1976 full-size Chevy, Ford, Plymouth and AMC station wagons (luxury, vehicles, coupe)

[Tennesseestorm]

By 1976, alot of American cars were getting "junky", but 1976 was the last year of the really big Chevy that dated back to 1971 and near the end for the big Plymouth wagon. Since these designs dated back to the early 70s (Fords design was from 1973-78), these were some of the better cars being made in the mid 70s. Since I was born in 1976, I picked this year for the poll. These were the "top trim level" wagons from the entry-level makes from the big three.... I am also adding AMC's Matador wagon.

1976 Chevrolet Caprice Estate 3-seat wagon
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26166 &g2_serialNumber=1 (broken link)

1976 Ford LTD Country Squire 4-seat wagon (shown with "Brougham" luxury option)
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=45803 &g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)
and its interiors...
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=45806 &g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)

1976 Plymouth Fury Sport Suburban 3-seat wagon
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=66439 &g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)

1976 AMC Matador Brougham (and base Matador) 3-seat wagons
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5508& g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)
and its interiors... (I think the bucket seats were only on the 2-door models)
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5510& g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)

[dkf747]

Ford LTD! We had the ''77 Mercury Marquis wagon,, which is similar to the LTD wagon. Loved it. Also had the '74 and '77 LTD (neither were wagons). I'm an LTD Fan!

[scarabchuck]

You don't have my choice on there... a Jeep Wagoneer. Wasn't that considered a "station wagon" for the time. I don't the the SUV title had even been invented at that point.

[Tennesseestorm]

Originally Posted by scarabchuck

You don't have my choice on there... a Jeep Wagoneer. Wasn't that considered a "station wagon" for the time. I don't the the SUV title had even been invented at that point.

I should have... sorry. I will do another for the SUVs... for now, here you go...

http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=52798 &g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=52804 &g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)

[73-79 ford fan]

I'll take the LTD with the 460. I think 4 wheel disc brakes with hydro boost was an option.

[Tennesseestorm]

Originally Posted by 73-79 ford fan

I'll take the LTD with the 460. I think 4 wheel disc brakes with hydro boost was an option.

I'll take one too with a 460 and 4-wheel disc brakes! Make mine with the luxury Brougham option as well!

My great aunt bought one of these brand new in late 1977, (hers was a 1978), which was the last year for this really big Ford wagon. It was dark brown w/woodgrain. I think hers had the 351 engine, but it was otherwise loaded to the maximum - it also had the Brougham option and interior like in photo "A" of that ad. Last time I saw the car in 1998, it was still like new. I saw here in 2000 at a family reunion and asked her about the car... she said he had give it to her son... he had sold it for $300! I never see it on the road, so I am sure someone took out the engine and probably crushed the 100% rust free body with like new interior. had I known they wanted to sell it, I would have bought it.

I almost bought a 1976 Country Squire wagon that was on the back lot of a local Ford dealer in 2002 - it was a trade in on a new 2002 Taurus wagon. It had 76K miles and was in excellent condition. They were only asking $850 for it. I went back a week later to buy it... it had been sold. I can kick myself now for not buying it on the spot. It didnt have the Brougham option I dont think, but it had the optional dura-weave interior (like in photo "B").

[bmwguydc]

I would take the Country Squire/Colony Park over the others. With the covered headlamps, they had a look that was very close to the Lincolns of the day. The Caprice and the Plymouth are not bad, but the Matador just did not translate well into a wagon.

As an aside, 1976 would have been the middle of the run with the controversial Coupe, which was completely different than the sedan/wagon. Now, if they had applied a trend-setting design to the wagons, even enlisting some of the corporate affiliations that they did for the Coupe with Oleg Cassini and the previous Hornet wagon with Gucci, that could have been interesting.

[Tennesseestorm]

Yeah, the Matador was strange those years... I liked the 71-73 Matador wagons and particularly the Ambassador wagons...
here is a side shot of a 1973 Ambassador Brougham wagon...
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1446& g2_serialNumber=3 (broken link)



Oh yeah, a wagon stemming from that strange Matador coupe design would have been quite interesting! For those that dont know what we are talking about, well.... here are some 1974 Matador coupes...
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1482& g2_serialNumber=3 (broken link)
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1484& g2_serialNumber=3 (broken link)

Here are more Matador wagons from 1977-78 era...
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5597& g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5595& g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)

and a 1974 Matador wagon...
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1486& g2_serialNumber=3 (broken link)

You was talking about the Matador not fitting well as a wagon... its strange isnt it? I have found that the Concord (once called Hornet) wagon seemed to have been a good fit to a wagon... this is a 1978 Concord D/L wagon... (I think this car is rather tasteful).
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5548& g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)
and a older version of this wagon... a 1976 Hornet Sportabout (grandma had a hatchback version of this car back in the late 80s and early 1990s- same year, same color... it was yellow with a brown vinyl top. It had like 35K actual miles. These cars had bulletproof drivetrains (it had the 258 I6, automatic, A/C, tilt wheel, map lights, FM radio, etc), but the interiors looked very cheap. Ironically, grandpa still has a 1976 AMC Gremlin - also yellow w/brown interior. 52K miles, loaded for a car like this, it has A/C, auto, PS, PB, FM radio, etc.
Anyway, the '76 Hornet wagon...
wow, it hurts your eyes to look at it!
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5482& g2_serialNumber=2 (broken link)

Notice how AMC used these wheels on alot of their cars (even in these photos)... the big Matador wagon and grandmas old Hornet had these and grandpas current Gremlin has these wheels as well!

[73-79 ford fan]

I see a few of these LTD wagons in my area. I wonder how many they sold?

[bmwguydc]

I agree, the Hornet/Concorde made a nice wagon, actually. The earlier Matadors were not bad, either, as a wagon, I agree.

Ah, the Hornet colors...I remember the one used in the Bond film "The Man With the Golden Gun" which was a bright orange Hornet X hatchback. The jump car was modified to perform a spiral jump, using the Javelin as a prototype. I wonder how many vehicles were sold under the handing characteristics exhibited in the film. Well, I am sure that nobody believed that the flying Matador coupe also used in the fillm was a factory option, but you never know.

That drivetrain kept AMC in business for years and years, along with Jeep. The Hornet/Concorde/Eagle was in use until the 1980s, and they seemed to be pretty reliable from what I used to see of them, but I do believe that rust was a factor with them, at least in the Northeast so they did tend to disappear after a few years.