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Auto ID Quiz #5 FINISHED!


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Remember the rule: Do not post the answer or any clues here! Email me at harrypri@att.net or PM me with your answer. Year, make and model needed for a "correct" answer.

If nobody is getting it, I'll post hints as the week goes by... so check back from time to time!

The answer: 1956 Powell Sport Wagon

autoid6.jpg

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Remember the rule: Do not post the answer or any clues here! Email me at harrypri@att.net or PM me with your answer. Year, make and model needed for a "correct" answer.

If nobody is getting it, I'll post hints as the week goes by... so check back from time to time!

The answer and the list of who got it right coming FRIDAY!

autoid6.jpg

Harry, Big Daddy Don's place is not very from where I live.

I had driven a Hemi R.R. down for last year's Christmas car show and was parked 5 cars away from one of these gem's. If you think the pic is butt ugly you should see one in person.

The one I saw was pro-restored (not many around), I couldn't help but wonder why? B)

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If you get in a wreck there's no need for a body shop. A decent sheet metal contractor or tinsmith can do the job!laugh.gif

now that you mention it

i used to work as a machine operator forming sheetmetal with brakpresses and i build this body kit for my car there

kadett.jpg

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This is a 1956 Powell Sport Wagon, one of the first "SUVs"... and built from old Plymouths found in junkyards! Really!

Hayden and Channing Powell, whose pre-War main business was making motor scooters, were faced with serious competition from Cushman and imports such as Vespa in the late 1940s, as well as material shortages. They decided to move to light pickups, and started with several clear guidelines: Their vehicle must be cheap to buy, ride like a car, drive like a car, and work like a truck, serving as a second car or as a sportsman's hunting and fishing rig.

The Powells' first prototype, made in 1952, used a Chevy chassis and six cylinder engine to keep costs down. While they reportedly thought about using a Ford chassis, when they had to make final decisions for production, they chose to use Plymouth chassis and six-cylinder flat head engines. The chassis had an open driveshaft, better braking system, and more conomical engine; the Plymouth was easy to obtain, cheap, and had a parts interchangeability across all Chrysler lines. They chose the 117 inch wheelbase chassis and engines from 1941 Q series Plymouths.

Their first Powell Sports Wagon was completed in 1954, weighing around 2700 pounds with a steel body (except the fiberglass front grille, varnished oak bumpers, and oak tailgate). The Powell stood 68" high with an overall length of 168". The Powells bought Plymouth chassis, without the bodies, from local wrecking yards for $45 and up, shipped them to their California factory, stripped down and reconditioned the chassis, and sent the engines to a Los Angeles firm for an exacting rebuild. The steel body was made in special jigs, with few complex curves that would have added expense. The fiberglass front end was molded by a boat shop; the chrome came from Fords in wrecking yards.

Powell-Sports-Wagon.jpg

A unique feature of the Sport Wagon was a concealed tube built into the right rear fender, running lengthwise along the bed. This was designed for carrying long objects or fishing poles. Factory photos of a prototype station wagon show it equipped with a tube compartment on both sides.

sport-wagon.jpg

The all-steel body was built in the Powell factory directly on the '41 Plymouth chassis, which was stripped all unuseable parts and pieces to mount the new Sportman body. Upholstery was of heavy duty vinyl stretched over new foam (with no springs). The stock Plymouth instrument panel received a full compliment of gauges and two speed windshield wipers were standard. However, there was no provision for a window defroster. Side windows were of the sliding type and did not roll down. Options were few but included turn signals, two tone paint, and chrome wheel discs. The completed car was rated as a 1/4 ton pickup, and initially sold for $999.

By late 1956 the Powell had ceased production. Not because of financial troubles, or stock embezzlement problems such as those that had killed so many of the post WWII car ventures. The company had simply run out of raw material from which to build their product ... the local supply of 1941 Plymouth chassis in anywhere near rebuildable condition was rapidly depleting. The company closed its doors with many hundreds of orders still on hand.

Who got it right:

Mark Taylor

Mr. moto

chillyB1

Mike Mc

Jon Cole

modelmartin

trogdor

thom

badluck13

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The fiberglass front end was molded by a boat shop

I hope their boats weren't shaped like the front end! B)

A unique feature of the Sport Wagon was a concealed tube built into the right rear fender, running lengthwise along the bed. This was designed for carrying long objects or fishing poles. Factory photos of a prototype station wagon show it equipped with a tube compartment on both sides.

Isn't that what a truck bed is for!?!? :lol:;):huh:

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A unique feature of the Sport Wagon was a concealed tube built into the right rear fender, running lengthwise along the bed. This was designed for carrying long objects or fishing poles. Factory photos of a prototype station wagon show it equipped with a tube compartment on both sides.

sport-wagon.jpg

C'mon Harry....the real truth is this was built for the CIA....those tubes could hold rocket packs for quick get a ways!!!!

Edited by MikeMc
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Guest Johnny

Harry! I'm glad you posted this one!

When I was around 12 (1963) I was working for a farmer walking beans and he had one of those trucks in the barn!

I asked him what it was and he said he wasn't sure that his son had drove it in from California in 1959 when he was discharged from the Marines!!! Said he drove it into the barn and parked it and it had just sat since. (kid took a job in St Louis)

I called out to the farm today (owned by the son now) and he said they had junked it almost 20 years ago after using it for a few years to haul hay and feed around the farm for about 15 years.

He said it never failed to start, only a couple minor breakdowns that were cheap to fix. Just got too rusty to repair! Sat behind the barn then until they junked it along with some old farm machinery!

Wow! A question that only tok 47 years to get answered!laugh.gif

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Harry! I'm glad you posted this one!

When I was around 12 (1963) I was working for a farmer walking beans and he had one of those trucks in the barn!

I asked him what it was and he said he wasn't sure that his son had drove it in from California in 1959 when he was discharged from the Marines!!! Said he drove it into the barn and parked it and it had just sat since. (kid took a job in St Louis)

I called out to the farm today (owned by the son now) and he said they had junked it almost 20 years ago after using it for a few years to haul hay and feed around the farm for about 15 years.

He said it never failed to start, only a couple minor breakdowns that were cheap to fix. Just got too rusty to repair! Sat behind the barn then until they junked it along with some old farm machinery!

Wow! A question that only tok 47 years to get answered!laugh.gif

Interesting you should mention that. Powell's factory was in California, and most of their sales were in California and the west coast. Not that many Powells ever made it east of the Rockies.

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