Howdy! 76 GLM Safari

Discussion in 'The Welcome Wagon' started by Steve-E-D, Aug 22, 2009.

  1. Blackfoot

    Blackfoot Wagonless Soul

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2009
    Messages:
    2,177
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    2
    Location:
    Clymer, NY
    Those are some great pics Steve, wonderful memories. I can almost feel what it was like to actually be there with you. WOW! Excellent stuff, thank you for sharing.
     
  2. Steve-E-D

    Steve-E-D Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2009
    Messages:
    2,468
    Likes Received:
    201
    Trophy Points:
    148
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Vancouver, WA, USA
    Glad you enjoyed that, Scott.
    This wagon truely is a member of my family. Hopefully it will someday be refered to as "that old antique car that Grandpa still drives". :rofl2:
     
  3. The Stickman

    The Stickman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2008
    Messages:
    1,316
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    111
    Wagon Garage:
    3
    Location:
    Lehigh Valley pa
    Very cool. :)
     
  4. Roadking41A

    Roadking41A Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2007
    Messages:
    5,436
    Likes Received:
    53
    Trophy Points:
    120
    Location:
    Oklahoma
    Excellent work. If you need a Edelbrock intake let me know.
     
  5. tsynek

    tsynek New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2009
    Messages:
    190
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Houston
    :band:That's awesome. Bitchin' long hair dude! :party3::party5: Way to take the wagon on the trail. My first car, a mint 2 door 75 impala was well known in San Antonio for off roading. I even had air shocks and mudding tires on it at one time. The secret was momentum, once you got her going you left your foot on the gas.:character0182:

    My wagon will be ready for some trails soon. I still need airshocks in the back. A set of huge tires would be cool too.
     
  6. the Rev

    the Rev senior junior Charter Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2006
    Messages:
    9,321
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    3
    Location:
    BC,canada
    Steve....you should repost all that in 'chit chat'....thats a freekin great story and wonderful pics !!...your my hero for the day(y)


    ps:
    (my hairs longer now at fiftymumble than yours was in 89):biglaugh::biglaugh:
     
  7. snooterbuckets

    snooterbuckets Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2009
    Messages:
    3,742
    Likes Received:
    34
    Trophy Points:
    106
    Location:
    Cranford, New Jersey
    Steve, I'm glad to see your wagon in the woods, my friend. I used to be an avid off roader down in the Pine Barrens in southern Jersey in the mid 80's. I was the sales manager for a Ford dealer and always drove Bronco II's. I'll have to look for pics I can post from back then. I would go into the woods with Mike and Ann, good friends who had a Toyota pick up, almost every weekend.
    So, one weekend we had all planned but wouldn't you know, my Bronco II got sold that Thursday so I didn't have a 4X4. I took the next best thing, a brand new Crown Vic wagon we had just put into our rental fleet. Mike had to work so it was just Ann, their 2 yr old son Josh and me. We off roaded back to a place called Hidden Lakes. It was where everyone used to go to and on any given Sat or Sun, you'd see probably anywhere from 50-100 trucks hanging out back there. The lakes, (ponds really), were surrounded by these dirt cliffs that were about 60-70 feet higher. Everybody would drive down them in these ruts created by the rain run off and yup, you guessed it, we took the Crown Vic down and back up one of them more than once, I might add! There were F250's with huge mudder tires and monster trucks that would go up and down them with great pride and machismo that their vehicles were able to accomplish such "feats". Needless to say, they were more than shocked and disappointed when we were able to do the exact same thing in a rwd long roof. Guess I showed them.
    Hey, little does the general public know the true capabilities of wagons. Glad everyone on this site is well aware of their prowess and strength even in the worst of conditions!!
     
  8. Roadking41A

    Roadking41A Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2007
    Messages:
    5,436
    Likes Received:
    53
    Trophy Points:
    120
    Location:
    Oklahoma
    You know that hurt some Rednecks feelings.:rofl2::rofl2:
     
  9. bstout

    bstout New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2009
    Messages:
    231
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    3
    Location:
    Tampabay area
    Steve...

    I know it's a little late (post wise) but the engine compartment is KILLER...and then some...Outstanding !!! That's what I tell my boys, take your time and do it RIGHT, and you'll never be sorry!!!
    About the beach thing, in Jacksonville we could drive all on the beach, but the regulars knew to not forget about your car(surfing or lovin') for too long when parking on the beach, because that INCOMMING TIDE is going to dround you. It was kind of fun back then to watch the vacationers cars get WASHED out and watered down. When the tide washes up and ebbs back, the sand washes away and the car just SINKS!!! A 3500lb. car with 20 cubic feet of salt water and sand, just gained about 1284 lbs., and without traction they got high centered really easy. It would only take about 30 minutes and they couldn't drive off. 20 minutes after that and they needed a snorkel and mask, for them and the engine!!!
    Anyway... I digress !!!
    Great job on that car!!!
    Bruce
     
  10. Steve-E-D

    Steve-E-D Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2009
    Messages:
    2,468
    Likes Received:
    201
    Trophy Points:
    148
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Vancouver, WA, USA
    Thanks Bruce. My father spent his career in quality management, and I spent time in the same field, so I know that saying very well. The phrase "good enough" did not fly in our house.
    Thats not all he passed on to me...

    So where did this fanatical love of wagons come from? Dad, of course.

    Dad's first car: 1958 Chevy Nomad
    [​IMG]

    He still regrets trading it in for this 1964 Chevy Impala
    [​IMG]

    Had to sell the '64 when his job took him overseas. He bought a 1972 Impala upon returning to the states.
    [​IMG]

    Sold the '72 before going overseas again and upon return, bought the 1976 Grand Le Mans that is now mine.
    [​IMG]

    He still says that 58 Nomad was the best car he's ever owned.
     
  11. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2007
    Messages:
    19,635
    Likes Received:
    32
    Trophy Points:
    813
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    Have to agree with your dad. My granddad bought a new 1958 Belair 4-door. In 1964, he lost one leg to Gangrene (an old Northwest Mountie injury), so he got the car modified to drive it with one leg.

    In 1976, he lost the other leg, and got the car modified again to keep driving it. He drove it until 1988 when he passed away. My Aunt sold it for $400 More than he paid for it in 1958! Mint condition.
     
  12. tsynek

    tsynek New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2009
    Messages:
    190
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Houston
    Hey Steve I'm a big fan of El Paso. I have a couple of real good friends living there now. I went to see them about 6 months ago and you could see about four fires in battle plaqued Juarez from a small mountain top in El Paso. We took a hike in the mountains, went boarding in White Sands. Also I saw a few nice mostly stock low rider 60's and 70's Impalas, not to mention some crazy junkyard that was closed and full of 50's and 60's cars. A border patrol place happened to be across the highway. According to the gas station guy next to the yard, the yard had been closed for years, but the current owner wouldn't do anything with it. The border patrol scared off would be thieves he said.
    By the way your dad's wagons are testament to the genius of good ole USA artistry and mechanical perfection. Especially that 72 clamshell!
     
  13. silverfox

    silverfox New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2009
    Messages:
    16,780
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    What a GREAT story, Steve! And you're right to not EVER sell that wagon. It has a lifetime of memories that can never be replaced. Nice job you're doing too! Keep it up...someday it will look just like the day your dad drove it out of the showroom!
     
  14. snooterbuckets

    snooterbuckets Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2009
    Messages:
    3,742
    Likes Received:
    34
    Trophy Points:
    106
    Location:
    Cranford, New Jersey
    Steve, what a cool pictorial essay. I wish I had the forethought to take pix of all my dad's cars. I used to have quite a few of them, but my brother, who's the family "historian" had all of them. Unfortunately, he had a house fire back in '07 and they're gone forever.
     
  15. the Rev

    the Rev senior junior Charter Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2006
    Messages:
    9,321
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    3
    Location:
    BC,canada
    I know what you mean Snoot...all the cars i've had...and lots I wish I'd kept...but alas...NO pics...never cared:slap:

    Steve...you could do a seperate thread just on your stuff !!:yup:
    Impressive Wagonistory:thumbs2:
     

Share This Page