I don’t know about you, but I have always loved woody station wagons. And with the advent of tippy-toed, ill-handling crossovers, three-quarters of which are ugly enough to scare a bulldog off of a meat wagon, I love them more than ever.
Like this top of the line, Di-Noc clad, bechromed Plymouth from The Year Of Our Lord, 1973. Sure, it’s massive. Sure, it’s a goner in any impact with a 2000-up motor vehicle with crush zones and dual airbags. But look at her. She’s gorgeous!
1973 was the final year you could get a Fuselage-styled Mopar station wagon, coupe, sedan or four-door hardtop.
Starting in 1974, totally redesigned full-size Mopars would come on the scene with much more ornate elaborate and Broughamy styling.
But for one last year, the clean, purposeful full-sizers made their last stand. And the most expensive, finest station wagon Plymouth offered was the one you see before you right now: the nine-passenger Sport Suburban.
With a base price of $4,599 and weighing in at 4,495 lb, the Sport Suburban was the most expensive big Plymouth you could get that year. It was also the most popular big Plymouth wagon, with 15,680 built.
There was also a two seat 6 passenger woody Sport Suburban for $4,497, but only 4832 were built. Clearly, the more, the merrier, at least when it came to passengers.
For comparison’s sake the cheapest full-size Plymouth Fury was the Fury I four door sedan for $3,865. The cheapest full-size station wagon was the Fury II 2-seat Suburban, for $4,410. 5,206 of them were built.
Standard engine on all 1973 Furys was a 150 horsepower 318 cubic inch V8. But our featured nine passenger wagon, which I spotted on Facebook Marketplace in Salt Lake City has the most excellent-and Elwood Blues approved-440 cubic inch V8.
This particular wagon painted in code JY9 Tahitian Gold Metallic, is available for the first person to come up with $8,500.
Despite the faded wood grain trim (my buddy Jim Smith says a rag and some red transmission fluid will have it looking like new) and sun-baked dash, I find it immensely compelling, especially with the deluxe optional wheel covers.
So, if you’re so inclined, feel free to check out the ad and contact the owners and possibly make an offer for this immensely impractical, gas-guzzling and totally excellent and beautiful relic of the 1970s. Tell ’em Klockau sent you.