Citroen Goddess (DS) wagon was never sold in Australia, only the ID, the down market version.
And I am reminded, the replacement for this, the CX2200 was introduced to Australia in 1976 or 77, and so comes into the 60s and 70s.
John
Other than the oil seal problems and a wheel rim was destroyed by a medium sized stone on a gravel main road. What I really disliked about the Subaru was it's significant limitations in out of the way places. Remember I had a decade of Land Rover ownership and the low ground clearance on the Subaru prevented my travelling to many places, Tunnel Creek Gorge & Edith Falls to name a couple where I was stopped by creeks that a Rover would have driven through. Going to Palm Valley I had to drive with one wheel on the hump between the wheel ruts and the other on the outside of the track less I get stuck on the underside of the body with all wheels off the ground.
As I said the Subi lasted me only 4 days after I returned to Sydney in favor of a RRc.
My plan was to fit a TD5 and ZF Auto (and maybe even upgraded diff). Jokes from Nissota owners aside, that should have made it both reliable and economical.
Depending on what wagon I end up with, I may or may not do a diesel conversion on it. Obviously if it was something really rare and or already economical and reliable (e.g. Volvo 120) - I probably wouldn't. I will ideally be looking for a vehicle that has already had an engine conversion done - so that doing a diesel conversion won't be seen as ruining the car...
I should also have stipulated RWD and N-S engine...
Diana - my experience with the subies was completely different. A few friends owned early-mid 80s MY subies, and they were extremely reliable. Sure - they are no landrover offroad... Apart from the heads, the engines would easily do 1/2 a million k's between rebuilds.
I must admit my experience of subies was different too. I had a 79 1600 wagon that I upgraded to an 1800 dual range. I had a 2" lift, 14" wheels, dual throat webber and 2" straight through exhaust. I had it for 16 years and also owned a D1 for 11 of those years. Sold both in 2006. I did 300,000km in the suby and it was quite reliable. I dropped an exhaust valve early on abd replaced one clutch. The main issues where breaking clutch cables and chewing out inner CVs.
Was far better that the disco on soft stuff but could not climb really steep hills - it simply ran out off puff.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ars/Subaru.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/
I guess, if I had a similar lift and those after market wheels my experience may have been different. However I purchased one of the first 2 range 1800's in the country (same colour as the image below) and the aftermarket accessories were less available.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...11/06/1491.jpg
Yes I guess I was looking at them from the other direction, moving up from a 180B (Hey there's another wagon Isuzurover!), I was in offroad heaven (well so I thought) :D, gradually getting bigger and more serious 4wd's til I ended up with a Defender.
The subie was great fun though - and yes I do recall paying very close attention to where you put your wheels, to avoid bottoming out. (at least they had a few guards under there!)
Nonetheless it had low range and a true 4wd system, and they were pretty cheap back in the days when 4wd's were taxed at a lower rate.
I reckon my Brumby would out perform many of the soft roaders around today.
Having said all that it is horses for courses and much prefer a ladder chassis, ground clearance, robustness (is that a word!) and engine breaking of a bigger 4wd.
Now back to the wagons.....
Did we mention the Toyota Crown Wagon - had one of those too.:D