W-Body Station wagon?

[warwgn3]

Here's a dumb question....

 

How come GM never made any station wagons out of the W-Body platform?

 

I'm guessing its because when the W-body first came out, they already had wagons being made from the A, B, and J-Body platforms such as the Celebrity, Caprice, and Cavalier, that they thought there wasn't really any need for another line of wagons.

 

Oh well, I think it would have been cool to see a Z-34 wagon.

[intern8tion9l]

oh i'd LOVE to see someone make one!

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

if they had made one i would probably own it

[Brian P]

ditto.

 

The closest thing they had were the U-vans that shared some visual resemblance, but used a lot of parts from the A-body.

 

I think the easiest wagon conversion would be derived from a Cutlass or Lumina sedan.

[warwgn3]

What's a U-Van? any relation to a Screw-U-Van?

[Lord Bowler]

lumina, silhouette and transport vans

[Brian P]

LOL I think they do screw-u

[Stevo]

Hmmmm found my next photoshop project.

[warwgn3]

lumina, silhouette and transport vans

ah, ok. My Dads friend has a Trans Sport van... It's always got some kind of problem too, so it must be a Screw-U-Van

[patgizz]

never found a single part besides generic OBD1 stuff(MAP, coolant temp, tps) that was exactly the same on w's and u's. the wheels fit but have different offsets. the 16" euro/z34 wheels barely fit on my 90 APV, but it looked cooler than shit with them on it.

[digitaloutsider]

Later U-vans share a vast majority of their parts with the W-bodies.

[Crazy K]

never found a single part besides generic OBD1 stuff(MAP, coolant temp, tps) that was exactly the same on w's and u's. the wheels fit but have different offsets. the 16" euro/z34 wheels barely fit on my 90 APV, but it looked cooler than shit with them on it.

the identical 15 inch lumina alloy rim was used on both U and W's iirc.

Pat, what was the issue? did the inner rim go in too deep?

 

oh and topic time..... no W station wagons. station wagons where a thing of the 80's, they where loosing popularity to suv's by the early 90's. but the buick apparently has a built in ''tailgate ajar'' warning indicator, during the first/or a few years... a good indication that they were thinging about it.

[patgizz]

the issue was 1/8" clearance from the stock Z34 225/60/16 to the spring perch on the strut/spindle assembly.

 

everything up front is different from the cradle to the brake calipers and pads, and the rear is a solid axle in the vans so that's all way different. should have kept my 91, i was planning to RWD/v8 it on a S10 chassis but got unmotivated, then got motivated again after i got rid of it.

[fastbird232]

lumina, silhouette and transport vans

 

Ever notice the later Transport's had what looked identical to a B4U nose?

[Justin]

but the buick apparently has a built in ''tailgate ajar'' warning indicator, during the first/or a few years... a good indication that they were thinging about it.

 

I'm 99% sure the CS clusters have a spot for that bulb too. One of the two digital clusters do anyways.

[MonteCarloChick]

lumina, silhouette and transport vans

 

Ever notice the later Transport's had what looked identical to a B4U nose?

Word. My grandfather had one

[fastbird232]

Dammit, can't believe I put an apostrophe in there... Must be tired.

[5speedz34]

but the buick apparently has a built in ''tailgate ajar'' warning indicator, during the first/or a few years... a good indication that they were thinging about it.

 

I'm 99% sure the CS clusters have a spot for that bulb too. One of the two digital clusters do anyways.

 

Yeah, the digital UB3's have them also. Also, I agree with Ken.

[Crazy K]

the ub3 does? hummmmm.... (gears are turning)

 

Thats what i figured, Pat. lack of back clearance.

 

now.... the older U vans were basically built on the chassis of an A-body, the same/similiar rear tube axle, front struts, and same frame(or..... was that from a berretta/corsica?)

 

for some years, the pontiac transport and the bonneville used the same headlights too! and I wouldn't doubt other similiar compatabilites.

[Regal_GS_1989]

but the buick apparently has a built in ''tailgate ajar'' warning indicator, during the first/or a few years... a good indication that they were thinging about it.

 

 

 

Thats from the cluster from my 88 regal, which was a late 87.

 

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

The guy at work in teh bodyshop who does all the metal work is building a Cavalier wagon, except he's removed the back doors (making it a 2 door) and he plans on dropping it onto a RWD S-truck frame.

[Turbo231]

Too many wagons...Ford did make the Taurus wagon...but they killed their full size wagon. Like the original post said, GM had the A, J and the B body through 1996...and after that, it was SUV's ahoy, which is the primary reason you don't see any wagons today...well, real wagons. I haven't seen a new Ford wagon, GM has the Malibu Maxx, and Dodge has the 300 variant...but if you can't fit a 4'x8' plywood back there, you just aren't trying.

 

They will return though...as fuel economy steps in people want small cars to haul things, like one of the many subaru variants.

 

As for wagons not being popular, GM was selling at least 10,000 B body wagons (Caprice/Roadmaster) a year until the end...they weren't killed because they were unpopular, but the overall chassis was cancelled for more trucks.

[warwgn3]

I haven't seen a new Ford wagon, GM has the Malibu Maxx, and Dodge has the 300 variant...but if you can't fit a 4'x8' plywood back there, you just aren't trying.

 

I totally agree on the 4x8 plywood thing. Infact, in my mind, if its not big enough to seat 8 belted passengers in 3 rows of seats, then its not a real wagon. No wonder why I hate anything newer than 1996. Everyone know's I'm obsessed with wagons from the 60's, 70's and 80's.

 

But the Malibu Maxx isn't a station wagon at all. It's a 4-door hatchback. And as for the Magnum wagon, it's just a modern hot rod. there's not really very much "wagon" in it at all. The cargo area is too small to be usefull, so the car is really meant as a status symbol. "I've got a hemi"... yeah big fucken deal.

 

Give me something thats atleast 18 feet or longer, with a drop&swing tailgate. Now THAT'S a Station Wagon.

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

The closest thing GM has to a wagon is the Vibe and the HHR. I'm not sure which of the 2 would have more room, I'm thinking maybe the HHR.

 

Can't forget about the Torrent/Equinox... it's FWD/AWD and feels more car than truck.

 

Seating for 8 is impractical for a car, that's why minivan crushed them.

[88Regal Limited]

w-body wagon.... if only I had time and could weld....