[Cam]

I was watching a somewhat boring old Youtube video, "Anatomy Of A Road 1960s Road & Highway Construction" when at the 22 minute mark I saw a '65 Chevy II Nova wagon with woodgrain siding. I have never heard of one; it may have been an engineering study. It makes me wince in the old video but a pair of GM engineers tested the Chevy II Estate Wagon's response to grazing a guardrail.

Anyone out there ever see or hear of such a car?

 

[nono]

woody

I think there was a woody wagon in the movie over board from 1986. I but I never seen one in person

 

[SCHWABIE]

good eye , cool video :yes:

 

[Cam]

I mean, think of the timing of the car. Over at Ford there had been Falcon Squires since mid-62. GM seemed to start experimenting with exterior wood-grain in '65 with the appearance of the 1965 El Camino show vehicle. Powered by a 396 & having no roof, it featured wood-grain prominently along the sides & rear. I think the Terry Boyce book, "Super Sports 1961 - 1976" has a photo.

Probably a study, that Chevy II. Chevrolet released the production wood-grain wagon on the 1966 Caprice, then the Chevelle Concours wagon for '67. Chevy probably didn't want to upstage the Caprice & Impala wagons with a little Nova Estate. Marketing as usual would steer buyers towards larger & more profitable car lines. The compact wagon concept was dying in Detroit at the time, who knows, maybe even for the reasons stated above.

Wood-grain tailgates also started appearing on the El Camino Customs for '67 and would carry on through '72, before going all-out Estate equipment on the El Camino for '73 through '75.