Mario's 1970's Chevy Station Wagons

Mario on Dec 13, 2020 said:

Beautiful huge 1970's Chevy Station Wagons ready to haul just about anything including up to 9 passengers. The 1974 pictured belongs to a member of American Torque and is a beautifully kept Canadian wagon. Hope you don't mind my showing your car George. Cheers!

57timemachine on Dec 13, 2020 said:

Mario, what a wonderful surprise not only too see some seventies Chevy wagons but to see my car in there as well. Mario, thank you for thinking my old wagon rates the showcase here. It is very much appreciated sir. Interesting transition from 1970 to 1979. There are a number of big changes from the first year to the last year. Thanks again and cheers.

Mario on Dec 14, 2020 said:

It was an honor for me to showcase your car it's a beautiful example of a 1974 Chevy Wagon. Thank you for allowing me. You're right, there was a big down sizing change between 1970 and 1979. I remember when that occurred many people were upset. The biggest changes came in the Cadillacs. They started to look like the imports that were much cheaper.

57timemachine on Dec 13, 2020 said:

Mario, in your 1974 Chev wagon video. I wonder why the headline says Kingswood Estate, when it should read Caprice Estate. Cheers.

Mario on Dec 14, 2020 said:

Good catch George. I changed my heading but I don't know why the video has Kingswood. That's an error. Chevy dropped the name in the 1973 model year and kept the names like the sedans, Bel Air, Impala, Caprice.

azmusclecar on Dec 14, 2020 said:

I had a VEGA station wagon. What a chick magnet that was. Nothing screams STUD like an automatic beige Vega with a babyseat in the second row.

Very nice posting Mario.....the size of these wagons amaze me. Keep up the good work.

Mario on Dec 15, 2020 said:

A Vega Rob? And now a classy Vette! You have really come up Big! I had a Chevette, not much better than a Vega. More pages coming. Mario

57timemachine on Dec 15, 2020 said:

Hey you guys stop crapping on the Vega. I had a 1974 GT hatch back with high output four banger and four speed on the floor, from 1978 to 1980 and I loved the car. I loved everything about it except for the oil burning. My car had 49,000 miles on it when I sold it and it burned a quart every two weeks. That was my only complaint about that sweet little car. The guy that bought my solid 74 Vega turned it into a pro street with tubs and a stout 350 motor. The guy did a beautiful job on it. I wish I still had it so I could put cast iron sleeves in the motor. GM messed up in not putting sleeves in the motor and that is it. The rest of the car was a jewel. GM finally put sleeves in 1977 but by then it was too late. Cheers,

Mario on Dec 15, 2020 said:

My younger sister's first new car was a 1971 Vega. Poor girl she had so many heartaches with the car. After many trips to the dealer for repairs she finally tried to sell it but couldn't get a buyer. Her and her husband drove it to the junkyard and on the way the engine ceased! They had to push it into the junkie!

azmusclecar on Dec 15, 2020 said:

Well MY VEGA had racing stripes......I think the stripes were faster than the car. My Vega got me to work and home during the energy crunch so it served it's purpose well. At least I didn't own a CHEVETTE.

Wow, talk about a loser........uh nevermind.

Delete that.......forget I said anything. :-)

Mario on Dec 15, 2020 said:

The energy fiasco in the mid to late 70's made us all go crazy and buy those small cars! My Chevette was loaded with AC, auto trans, custom upholstery, 2 BBL carb, tinted glass, full hub caps, whitewalls, and my Dad bought one too! Gas mileage was great also. I should have gotten racing stripes so it would go faster!

57timemachine on Dec 15, 2020 said:

Both the Vega and the Chevette have had bad raps for many years. I never understood the Chevette having bad raps because it turned out to be a very solid and reliable car for being a basic entry level car. The cast iron "Duke" motor was a very solid power plant. Cheers.

Mario on Dec 15, 2020 said:

Very true the Chevette had a very good 4 cyl engine and peppy with the 2 BBL. The AC and auto trans slowed it down a little but I had it for 5 years. I then traded it in for an 84 Pontiac Grand Prix. That car lasted 10 years and 400K miles!

azmusclecar on Dec 15, 2020 said:

Well to be honest I had TWO Vegas and YES I liked the car. I had the GT model as my daily driver for work and I bought the wife a beige station wagon for the grocery getter and child hauler. The wagon was an automatic and my GT was the 4 speed. They got us through the gas crisis so you do what you have to do.

I did make the mistake of ordering a WHITE interior in my GT Vega. Lord what was I thinking? A co-worker who used to carpool with me got in the GT and had a black magic marker in his back pocket. Yepper the cap came off and his butt wiggled and left an indelible black ink tattoo on my pretty new white passenger seat.

The car pool ended that day.

PS: I hate seat covers.

Mario on Dec 16, 2020 said:

Well the GT Vega sounds pretty good with the white interior but sorry for the black magic marker fiasco! I used to always want a white interior on any of my cars but never got one. So glad I didn't now!

57timemachine on Dec 16, 2020 said:

Other than my very own 1974 Caprice Estate wagon. If I could have any other wagon here, I would have that 1970 model with a new for that year 454 big block. Now that would be cruising in style. Cheers.

Mario on Dec 17, 2020 said:

The 1970 station wagon was the last year with the famous 3 tail light. In 1971 they went to a single light all the way to 1990. Twenty model years! Then in 1991 there was a major redesign but the wagon still only had the one tail light. Seems to me GM lost it's creativity in design. As well as the other car manufacturers. Cheers!

57timemachine on Jan 6, 2021 said:

Mario, for me in general. I have no interest in cars at all after the 1970's. The decades that came after that were a big bore fest for me and I just look at those cars as winter beaters and basic transportation. The thrill was gone and I am just glad I am old enough to remember when cars were actually interesting. Cheers.

Mario on Jan 6, 2021 said:

I agree with you George. Styling went out and all that tech stuff came in. The cars of today beep every time there is a hazard and it makes the drivers dumb by not paying attention. The late forties, fifties and sixties are my cars and I too am glad I lived through those years. Cheers!

Anonymous on Dec 8, 2021 said:

Mario, totally agree with your last statement. I really am thankful that I am old enough to remember real cars, real music and real values. All that is so sadly lost these days. I get that younger folks do not know what I am talking about here and for them I kind of feel sorry for. Cheers.

Mario on Dec 9, 2021 said:

I feel sorry for them too but I am glad this website exists for us older guys to talk and share memories. Hopefully younger people will join and hear our stories. Cheers.