Laurence Jones 1960's, Chevrolet, General Motors, Station Wagon, Streets of San Francisco

(Found In) The Tenderloin (San Francisco, California): 1964 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova 400 Station Wagon

image (6) One must remember the scope and power of General Motors in the early 1960’s. When the Corvair didn’t conquer all, becoming the #2 sales holder among all domestic compact cars, Chevrolet and General Motors were not satisfied enough with quarter million rear-engined wonders that buyers chose.

Crash development to add an additional compact to the Chevrolet line started immediately. This brought no less that 5 miniature motoring experiences to the General Motors fold by 1962. What made the Chevy II so unique among all of those offerings?
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Laurence Jones 1960's, Ford Motor Division, Mercury, Station Wagon, Streets of San Francisco

(Found In) South Of Market (San Francisco, California): 1963 Mercury Meteor Custom Station Wagon

13895026_1232262606784763_38402590838525256_n We’ve covered the fall to earth of the 1962-63 Mercury Meteor before. What we didn’t cover were the distinct efforts of metal these Mercurial beasts were offered in. From bargain to slightly brash, it’s kind of a sad story that the 1-2-3 diversity left Mercury dealers with a plethora of plodding ambiguity.

Today we swap out the dashing, dapper coupe version for something far more practical. Spacious, savvy and spoiled with options, the upmarket Meteor Wagons should have been bigger hits.

 
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Laurence Jones 1970s, Ford, Ford Motor Division, Outside in Oakland, Station Wagon

(Found In) Fairview Park (Oakland, California): 1972 Ford Pinto Squire Station Wagon

24694209420_56de8de8fb_hGiven the lawsuits and safety concerns about their fuel tanks; its often forgotten these days that the Ford Pinto was a rousing success for Ford in the Early 70’s. Upon introduction the frolicsome combination of sprite, plucky nature and a reasonable entry price made the Ford Pinto seemingly like the answer to the onslaught of Subcompact imports flooding the American Automotive Market.

Ford upped the versatility quotient to match Chevrolet’s Vega with first a Hatchback, then the Station wagon model for 1972. The Squire option brought enough charm for housewives and handymen a plenty to consider the smallest by a large margin of Ford Haulers. In a way, its the ultimate expression of the virtues early Pintos contained.

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Laurence Jones 1960s, General Motors, Opel

(Found In) Lower Haight (San Francisco, CA): 1968 (Buick) Opel Kadett Station Wagon

9319809292_59693dfe72_z As omnipresent as the original Volkswagen Beetles continue to be some 35+ years after the last one was sold in the United States, one forgets that it wasn’t always the only import popular with American audiences before Civic/Corolla domination. In fact, the quite often second most popular import in America could be found in your Buick dealer, via Germany.

General Motors had from time to time given its American brands something different to sell. Their were the price gap cars that came at the end of the Roaring Twenties. In fact, Pontiac cannibalized parent brand Oakland during that period. When foreign car popularity took off in the Mid 50’s and more buyers craved more sensible cars, General Motors took to importing their overseas offerings. Pontiac offered Vaxhalls from the UK. Buick offered Opels from Germany.

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Laurence Jones 1960s, Station Wagon, Studebaker

(Found In) Alberta Arts District (Portland): 1963 Studebaker Wagonaire Station Wagon

10406728_10152113960137201_2508588378875276034_nSome of the best ideas come out of the most desperate and dark hours. In the early 60’s with a non-existent budget, Studebaker threw everything they possibly could in every niche direction. Had those innovate ideas on wheels went anywhere there was a host of concepts of where to go if they got enough money in the bank.

Alongside the Personal Lux Pioneer Phoenix Grand Turismo Hawk and the Thunderbird/Corvette love child that was the Avanti, Studebaker decided to innovate the way wagons earned their keep on the trusty old Lark platform. All it took was a hole in the roof.

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Laurence Jones 1970s, Chrysler, Plymouth

(Found In) Guerneville (California) – 1971 Plymouth Satellite Regent Station Wagon

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Once upon a time in America, the Station Wagon once reigned as the ultimate Suburban Status Symbol. Costing more than convertibles for their extra utility, each manufacturer south of the top luxury brands scrambled and served up the finest confections they could possibly think of to the discerning growing families on cul-de-sacs nationwide.

Plymouth, once a provider of sensible small steel wagons in the early fifties had latched onto the faux pretense of wood paneling suburban good taste as 2 decades passed. The heavy influence of The Ford Country Squire made sure that image was part and parcel of most family conveyances. To deviate from this norm typically meant death to your Station Wagon business.

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