem.
I’m going with the Monaco. Hidden headlamps and extremely odd dinoc treatment FTW! Close runners-up include the Kingswood, Hornet, and T&C.
My 3 choices would be 1972 Ford Country Squire with a 429, 1972 Mercury Colony Park (w/wood paneling) and a 1972 Pontiac LeMans Safari wagon with a 400ci V8 or hopefully a 455ci V8 if it was available.
I consider 1972 to be the one of the last of good years for the classic automobiles.
Quite a range on offer far more choice than we had in 72, I was 14 and sweating on getting my license at 15, the old man had a 6 month old 71 HQ Kingswood wagon primrose yellow 202 6 3 on the tree manual It was gone before I was legally on the road and we were in sedans again
I guess I’d take a Vista Cruiser different enough to be worth the extra gas.
I’ll take a ’72 Hornet Sportabout, too. The more garish the color I can find, the better!
My first choice was the Vega wagon – in yellow like the photo. I seriously considered buying one when I was thinking – albeit VERY briefly – about re-enlisting for another two years in the USAF, but a cooler head prevailed and I decided to get out while the gettin’ was good!
Fortunately I got out early for school and found a beautiful 1972 Nova a couple of months later.
However, if I was going to buy a real station wagon, it would have to be a GM mid-sizer, most likely an Olds Vista-Cruiser.
Excellent choice Jason, of course I would choose the 72 Matador wagon as well, having driven a 72 Matador for many years.
I think I’d go for the 258 though, love that straight six torque and balance.
2nd choice would either be a Vega or that monsterous Monaco, wow…
Your Matador crossed my mind when I wrote this. Great minds thinking alike?
The styling of the Chrysler wins it for me, even though I’m a sucker for the clamshell GM wagons.
Country Squire with a 429 4v! I learned to drive on my mom’s… forest green with acres of nasty dark green vinyl inside. Actually, I hated the car itself…mushy, ponderous, so uncool (to a 16 year old at the time). And its emissions-neutered 429 and tall rear axle ratio made for disappointing acceleration. But it’s the fond memories of my old teenage self bombing around town with my best friend riding shotgun, flipped air cleaner lid allowing that “waaaaah” to penetrate the firewall as I opened the secondaries on that 429 every chance I got. What idiots we were!
Doesn’t it look like there was a huge product gap between the tiny Pinto and the gargantuan Torino? Same for Vega and Chevelle.
I did choose a new wagon in 1972. I focused on the ’72 Volvo 145 and in November made a deal to buy a ’73 145 – which I kept for four years.
Knowing now what I didn’t know back then, I would go with either the Matador wagon or the Pontiac or Olds (midsize) wagons.
My real preference is for something like the Vega Kammback, but I can’t unspool 40+ years of what actually happened. If it really were 1972 and I was in the position I’m in now, a nice 2300 cc Vega GT Kammback would be the ticket.
My parents owned (and I drove as a teen) a ’72 green Satellite with the 318. So I’d want one of those again.
Fuselage wagon with 440 for me please. Why? Because the wagon makes the fuselage Chrysler design look like it really is aircraft industry inspired. Almost like the ultimate fruition of the design.
When I was driving the ’71 Chevy Kingswood Estate a friend of mine was driving a fuselage T&C wagon. Being guys we had to pull them up alongside each other to see who’s was bigger *ahem*.
The T&C was bigger by a long shot, of course, He didn’t steer that thing, he navigated.
Actually, only by 1.8″. And the Chevy had a longer wheelbase. Those GM wagons were the biggest ever built.
Wow the choice of wagons back in the day is stupifying! And its funny how a vehicle that back in the day was as mundane and boring as minivans and CUVs are now have evolved into lustworthy and cool if youfind the right one these days.
The Matador makes a nice wagon, and the ’72 front clip looks kinda menacing. I cant say I like the T&C at all. Those skirted fenders are what kill it for me. Call me a fan of the Fury’s front clip though. I do like the Torino and the GM B bodies translate to wagondom very nicely since they share much with the muscle car variants.
My choice is either the Satellite or the Coronet. Both are handsome looking and beg for coke bottle mags, fat RWL tires and some underhood love from Ma Mopar. The satellite sis shown in my top 2 color choices: harvest gold or puke green. If we’re going all 70’s then I want to absolutely WALLOW in its glory!
1st: Vega
2nd: Hornet
3rd: Big Chevy (no Di-Noc) OR Suburban
A family relative was one of the bodyguards for Henry Ford II. He told me they would cruise around in a Pinto Country Squire; the Lincolns were for special occasions.
1st: Pontiac Grand Safari
2nd: Olds Vista Cruiser
3rd: Mercury Colony Park
Well, my Grandfather actually bought a ’72, but it wasn’t a wagon (BelAir)…while my father bought a wagon but it wasn’t a ’72, it was a ’73 Ranch Wagon…He traded in the ’69 Country Squire for it…actually was better equipped than the Squire, it had the 400 engine, air-conditioning (first in our family) AM/FM stereo (first in our family) and power locks (first in our family) plus a trailer towing package. My mom called it “the boat” as it was very long.
As for me, my first car was a ’72 Fiat 128 (wagon)…but it was so badly rusted that when it threw a gear , the mechanic wasn’t sure he could get it back together trying to repair it, so the 128 went to the salvage yard on route 7 up in Jericho.
If I could go back in time, and pick to buy for my folks, would be Buick Estate or Chevy Kingswood [Impala] clamshell, plain sides. Would have been a great car for our trip from Chicago to LA/Orange Co in summer ’72.
For my own collection, I’d like a LeMans or Vista Cruiser. From Ford, a non-woody Country Sedan [Galaxie] with 351 4 bbl.
For me that’s a different question, as I didn’t come along until 1980 myself. So for my parents I’d take a 1980 Chevy Malibu Classic Estate with the 305, as we did have a Malibu in my childhood, a ’79 sedan. Good memories there so it’s just putting them in a different body style. Trading up on that when I got older, I always loved the mid to late 80’s Electra Estate Wagons and was somewhat envious of a classmate whose Mom drove one. So in 1988 it would have been a midnight blue Electra Estate Wagon, with woody sides, the spiffy-looking available alloy wheels, and a tan leather interior. The pinnacle of wagon-dom to my 8 year old self!
Its the Chrysler Town and Country for me ..
As an aside in 1972 I was working my first part time job as a maintenance facilitator (translated janitor) at the local Ford dealership in town.
I pushed a dust mop past many Ford wagons that were parked on the show floor in the summer of 1972.
I do remember that these wagons, were most always the Ford darker metallic brown in color . Also I remember that Fords then had a new car smell that was quite unique.
Being a 72 model myself who came home from the hospital in a 72 Chevrolet full size wagon, I’ll go with the Chevy for old times sake.
My choice for the 1972 wagons would be a toss up between the Chrysler Town & Country or the Olds Custom Cruiser in Black or some sort of Green. If I went with the Olds it would soon be traded in or parked out on the back forty to make room for a new ’76 Olds Custom Cruiser with (in my opinion) a cleaner looking front end on the ever so cool clamshell body. As for my birth year, the 1993 wagons would be a Chevy Caprice Wagon or Buick Roadmaster as an 8 door airport limo conversion. The Non-Wagons- Chevy/GMC C2500 Crew Cab, Long Box, 5.7L V8 w/Manual transmission 4 or 5 speed don’t matter, 3 on the tree would be even better, but I know that wasn’t an option. A ’93 Buick Century 2 door would also be very interesting.
Either an Olds Vista Cruiser or an International Travelall. Realistically in 1972 I’d probably buy a Volvo 145 and have done with it.
Cutlass Cruiser for me. Olds 350 4bbl, TH350, power discs & steering, A/C & Super Stock wheels.
Then off to Koni for some shocks.
Hmmm…
Fury wagon with the hidden headlamps.
Failing that, a good ol’ Chev wagon.
400 cubes would be about right.
If I can’t get dual exhaust, I’ll make it so.
If I can’t order the company’s Rally rims, I’ll make it so.
Forest green, please. Hold the fake paneling, I want that for my den instead.
Another vote for the fuselage trio. Although, the previous giant ChryCo wagon was maybe cooler. Bigger windows. Huge.
There’s something about driving a huge, low, giant car with an acre of hood in front of you and a big V8 and automatic. But really, any claim of any of these getting anything better than appalling fuel economy is just not realistic. So, you find a perfect one with only a couple miles on it and spend another $10 or 15K to put in a new Chrysler hemi and automatic. About a thousand times less pollution too. First: Win lottery.
I choose the Sportabout! It’s really more of a 5-door hatchback, but whatev.
’72 Plymouth Sport Fury wagon. The ’72 Sport Fury was a sinister looking car that never gets its due. I have never seen one at a car show, but from pictures that hideaway headlight front end is mean looking!
Now we’re talking. Just erase the paneling. Nailed it.
I completely agree with you. The ’72 Sport Suburban has a great swagger about it, especially with the road wheels. The dashboard design was goodlooking, intelligent and unusual. Of a binnacle design all the controls were arrayed on a curved matte black surface floodlit in a blue/green soft light. The knobs were big chunky affairs, ergonimically designed and hewn from aluminum; they were beautiful looking. The Plymouth was such a stunningly American design.
Well I actually own 2 1972 wagons, a Scout II and a Travelall. If you wanted a full size wagon the Travelall had no equal. In the 1010 version you had a cushy ride and great handling for the class and time with its torsion bar IFS and the ability to tow up to 10,000lbs. Smaller on the outside and more maneuverable than the full size wagons from the big 3 but more useable space on the inside. They were even available with a forward facing 3rd row which mine is lacking. The drawback is that it did not fold into the floor so I’m not too sad that mine doesn’t have it. The Scout II is a great “compact” wagon if you don’t have the need for a big wagon.
However since those are “truck based” and thus disqualified I do have some other choices.
The Vista Cruiser would be under serious consideration since for some reason for 1972 the Sportwagon did not have the Vista Roof and lacked a 3rd row option. It is strange that until 1969 the Sportwagon denoted the Vista Roof and they had the Special Deluxe w/o the Vista Roof for those on tighter budgets. But for 1970 while the Sportwagon name was retained it was more or less the previous Special Deluxe.
The Gran Torino Country Squire would also be a big contender if a mid size was called for.
A LTD Country Squire with dual facing rear seats and table would be the choice for a full size and the Pinto Squire would be the way to go for a Subcompact wagon.
I do have to give honorable mention as others have to the Sport Suburban and Sportabout as they are good looking wagons, much better than the cars that were based on. Neither would be serious contenders due to the basic qualities of the cars they are based on though.
This is a great exercise Paul. I’ve enjoyed thinking about this all weekend and I have changed my answer. I have a small growing family myself and we are in the market for the modern equivalents. I currently have a Dodge Magnum. Looking at the Durango or the Buick Enclave.
So here are my opinions and biases on the 72 models
I’m initially leaning toward the Mopar wagons because I like the optional electronic ignition. In that era it may be seen as an untried gimmick, but I would probably feel I could switch the distributer back if needed.
Other in the top running is the Olds A-body based wagon for its looks and rear skylight glass for the kids. This would probably win over the ease of maintenance of the Mopars. Plus the 350 would be enough of a motor since I don’t tow.
My biases:
AMC has questionable engineering because they buy so many parts from other companies. Comments on this thread about the tailgate confirm my suspicions. My bias was based on those chunky door handles, big ugly and unrefined, they don’t make a good impression.
Buick – If I’m going to change breaker points it’s nice to have the dist up front. Love their motors, not crazy about the ’72 styling
Chevy – The 400, if a small block is a bad motor for a heavy car. To likely to overheat. The 350 would be better. The big block is too heavy. At least when the car wears out I can sell the motor.
Ford/Mercury – The 70-71 Tornio based wagons were real lookers. My bias is that the small blocks and C4 trans are not well suited to heavy vehicles. The FMX trans is heavy and temperamental. The 390/C6 combo would be the way to go. But Ford puts 2bbl carbs on everything but performance motors. I doubt it can compete on fuel economy with GM quadrajets. To many strikes against their drivetrain, moving on.
The Sport Fury looks great on the front end, I’m not sure about the rest of the car. The Monaco looks like it’s being pinched in the front end when viewed in profile. The Town and County is the most all around pleasing and has presence.
But I think my choice is the Abody Cutlass Wagon. Right sized and reliable, with neat skylights for the kids. A car to get me through the horrible 70’s and 80s’.
Now my only other question is safety. I wonder which is best. The quarter panel mounted gas tanks on some of these cars probably aren’t the safest.
Easy choice… a Pinto with the 2.0L and a stick. Add some Koni shocks and some wider hoops and it would be a fun little driver.
The problem is in 1972 the day of the station wagon had passed. Vans and later minivans, SUV’s and to a certain extent PU trucks would substitute for the All American Station Wagon. In the period from 1955 to 1965 it seemed to me that every 3rd or 4th car on the road was a station wagon. After this time you see less and less of them. I have owned a 1972 Plymouth station wagon and a 1962 Ford Fairlane station wagon. I have either driven or rode in 80% of all the station wagons from ’55 to ’65 at one time or another. The style of these years cars seemed to translate better to station wagon body style in my opinion. In fact I think the ’62-’63 Fairlanes, Tri Five Chevrolets, and the ’58-’59 Ramblers look better in their station wagon bodies than their sedan-hardtop-convertible configurations. The car bodies with lots of curves like post ’67 do not translate well to station wagons, just my opinion.
Full size: Mercury Colony Park w/wood paneling
runner up’s
Chrysler Town & Country
Buick Estate Wagon
Midsize: Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser
runner up’s
Mercury Montego Villager Wagon
Buick Sport Wagon