Forty years is a long time for a car, any car. In this era of "built-in obsolescence," most consumers demand a new set of wheels every few years. The average life span of a car is barely a dozen years. How incredible, then, to find a car that has survived in the loving care of a single owner for 40 years!
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Even more astonishing is the fact that this particular car presents itself in an almost virginal state. Only in Southern California, with its mild climate, and cared for by a fastidious individual, will you be able to find such a rust free gem.
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The 1967 Chevy II station wagon presented here, VIN *113357W181400*, is a truly amazing discovery. We've had our eyes on this gem for years, admiring the blue-haired Lady who so resolutely chauffeured it up and down State Street, Santa Barbara's "main drag," and were fortunate enough to be in the right place once Miss Helen, the car's original owner, decided she'd hang up her white driving gloves.
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One of less than 12,000 Wagons produced for the model year, this fine automobile was manufactured at the Willow Run plant during the 4th week of April, sold new on 5/10/1967 at WASHBURN CHEVROLET in downtown Santa Barbara, Calif., and spent the next four decades with its one and only owner, Miss Helen, the proverbial "little old Lady."
The cowl tag shown above also tells us that the car features Butternut Yellow paint with a Fawn Deluxe interior.
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Besides the original California Pink Slip, the irreplaceable, old-style Certificate of Ownership, all the original books and manuals are still with the car, including the seldom seen "clean air" brochure.
All the paperwork remains in truly mint condition!
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Above: scans of the original title and the last two pages of the "Owner Protection Plan" booklet, including the original
They don't come with a better pedigree than this!
Cherished, original, black-and-yellow California license plates *UDK 615* still grace this Chevrolet. Car is currently registered through April, 2007.
Let's take a peek under the hood now!
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Clean and tidy engine compartment provides a nice display for Chevy's original motor, the indestructible 194 cubic inch straight six. Dual-circuit power brakes and power steering are desirable options.
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The engine itself runs as good as she looks. Always starting right away, she idles great, without any untoward noises or noticeable oil consumption. Granny's pride and joy has a golden heart!
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Chevy's exterior features almost all of its factory-applied, Butternut Yellow paint. Understandably, being a senior citizen, Miss Helen had her share of parking lot mishaps; there are various dings and scrapes, some of them have been touched up, some haven't. Overall, the paint still displays a mellow shine. Best of all: there's no rust-through or accident damage to be found anywhere. Doors, hood, and tailgate open and close as they should; all panels align perfectly.
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Original painted steel wheels topped by the factory dog dish chrome hub caps wear good/very good/excellent COOPER Trendsetter SE radial whitewall tires of the dimension 205/75-14.
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A fine California Wagon. All that's missing is a roof rack and a couple of surf boards . . .
Bet you'd like to take a look inside!
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The 1960s Chevy II and Nova wagons all featured four doors and roomy, hard-wearing interiors. 1967 was the last year of Chevy II/Nova Station Wagon availability, making this fine example one of the last ones to come off the assembly line, very appealing for the serious collector.
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Austere dashboard looks very well-preserved, indeed. Both gauges (speedometer and fuel) work perfectly, as do all the lights.
Some of the paint has worn off the original steering wheel, but there are no cracks. Dash top shows one "California split;" we assume a new pad would be readily available, if so desired.
Miss Helen used her Wagon sparingly; the odometer shows 84,925 miles, and these are of the original kind, meaning this car was driven a mere 2,100 miles annually, on average!
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Above: Detail pictures of gauge cluster, original Chevy II AM radio, pristine door panel.
Interestingly, this Wagon came equipped with a radio, but sans heater and cigarette lighter. The factory metal delete plates for both items have been in place since day one!
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Front and rear seats are of the "bench" variety. Note factory head rests. Upholstery is largely original and free of rips or tears, just the driver's back and bottom panels have been replaced. Check out the fantastically preserved, original black rubber material covering the floors. The headliner looks beautiful, too!
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E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g- works, even the back-up lights. Let's manually activate the crank handle to roll down the back glass and gain access to the wagon's cargo area!
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Forget the Honda Element or any other rice box, we're talking traditional American Station Wagon here! Fold down the rear bench and a big space becomes humongous. Inspection of tailgate reveals that Miss Helen never hauled plywood or beer kegs: there's no damage to note at all!
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Above: You're looking at perhaps the most important pictures of this vintage automobile. Forty year-old, virginal undercarriage tells more than a thousand words about the car's immaculate California provenance. Sure, the bare metal shows a hint of surface rust here and there, but it's bone dry and 100% free of rot or rust-through; there has never been any undercoating applied, never been any need to cover up or repair anything. Priceless!
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Tuesday, March 7 was just another wonderful and sunny day in San Buenaventura, and we started our test drive with a leisurely jaunt to Channel Islands Harbor, our favorite place.
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The engine has plenty of power, the tranny shifts smoothly. Steering, brakes, suspension: everything works as it should.
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The Chevy is a fantastic driver and does everything with grace and style. We would not hesitate to jump in and drive it across the country, all the way to New York, Maine, or even Canada!
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Use it as a bone-stock, reliable, economical daily driver, build the street machine of your dreams, or add the car to your museum collection, this Chevy II Station Wagon is a once-in-a-lifetime find.
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A rust-free, original-paint, documented, low-mileage '67 Chevy II from Santa Barbara, California. Could anybody ask for anything more?