I’ve been away from CC for a while. One of the things occupying my time has been a piece on the American two-door wagon. In an extract from that piece, I profile the ponycars that received extra roofline.
Corvette Nomad was the ur-longroofponycar.
Sporty front clip with a wagon rear. A concept with no clear market, but a shape that was transcendent.
Mustang got in so early, it still had a 260.
Robert Cumberford, then an industrial designer and eventually Automobile magazine’s styling critic, got Barney Clark, employed at Ford’s ad agency J Walter Thompson and a friend, Jay Licata, involved.
In the spring of 1965, they paid for the car to be sent to Italy, where Intermeccanica built the body to Cumberford’s drawings. The whole project cost them less than $10,000.
Aftermarket was quick on the scene as well.
The Hobo was designed by Arthur Camp and sold by Joel Silver Inc. but there appear to have been no takers. Just $595, plus convertible.
Truth be told, if I had a convertible Mustang this is probably how I’d run it during winter.
The Cumberford wagon was proposed to Ford, but ran into disinterest.
Soon, however, Dearborn had their own over a 1966 body running around as a prototype. It may have looked like this sketch from the same year by Pete Brock while still at Shelby.
A wagon also featured at the late 1966 stage of development for the 1969 Mustang. Losing the b-pillar made the world of difference for the greenhouse.
American Motors toyed with wagon for their Javelin.
Things got as far as the Rogue Sports Wagon mockup bottom left. It had a longer roof than the coupe, but the padded halo moved it too far into brougham.
Robert Nixon didn’t like the direction this longroof was going, and sketched up his own vision. Based on the shorter AMX and with way more glass, it could have been a contender.
No go, but his hardtop four door AMX III Sports Wagon bottom right did lead to the Sportabout.
Plymouth’s Barracuda was absolutely screaming for a two-door wagon, but only got a four-door.
With the Camaro shape a lock by 1965, work started on variants beyond coupe and convertible.
Along with a fastback and an 8-inch shorter roadster, there was a sportwagon. They seem to have decided upon the version at top, but the lower one feels better.
Fisher Body proposed a wagon over a 1967 Camaro that was styled by its own team.
The point of this brief isn’t clear, Fisher was owned by GM and built specialist bodies to specification for the various divisions. It’s doubtful they were asked by corporate or Chevrolet to do this, it was more likely a pro-active effort. Maybe something for their own trade shows.
This and the 69 Mustang were using the kamm language, though neither applied it in an aerodynamically robust manner.
Daytona had sent the quest for the US personal wagon into overdrive.
Hank the Deuce had been pouring his name and money into the GT40, but it was lil’ ol’ Carroll hisself who beat the Ferraris at Le Mans in 1964. First in GT class, fourth overall.
Pete Brock used the kamm principle on his swayback Cobra berlinetta. By virtue of that severely truncated rear, this is a two box volume.
When Bob Ackerman started at General Motors in 1967, he sketched his own little kamm-based dream wagon.
Hank Haga saw it and asked him to apply the idea to the 1970 Camaro.
When development was still at its AAR grille phase, a wagon got a faster rear angle.
Nevertheless it was a masterful combination of mero and longroof.
As things continued through to production spec, the rear returned to its adroitness.
John DeLorean was running Pontiac during Firebird development when he saw the Camaro wagon. He called it the James Bond Car.
The Styling Aero Department manager, Kent Kelly, did some preliminary calculations to find the wagon more aerodynamic than the coupe. The name they gave it was Kamm Back.
It never made production, but it did spawn the Vega Kammback and Pinto Copycat.
And the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Type K.
Two showcars were built for General Motors by Pininfarina, but when costs were projected for series production it turned out the Type K would be priced at around $16,000 when the Trans Am started from $5,669.
…..
This is an extract from a three-part piece; The American Two-Door Wagon 1928-1981, which you’ll find by clicking the image below.
I stumbled across Curbside Classic back during the Deadly Sins tumult. Crazy fun times, and a superb incubator for a writer.
There was Paul, who invited me in. The editor who could point out shortcomings in pieces I couldn’t see myself, the storyteller with his own vast and interconnected output to learn from.
There were the commenters – a congenial group of informed individuals from every make of life who appreciated, corrected and expanded into some insanely juicy threads.
Emboldened, my writing grew longer, and longer again.
In 2019 I pulled back, completely oversaturated in cars. Hardly looked at the things for a couple of years.
But the love returned, and I still had more stories to tell. Because I write about aesthetics, I’ve built a site reflective of that for my longer pieces. And because life happens, it took me like forever.
I’m also back on CC, with shorter stuff. It’s good to see you again.
… Key Sources …
The Short and Odd Life of the Two Door Station Wagon
by Paul Niedermeyer, Curbside Classic
Legend of the Ford Mustang Wagon
by Robert Cumberford, Motor Trend
AMC’s Stylish Javelin and AMX Station Wagons
Hemmings
The Camaro Kammback Story
by Bob Ackerman, Deans Garage
The Don is back!! Woohoo!
CC just wasn’t the same without your googly-eyed outlook on things, man. You have been sorely missed, but certainly not forgotten.
The Mustang by a mile, btw.
Yes, but which one? hehehe
69 for me.
It seemed like very few months in the mid 70s, Motor Trend predicted F body wagons were on the horizon. I wonder whose wishful thinking it was–theirs or someone in GM.
Through to 1985. Looks like the closest they got was the 70 Kamm Back. The shot of two examples in the vast room suggests they were *this* close to putting it out.
Thank you that was excellent. It made me remember the E type jag in the movie Harold and Maude There are lots projects under the category of ” shooting brake” recalling custom autos for bird shooting !
Wow, welcome back, the sun is brighter again somehow, it seemed very dark… Looking forward to more positive changes in this vein, apparently it can happen! You picked up right where you left off, very good show.
Thank you Jim.
Wonderful to see your byline again Don! Welcome back. You have contributed so much to Paul’s site. In your writing, design expertise, and commentary.
A great compilation, and research here. I find most of the examples, lack the final finish of a complete, very sellable, and commercial design. Each example have remaining styling quirks, some minor, I believe would be need to be worked out. Was there a pony car wagon market? I think it would have been niche or micro niche, at best. Lacks the true versatility of a four door wagon. While, the Mustang or Camaro coupe remained a more desirable design for younger buyers.
I believe a four door Pinto wagon, would have sold significantly better. I generally get a Pontiac Grand Prix Aerocoupe niche-product vibe from these, as how they would be seen or accepted in the market.
Thank you Daniel. No, there wasn’t really a market for these wagons. Aston Martin sold less than twenty of the DB5, but its introduction seems to have captured the imagination of manufacturers and coachbuilders from the mid-60s on.
The Vega Kammback wasn’t on the production slate, and was a late addition after the Camaro Kamm Back had been prepared. It ended up selling more than the notchback.
I’m digging that C1 fastback in the second pic.
Hi Don! Great to read you again. You are always full of things I’ve never heard about. I hope you are well. Keep them coming!
Thank you Rafael. Will do.
I’d seen the Cumberford Mustang in a magazine years ago. He could at times be a grumpy cuss in print, but his work was very interesting.
My two-door wagon experience was in the minor leagues compared to these pony cars. I had a ’74 Opel 1900 Sportwagon, and later a ’75. For the time, they were good-driving cars, though like so many in the malaise era they were down on power. Handling was above average, and steering, braking, gearbox and clutch were all well-balanced. The wagon utility made for a great weekend trip car.
I, too, welcome you back. This was an enjoyable read, and—though I lived through the era—I hadn’t seen very many of these photos. Thanks a bunch!
Ebay has this “Hobo” writeup (Motor Trend?)–but I’ll suppose that’s all in your longer piece .
Thanks George. This is pretty much a verbatim extract. You’ll understand why if you plunge into the full story.
Don, it’s great to see you back here. We’ve missed you and your utterly unique style of deep dives and artistic sensibility. Your new site is splendid and truly reflects those two aspects.
Someone recently asked me what aspect of CC that has been the most satisfying. The answer is seeing readers become contributors and find their own voice and writing style. There have been well over a hundred so far. And then there are those few that have gone on to either write professionally elsewhere, like William Stopford and Edward Snitkoff or started their own sites, whether it is a personal blog like JPC’s or a direct outgrowth of their work here at CC, like you (and a couple of others). Dare I say that I feel a wee bit like a proud and happy father?
As to the subject matter, I don’t find most of these pony wagons very satisfying. The best of the bunch is the Camaro concept at the top of the post; it is the most organic of them. Many of the rest look a bit lacking in that regard.
Thank you Paul. Got to thinking about Kevin Martin the other day. I loved his driest of dry humour. Sorely missed.
It’s great to read another of your articles – great to see you back here!
Maybe I like this just because – like you said – this concept with no clear market. But I do generally like this idea. However, I’ve never been at a point in my life where one would make sense at all. Still they’re fun to admire.
I think the Javelin concepts are the best-looking of the bunch here; the swoopy shapes just seem to fit the car’s front. On the other hand, the Camaro concept looks like a hearse. I enjoyed Robert Cumberford’s writing in Automobile Magazine, and it’s interesting to see his Mustang concept here. Thanks for all this work, the illustrations, and the links to your longer articles!
Appreciated Eric.
Great article! I’ve enjoyed your pieces in the past, and look forward to a renewed supply.
The Mustang appears to be the most finished, and therefore something that could have existed in the real world and not only in kit form. It also has a rear end/view that I could live with. I guess it’s just a matter of taste, but all of those kamm back designs just look to me like the designers simply ran out of ideas when it was time to design the rear of the car.
Thank you Jeff. As for the Fisher example, I couldn’t agree more. I’m partisan to wagons, though, and can only see the best in them. Hard slice kamm back included.
It’s outside the purview of this post, but the last 2-door wagon sold in the US was the Volkswagen Fox, until 1993. When I was shopping for a new car in 1989, I wanted a Fox wagon so badly. I loved the design, but by 1989 issues around the Brazilian build quality had already surfaced, so I passed on it.
Taste is always very subjective .
That being said I really like the two 1964 Mustang wagons, I remember the Pinto wagons flying out the showroom doors so I think this Mustang would have been a a good seller too .
Ford always seemed to have a good take on station wagons .
-Nate
I like your topic Don. I’m not convinced pony car/muscle car owners would go for a two door wagon.
I do think young family buyers in general, would go for a sporty two door wagon. It got me thinking. I felt the Vega Kammback looked dated by 1975. And it was odd that Chevrolet later turned the Vega wagon into a Monza wagon. What if… Chevrolet chose to make an even bigger splash upon its 1975 introduction, and offer a Monza 2+2 GT?
A super quick Photoshop, but I like this concept. It definitely would have intrigued me, if I was considering the Monza at the time. More rear headroom and cargo space. And quite stylish in an Italian touring car sense, I’d say. Think I may have considered this 2+2 over the hatchback Monza, if I was in the market then. Bit more masculine as well, if equipped with the 262 V-8.
Might have also made the Monza Towne Coupe redundant, as the *luxury* Monza variant. Would have perhaps looked more mature as a poseur luxury GT as well, than the Mustang II Ghia notchback. Which was styled in the traditional American personal luxury car mold.
Yes, the Monza Towne Coupe (Towny coupe?) was a strange-looking misproportioned beast. Primarily the wheelbase looked too short, the rear axle too far forward. That wheelbase worked for the fastback, not for the coupe. I’d like a few more inches of wheelbase on your concept; better for chassis balance too I suspect.
Same for the Pinto; wheelbase was okay for the hatch, but too short for the wagon. What was it with seventies American designers and too-short wheelbases?
I don’t think there was really much appeal for the two-door wagon from a family perspective, Daniel. Unless you had no choice.
There was a very handsome 1964 Chevelle 300 two-door wagon that was cancelled soon after.
The Return Of The Don, cheers!
10/4 Rubber Ducky
It could be interesting to know if some aftermarket specialists still toyed with the idea of 2-door pony wagons in the 1980s.
There was the 85 Pontiac Kammback I’ve posted above, but not sure aftermarket was interested. Highest aftermarket volumes appear to be for the Corvette C3 Sportwagon, but only around 20.
I remember Harry Bradley, one of my GR8 ACCD instructors, showing our Transportation Design class a sketch of the 70 1/2 Camaro as a sporty wagon. He had smuggled it and others out of GM Design…a career ender had he been caught!! Harry had a certain way about him that was very fresh! A FINE instructor at the old ACCD on 3rd Str in L.A. 🙂 DFO
That name is familiar. Harry designed the original Hot Wheels collection, as well as this.
Hey, nice to see you back, Don!
I think I prefer the ’69 Mustang proposal and the Camaro that eventually turned into the Vega, which was an attractively flawed little car.
Thanks Aaron. Flawed though they are, I’ve developed a real liking for the Vega and Pinto wagon shapes.
Great to have you back, Don! I was thinking you’d succumbed to Covid. But no, you’ve become a .com, with what looks like a Torana GTR-X in that picture! Looks like a wet day; I know what I’ll be doing.
I’m not a fan of the Corvette Nomad. My eyes read the wagon part and automatically seem to discount the rest of it from ‘sports car’ to ‘small coupe/convertible, move on, nothing toi see here’. One voice in my head insists ‘No, that’s a Corvette!’, while another voice goes ‘meh, it’s just a small car’. It’s horrible having a civil war in your head before you’ve had your first coffee in the morning.
That studio shot of the Camaro Kammback – it’s amazing to see the cars in all that open space. Usually studio photos are so cluttered up with the designers and all the managemental hangers-on they seem to attract.
And once again, welcome back.
Thanks Peter. That open space appears to be a presentation room for the higher-ups
Excellent website and topics Don. Love the Matchbox look and feel. Very cool.
I will visit regularly. Your contribution here was extraordinary!
What a nice surprise this morning.
There are not enough 2 door cars of any description being made in the world anymore.
Love the Matchbox Superfast GTR-X
”Is Don, is good”
G.O.GG.O hehehe
Thanks jonco
spooky Victor FD vibes on the camaro clay
Anxious vibes on the nom de plume
Leo Pruneau might be the common factor there.
And welcome back, Don.
Thanks Bernard
And all is well with the world once more, for the Dottore Professore Andreina is again serving up his delights. I shall be at that website pronto, though only when time for leisurely perusal allows. It is well-known that these delicacies are best consumed slowly.
The Camaro Kammback is my choice today.
Welcome home, sir.
Thank you Justy.
The Don is back, and I couldn’t be happier.
Thank Joseph. Managed to get a great dance at this venue before it was shut down.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-news-atet-owner-suing-council-over-demise-of-docklands-floating-nightclub/eb9d72a8-f001-4909-9438-ea2bad2bd603
That place looks like it was amazing.
Looks like the Kenosha boys had a mole at the Ford & GM studios.
5th Photo: bottom right. Dead ringer for the the rear end of the future Gremlin
8th Photo: bottom left. Dead ringer for the rear end of the future Sportabout
Great to have back in action Don – welcome! You’ve certainly sent your downtime just getting sharper!
That 1965 Camaro mock up has some Vauxhall Victor FD estate genes – I just know it. Though the Fisher Camaro looks like a miniature hearse to me….
I guess we’d nominate the Reliant Scimitar GTE, Lancia HPE and Volvo 1800ES as European interpretations of the theme.
Thanks Roger.
Yes, the euros managed to find a sustainable niche for this format but it just didn’t translate to the US market