A boardmember here has a real clean '72 Estate Wagon with only 80K miles on it. He tried ebay and craigslist for only $2800. last spring but couldn't get near that. It actually belongs to his dad. They don't want to sell it now. I don't understand why a junkyard piece with a blown engine is a great deal at 1500, but a nice clean ready to go Estate Wagon isn't even worthy of the price of a paint/body redo. Much less an engine rebuild.
Are you referring to the brown Estate Wagon with no AC down in the Atlanta area (I think)? If this is the one, I have wondered if the local market down there in the deep south was adverse to the lack of AC (unusual for an Estate Wagon). Too bad that car is not located way up north where the climate is a lot different because it is a nice wagon. At least at that price it probably won't end up at the demo derby. I remember another brown '72 Estate Wagon woody down in Florida a year or more ago loaded with an ASC sunroof, very, very nice one. Does anyone know what happened to that one? These clamshell wagons have a most peculiar following in foreign countries (like in Europe). They may indeed be a pure expression of American automotive style, bulk and luxury for that period. 5,500lbs (empty) comin' at 'ya, 7,500 lbs loaded with the family and the fuel. How much is petrol in Europe? Wow!
I didn't know I was going to be chastised for merely stating I would like to have the wagon. Where I live in NC, I surely don't want a wagon without an A/C.
Chastised? Hmmm, sorry it came across that way to you. I don't believe I was even addressing you in particular. I just thought that it was funny that people in general think a junkyard dog is such a good deal at 1500. yet, the same kind of car pretty well ready to go,despite no a/c, hardly gets a passing inquiry on this board,as the brown bomb my friend has tried to sell it here before for a mere 2800. with low mileage,nice paint,and running like new. A/C is not hard to install at all,mostly bolt on stuff. I have done a few myself. I wasn't directing my comment at any one in particular.
I think we can all agree that these clam shell wagons are really pretty neat wagons and are now getting some of the attention they did not get back in the day - which is a good thing, but too late considering how many have been destroyed at the demolition derby's recently. I know for me, they bring back fond memories of childhood ... Dad's '73 is the first car I remember. Fond memories. My experience with the "collecter" market and these older wagons is that most - not all - people want a turn-key wagon equipped the way they want with little work needed as opposed to a much larger group of buyers of other cars (Skylarks & GS's) willing to take on A LOT more of the fix-it-yourself stuff.
Do you mean this 73 Estate Wagon (VIN: 4r45t3c1185242)? If I remember well it was a CA car, but sold in FL: Clamshells have quite a huge following here (even my username on other boards is Harry (as in 'hairy' ) Clamshell :laugh: . Last weekend a friend managed to get his '71 Chevy powered clamshell in working order again. It is not only hard to get it done, but getting parts is hard as well.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5utBRHv9dfs In that movie you can see how we find an alternative for high gas prices ($10.00 p/gallon): LPG. I still need to convert my wagon to LPG, but I don't want to have that LPG tank in visible sight and loose space as in that Chevy. Probably I will get rid of the spare tire and install the LPG-tank there. BTW: looking for a lead to a 71-76 Buick Estate Wagon for sale: woody, AC, powered tailgate, power windows, roof rack.
Yep. This is the one. I see in the pics that it has CA blue license plates, so it was a CA from quite a while back. I really like this one. What happened to it? Does it have the Custom trim level "upscale" interior trim? So many of the really nice wagons I have seen lately have most of the power options, but seem to be lacking the upscale interior & 60/40 seats. These cars are such comfortable cruisers. Just to be clear, my prior comment about these wagons having a "peculiar following in Europe" is NOT derogatory, just a comment on how it seems counter-intuitive for such a large car. I mean, in Europe there are smaller roads, an infrastructure built on smaller vehicle spaces and sky-high gasoline (petrol) prices and yet, big American cars have quite a following. Where do you park the darn thing? I have to admit that after spending time in my Audi and then driving my '73 Centurion, it's like driving my living room down the road from the comfort of the recliner chair ... whoa ... and that's just a 2dr. These old full-size cars were really in their element driving on the open interstate highways at higher speeds all day long with the cuise control on.
What I remember is that the first time it was on eBay the FL seller had bought it earlier in CA. Later he sold it through eBay and rthe wagon went back to CA (St Monica) where it was again listed. Don't know what happened after the sale: Interior pics from the FA seller:
