I was an adolescent when I had first seen the North American teenage cinematic classic known as The Karate Kid. This screening wasn’t in a theater, but rather in one of the TV rooms in the college dormitory where my brother lived. Going to “Big Sibling Weekend”, a program sponsored by the university, was one of my very first experiences of staying on a college campus over the course of several nights, and was such an amazing and memorable bonding experience with my older brother. Looking back, I’m not sure why Karate Kid was chosen for the program of activities as one of the featured films, given that it was already at least several years old by that time and most families had VCRs by the end of the ’80s.
Regardless, I immediately loved this movie and identified with actor Ralph Macchio’s underdog character, Daniel LaRusso, even if I had a fraction of the latter’s budding self-confidence. This movie had an engaging story line with a triumphant ending, an excellent and uplifting soundtrack (I was singing Joe Esposito’s “You’re The Best” in my head for days, afterward), cool cars, and the beautiful Elisabeth Shue, which all combined to make this one of my favorite films at that age. Bananarama’s “Cruel Summer” was a prominent part of my personal soundtrack the year my family moved from Michigan to Florida. About eight years ago, CC contributor Robert Kim had written a feature about the various vehicles featured in this movie, which is excellent and highly recommended reading.
Just a few weeks ago, I was on my way to my friend Dina’s photography exhibition in the eclectic Bucktown district when I came across this ’69 Chevelle Nomad wagon street parked in front of a corner liquor store. Approaching this car from the rear, my mind’s ears almost instantaneously heard the voice of a middle-aged female call out in a pronounced, New Jersey mom-voice, “Hi, kids!” It was the voice of Mrs. Lucille LaRusso, played by the great Randee Heller, smiling broadly as she called out a greeting to her son’s bratty, entitled tormentors, oblivious to the fact that they had just disrespected her. This is the mental place to which the sight of a 1968 or ’69 Chevelle wagon will almost always take me, with seemingly no choice involved. (The lower placement of the front side marker light on a ’68 is one clue as to its model year if seen in direct profile.)
“Hi, kids!” Mrs. LaRusso and her 1968 Chevelle wagon. Picture sourced from IMDb.
You who have seen the movie know the scene I’m talking about. Daniel and Ali (Shue) are finally on something that resembles a date at a local family fun center, and toward the end of their mutually flirty time together that evening, all of Ali’s rich friends with ridiculously expensive rides like new Corvettes and even an Avanti convertible are all rolling past the budding couple and inviting her, and not him, to join in some fun at the next place. Beyond rude. I remember wishing that some of those jerks could be transported to Flint (where I grew up) for maybe just ten minutes to see what treating others like that would earn them. But again, that’s really the essence of this movie’s plot: Daniel came from a down-to-earth place and would ultimately triumph over unadvantaged circumstances and his own insecurity with his own true substance, hard work, perseverance, and grit.
“I really like your car, Mrs. LaRusso!”, one of them calls out from the Avanti, as Lucille keeps on smiling. Her tortured ’68 Chevelle Concours wagon that was covered in an oxidized coat of that unappetizing shade of pea soup-green seemed perfectly emblematic of a parent showing up in the most embarrassing way possible, during the most inopportune time. Lucille’s obliviousness to having been made fun of just makes it that much worse.
It did also occur to me that the theme of a broken-down station wagon being driven by a single mom from New Jersey was something I had seen before. I was, and still am, a fan of the show Alice that started in the fall of 1976 and was still playing in reruns after the final, new episode went off the air in March of ’85. That show’s early intros showed the titular Alice Hyatt, memorably played by Linda Lavin with expert timing, grace, and wit, driving along the expressway in a large, ’69 Ford wagon with Di-Noc wood on the sides before it broke down and had to be town away, presumably never to be seen again as Alice sticks her tongue out at it and bids it farewell.
1969 Chevrolet Chevelle wagon brochure page, as sourced from www.oldcarbrochures.org.
Anyway, back to this blue Chevelle. In this 2014 essay from Dave Skinner, it was noted that the ’69 Chevelle wagon was offered with an optional two-way tailgate, which this car has. I’m sorry, but from the rear, this cut-line in the rear bumper resembles some sort of snaggletooth to me. It’s only in select applications that automotive asymmetry has worked for me aesthetically, which is why the looks of the rear panel of those Toyota Tercel wagons from the mid-’80s used to drive me bonkers, and not in a good way.
The Nomad was the bargain-priced Chevelle wagon, slotting below both the middle-tier Greenbriar and range-topping Concours longroofs. Surprisingly, the Nomad wasn’t the least popular Chevelle wagon in ’69, selling just over 13,100 units compared to 10,600 Greenbriars and 14,500 Concours models. Combined sales of about 38,300 Chevelle wagons accounted for just under 7.5% of total ’69 Chevelle production of about 522,800 cars. According to one source, there were just under 5,200 Nomad wagons that year with the two-way tailgate. What could be the survival rate of cars in this exact configuration in 2022? This one is rare.
The ’69 Chevelle Malibu coupe is one of my favorite Chevrolets of all time, so much so that I had one of my high school senior pictures taken next to a blue example that happened to be randomly street-parked in downtown Flint that day. This is part of the reason why the overall look of any ’69 Chevelle wagon will probably always be met with immediate and involuntary resistance in the recesses of my brain. That doesn’t mean I don’t like or respect this one. Without knowing about the Cobra Kai franchise reboot and absent its existence from 2018 through the present, I’d like to think that Daniel San opted to keep the yellow, 1947 Ford Super DeLuxe convertible gifted to him by Mr. Miyagi in storage and souped up his mom’s ’68 Chevelle wagon for daily driving duties, with the end result looking something like this ’69. Go ahead, Mrs. LaRusso. And keep smiling.
Bucktown, Chicago, Illinois.
Saturday, May 14, 2022.
I remember seeing my first late’-60s Nomad when I was an 8 or 9 year old kid, and even at that tender age, something was jarring. I knew what Nomads were supposed to look like, thanks to Hot Wheels – stylish 2-door wagons with thin forward-swooping pillars and a wraparound rear window, based on the immortal Tri-Five Chevies. Not a plain-looking midsize four door wagon with little to distinguish it from all the other station wagons plying around in the early ’70s. (Chevrolet wasn’t done dragging the once-vaunted Nomad name through the muck, attaching it to everything from Vega wagons to full-size semi-cargo vans.) There were Nomad four-door wagons in the late ’50s and early ’60s too, but say “Nomad” and 90% of us will think of the real Nomads, the ’55-57 models, especially the ’55. Chevrolet actually built a two-door version of this generation of Chevelle wagons – but only in low-end trim. Why not make a fancy Nomad version of those 2-door wagon Chevelles?
Every time there has been a Nomad concept resurface throughout the years, I remember feeling first hopeful, and then realistic about it. A two-door wagon Chevelle version of one of these, executed properly could have been such a cool cruiser. I wonder if youth or young-minded consumers would have taken to it at the time.
When you mentioned single mothers with worn-out station wagons on television, the first one that comes to my mind was on the opening credits of One Day At A Time, and the 56 Chrysler wagon that Bonnie Franklin, Makenzie Philips and Valerie Bertinelli took to start a new (fictional) life in Indianapolis. I think that intro was only used in the first season, though.
I never thought this generation of GM A body made a very good wagon – at least from a styling point of view. The Vista Cruisers are more interesting, but these never did a thing for me. It just now occurs to me that maybe the sedans would have been more attractive if they had employed the wagon rear doors and a roof line that would have gone with it, because the sedans as built were as ugly as the 4 door hardtops were attractive.
I found a screen shot of that Chrysler. I always wanted it.
When he wasn’t flying the Songbird, Sky King used a Chrysler wagons on the Flying Crown Ranch..
The theme of relocating or starting over was a popular way to start a TV show in the ’70s. “Mary Tyler Moore” and “Alice” come to mind as well.
I didn’t realize Bonnie Franklin started with a ’56 Chrysler. That would have been hopelessly old, incredibly rare and highly unlikely even in the mid ’70s.
“Alice” had better car casting. A 7 year old County Squire was more plausible as a relic from a previous married life with a kid.
Kind of a strange Squire, did the 1969 woody version come with a low trim that had a Galaxie front end and poverty caps?
I agree that the ’56 wagon on “One Day..” was way too old and unrealistic. What Hollywood thought Midwestern folks still were driving in 1975.
Also, “Alice” wagon was a bit too new to be ‘junked’, only 7 years old in 1976. Unless was so poorly maintained that engine died on the trip West.
Flip the cars per show above, and makes more sense.
I think 7 years was probably a good “lifespan” for a car in the ’70s, just based on rewatching old shows like “CHiPs” and seeing 6, 7, 8 year old cars being used for some of the crash scenes.
It’s hard to tell, but it appears two cars may have been used as these headlights appear to be covered in the lead shot.
Jason, I do remember getting confirmation when I was looking up a few things for this essay that two different cars (a Country Sedan and a Country Squire) were used for the intro. I remember flipping back and forth between the two photos to see if I could spot the differences.
I suspect the Squire might have its front end damaged and replaced it with a Galaxie one instead of a LTD or some Ford dealers decided to make a model of their own.
JP, I remember seeing the intro to the early ODAAT shows and also thinking (in passing) that the old Chrysler (without knowing year, make, etc.) was miscast. Kind of like all of the *super* old cars at the beginning of Maude, which I later found out was stock footage.
Granny from Beverly Hills was a single mother, too, but I don’t remember her driving.
All that wagon really needs is chrome window frames. Were they even optional on Chevys?
The 1968 Chevelle has, IMO, aged very well indeed .
For many years I had a base model 1968 Chevy Malibu four door sedan ex Sacramento P.D. metro car .
It was great, when my now 40 year old son saw one at a car show he was amazed at how small it is ~ he remembered having the entire spacious back seat all to himself and remembered it as a full size car .
-Nate
I had a similar conversation with a friend only this past weekend about how the space in the back seat of my family’s Plymouth Volare coupe and her family’s Nova two-door seemed so spacious back when we were little kids. Looking at the midsize ’68 Malibu, as well as a ’77 Volare or Nova, especially in comparison to some modern family transporters, all of these cars seem smaller.
In the mid 70s I had an apartment in what was, and is becoming again, a hipster part of Jacksonville. I often rode the bus to work at the Naval Air Station there and I was surprised one afternoon to see a 69 Nomad. Surprised, because I didn’t know Chevrolet had decided to re-use the name, and even more surprised, it was being used on a ” stripper ” model. The 69 Nomad I saw that afternoon was dark green and had blackwall tires and little hubcaps…it probably even had featureless all vinyl upholstery.
In the intervening years I may have only seen 1 other Nomad, a gold colored example, outfitted exactly like the green one.
What a comedown from the 50s models.
Like many others have said here, I’ve always felt that Chevy did that legendary name such a disservice. When they used it on a van, I was even more incensed.
But at that time (early seventies), there was a guy across the highway from where I lived that had a hopped up ’57 Nomad that he took to the track and drag raced. It was given the name “Mad-Man” if memory serves. The owner also owned a towing service that specialized in towing the big rigs. That company is still in business!
I remember trading a ’68 Camaro SS slot car for a ’57 Nomad, just because I had to have it. Does anyone remember slot cars? 😉
Somehow, I don’t think this Chevelle wagon would’ve been represented as a Hot Wheels or slot car… maybe a Matchbox car. I could be wrong though…
https://hotwheels.fandom.com/wiki/%2770_Chevelle_SS_Wagon
Perhaps not quite such a base model. But this body style is certainly represented in the hot wheels world.
I’ll be darned… Thanks Mike!
No way! That’s cool.
For what it’s worth, I think the frontal styling of the ’70 Chevelle lends itself better to the wagon bodystyle than the ’68 and ’69 models, as it more closely resembles the bigger Chevrolets.
Chevy sold Nomad as the top full size wagon, though 4 door, for 1958-61. Name should have been the top Chevelle wagon, instead of base/fleet model. Was only a Vega trim for one year, on big vans 77-81.
And, yes, kids, there were such things as Chevelle wagons, and even sedans! They weren’t all SS-big block V8 muscle cars.
The name debasement thing will probably always be a source of frustration for me.
This brings me back to the early 1970’s. We didn’t have a proper grocery store in our small Ontario town and this guy showed up in the identical blue 69 nomad wagon with his wife and 4 boys. He took over a corner store, franchised it (any Canadians remember the mighty IGA?) and proceeded to become one of the wealthier and more obnoxious residents of the village.
The nomad was quickly replaced by a tricked out Gran Torino, a series of Chrysler new yorkers and cumulating in a series of ultra luxury SUVs.
I hadn’t thought of him in years ( he died probably 20 years ago ) but this blue nomad definitely fits the time period as a “starter” car for an up and coming businessman.
We still have some IGA grocery stores in Quebec.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IGA_(supermarkets)#Canada
That’s a cool memory, even if he wasn’t your favorite person. I also remember IGA supermarkets. Back home in Flint, there was one over by Hurley Hospital. It might have been the only one we had after a certain point, with other local chains (Hamady, Kessel, etc.) being more popular.
I remember the IGA’s very well. It was my mom’s goto grocery store in my hometown. I remember the manager knew her by name. Today that same building still exists but it’s a paint and wallpaper store. It’s odd to see it today and think it was a grocery store because the building is so small compared to modern grocery stores.
Wow, I’ve not seen an IGA grocery store in many decades .
They were all over New England in the 1960’s .
I remember slot cars too, in the late 1980’s I was surprised to see them make a partial comeback, it didn’t last too long though .
My son was briefly intrigued and mystified as to why anyone would do this , big banked slot car track in the basement of a business .
-Nate
I loved my slot car set that I got for Christmas around the mid-’80s. They were definitely popular. Mine was the Tyco “Super Cliff Hangers” with a couple of glow-in-the-dark C3 Corvettes. It was great fun to play with, with the lights out. I remember “charging” the glowing bodies of the cars in a table lamp to get them really good and bright, and they would gradually fade.
This was a really enjoyable read Joseph! The Karate Kid was definitely a movie that had a big impact on me and my peers. At the time, I would have thought that Chevelle wagon was uncool. but today it might be one of my favourite cars in the movie. I have a soft spot for mom’s with station wagons as my mom piloted station wagons exclusively for several decades. She too was a single mom after my parents divorced, who was stuck driving an old well-worn wagon like Mrs. Larusso, but luckily ours was always reliable. It also helped she had a son who was good at maintaining cars.
I am also a fan of the 68-72 Chevelles, but mostly in 2-door format. I tend to agree with others that the styling didn’t translate as well into station wagon from. That said, I’d still proudly own one today.
Thank you so much, Vince. I was thinking about the idea of the wagon and single moms, and in the ’20s (it still seems weird to call it that), the equivalent might be an SUV or similar type of family hauler that isn’t a wagon. Within that context, Mrs. LaRusso’s Chevelle and (Alice Hyatt’s Ford wagon) seemed perfectly cast. Moms need to haul people and things, and that’s just the reality.
Nice write up on a cool car! I’m the same way, I certainly would have thought of the Karate Kid at some point if I had spotted that car, though I don’t identify with that movie quite as strongly as you. I’m not sure I’ve seen the whole thing since the 80’s. But reading this makes me want to go back and watch it again. Definitely one of the landmark 80’s teen movies. Seems like that was a golden era for movies aimed at young people.
The bumper cut out was weird, but never bothered me as a wagon is a utilitarian creature. I had thought the cut out indicated a 3 seat model, but I see in the brochure that the two way tailgate with step was optional in two seat wagons.
Jon, thank you. Yeah, the bumper cut-out thing confused me for a minute. Thank goodness for oldcarbrochures.org and their broad array of factory brochures spanning decades. Sometimes, the auto encyclopedia doesn’t contain the exact piece of information one needs to put together something like this.
And yes, to “Karate Kid” – def worth a rewatch in present day.