If you want a well preserved one claimed to have under 25k on it from new
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Man the tumble-home present on those C-pillars(over the back seat back)!
Lots of early to mid-1970s era full size GM, Ford, and Chrysler had wide tumble home, adding width that did not necessarily contribute to interior accommodation.
I remember, in the mid-70s development of the downsized GM B-Bodies, a lot of the weight reduction (not all of it) came from just reducing the amount of that side bulge, not to mention 2-3 feet reduced length overall. The same would happen with the new Panther-class full-size over at Ford.
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A coworker thought a full-size wagon with wood trim would be good for his daughter, until I pointed out a mattress fits in the back.
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In high school, my boss had a 65 ford wagon. I really liked that car. Ford seats fit me better and were more comfortable for me than Chrysler.
Those of us who grew up in the 1970s-1990s remember these models all too well, and wouldn’t want them today. In fact, the first vehicle which my parents owned that I would be willing to have again was the 1987-1991 Toyota Camry. And my family had two of them. Both went to the junkyard due to rust, still in good running condition. Now that I live in southern Arizona, I see these models on the road every now and then, never any rust.
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I believe the 77-96 B body frames to be one of the best designs ever. Oh what wonderful cars.
Wider or narrower seats? Softer?
I prefer those 1960s seats over modern church pews when going over bumps, although the modern seats have more lateral support for turns.
We had a 1977 Chevy station wagon. Maroon, of course. AC never worked, starter would need replacing every two years, terrible gas mileage. But it pulled a pop-up camper and my family from Texas to Pennsylvania and back the summer of 1982 (our three children do somehow still talk to me), memories I’ll never forget.
Forgot to note the car had the famous 350 V8 but produced only about 150 hp (emissions controls). Cars are so much better now if sometimes too electronic for me.
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Knew a couple people with the 78-83 generation Malibu wagon plus the 83 Malibu Sw parts runner at the trade school. Good cars overall if you can live with the vent windows. The 83 I drove around Seattle was decently powerful on the highway but fell on its face on the hill climb back to the school. 90 Celebrity wagon 3.0v6 didn’t really notice the hill.
The thicker tumble home had an advantage in side impact collisions.
So did, and do, side-impact beams in narrower-section doors.
There was a good YouTube on wagons of that generation or earlier. We were trading in our 57 ford on a 59 ford wagon. Beautiful blue car. We went pick it up one night and dad didn’t come out for a while. Then came out and said the deal is off. They wanted an extra $100 so he told them to shove it. We ended up then with the 58 Chevy wagon, same color but I really liked that 59. I don’t know if it was the hundred dollars or the principle of the thing. A deal is a deal. Drove chevies until the falcon and merc.
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