The 1954 Chevrolet Townsman

4 Door 8 passenger Station Wagon

MSRP: $2,263.00.

Produced: 8,156

Baer's owned one of these, but in "Skyline Blue".  We called it the "bitty blue bus".  Third seat faced forward and made for a fun ride with the cousins.

ENGINE: 235 cid 6 cyl.
HORSEPOWER: 125 hp
TRANSMISSION: Two-speed Powerglide

In 1954 Chevrolet's biggest motor was the

235 "Blue Flame" 6 Cylinder engine equipped with Powerglide automatic transmission.

All other GM divisions had V-8 engines, except Chevrolet.  Absent from their passenger car lineup for some years, Chevy didn't offer a V-8 again until 1955.

1954 Chevrolet Bel Air

4 Door 6 passenger Sedan

MSRP: $1,684.00

Produced: 248,750

Color: Black

Same engine was also in in my mother's '54 Bel Air, also with Powerglide. It was a black 4-door but with a white roof.

Car was handed down twice in the family from her father, to a brother, then her.  It was in rough shape, floor mats covered the holes in the floor.  I remember the day Parman's (on Monroe Street) hauled it away.  A few hours later they called a DOA.

1960 Oldsmobile Super 88 Fiesta

4 Door 6 passenger Station Wagon

MSRP: $3665.00 (two seat)

Produced: 3,765 (one of the smallest production runs that year.)

Color: Shell Beige

Our very first wagon came loaded with AC, leather seats, power windows, and a speed indicator that made us yell, "Go red Daddy!"  (Unlike this one, ours was in "Shell Beige".)

Handed down to us from Ken Sullivan.  Dad liked all the accoutrements and power.

ENGINE: 394 cid V-8
HORSEPOWER: 315 hp @ 4,600 rpm

TORQUE: 435 lb-ft @ 2,800 rpm

COMPRESSION RATIO: 9.75:1
TRANSMISSION: Three-speed automatic, Shift pattern: PNDSLR (an AAMCO special).

Come and get it! 

Not the Olds dealership in our town Madison, but this one sets the mood.

1963 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Fiesta

4 Door 9 passenger Station Wagon

(Let's call it The White Knight)

MSRP: $3,566.00

Produced:

Color: Provincial White

Same as our's, red interior, and small chrome hubcaps with matching white rims.  

ENGINE: 394 cid V-8
HORSEPOWER: 240 hp @ 4,200 rpm

TORQUE: 430 lb-ft @ 2,400 rpm
COMPRESSION RATIO: 10.25:1

TRANSMISSION: Three-speed Hydra-Matic "Slim Jim", PNDSLR shift pattern (AAMCO special).

Although (my) parents didn't attempt to skate and wear otherwise ridiculous clothing in the driveway, they did have a '63 Olds 88 wagon there.  It was our second wagon and second Oldsmobile in "Provincial White" as seen here. 

There were two other families within a block that owned one of these '63s.  A "Saddle Mist" one owned by the Brynelson's and aptly named the "golden bomb".  The other 88 was a "Midnight Mist" (deep blue) owned by our cousin's the Baer's, living on the same street.

Only had 14" rims for wheels, a bit odd for a full size car from the '60s.

Problem with these old wagons, couldn't really ride with tailgate window down. You'd get asphyxiated, but we liked it!

Scharchmobile

1967 Pontiac Catalina Wagon

4 Door 9 passenger Station Wagon

(The Batmobile)

MSRP: $3,374.00 base

Produced: 11,040

Color: "Montreux Blue"

Time to switch brands, so we thought - back in those days.  (It's still a GM ya idjut!)

ENGINE: 400-2v cid V-8
HORSEPOWER: 290 hp

TRANSMISSION: Three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic

Shift pattern: PRNDSL (Normal!)

Options: AC, PS, & PB

SHIPPING WEIGHT: 4,340 lbs.

Green Lake, WI in summer 1969.  Paula, Stacy, and Stan. 

I rode backward with Stan in the third seat.  How'd we fit all that luggage in there too??

1972 Pontiac Safari Wagon

4 Door 9 passenger Station Wagon

(The Hearse)

MSRP: $4,372.00 base

Produced:

Color: "Antique Pewter"

ENGINE: 400-2v cid V-8
HORSEPOWER:175 hp SAE net @ 4,000 rpm

TORQUE: 310 lb-ft @ 2,400 rpm

COMPRESSION RATIO: 8.20:1

TRANSMISSION: Three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic

Options: AC, PS, & PB

SHIPPING WEIGHT: 4,310 lbs.

Dad took the photo of us in "The Hearse" on our way to Florida, about March 1972. 

Stuck in stop and go (roll) traffic for about an hour, Dad decides to go for a jog... down the shoulder of Interstate 75!  A newly licensed driver (Paula) was given command of the ship.  (I wanted to get out and jog with Dad.)  On board, Stew, Paula, Stan, Stacy, Mag, and Ted.  Stew made a bunch of sandwiches back in Madison, and carefully rationed them out to his stir-crazed siblings the whole trip down.  Again, Stan and I were relegated to "way back", the wagon's third seat.  But, luckily this time we were not forced to share with the suitcases.