Hooniverse Wagon Wednesday – The Wagons at Orlando Classic Cars


Continuing Wagon Wednesdays… I thought I would bring you five great wagons offered at Orlando Classic Cars in Orlando Florida. Just as I did during Two-Wheel Tuesday, I will just present the Wagons with only the information provided by the dealer, and there will be a poll at the end.


Our first wagon is a 1958 Edsel Bermuda Wagon which is reported as only one of 892 built. This has all the elements we love in vintage wagons: Two Tone Paint, Wood-Grain Sides, Wonky Styling, and a useful interior. According to the dealer:

Very rare model with interesting history. Reported to have been built for the president of the California Cattlemans Association and features a unique custom cow hide upholstery!


Mileage is undisclosed, but just look at this car…. Asking price is $35,000. See the listing here.

Here is a 1962 Rambler Cross Country Wagon, and if it looks familiar, then you may remember it from the Barrett Jackson Auctions. This is a one owner car, and according to the dealer:

Just in. California car. One family owned for over 40 years. Six cylinder, automatic, seats fold into bed. Excellent car. Very original. Call or email for info and detailed photos.


This is the last year for this body before the totally new 1963 models were introduced, and was also the last year that AMC used the push-button Automatic selector. The price is a little steep for a Rambler at $19,900. See the listing here.

Here is our next wagon, which is a 1964 Chevrolet Fire Chief Response Wagon, presented in the fictitious Mayberry Volunteer Fire Department livery. I don’t know what model this Chevy Wagon is, but I do know it at least has a V-8 and an Automatic. It also looks like it has vintage radio equipment, vintage emergency lighting, and other emergency type equipment. This is a flawless vehicle, and a bit pricey at $26,500. See the listing here.

Here is a 1969 Ford Country Squire that was featured in Motor Trend Clssics long with 1969 Chevrolet Kingswood Estate Wagon. According to the dealer:

Recently featured in Motor Trend magazine retrospect along with a Chevy Kingswood. This Country Squire is powered by a 429 4 bbl V8 factory rated @ 360 horsepower and features hide-a-way headlights, air conditioning, power steering, power brakes and power windows. Very nice condition.


The car shows 55,000 miles, and is actually reasonably priced at $17,900. See the listing here.

Our last wagon from Orlando is this 1983 Mercedes Benz 300 TD. However, there is a surprise under the hood that once housed a Three Litre Turbo Diesel…. It was replaced with a 383 Chevy Stroker! According to the dealer:

A professionally modified sport wagon. This pristine low mile turbo diesel Mercedes wagon has been fitted with a high performance Chevy V8 with an estimated 400 plus horsepower teamed to a 700R4 automatic with overdrive. The previous owner reports 1/4 mile times of 12.9 seconds and 20 mpg! Also features later model Mercedes chrome wheels and a Nardi steering wheel. Tastefully modified, excellent workmanship and a real sleeper! You’ll be impressed! The car handles and performs excellent. It’s docile around town until you put your foot into it! You’ll get a kick out of watching the jaws drop as cars disappear in your rear-view mirror!


Mileage is unknown. Is this car now worth more to you, or less? Asking price for this Frankenstein Monster is $19,900. See the listing here.
[poll id=”76″]

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  1. $kaycog Avatar
    $kaycog

    I like Edsels, and that Bermuda Wagon fascinates me, as I don't remember ever seeing one. I think it's the two-tone paint with the wood-grain that I find so unique.

  2. tonyola Avatar
    tonyola

    1964 Chevy – Points off for fake fire livery. Had this been authentic, it might have been a keeper. The '64 to me is the least attractive of the '61-'68 Chevies.
    Edsel – I know collectors that will drool over this car, but it's really no different than a '58 Ford to drive. I do love those weird boomerang taillights though.
    Ford – Points for powerful and gas-sucking drivetrain and lots of goodies, but it's still a post-'68 bloatmobile and therefore a little less desirable than earlier Squires. A little on the pricey side.
    Rambler – Clean but dull. Not a hardtop wagon like some earlier Ramblers. Not even an Ambassador.
    Mercedes – Intriguing, but did a desirable diesel model have to die for this?

    1. facelvega Avatar
      facelvega

      I'm surprised to hear you ask for authentic livery here after you just trashed the idea of patina in the other thread. Where do you stand on this question of keeping the signs of a car's previous life versus restoration? To me it's an interesting question, not just for cars but for everything from houses to cuff links.
      Agree generally that it's a tough call voting for one of these, as each has its pros and cons. A slightly earlier Ford or better a slightly later Rambler would solve this for me. Or even a Mercedes with the diesel and in a better color.

      1. tonyola Avatar
        tonyola

        If this was an authentic fire car, I would have no problem fixing up the cosmetics as long as the original appearance was kept intact. As far as I can tell, this is a regular Chevy wagon dolled up to look like a fire car. I would think that the seller would make a point of this car being the real thing if it were so. It's like making a fake cop car out of a regular sedan – might appeal to some but it's still a bit of a fraud. I'd rather see a nicely restored example than a scruffy one.

        1. facelvega Avatar
          facelvega

          In my neighborhood there's a Series III Rover 109 that somebody imported from a fire department in the Austrian alps. It's about the most Brooklyn car I've ever seen.

          1. raphaelinberlin Avatar
            raphaelinberlin

            are these the droids you are looking for?
            <img src="http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/190503_10150095776890806_570170805_6796418_2414649_n.jpg&quot; width="500">

          2. facelvega Avatar
            facelvega

            That's the guy. I never seem to have my camera on me when I spot it. It says "freiwillige Feurwehr Thaur" on the side in what I'm confident in saying is not fake livery. It also makes all those G-Wagen poseurs, FJ40 hounds, and International Scout yuppies in the neighborhood tremble with envy. And me. But if I get my bro to send over one of those Turkish Desoto trucks, I'll try to park next to him as much as possible.

          3. raphaelinberlin Avatar
            raphaelinberlin

            it seems like there's a tightly knit Landie community in NYC – apparently only so many come up for sale and everyone sees the same cars when they're on auction – I bumped into a guy while photographing this one and he seemed to know the thing back to front

        2. facelvega Avatar
          facelvega

          Oh, somehow I just saw a fake fire dept car, and didn't notice that it actually says "Mayberry" on it until just now. Ick.

      2. IronBallsMcG Avatar
        IronBallsMcG

        I agree with Tonyola on both points. Patina is way overrated and there is something cheesy about a fake "Mayberry" fire car.

  3. BGW Avatar
    BGW

    I really like the idea of a sleeper 300D Wagon, but (European car larger than a 2-seat roadster) + SBC is getting a little old for my tastes.
    That Country Squire makes me all a-tingle. Plus, it's big enough for me to live in when She Who Must Be Obeyed tosses me out for blowing $18K on a 40+ year old car.

  4. Jim-Bob Avatar
    Jim-Bob

    I like W123 wagons WITH their original OM-617 diesel under the hood. Sorry but the SBC/Auto swap makes it lose all of it's charm for me. I voted for the Edsel. It's quirky and weird with it's two tone plus woodgrain exterior and all of those wacky Edsel styling cues. Plus, the cowhide upholstery is odd enough to be endearing. None of the other wagons come close to the level of legitimate character this one has. It also fits in with my love of unloved cars and brands. Heck, I'd rather be seen in this than a brand new Ferrari 458 just because it is far more exclusive and it would paint me as far more of an oddball. I may like both but the Edsel lets me not fit in with the normal people far better than any Ferrari ever could and I wouldn't have it any other way.

  5. RichardKopf Avatar
    RichardKopf

    I could do without the cowhide inside, but I love that Edsel.

  6. Age_of_Aerostar Avatar
    Age_of_Aerostar

    Even though the Edsel intrigues me, (2 tone paint AND wood siding….. sweet) I voted Country Squire. One day I will one one of those.

  7. Age_of_Aerostar Avatar
    Age_of_Aerostar

    Side question…. reading this article made me look at the Motor Trend Classic magazine….. seems that it is 4 issues a year for $60. Not quite what I was expecting.
    Has anyone here gotten a hold of one? Has a subscription? Is it worth it, any good???

    1. facelvega Avatar
      facelvega

      we could use an equivalent to Classic and Sportscar or Thoroughbred and Classic Cars here– the Germans have one, the French, well, are french. It's definitely true that Hemmings and the various rod magazines don't really do this, but I'm not convinced that Motor Trend Classic will really be the answer. It's a bit thin on material and lacks the sufficient separation from the parent journal to be convincing in its own light. It looks alright, though. For now, I'll keep reading the English ones.

      1. tonyola Avatar
        tonyola

        The US has had the excellent Collectible Automobile magazine since 1984 – a well-produced and ad-free bimonthly with noted authors and fine photography. It concentrates more on the cars and personalities than the collecting hobby itself.
        <img src="http://www.magazineline.com/images/covers/EWQbig.jpg&quot; width="300/">

        1. facelvega Avatar
          facelvega

          Yeah, Collectible Automobile is alright. I forget them because they never seem to have them at the newsstands when I'm browsing the others. My favorite though is the german Motor-Klassik, just because Editor-in-Chief Malte Jurgens looks like Burl Ives as Frosty the Snowman:
          <img src="http://www.derzwickauer.de/sachsen_classics_322.jpg"&gt;

          1. tonyola Avatar
            tonyola

            He could also be David E. Davis' evil twin.
            <img src="http://www.roadandtravel.com/company/pressreleases/images/davidedavis.jpg"&gt;

          2. facelvega Avatar
            facelvega

            I'm pretty sure Davis would be the evil brother. Juergens is more in the jolly-old-elf category from the pics I've seen, like this:
            <img src="http://www.kaiserpreis.de/deu/d_Home/Siegerehrung/Sieger-Malte.jpg"&gt;

        2. Black Steelies Avatar

          A side note, I just read about that Biscayne concept restoration last time I walked into Barnes and Noble. Very cool.

        3. Age_of_Aerostar Avatar
          Age_of_Aerostar

          I'll check it out next time, thanks!

  8. dukeisduke Avatar
    dukeisduke

    I'd take the '69 Ford *and* the '69 Kingswood Estate if I could get it.

  9. B72 Avatar
    B72

    I voted for the rambler because the seats fold into a bed and yet it still manages to come across as boring. Talk about a sleeper!

  10. From_a_Buick_6 Avatar
    From_a_Buick_6

    I'll take the Country Squire. The '67-'68 is much more appealing, and the interior is plastic fantastic, but I've always liked that '69 LTD front end with the hidden headlights. Besides, you just can't ever go wrong with a Country Squire, period.

  11. Black Steelies Avatar

    The Mayberry wagon is a bit kitschy, but that appeals to some.
    I think the action shot of the Ford Squire wagon really sealed the deal. It's just the coolest looking thing up there.

  12. topdeadcentre Avatar
    topdeadcentre

    Edsel Bermuda Wagon. It's wacky, weird and wonderful.
    The Country Squire comes in a close second, though. I could actually drive it without causing huge disruptions in the wordwide tastefulness field, which means it'd be easier to drive to work or the lumberyard or camping up in New Hampshire.