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| Animal Farm |
In the parking lot at Lowe's yesterday, some Fozzies were Forester than others. That tastefully sexied-up XT turbo (which, if the added gauges and 'spensive tires were any indication, was probably stuffed full of WRX-spec driveline bits) made me feel things I shouldn't feel about a station wagon.
My fondest memories of a station wagon are of a 1962 Studebaker. It was the first legal car I ever had.
ReplyDeleteMerle
Nothing wrong with turning a "station wagon" into a "sports wagon"!
ReplyDeletePlenty of room under your hood for a turbo-supercharger!
ReplyDeleteUlises from CA
Drove a 67 Bel Air wagon back in the day. Seems pretty sporty at the time.
ReplyDeleteOther than the AT option, if you find a 5 speed Forester XT, it came factory with the same engine/trans and related parts as the WRX. Swapping in WRX or even STI suspension/brake parts would be child's play considering the Forester is just an Impreza with a higher roof line. Tons of Impreza peeps swap in Forester suspension parts for cheap and easy "lift kits."
ReplyDeleteI think the current reigning king of station wagon lust is the Mercedes E63 AMG* Wagon. It's absolutely insane, but sometimes insane is exactly what one wants.
ReplyDelete*When I first typed it, I had typed "SMG" instead. That would also be desirable, but for a whole host of other reasons.
I remember seeing an circa '65 station wagon with a 460 and homemade twin turbo a few years back. Mmmmmm, TORQUE.
ReplyDeleteIt's screaming for 19s and a drop.
ReplyDeleteDodge Magnum SRT 425hp V8
ReplyDeleteMy folks had a used 1968 Catalina wagon, ordered with the Police Package 455, etc. It was purchased by the local sheriff's department, for the use by the county medical examiner as well as daily stuff needing a wagon.
ReplyDeleteIt just plain *scooted*!
And I still think about getting a late-model Dodge Magnum R/T AWD wagon for all-season fun up here in Cheeseland...
Man, the old hot Fozzies were awesome. They were like a wobbly WRX and a bunch of the parts would interchange. I have a deep desire that Suby would start importing the Ts Fozzies to the States.
ReplyDeleteMy father had a 1962 Chevy Impalla wagon with a (nominal) 409 engine that he bought used. The first owner had it repoed after after 6 months after he'd spent all his money overboring the cylinders, fitting .60 oversized pistons and a larger-than-stock carburetor.
ReplyDeleteDad used to enjoy hitting the gas, having the front end start to lift, and blowing off people he deemed too slow.
Gas was only 25 or so cents a gallon back then (less if there was a gas war going on), so turning it into noise and emissions wasn't a big concern.
I'm always feeling things I shouldn't about them. From the XT Turbo to the 5 series, the CTS-V, the occasional Aston shooting brake, the Mazda 6 wagon lately manufactured in Flat Rock, MI and (lawdhelpme) my last carbureted auto, an '88 Electra Estate Wagon. At least it's not a minivan- though that turbo'd Odyssey that Prof. Reynolds linked a while ago should keep us all from acting snooty.
ReplyDeleteAMC Rambler Wagon anyone?
ReplyDeleteDad had two and I learned to drive on the second one.
The other car in the family was
a '63 Corvair.
Couple of winners, but I liked both at the time.
I saw a Forester at an SCCA AutoX that was basically an STi with a Forester body on it, everything drive-train related was from an STi from what I heard. It was also much lower than a usual Forester. It was awesome, and I'm not even really a Subaru kind of guy!
ReplyDeleteI'd pop that hatchback!
ReplyDeleteI've always kind of admired the Volvo V70, especially the V70R AWD. I'd certainly rather drive a sports wagon than any minivan and most any SUV.
ReplyDeleteHeck, if Ferrari is now arguably making a wagon, then wagons can't be *that* bad...
http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/16618/2012-ferrari-ff-breaks-cover
But I think the coolest wagon of all is probably this one...a 788hp 1967 Volvo wagon is downright subversive...
http://jalopnik.com/5896181/amazing-788-horsepower-ferrari-slaying-volvo-wagon-seeks-new-owner
I've got one in my neighbourhood ( a souped up Forester) I was chatting with the owner, and the specs on it were monster. ( for what it is)
ReplyDeleteA true wolf in sheep's clothing.
Guy also owns a late model Legacy Wagon, the one that all the stock performance kit before they discontinued the legacy wagon. IT also goes like rocket and looks ( until you look closely) like a suburban dog hauler. He regularly blows doors off much higher end sports sedans, in winter, he says it's not even a contest.
I think ever since Chevy drew up a Corvette as station wagon concept car in '54 and then rolled it off the production line starting in '55, it's been perfectly acceptable to feel those things about a station wagon.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe you'd be a little more okay with those feelings if you started calling it a shooting-brake instead of a station wagon.
There was a fella in the night program of the school I was attending that had a Forester like that... Though he (and by he, I'm pretty sure I mean "his parents") had pretty much turned it into a WRX with a Forester body. It was kind of ridiculous, but also kind of cool. Not something you see everyday.
ReplyDeleteI like wagons. Mostly from the mid-60's and the mid-50's. Big brute of an engine AND utility? Yes please.
Here.
ReplyDeleteNot quite 600 horsepower, 3.6 seconds to 60.
Sure, it's a little more expensive than a WRX...
I've always had a soft spot for wagons, ever since my '82 Subie.
ReplyDeleteI just switched from an OBS in Shade 1 (Tam Green) to an oldish V8 Allroad.
Comfy, fast, subtle, and of course the rifle cases can now fit in the rear without doing the Impreza Fandango (i.e. back seat down, no passengers, and a moving blanket & bulldog over the cases).
Only thing better might be an S6 Avant...
Not your fathersrfamily trickster, is it...
ReplyDeleteSubaru makes awesome cars. I just hate how they've been coopted by hippies.