Graph of the Week: 10 fast, affordable wagons
It’s getting close to Thanksgiving, which means that millions of Americans are about to stuff their cars full of kids, luggage and casserole before setting off to visit friends and family. While crossover SUVs seem to have taken over the roads, station wagons remain unforgettable. Today’s car market sadly lacks yesteryear’s big, powerful wagons, but back in the ‘60s there were plenty of fast family haulers to choose from. The good news is that most of them are fairly cheap today.
All of these wagons, in addition to extra luggage and passenger room, have at least 300 horsepower and an average value under $15,000.
In most cases with such cars, the wagons are also even cheaper than their two-door counterparts with the same engine, with the exception of the ’64 Chevelle and the ’69 Ford LTD. The best value is the 1962 Chrysler New Yorker Town & Country wagon, which comes out to $19 per horsepower, while the 1970 Buick Estate is the most powerful with 370 hp from its massive 455-cid V-8. Actually finding some of these wagons for sale can be challenging however since few were optioned with big engines from the factory. But if you do find an original one, it’s good to know that buying it won’t break the bank.
