If you’re looking to beef up your obscure auto trivia knowledge, the Studebaker Wagonaire is one of the better merit badges to acquire. Made from 63-66, it featured a sliding rear roof section that allowed for the transport of taller items. In typical early-60s fashion, it was an interesting idea lacking in successful execution. Specifically, they leaked, dooming many to death-by-rust or death-by-expensive-rare-replacement-weatherstripping. Additionally, Brooks Stevens designed both the Wagonaire and Kaiser Jeep Wagoneer, and it shows. 

One of the cooler things Studebaker did was offer them with burly V8s, all the way up to the Paxton supercharged R3 models. [sc:ebay itemid=”121128331254″ linktext=”Today’s example” ] isn’t quite so awesome, but does offer a manual transmission and V8 combo.

This wagon sits at a three-way crossroad: with a few rust issues and a seized engine, it might just keep sitting until it rots or gets parted out. It’s not hopeless, so an intrepid soul might spend a few weekends getting that engine to fire, replacing every rubber line, and patching the floors to just get it on the road. Lastly, a former South Bend employee might just give it a full resto back to its original glory.

For the sub-$500 no-reserve price it’s at right now, I’d love to pick it up and take the middle road but I’ve already got a surplus of Brooks Stevens projects in my driveway. Maybe someone here can save it from the crusher.

[sc:ebay itemid=”121128331254″ linktext=”1964 Studebaker Wagonair for sale – eBay Motors” ]