I never see enough wagons; new or old. Especially old. And when I see one, I run towards it like a man possessed.
Which is exactly what I did chasing this clamshell down one and a half full-sized blocks of shopper-filled thoroughfare.
And all I got for my efforts was this shot.
Okay, fast-forward a bit and I’m wandering down the same thoroughfare, Chapel Street Melbourne.
Having just glided by me, this 1963 Chevrolet Impala comes to a stop at a red light. I remind myself of my foolish crusade for the clamshell that was also this far away as well when I first saw it. So a brisk walk then.
Got it.
Got a finger as well. hehehe
And it’s off.
Further Reading
CC of 1963 Impala 409 by Paul Niedermeyer
Capsule of 1963 Bel Air by Kevin Martin
CC of 1973 Caprice Clamshell by Paul Niedermeyer
Nice wagon. I also like classic wagons.
That said, I have always hated the 3 tail light per side look of those Impalas. It always seems to me that they added the tail lights on as an afterthought
I have a longstanding familiarity with these. Note your picture which shows the driver’s eyes at the same level as the top of the steering wheel? Completely normal. 🙂
I cannot say that I am a fan of fender skirts on a wagon that was not originally equipped.
I don’t think that the fender skirts do anything for it either. I don’t think this is a clamshell tailgate though, as the window retracts down into the gate and then the gate will open.
Last year for the clamshell tailgate was ’58. Our ’59 had the roll down window.
Yeah, don’t like the fender skirts either. Note the aluminum “wings” on either side of the back window. I come from a family of station wagoneers. We had them or a “wing” above the window. Kept road dust off the window. Most likely didn’t do anything good to the aerodynamics. But then again most station wagons, heck, most cars back in that era, where as aerodynamic as a brick anyway.
Wonderful pic JPC. Matching outfits, nicer wheels. Agree about the skirts, but its a minor quibble when it someone else’s car.
I Like The Wheels On JP Wagon Alot More Than The Blue One
Original Looking Classic car is The Best.
I’m a big fan of Station Wagons too. An enormous clamshell in Melbourne most be a rare site.
Of the ‘61-‘64 Chevy Wagons, the ‘63 is my favorite because it’s the only one with three lights like the other Impalas – just a matter of taste, I guess.
Great observation, I never noticed that.
My father had a ’64 with a single rectangular light per side but I thought (or assumed) that the ’61 & ’62 Impala wagon had three lights per side like the ’63.
and the 1963 Impala wagon is LHD in Oz. How rare is that?
Three Australian states permitted the registrations of left-hand-drive vehicles for many years: Northern Territory, South Australia (due to Pine Gap military base jointly operated by American, Australian, and British military forces), and Australian Capital Territory.
Since then, the LHD vehicles are permitted in entire Australia with lot of restrictions and stipulations along with approval on case-by-case basis. In a way, it is similiar to the ‘show or display’ rule in the United States.
The move was due to the preference of keeping vintage LHD vehicles in their original condition. In addition, it can cost up to AUD$10,000-15,000 to do the proper right-hand-drive conversion for one vehicle.
No real restrictions, other than the vehicle must be over 30 years old. Sure, you have to change the seat belts and headlights, perhaps the red indicators.
That’s about it in Queensland. My Buick is LHD, and can be driven legally anywhere in Australia.
Good catch too, Don.
The LR behind it can only hope it will be around 54 years from now.
Stupid question: Is the pointing up and thumb thing a rude gesture there? That pointer finger’s not the one I’d ordinarily recognize to be rudely gesturing.
No, I think its some sort of gesture of gnarly appreciation. Middle finger up is the rude one.
It appears to be lacking the Impala trim around the taillight cove as well as the argent paint within that trim, both hallmarks of a ’63 Impala. Note also the additional skeg below the side trim , to accommodate the shape of the bumper, as on the wagon, the rear fenders ran deeper to accept the tailgate.
Looks small compared to modern CUVs!
Nice 63 wagon!
I’m not convinced that’s a hostile gesture. Old wagon owners are famously friendly despite uniformly bad Melbourne traffic and the ever present possibility of overheating…
Reverse CC effect…recently, while driving (down Flinders Lane in the afternoon peak, 25 minutes from Spring to Elizabeth St!) two young guys near the Westin, who were likely Chinese tourists, started pointing and then taking photos of the 280. Um…OK…big smile…then one guy comes over and had a shot taken shaking hands (awkwardly, out of driver’s window), both laughing the whole time, then a halting “thank you.”
I suspect they didn’t know what it was, just different.
And look Curbsiders, Don risked arrest for our education fleeing through the Chapel St crowd like a shoplifter. Luckily he has an aura of gravitas and wisdom and the crowd probably parted as the Red Sea did for that other guy.
Your 280 has that effect on people. Like on me the other day. You need a colour-coordinated towel btw.
Very nice; but were the skirts a factory option? They make the already too-small wheels look even smaller. Personally I’d leave them at home.
I don’t believe they were a factory option.
That is one purty longroof, color and everything. Great catch!
Don “The Bolt” Andreina strikes again! Your athleticism and dedication are nothing short of admirable. How far would you be willing to follow a Maserati Khamsin around town?
Mmmmm…. Khamsin. A soft spot for me. I’d keep running until a taxi drove by. Then I’d hail it and keep up the chase.
Nice finds Don, too bad the photo of the clamshell wagon didn’t work out.
I’ve seen a pretty similar wagon, but probably not the same one.
It looks like a 74/75/76. Definitely a Cheb, most probably ex-hearse.
Love the old wagons- any of them. In my neighborhood growing up, Town & Country’s and Colony Parks were the kid-haulers of choice. Come to think of it, only stoplight race I ever lost in my 442 was to a buddy rocking his mom’s ’68 Town & Country (had a 440 though, and more traction).
As far as 61-64 Chevies… I wouldn’t kick any of them out of the garage, but I’d have to go with the ’63 as my favorite, and the ’64 as my least favorite. White with Blue or Red interior please.
Long before the SUV / CUV craze broke loose wagons were dead in the US.
Never understood why as in my option they are really the smartest cars.
In our family the van replaced the station wagon long before the SUV craze. ’65 Impala wagon replaced by ’69 Dodge Sportsman. Whlle the Dodge was a crude machine by comparison, we were into dirt bikes and desert camping by then. I broke the sway bar mount and generally beat up the low slung and softly sprung Impala on washboard dirt roads. We may have been more hard core than most outdoor families, but full-size vans did mostly replace the station wagon, especially once the more civilized ’68 Econoline Club Wagon came out.
That is a pretty common but attractive color on 1963 Chevrolet full sized, Chevy II and Corvair cars. Azure Aqua.
Another reason for being a Curbivore…..running after old wagons keeps you fit!
Good work Don – thanks!
Great find! Thanks for chasing it down, definitely a worthwhile pursuit. I like longroofs, and what a great color on this one. I usually prefer my Classics with original rolling stock, but those wheels and tires aren’t unattractive, just undersized. A landyacht like this needs at least 225/75 series tires, otherwise they can look like a pregnant elephant on a skateboard. Could be worse though, at least it’s not defaced with those ridiculous Dubz. Terrible to see Classics ruined like that. On a happier note, Major Kudos to the owner for seeking out a set of whitewalls! Unless it was a taxi, police car or lowball skinflint strippo, most Classics of the’60s left the dealership with whitewalls, and they just don’t look right without them IMO.
The fender skirts don’t seem to be getting much love here, and while I usually like them, they do look a bit awkward, because of the pronounced “rake” on this car (IE: the ass-high stance) and the undersized tires. If the car sat level the skirts would work for it, helping to hide the undersized rear tires and making it look longer and lower (and a bit more upscale) as skirts are meant to do. On the other hand, cars can also look great with a healthy “rake”, but only when it’s done right, and larger rear tires are a big part of acheiving the proper effect. Remove the skirts, mount some 235/75-15 tires on the rear and this wagon would look wicked.. Conversely, by keeping the skirts and returning the rear suspension to stock ride height, this wagon would look longer and more sleek, it’s horizontal-lined design theme accented by the skirts. Also, as a third choice, a very subtle “rake” on a car equipped with skirts (no more than an inch, and obtained by lowering the front, not raising the rear) can look incredibly cool. However, on this car, the conflicting visual cues of skirts combined with this degree of ass-high “rake” only serve to fight each other, and the undersized rear tires do not help, leaving the car to look a bit awkward. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to knock this fine old Chevy, I still like it, just as it is. You don’t see these classic wagons often, and if I saw this one rolling down a local boulevard, I’d give chase as well. Great catch!
What is the name of the wings in the back?