Photos courtesy of Holley Performance
At this yearâs Holley Hot Rod Reunion (one of the many great events Holley makes happen) there were plenty of wagons on hand in a wide variety of styles to choose from. The folks at Holley were right there to pick their top five, most-liked wagons and ranked them from cool to coolest.
#5 â Pinto Wagon
Yeah, I know this doesnât really fit the genre of this magazine, but we can appreciate good craftsmanship when we see it. The Minilite wheels add a nice contrast with the wood grain paneling, and the surfboard on the roof gives it a fun look for a cruise night. When you think about it, it took a lot of restraint to not V-8-swap this econobox; however, the turbocharged, 2.3 liter 4-cylinder is pretty bulletproof and can make 300 hp easily with some tuning and ton of boost. Weâre pretty sure this Pinto can roast the tires at will. Nice job!
#4 â â55 Chevy Wagon
Slammed to the ground on a set of steel wheels, this wagon is super clean and epitomizes what a cruiser is all about: style and fun. The 17-year old owner grew up with the Chevy in the family, and inherited it from his dad when he was old enough. While a lot of the younger generation gravitates towards the newer, more sophisticated cruisers, this kid is the standout in his stylish shoebox!
#3 â Chevelle Wagon
This wagonâs Super Sport badging and Cragar SS wheels give it a classic â60s look, and weâre quite sure that the 327 is plenty of power for this cruiser. Itâs clean and makes a bold statement without a bunch of bells and whistles. Unfortunately, thereâs not much shown on the video, but itâs reminiscent of a certain, bad-ass â67 Malibu wagon once owned by our own, Scott Parkhurst!
#2 â Ford âWoodyâ Wagon
You canât talk about wagons and NOT bring up the Woody. Theyâre what made wagons cool in the first place! Forever immortalized in songs sung by surfer bands, a classic Woody was perfect for that lazy Sunday afternoon cruiseâyou had no place to go, and all day to get there.
#1 â Malibu Wagon
You gotta admit, this wagon is extremely nice! From the bronze paint to the rally wheels, this Malibu Wagon is immaculate and looks ready to hit the streets with its Red Line tires. The small-block provides plenty of hours of reliable cruising power while the factory air conditioning guarantees that everyone inside stays nice and cool on those hot summer days.
Letâs face it: wagons are cool, and the older they get, they just keep getting cooler.
Living in Richmond, Texas, PJ Rentie has been in the automotive industry for more than 30 years. This former Assistant Editor at Vette Magazine also spent time with companies like NOS, Edelbrock, Hillbank Motorsports, Classic Industries, and was an automotive instructor for Cypress College for ten years. In his spare time, PJ hopes to one day bring his Fox Body Mustang out of the back yard and back onto the street!
