Just Reminisin

On this page we would like to bring back some of the articles,
and photos that were published in the "Staten Island Auto Echoes ".
( S.I.R.A.A.C.A .' s monthly publication ,
1975-1991 ).

THE ERA O F THE STATION WAGON

Original story (1980) by SAL DE FRANCESCO
Edited to the site (2000) by FRANK NATHANSON IN 5 PARTS

The railroad was a fitting background for this 1935 Dodge Westchester.

P art - 1 -

Possibly the first Dodge station wagon, this model was
offered about 1918. It was made by Martin in York, Pennsylvania, who called it the Park Auto Body.

Today, when someone wants to do some light moving, carry some large objects like a bureau, T. V. or maybe a sofa, the first vehicle they look for is a hatch back. After they get the hatch back, the next question is, does it fit? No? Oh well, who do you know owns a station wagon? This is what happens today. The smaller hatch backs have taken over most of the smaller hauling jobs from the larger station wagons. Yet only 45 years ago all the station wagons you wanted were being made.   The mid 50's was the era of station wagons. Everywhere you looked there was a station wagon.
    Station wagons have been around for quite a number of years. In fact even in the early days of motoring. In the early days they were known as a Depot Hack, and a fruit and vegetable merchant had what was called a Huckster wagon. Eventually they were also known as 'Estate Wagon' and 'Suburban' in the more wealthier upper class. 1918 is said to be the year when station wagons were first built, and know a station wagons. They were Dodge Brothers chassis with a Martin-Body mounted. The body came from York Penn., Martin Truck and Body Corp. being the name of the company. That's where they were assembled after receiving the chassis from the Dodge Brothers. In 1915 a Ford had its first wood body built by J. T. Cantrell and Co. of Huntington, NY. It was called a Depot Wagon and said to be the first of its kind. The Cantrell Company later became well known as one of the major body builders for Dodge. As these wood bodies got popular, many other companies got into building them. Many stating the usefulness of such type bodies. Outing, picnics, hotels, schools, and small bus for sight seeing or picking up, and dropping off travelers at railroad stations. Another rowing use for these vehicles, was its ability to carry materials, other than people in its body area.
    This was just right for the New York City area at that time, I'm still referring to 1915, because the area around N. Y. C was still rural, and a utility vehicles of this type was very convenient transportation. This was also convenient for the Cantrell Co. because of their Huntington, Long Island, N.Y. location. The 20's saw a number of auto makers using the Cantrell bodies. Essex and Studebaker were added to their list, alongside ford and Dodge. Some of the other body companies were the Cotton Body Company of Concord, New Hampshire who built bodies for Maxwell.

The 1923 Dodge Cantrell Suburban.
The Cotton Body Company mounted its Beverly Suburban on a 1924 Maxwell chassis. The picture, copied from an original trade journal, shows an unusual "A" pillar, cowl covered with imitation leather, and a front seat back owner than the others.

Waterloo Body Corp. of Waterloo, NY who also built bodies for Dodge. Waterloo's first wood body was a Suburban for a 1922 Ford Model T. The Dodge version was commercial chassis. Most of these 'Depot Wagons', 'Station Wagons' were being produced on commercial chassis. In fact, all the auto makers that produced them, at that time, also had a truck division. This was the wagon chassis until 1938, when Dodge had the wood bodies built on passenger car chassis. By this time Dodge also had a look alike producing wagons. Plymouth had been utilizing the same Westchester bodies built by U.S. Body and Forging Company, Tell City, Indiana, that Dodge was using. In fact, Plymouth's first wood body was in 1934, it was put on a modified passenger chassis, classifying it as a commercial vehicle.
It seems like I jumped a number of years in this short history. Getting back to the 20's, Ford and Dodge were the 2 main chassis producers for wooden bodies. In those years many changes, and innovations were made to the bodies. Side curtains gave way to safety glass, which were fixed position, slide opening or drop action. Seats got more comfortable, they were padded thicker than their predecessors bench seats. Heat was even introduced to these vehicles, now that they had glass enclosed bodies. They were more comfortable, and now were starting to look a little like the family car.

Ford-W-1938.jpg (19993 bytes)

1938 Ford (Woodie) Station Wagon

Front view of all the station wagons in this 5 part article.

- Continued -

Part