Thread: One for the car experts - station wagons of the 60s and 70's...

Originally Posted by Sleepy

Isuzurover,
What's the reason for this list?

I was planning to do up an old jag as a DDer. However, we have decided that a wagon is much more practical.

I was just seeing what the options were.

Originally Posted by Sleepy

Isuzurover,
What's the reason for this list?

P.S. I liked the old sigma too. Friend of mine had an early wagon (Chrysler) We took it up some pretty rough roads around Licola - couldn't kill the old "Bush Turkey". It died peacefully, in its sleep, of rust 20 years later.

P.P.S. I liked my old Subie too (although it was an early 80's), drove it up the telegraph track to Cape York, other than the bullbar falling off and a blown shocker - no dramas!

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.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

I was planning to do up an old jag as a DDer. However, we have decided that a wagon is much more practical.

I was just seeing what the options were.

Old Jag as a daily drive! You should perform at the comedy festival with that one.

I do like old Jaguars but I also know what they're like.

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Old Jag as a daily drive! You should perform at the comedy festival with that one.

I do like old Jaguars but I also know what they're like.

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.

Originally Posted by p38arover

Was the Renault 12 sold here in wagon form? The sedan was.

Sure were, our family had one. It had a three speed auto that was electronically controlled - badly. On some mornings it would give you nothing but 3rd gear, which didn't do wonders for the performance.

Originally Posted by bee utey

You know, if Mitsubishi ever had the guts to release the 3.0 V6 in the Sigma, it would have been twice the car. That fate was left to the Magna instead. The Astron was a bit of a dodgy lump, although with the balance shafts removed they could go very hard in 2.6 form.

Then in front wheel drive form the Astron was prone to cracking blocks. I have heard that a 2.6 crank in a 2.0 block (or vice versa, I don't recall) gives a good 2.4 engine.

Originally Posted by garrycol

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.
<Image deleted>

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.