September 2011 Long Roof of the Month - Thanks Tom!!

Well I am honored at being asked to post about my wagon as the LROM. Not sure quite how I ended up driving a huge boat with wood sides. This is where I started.........



Recognize the wheel!!


I was looking for a wagon and this pop'd up on ebay, But lets go back a little bit and figure out how this all happened.

The first car I can remember was a 1970 or 71 Chevrolet Impala. Dad would put me in his lap and I would steer her up the road in Penfield, NY where we lived. I remember sleeping in the back deck of the sedan while we drove on trips. I remember it pulling a pop up camping back and forth to Cape Cod as a kid.

Then Dad and the family got transferred to Belgium. We bought a Puegout 303 9 passenger wagon. It was maroon. He put over 100k on it over 2.5 years trying to see all of Europe while were there. That was a lot of miles in the early 70's.

We got back to the states in July of 1974. Dad went out and bought a 1974 Chevrolet Impala wagon. It was medium blue with no AC roll down windows, the power clamshell rear window with the drop down door, but no third seat. What a car! 400 sbc with about 200 HP. He pulled off all the pollution crap and re-calculated the timing curve. Got it to about 18 MPG and much better in the HP. Then mom needed a car, never had (or needed) two cars before!! This must have been about 1978, he bought a friends 1976 Vega GT wagon. It was a car out of California and had AC, 4 speed manual, and .5 HP. Handled like it was on rails, but you had to put your feet through the floor to get her to go. I cut my teeth on the both GM long roofs. The Vega became the one I got to drive most.

Finally during my senior year of HS my Dad and I found a friend’s 1974 Vega. It only had 18k miles on it, but the passenger door, front fenders and rear quarters needed some help. With a summer of body work it looked like a new car. This was my college commuter. I met my now wife at college her father was a wholesale car dealer. I started going to the auctions with him and ended up driving many different car including a beautiful 1972 Buick Skylark conv., Toyota Corolla, Saab 99GLE, Saab 900 turbo, Buick Regal, etc, But not wagons. Kinda like Crovo goes through cars!!

Got married ended up with a Isuzu Trooper (fridge on wheels), again one of my favorites and the wife's 900s. The Saab was a piece of junk that her dad kinda fixed from an insurance auction. Traded that for my first new car, 1991 Camaro RS. 16" Z28 style 305 that was very under-powered, but since it was a 5 speed it was fun. Eventually I ended nd a my first long roof.......

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I have many fond memories of that old Chevy. 2.8 ltr V-6 that ran like a top and was the most powerful car I had owned for years. Pulled strong and hauled a ton, particularly for a FWD. Got hit in the rear quarter, what a shame. Drove it like that for a while, but eventually sold it and graduated to the world of mini vans. Funny I had decided between a Chevy Caprice wagon that was striped, LAB, and LT1 so it must have been a 1994 and a AWD Safari. We settled on the Safari.

In September of 1999 the company I worked for changed thier company car program. I needed to purchase a car myself and they would pay me a monthly stipend and mileage, I ended up with a 1994 Impala SS.



Soon after we traded the van in for the newer multi-port version but lost the AWD. Eventually I purchased a 1997 Blazer (a former company car for my employer) with a trashed motor. I put a cam in a crate motor and built it to replace the Impala so it could come off the road, best move I ever made!!! Blazer turned in a Saturn Vue (second new car I have ever owned).

It was time to replace the Safari!! Time for another B-body.








And the latest changes




Gotta saw the Impala and the wagon are by far the most fun and best group of enthusiast's I have had the pleasure to get to know. I hope to hang on to her for a while.

looks like a hot rod,..nice one,..

Thanks Nick.

The wagons lookin' good Tim, love the grill, you need to find a real nice GS badge for it.

I love the Beverly Hillbillies style Celebrity wagon with the canoes, and the trailer full of stuff....

Mike

Thanks Mike. Will work on that GS badge. LMK if you come up with one.

Yeah the first trailer was great but looked rather back woods!! Great first camping trailer. Would haul the tent, bikes and anything else you could squeeze in it.

Looking real good Swink!

Good story and great pics! I really like the body color grill.

Love that color too! Gorgeous car!

If you want a GM grill emblem PM me your contact info. I have 2-3 of them in nice shape. I nab them whenever I see them at the yards.

Congrats on LROM!

-Mike

Nice story Tim. I like the uniform color on your wagon with the grille, came out really good!

That 74 Impala wagon must have been a monster! I have a 75 Impala coupe and that thing is a total boat!

Love the story...and the new look! That is exactly what I'm saving up for (smooth hood and top of fender repaint) My inspiration for Jade as always!!

Nice story Tim, really enjoyed the family wagon history. Your wagon definitely improves with age.

Tom C.

Beautiful wagon Tim and always being made better!
JG

95BRMW wrote:

Nice story Tim. I like the uniform color on your wagon with the grille, came out really good!

That 74 Impala wagon must have been a monster! I have a 75 Impala coupe and that thing is a total boat!

Thanks Dave..... The 74 was a great car the 400 SBC was a very torq'y motor. The 4:11's didn't hurt either Actually had it as a winter car when I had the Camaro. I gave it to my sister and her husband loaded if full of lumber and blew the turbo 400 tranny when he got stuck in the mud. He then sold the car to a guy who wanted the front clip. My father rust proofed his car beyond believe the Vega and 'Ole Blue' never had ANY rust in them.

brokecello wrote:

Love the story...and the new look! That is exactly what I'm saving up for (smooth hood and top of fender repaint) My inspiration for Jade as always!!

I am flattered.... Be sure and remove the front 'wood' trim so the painter can go to the wood sides and down to the bumper. I had the top of the bumper cover sprayed as well as the clear coat was failing.

silverfox103 wrote:

Nice story Tim, really enjoyed the family wagon history. Your wagon definitely improves with age.

Tom C.

Thanks Tom.

Flasheroo wrote:

Beautiful wagon Tim and always being made better!
JG

Up and onward, always!!

When are you gettin' the smoked headlights?

Looks good Tim.

Working on a custom set now, clear so far, but you got me thinking. Going to take a while until I have the time to do them right.

Nice write up and pics. Still surprised you haven't picked up another spare wagon yet....

I wish, but a gas miser will be the next car if I buy one. Thinking Pontiac Vibe/Honda hatchback, etc.....

I hate to say that, but trying to justify taking the wagon off the road while keeping the Vue for my wife.

I'm assuming your talking about taking it off the road after Front Royal right.

no REAL contemplation of any kind at this time. Just thoughts in the back of my head. It is and will be my daily driver for the foreseeable future. Either the wagon or the Impala will be in Front Royal.

If you want to meet up on the way to Front Royal, I am on your way. We may be able to Caravan down though PA.......

Tim

Sounds like a plan,...were leaving on a friday just ass soon as the kids get in the bus. PM your cell number and I will log it into my cell.

Jarrod,

I am just south of Harrisburg, PA off of 83. About 10 minutes out of your way when you come down 81. I will PM you my number, but I might be already headed south by the time you get to PA.

Tim

Really enjoyed the story and just love your enthusiasm about your cars. DGGM is my favorite color on these autos for sure. Keep up the good work. You are an inspiration.
Glenn West

It would be neat if you could tint your headlights with the same color as your car.Would make
them blend in with your newly painted hood and grill.
JG

that would make it a little tough on the road at night.....