Wagon Wheels – Five Classic Estates

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Chris Pollitt

Back in a time before SUVs, crossovers, MPVs, soft-roaders and other utterly nonsensical types of vehicle, the automotive world was a simpler place. You could have a saloon, a coupe, a cabriolet or of course, an estate. The estate is, if you ask us, one of, if not the most versatile vehicular configuration out there. You get the looks and handling of a car, but with levels of practicality that can border on being van like. The estate can take you to work, it can take the whole family on holiday, and it can prove its worth as a trusty workhorse should you need to move something large, like a fridge or a Weimaraner. The estate car is the wheeled equivalent of the Swiss Army Knife.

Today, salespeople with big watches and expensive haircuts will do their best to usher you into an SUV. Indeed, many only have that option, as manufacturers pull away from building estates. And that’s a shame. There are still some great estates out there (a new Volvo V90 is the last car you’ll ever need), but more on brand for Car & Classic, there is also a rich, diverse, exciting choice of estates from the past. Five of which we’ve rounded up here. A classic car doesn’t have to be for sunny Sundays and car shows. It can still be a versatile, practical addition to your fleet, irrespective of its age.

The Morris Minor Traveller 

Think of a classic estate and your mind’s eye will draw up an image of the Morris Minor Traveller. It is perhaps the classic estate. And rightly so, as it was and still is a wonderful little machine. Based around the front half of the saloon, this addition to the Issigonis fleet boasted a wooden rear frame with aluminium panelling. There’s no fakery here – from the B Pillars back, the charming Traveller has more in common with your garden shed than it does with a car. But don’t look down on it. Wood was a wise choice, as it was light, and it was easy to shape. It didn’t cost the earth, it didn’t rust and it also served as a natty way to make the Minor stand out.

Introduced in 1952, the Morris Minot Traveller was built until 1971, and during that time it was a hugely popular little car. Now seen as a bona fide classic, the support network for the Minor is excellent, with almost all parts available. There are even specialist carpenters out there who make brand-new wooden frames, should the rot have bitten into yours. And there is also a strong custom/upgrade scene, with K Series conversions, modern brakes and modern suspension kits all readily available to bring it up to date. It’s a happy, fun, little car with a keen following. And while it might have only been a two-door, the opening rear doors and drop-down rear seats made it incredibly versatile.

The Mercedes Benz W123 TE

Having owned a number of old Mercedes over the years, we’re more than a little bit partial to them. However, don’t think that we’re including the mighty Mercedes-Benz W123 TE in this list out of favouritism. That’s couldn’t be further from the truth. The W123 in any guise is a worthy, desirable, handsome classic that should always have a home on any list of recommended classics. This was a car engineered so well and with such outstanding attention to detail that it still holds up today. Buy a W123, and you can use it every day without question. They’re joyous to drive, they’re easy to look after and they are reliable to a fault. Buy a TE version, which was the estate, and if you look after it, it will be the last car you ever need. No hyperbole employed, it honestly will be. The W123 is proof that good engineering will always prevail over touchscreens, sensors and autonomy.

The estate version of the W123 featured a one-piece upward-opening rear door, which gave access to the massive, flat boot. Some models were fitted with additional seats that folded out of the floor, making the car a seven-seater (in your face, Espace). The rear seats would fold down, increasing the load space massively. In saloon guise, the W123 was and still is a spacious car, so the TE was no different. This big-booted beauty will swallow the kids, the dogs and many, many cases bursting with holiday gear. And because it’s a W123, if you live in Teeside, but your holiday is in Cornwall, it will get you there without issue. The only thing to watch out for is rust, as it could wreak havoc on the W123. As such, shop about and set yourself a decent budget. Get a car like the one pictured above, and you’ll be laughing.

Citroën DS Safari

The Citroën DS was a car that turned the motoring world on its head when it arrived in 1955. It looked like it had come from space! It was sleek, elegant and it boasted technology that had never been seen before in production cars, the most notable element of which being the hydropneumatic suspension. This suspension made the car famous, what with the ‘magic carpet’ ride quality it offered. But more than that, the DS was simply an incredibly stylish, beautiful car. It was initially meant to be nothing more than a replacement for the ageing Traction Avant, but soon things spiralled out of control! DS production brought with it a new factory, a new workforce and almost bankruptcy in the process. Happily, it was a sales success, which saved Citroën’s bacon. The DS also evolved into being a flagship, luxury model. But not before an estate version was launched in 1958.

The Citroën DS Safari, as it was known here in the UK, was a DS but with a ‘glass house’ rear end rather than the traditional sloping back. In all honesty, the estate version of the DS is nowhere near as pretty as its saloon brother, but it doesn’t matter, mainly because it’s so versatile. It might be a bit ungainly to look at, but inside the load space is enormous. If you want to move a sofa, or the entire Von Trapp family, you can with a DS estate. Some models had an extra pair of seats in the back, which made it a seven-seater. It was and still is, incredibly versatile. Though it does come at a price, with good, rust-free examples now being well north of £20k. But trust us, it’s worth it.

Volvo 240 

Are we even allowed to talk about classic estate cars without mentioning the venerable Volvo 240? Probably not, which is why it’s here. But how could we not include it? Volvo is the brand that truly, with clarity and vision, defined and popularised the estates car market. And while there are many, many iconic Volvo estates to choose from, our money would be on the 240. Seemingly made from granite and girders, the Volvo 240 is classic estate car royalty. Is it fun to drive? Not particularly. Is it fast? Without a turbo, it’s glacial. With one, it’s a bit better. Is it handsome? Yes, in the same way a Lego brick is, so that’s a no. Why then, are we suggesting you buy one? Well, quite simply because if you need an estate to be the best estate possible, the 240 is it. The load space is fast, low and flat. The boot opening is big and square, which means you can load it up with big, square things. This is the dictionary definition of an estate.

As with the other cars in this list, the Volvo 240 has a passionate and invested following, meaning upkeep is no more difficult than a modern car. If you buy a solid, rust-free one, it will last forever. And, like the W123, it’s the kind of classic that you truly can use every day. It’s not dynamic or exhilarating to drive, but nor is it bad. It’s comfortable and surefooted, and sometimes that’s what we want from a car.

1957 Chevrolet Nomad

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Maybe you want your estate to have a bit more burble under the bonnet? If you do, and you’d like that burble to come from a V8, you can’t go wrong with a big, American station wagon, to use their vernacular. The origin of the term ‘station wagon’ dates back to pre-car days, and the horse-drawn wagons that were used, quite literally, to get people from the train station. Though the car we’re looking at here shouldn’t really be called a station wagon. The 1957 was indeed available in station wagon guise. However, what we have here is the altogether more attractive, more stylish and more chrome-laden Chevrolet Nomad.

The Nomad was a ‘halo’ model for Chevrolet, and offered a unique, flowing body style complete with fins, acres of chrome and split/drop-down tailgate that opened up to a massive load space. While it was indeed practical, it wasn’t sold as a car for the family. Instead, it was aimed at the youth market as a vehicle they could impress with. And with the rear seats down, it was perfect for ‘sleeping’ in, too. The roof line, side window line and huge rear side windows set the Nomad apart from the normal ‘station wagon’ version, and as such, it’s one of the most sought after versions of the ’57 Chevy. Though if you can’t find a ’57, the ’55 and ’56 are just as pretty.

 

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