Any Thoughts as to Why Two Door Station Wagons Were Manufactored?

Being that i have a 46 ford sedan delivery, they may be a little tough to reach everything in the back, but its the most pratical street rod i've ever had.

 

I'm always suprized at what cars they did make as 2 door wagons. They are so rare you hardly ever see them. You never knew that a there was a 2 door 57 Studebaker wagon or Panel and then you see one on here or at a show.
One of the cooler Pintos was the 2 panel delivery.

 

I thought it was because they were a cheaper way to carry surf boards which automatically made them "cool".

 

Someone had some extra doors one day.

 

I don't care why i am just glad they did
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Makes sense that the two doors were for utility use and the four doors for family shit. Love the two doors though.

 

weren't the tri-5 chevy 2-dr wagons referred to as handyman wagons? So it would stand to reason for handyman to use for hauling tools and such.

 

This is not my car, But I had to have one when we seen this. 55 Courier.

 

I can't comment on the reasoning behind the production of two door wagons,but they are every bit as practical as 4 door versions.They probably were initially produced as an entry level utility vehicle that could also be used to transport a man's family to church(or wherever)on Sundays.
They have been immensely practical to me since I bought my first sedan delivery in 1968.It allowed me to carry all my painting supplies including an air compressor and still have the ride of a passenger car.
I currently own a pair of 2 door wagons(a 55 and a 57 Safari)and their rear seats are readily accessible unless you have some serious back problems.There is a ton of leg room in the rear as well.With the rear seat folded,I can carry everything I need to set up at a car show including two 10x10 pop up tents.The big stuff will go on the removable roof racks.
I've lost count of how many Pinto wagons and Cruisin' Vans I've owned.While not tall on power unless they were V-8'ed(I had 2 of those)they would carry a prodigious amount of stuff and get great gas mileage to boot.Not bad looking either.
At the Hot Rod Power Tour at ididit the other day there were several 2 door wagons including a 57 Ranchero,a phantom Chevy II,and a early 60's Chrysler 2 door hardtop wagon.Never saw one of them before but it looked factory.
Probably one of the rarest models is a 57 Chevy sedan delivery with side windows.Apparently they were made for the military and were essentially a 2 door wagon with a one piece lift gate.Supposedly only a couple hundred were made.

 

Must have been a fake, but I'd like to see it!

Dodges and Plymouths were available as 2dr wagons in '60-62, but they had a post. They were also available as 4dr post wagons, or new for 1960 a 4dr hardtop wagon. Chrysler wagons were only available as 4dr post or hardtop in these years.

 

I heard they were sold to counter some of the pickup market...but don't know how true that is!

 

I'd guess that this the cheapest way possible to build a light duty truck-like vehicle for businesses that wanted more enclosed, secure storage space than the open bed of a pickup could provide. A little more economical to operate, better styling and a more comfortable ride too. I think the availabilty and popularity of vans in the early '60s is what really did them in.

The vehicle that really kind of freaked me out was the 3 door Chevy Suburbans built from '67 to '72. From the back seat you didn't even realize that there was no left rear door until you reached down to grab the inside door handle that wasn't there! But it probably saved them $8 to $12 apiece to build them that way.

 

so guys gack in the sixties wouldn't have to cut the centers out of so many 4 doors.

 

This is about as silly a question as why "They" ever built two door sedans.

It's because two doors = COOL!
Four doors = L Seven
"convenient" = taxi cab/transportation appliance

 

They only made them at the end of the production run, when they started to run out of doors...

 

I've got a 57 Pontiac 2dr wagon and a 58 Chevy Yoeman 2dr wagon in my backyard. They belong to a friend though. I also have another friend with a 57 Studebaker 2dr wagon and a 53 Ford 2dr wagon/ambulance. Still has the gurney in it.

 

Sounds familiar...

I've had mine for 21 years now, and a sort of cult '60-'63 Comet 2dr wagon group seems to be forming.

1988:



2000: (yard art)



Now:





-KK

 

That Comet wagon is tits!!
A Falcon with winged feet.

 

Fifty year and no garage later, my son says it will shine someday.

 

Two-Door Hard Top Belaire...... Wagon. Extra-Sweet Nomadder What!!

 

I drive my 57 Ranch Wagon every day. Like all wagons, even with kids, it's VERY practical. It is the perfect size for me, having had everything from the little Pinto Cruisin Wagons to a 70 LTD Country Squire. I'm still looking for another 57-59 Mercury 2 door hardtop wagons, my all time favorite. The 2 door wagons in the 50's, like the Safari's, Nomads, Villagers, Roundups, Commuters, etc., were made to appeal to people that wanted a snazzy car, but had to haul lots of stuff.

 

Plymouth only made 2 door wagons in 1949, 50, 51 and I think 52 and 53 the only 4 door wagons were woodie wagons 49 to 51.... Ford stoped 4 door woodie wagons in 1948 production, and only made 2 door woodies with solid steel roofs from 1949 to 1951 ...................

 

I love tudor wagons so much I built my own, with help from Extreme Metal and Paint. This is a 67' Volvo 122SW (station wagon) only available as a four door. Now its a 122XS, cause its over the top. 3.8 GM S/C V6, T5, Jag IRS and lots more!!

 

It's a Yeoman

 

yeah the idea was being able to carry all of your tools or items to be sold in an enviroment that was able to be locked up and safe

 

My 60 Morris Minor 2dr wagon. The Morris sedan (rough) I may build a custom 2dr panel wagon out of it.

Had a Mercury Bobcat wagon once, I really liked it as a practical wagon.

Wish I had my 79 Buick Century wagon again.

 

This '55 Pontiac Chieftain 2 door wagon is sitting at the edge of my friends field. It still has the original V8, still turns over too. Pretty rare car... but it's rough and would need ALOT of work. I'd pull it out of there if it were a Safari wagon... I think those are way cooler.

 

Here's one I did in 1958. Grill was replaced with pieces from a '58 Caddy after this photo was taken and the scallops were done with a rattle can. There is a small cover over the cargo area. Would do one again if I could find a good 53-54 Plymouth 2 door wagon.

It was a "tradition" to do late model cars in the fifties. Think Larry Watson's 58 'Bird. But, if you were to follow that "tradition" today, HAMB'ers would be all over you like flys on shit!

 

i bought a 64 chevelle 300 2dr wagon from a electrician....so there must be something to that.... my old 59 plymouth suburban wagon was supposedly a ex-military vehicle...but that was never confirmed...

 

So Nomads could be invented.