Okay campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties ’cause it’s cooooold out there today! Bonus points for those of you who recognize that quote.
But let us think of other things, like looking at cool old cars back when it was still nice and warm outside. Thanks to my 1,000-odd photos of car show and cruise night cars, we can pretend it’s summer all year long! As long as you don’t go outside…
Today we are going to be focusing on a more uncommon board of fare–sedans, wagons and, yes indeed folks, straight sixes. I know, yay! Let’s get things underway with this nicely optioned 1967 Nova sedan.
This is not a plain-Jane Chevy II, but a Nova, with nicer upholstery and even fake wood on the door panels! I believe this interior color was called Fawn.
Despite the extra gingerbread, this car still has a very purposeful interior–aftermarket steering wheel notwithstanding.
And here’s the beautiful heart of this classic Chevy compact–the 250 inline six. It is nicely dressed up to, with a chrome valve cover–I believe this may have been part of a factory upgrade, and not aftermarket. Maybe one of you fine folks can clear that up?
I really liked this car. The deep turquose paint and chrome trim made it look really good–as did the accessory wire wheel covers. That is the owner in the background, and no, he was not mad at me. In fact he and I talked Novas and classic non-Camaro, non Chevelle Chevrolets for a few minutes.
And wagons! Yep, wagons are making a comeback; at cruise-ins, anyway. This 1969 Country Squire is a regular.
Blue on blue with the ubiquitous Squire Di-Noc sides, it looked good with its whitewalls and dog-dish hubcaps.
I always liked the interior of the 1969-70 big Fords. I especially like the radio on the left. The Dads of the late ’60s who bought these new probably liked it too: “No way the kids’ll be screwing with the stations on THIS car!”
This one was not restored, but a very well preserved original, with assorted bumps and bruises. I liked it all the more for that reason.
This nice old Rambler wagon also caught my eye. The maroon over rose paint job really drew me in. “Why only one photo, then Tom” you may ask. Well, several weeks earlier I spotted it in a decidedly more Curbside situation. So you will see more of this classic AMC–someday!
Ho-hum, another Nova with Rally wheels, big whoop. Au contraire! This one does not have the bellybutton 350 shoehorned into it.
Nope, another nice six with the nice chrome valve cover–this time the 194, judging from the air cleaner decal. How refreshing!
The red interior was very nice too. I’ve always had a thing for white, silver or black cars with red interiors.
Zackman might like this one: A 1964 Bel Air. No, no yellow Impala convertible, but unlike when they were new, the Bel Air sedan is much less frequently seen.
It was nice and original, save the slotted mags, which look pretty good on it. Yep, four taillights–it’s a Bel Air!
Here was a nice original Chevy fastback sedan. I believe this one is a ’50, since it’s missing the extra teeth in the lower grille that the ’49 had.
I love these 1949-52 GM fastbacks. They’re so sleek and attractive. Unfortunately buyers disagreed, with the notchback sedans far outselling the once-popular fastback. The Chevy versions were put out to pasture after ’52.
No restoration on this one. I loved the car even more for it.
How about another wagon? This one was a ’69 Fairlane 500, with only some Torque-Thrust wheels to differentiate it from its original showroom appearance. It was cool.
There’s that Magic Doorgate–the feature that helped make FoMoCo king of the wagon hill in the Sixties and well into the Seventies.
I am pretty sure the two-tone white and aqua paint on this 1965 Coronet wagon was not factory, but it looked great.
So did the wheels, which made it look like something that may have towed one of the Mopar altered-wheelbase dragsters to the strip forty-odd years ago.
And I am always a sucker for a nice old car with an aqua interior. Sorry JP, I don’t think this was for sale.
We’ve seen the wagons and four-door sedans, so how about a VW Bay Window Westy?
Check out those seats; yikes! Herb Tarlek would have been right at home.
I’ve always loved these things. Back in ’89 I got to ride in one over the Mackinac bridge, as a friend of my parents who lived in Mackinaw city had a faded orange one. It was my first ride in a VW bus. His wasn’t a full-blown Westy–no pop-top for starters–but it did have the table in it.
This shot of the VW and a similarly-hued ’71 Boss 351 will give you an idea of the variety at this show. That said, there were plenty of 1964-66 Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes–when isn’t there?
But this had to have been the most exotic vehicle at the show–a Toyota Stout. Obviously modified, but still an amazing site to see. Thanks to this post at CC, I immediately identified it.
Other than the drastic changes to the wheelwells and suspension, this looked to be quite original. Certainly original patina! It was pretty neat.
I really liked the instrument panel on it too–and the horn ring! Those buttons on the left reminded me of the “typewriter keys” of the Mopar Torqueflite buttons of the ’50s and ’60s.
Yes, that is a C5 Corvette engine in there. Must have had to get really creative to fit it in there, as this truck was about the size of an S10. Bigger than a Hilux, but not by much.
Well, hope this little tour warmed you all up. Now repeat after me: Summer is coming, summer is coming…
“It’s cold out there everyday, What is this, Miami beach?”
A very nice selection of “ordinary” cars, I particularly like the ’69 Ford.
Thanks Tom,love the wagons especially the Fords.6s are the forgotten American car engine,I hate hearing how a 6 was pulled out and a V8 shoved in.I saw quite a lot of sedans and wagons like this as a kid in 60s Britain as both sets of Grandparents lived near a large USAF base The CC effect strikes again as I’ve just watched Sons of Anarchy with the Sons having a shoot out with bad asses in 64 Impalas.Sadly many of these cars were often gutted for their engines or used for parts cars for the more desirable convertibles,coupes or tyre burner models
Thanks for the pictures from the car show. I especially enjoyed the 69 Country Squire.
A dad of a childhood friend was a salesman at the new Ford dealership in town about 1969 or so. He would occasionally shuttle his son and I to the swimming pool in one of these at the time new Fords.
I definitely remember what I thought was the strange placement of the radio.
More so I remember what was the even stranger placement of the ashtray.
I believe the ashtray was placed to the right of the drivers pod , and when pulled out
was angled 45 degrees toward the passenger.
My friends Dad ,who it seemed always had a Tareyton Cigarette burning while driving did mention something to the effect “What were they thinking when they designed this car?”
My Dad had a 69 LTD, and I can recall spilled ashes all around that odd ashtray, that was quite a reach. Tareytons as well, now that you mention it. I guess that’s what vent windows were for anyway.
Another fan of the Ford wagons. Those 69 Squirew were everywhere once upon a time and probably the overall nicest wagon out there. Amazing to find an original one in the midwest as they were championship rusters. Also love that Mopar wagon. I had never noticed until I saw one of this generation in person, but what a graceful slope the back ends of these have.
That first Nova looks like it may havd received a whole new steering column. the white Nova has a shift indicator low on the IP, but the sedan has one sticking up from the column.
And count me into the fan club for that fastback Chevy Fleetline.
We rented full size Ford wagons for family holidays in America and Canada in the 60s and 70s.I don’t ever recall us having a woody but we had a similar 69 Ford wagon a couple of times.Full size,no wood,lights like the Fairlane wagon,V8 auto and air con,manual windows.
I too, especially enjoy the Ford wagons. Nicely sized and styled. These seemed cleaner than their subsequent models in the early 1970s.
The family of a childhood friend had an option on their ’69 Ranch Wagon, I don’t recall seeing often. Theirs didn’t have the roof rack with the integrated rear window air deflector at the rear. Instead their rear window wind deflectors consisted of vertical chromed ‘wings’ on each of the wagon’s ‘D’ pillars. It looked cool. Don’t know if they worked effectively, keeping the dust and snow off of the rear windows.
I looooove the ’50 Chevy Fleetline 4 door…one of my favorites. The Grabber Lime ’71 Boss 351 is great, too…my Dad had a Mach 1 in that color before I was born.
I feel the same way about those Fleetlines, and have since I was a kid. There was one around town, with splendid patina and lowered just a wee bit, but that was just before I started shooting cars.
Well we shot the line
And we went for broke
With a thousand screamin’ trucks
And eleven long haired friends of Jesus
In a chartreuse microbus
10-4!
That bay window Westy is a dead ringer for my first Bus. The color (bali yellow IIRC), blue and green plaid seats and a terrible automatic gearbox. I stopped driving that when I was 16 and it is the sole automatic vehicle I have owned.
Groundhog day! I’ve got you babe!
Was the movie “Groundhog Day”?
Like the Country Squire the best. Those dog dishes don’t look right on that car though…especially with the trim rings IMO.
My below post expresses the same doubt about dog dishes and beauty rings being “correct” on the Country Squire . . . . to my recollection, they came standard with full wheel covers whereas the Ranch Wagons and Country Sedans did have the dog dishes standard . . . .
Definitely not correct, the dog dish on the car is correct, but not the trim ring. Most of these had a stamped tin full cover like this.
That’s a sweet looking Dodge Coronet wagon!
So, speaking of that Coronet, is that a 4-speed in there?
Yes it it, and it’s a dead ringer for the first car I ever drove, our family wagon. Needless to say, it didn’t have the four speed. I strongly suspect that was done later.
Actually, putting an SBC in an S-10 is pretty easy. They were designed in such a way that it could have been done at the factory, had GM chosen to build them that way. Motor mounts line up, and everything.
Makes sense- The S-10 came from the factory with the 4.3 V-6, a chopped off 5.7 V-8. Based on that, the bellhousing matches the block, and the frame rails and engine bay can accomodate the small block’s width. From there you just need enough length to accept two additional cylinders.
Looks like this was a pretty good show. Lots of interesting iron. Those 6 cylinder Novas are very nice. There was a factory chrome dressup option for these engines, though I’ve only ever seen them on ’64 and ’65 Malibus. It may have been available on Novas as well. I’m wondering about the white one, the tube header suggests maybe a little more than a stock 194.
It is nice to see that some sixes have survived, most of these cars were built that way. I once saved all summer to buy a red on red ’67 Nova SS with a six and powerglide, but it sold just before I could swing the deal. It’s still around in stock form some 30 years later, which probably wouldn’t be the case if I had been successful in purchasing it. I was pretty PO’d when it happened but I’m kind of glad now.
I like the 4 speed on the Mopar wagon. Bet it hauls the groceries!
Thanks for this great variety of offbeat car show pics Tom.
In my area, the Chevy II/Nova sedan had to be the ultimate 60s utility car. To see one with wires wheels and funky caps, seems so out of place. I recall so many of them were sold in white or pastel metallic colors.
Don’t know if it was primarily because of a lack of a strong dealer network, or they just didn’t last. But I recall seeing few Ramblers on the roads in Canada, by the early 70s.
It’s so easy on early Japanese vehicles, to guess where their styling was derived from. An ode to the International pickup here.
I like when GM dressed-up their economy cars like the Chevy II/Nova. I thought they scrubbed-up real nice with their wires and whitewalls or mags and RWLs and if you squint real hard you can just barely make out that future Seville ;)… kidding
I totally agree. It was nice to see such a clean design. But I think Canadian buyers bought them for economy more than anything, as so many Novas/Acadians were of the bread and butter variety. With the plainest interiors and wheel covers. It was in the 70s that you saw more of the modified versions here. Same with the Falcons and Comets, and Valiants, for that matter. It seemed so rare to hear a compact with anything but a six, here. You had to go looking for Comets. From what I saw on the roads, Canadians often bought base models back then, whatever the make or size.
Love the first generation Sevilles, they were original. Too bad that GM created a number of poser models, at other divisions, that cribbed the style from it. Don’t like the second and third generations so much. The ’92 was a winner. BTW, do you remember the early 80s NBC series “Sheriff Lobo” with Claude Akins? As a Sheriff, he used to drive a first generation Seville as his patrol car. It was cool to see it done in police mode.
“Too bad that GM created a number of poser models”
Absolutely, as previously documented right here
Yes, but those “posers” came out after the Seville changed to another whole bodystyle, see-1980, also, so what? Was GM the only company NOT allowed to copy one if its own successful cars? But it was OK for Lincoln and Dodge to spawn their own Seville copy cat cars?
Sure, it’s OK, whatever it takes to sell a car, it just diluted what was special about the cars that were copied, be it GM, Ford or Chrysler all were guilty
I thought the Seville look-alike ’81 Imperial and ’82 Continental, were quite unoriginal with their copycat bustleback treatments. A style that evoked mixed reactions, in the first place. And they were rewarded with so-so sales.
I was referencing the first generation Seville, with my comments. Customers were prepared to pay Cadillac a brand premium price for a Seville hoping to achieve that exclusively. Putting out a basic bread and butter Cutlass that looks remarkably like the premium priced car a few years later, erodes loyalty and devalues the original. How could it not? Whether it’s GM, Ford or Toyota. Well, not unless you bought that Cutlass or Century, I guess. Then you’d be ecstatic that you bought a Cutlass that looks like a baby Seville, for thousands less. Just add some wire wheel covers.
I know many manufacturers do it. That’s totally fine. But they shouldn’t be surprised if their premium brand sales are affected, by diluting exclusiveness. If a Mercury looks like a Ford, with a fancier grill, and bigger price. I’ll look more closely at the Ford, thanks. It would almost be like Ford making the current Focus have many styling cues that evoke the late 60s Mustang. This being in addition to the current Mustang doing the same thing. I think a lot of people would call Ford out.
Well put, Daniel
I really want to cheer for GM, and any manufacturers that generate jobs and wealth here in North America. As kid, I used to have a strong allegiance to Chrysler products, but after enough bad cars and poor dealer experiences, I chose to not to cheer for any specific manufacturer. As they have no commitment to me. But I want them to succeed, so I’ll state what I think they need to do to get back on top.
I loved the first Seville. It was so fresh and timeless. Like the original Toronado.
WOW! This was a car show I would have loved to visit.
I am especially fond of the Chevy 250 six, because Dad’s 1966 red Impala sports sedan had one with a powerglide. I could have “killed” for that car, as it was so cool – until I bought my avatar, of course!
Mom and dad rarely went anywhere after dinner, so dad let me borrow the car to do a little cruising in, and cruise we did! Of course washing and waxing it every Sunday sure made dad’s car look good.
My 1972 Nova also had a 250. Yeah, I liked that, too.
Yes, I mightily approve of that 1964 Bel-Air!
Wagons, Ramblers and inline sixes? That’s what I call a Car Show! I’d love to have that Nova 4-door.
Sedan or not, I can dig that Bel-Air.
And seeing so many wagons merely reinforces my desire to own one. It’s gotta happen one of these days.
I recently learned that my grandfather – he of such things as the 454 Suburban (and my grandmother with her ’72 Skylark coupe at the same time) – owned a ’65 F85 wagon back in the day. Non-Vista, and a V8 of some sort too. Picture album hunt!
Those were some neat finds. I’d forgotten about the Fairlane station wagon. I know you can’t go home again, but I think I’d seriously drop some coin on a car like that… Sweet!
A childhood friend’s dad owned a ’69 Ranch Wagon, that was heavily rusted by the mid 70s. I remember them telling me once, an 80lb.+ part literally fell off in their driveway. My friend’s dad managed to pull it free as it started to sag underneath. It looked like some sort of gas tank guard. Not sure. It was a large, tent-shaped steel plate with a right angle in the middle. Ran the width of the car, by the tank. Very heavy gauged steel and covered in rust. They left it to the side of their driveway for several years, as it was so heavy to move. It was easy to see why these wagons weighed so much.
Love them all, and oddly enough being a diehard Ford guy I love that Deuce 4 door the best. I had a great aunt way back when that had a gold ’67 that had the same color interior, loved that car. She replaced it in ’70 with a Deuce 4 door, gold-on-gold (or Fawn), go figure. That one ended up being her last car before giving up on driving in ’79 due to failing eyesight, and unfortunately the ’70 showed it.
Love the fastback Chev not enough left the Novas look unusual until I see the engine then I could be looking at a Holden but for the distributor placement, and Ive done a lot of kms in a VW van that model twin carb 1800 suitcase motor they went ok except up hill, Great selection especially leaving out Mustangs and Camaros.
No need for Di-Noc… those plain sided wagons give me a Woody. While I’m punning around, I might as well suggest that a VW Westy on the Mackinac Bridge would HAVE to be full-blown. I can’t imagine what that adventure must have been like—although the Yugo driver who blew over the side years ago probably could.
How about a drag race between the Vauxhall Victor and the automatic VW Westfalia bus . . . . ??
Speaking of fastbacks, one guy imagined some 3d renderings about what if Ford had offered a 1949 fastback and Chevrolet a 1954 Bel Air fastback. http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/11/27/what-a-difference-a-roofline-makes/ One guy go a step further and imagined a 1953-54 Chevrolet fastback by grafting a 1949-52 fastback roof.
Nice car show pictures and (maybe I’m just getting older) – but – I would totally DIG having a plain-Jane or sparsely optioned clean cruiser with the ‘base model’ mechanicals. I like the wagons . . . but the wheels on these are “all wrong.” I don’t believe Country Squires had dog-dishes in the day, but had full wheel covers (optional on the Ranch Wagon and Country Sedan – BSW’s of course, were standard). And, why is it (and was as I used to see this on my many trips to Missouri in the 70s and 80s) that Midwesterners insist on slotted mag-type wheels or knock off Cragar S/S’s on sedans or classic (for the 21st Century) 60s (sedans/wagons) cars? IMO it ‘ruins’ them – it did then and does now. Maybe it was cool in high school, but I think the cars would be more appealing in this day and age with an at-least-stock-looking exterior appearance.
I for one, dig the header on that white Nova with the six.
Clean car heaven ground zero is still the East Bay area of the San Francisco Bay Area . . . . . Contra Costa and Alameda Counties . . . . guarantee you won’t see a ’60’s Mopar wagon adorned with Pep Boys wheels . . .
Zackman may provide some insight on this . . . . but I believe in the mid-60s (sans the full size Chevies), if you ordered the 250 six, you were entitled to a dress-up kit (spring specials – maybe the ’67 spring special Camaro?) . . . .
As a senior in high school during my Oct-Nov 1976 car shopping spree, I did look at (briefly) a Nova Coupe that had the 250 badge and a chrome dress up kit in the engine bay . . . . this had the original rallye wheels, whitewalls and good old P R N D L Powerglide.
Well, all I know is that you could order a super sport with a six cylinder, and one could get the F41 suspension package as well.
When are we going to see more photos of the Aerostar that is in the background of one of the 1967 Nova photos?
I have never been in a vehicle with such a driver oriented dashboard as that Country Squire. I would like to have that experience someday.
I really like that 1950 Chevy fastback sedan, I wonder if the rear seat folded down? It is almost a Chevy Hatchback and it is a bummer GM would begin stumbling just a decade or so later.
What a cool Kombie, but it must be so slow with that slush box.
Neat Stout, but a bit out there for me.
Ah, Bill Murray, master of deadpan delivery. Great write up Tom, it’s not cold here, it’s about 28 Celsius out on a beautiful New Years Eve afternoon! I just spent 30 minutes outside in the sun and heat replacing a headlight bulb (inaccessible from the engine bay so the whole headlight has to come out, thanks Nissan!). The hot sun reminded me my hair’s thinning a tad on top… I’m not a fan of the heat so I’m back in my office with the a/c wafting icey cold air in my general direction!
Great variety of cars featured – the Nova really suits that lovely blue. It’s the first Nova I’ve seen that I’d give a second glance to. That Kombi’s colour scheme would be quite challenging tomorrow morning if the owner over-indulged tonight (NZ time) at a New Year’s Eve celebration!
I really love the fastback Chev, there’re a few 2 door fastbacks here but I’m not sure I’ve seen the 4 door version before. Styley! (And don’t hate me for this, but I’d love to have seen Boyd Coddington or Chip Foose do a version of the fastback sedan!)
Question to the Mopar knowledgista: on the ’65 Coronet: the rearmost side glass looks the same as on the 1960 wagons, anyone know if it is for sure? Is the roof/inner structure the same too? (Under the updated panels and trim). Enqiring minds waould love to know!
That four-door Nova is super boss.
Years ago I had a vehicle that would have been right at home amongst those other Plain Janes, a ’70 El Camino with all of one option, a TH350, Just a 250 six, manual steering and brakes, rubber mat flooring, radio delete, and dog dishes. Alas, I sold it to bail my late older brother out of jail for one of his several DUI’s…
That Coronet wagon is sex on torq thrusts! The 4 in the floor cant possibly be factory, but it oozes awesome.
Really loving all the wagons. And, the blue, 1967 Nova 4-door sedan is a real beaut! Also very much like the white Nova with the red interior; just a great combo. The fastback 1950 Chevy is pretty nice, too.
“not restored, but a very well preserved original, with assorted bumps and bruises”
what I call “the patina of authenticity”
Great shots – can I come next time?
Sure, but it’s a bit of a drive 🙂
In case no one said it, the beginning quote sound like the one from Groundhog’s Day. I met Andie MacDowell last year. She’s from SC so she occasionally visits the area….still very pretty in person.
I’ve developed quite a love from the more unappreciated classics, the four-doors and six cylinder models. I was able to buy a nearly original, great condition 65 Belvedere II 4-door with the slant six and three-on-the tree. An old man had owned it since 68 and repainted it in the 2000’s. Everything else was original from the good-condition carpeting and upholstery to the hubcaps. I wanted a classic driving experience and got it for cheap as opposed to spending 10 to 20 times more for a 2-door and/or V8 version. The slant has no problems pulling the car to interstate speeds and I drive it everywhere unworried by dents, scratches and depreciation…not that I’m careless with it.
The surprising thing is how much attention it gets. I really wasn’t wanting that nor expected it but it is nice for people to appreciate the rarity of the less chosen cars.