You may have caught this 1956 DeSoto Firedome station wagon as our Pick of the Day earlier this week. What was most interesting about this chariot was its taillights, which were completely different than those found on DeSoto coupes and sedans. Through the 1950-60s, it seems that there were many station wagons that featured unique taillights that were completely different in design from their less utilitarian brethren.
Of course, if you’re a child of the 1970-80s, you may think, “Well, Mom’s Country Squire most certainly had different taillights from the sedan!” and you would not be wrong. However, hundreds of thousands of station wagons were built during this time, while the 1950 to early-60s were a time when wagons were picking up steam in America’s consciousness, if not in sales. Try finding, say, a 1961 Mercury Comet taillight (like in our lead image) over one for a 1971 Buick Estate Wagon — one is a wild goose chase, while the other was more of a common sight.
With the DeSoto’s inspiration, we have dug up images of station wagons with unique taillights. There’s a great chance that you may feel you’ve never seen them before, though it’s also possible that they were not memorable because, for a time, station wagons were not memorable.
Great spotlight on some interesting stuff!
Thanks for all you do.
Thank you!
The only taillight which were the same were the 1960 thru 1965 Ford Falcon
It’s always good to revisit the days before the cookie cutter cars of the 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, 10’s, and 20’s.
Oh, Diego, you just speared me in the heart. I was born in ’59, Dad was a lifetime hotrodder and GM employee (DelcoRemy plant in Anderson, IN). There was a time, say kindergarten through my military service, that I could correctly identify ANY car by it’s taillights (I’m not the only one, am I car peeps?). And I’m still good with vintage and classic stuff, and some modern cars, but not like then- when Dad or Grampa would try to trip me up with wagon lights. I saw many of the illustrations in this article as physical brochures, collected them as a kid, cut them out of magazines. I opened this to see taillights, instead you gutted me; I have tears because of the memories these pics stirred up. Dunno whether to curse you or thank you, but do keep up the good work.
I’ll be the one thanking you for the grin you gave me.
On that 1964 Plymouth Fury wagon you picture, its tail lights remind me of the 1963 Plymouth tail lights (not the wagon) .
The 1963 Plymouth wagon shared similar taillights. I believe they were carried through 1965.
https://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/dealerships/DealershipDataBook/1963/63-Plymouth-models-styling_0006.jpg
Thank you for your article on Station wagons, they are my favorite classic car design. Mostly because we had a few growing up and they don’t make them anymore, a true classic and Beaty.💕
I USED TO OWN A 61 AMC AMBASSADOR WAGON. NOT YOUR TYPICAL RAMBLER. AMC 327 CID POWER WINDOWS FACTORY AIR AND THE COOLEST TAILIGHTS I EVER SAW ON A STATION WAGON.
The taillights are the same for the sedan and the wagon.
64 Galaxie managed to put the same tail lights in the wagon, who could miss those round beauties…
I can relate to un obtainable wagon taillights. I once had a 1965 Comet Villager wagon. It had one broken taillight lens. Tried diligently. None anywhere. I finally cut a corner out of a Mustang II taillight lens. With careful trimming, it fit quite well. Luckily the chrome bands running across the Comet lens were still intact. I glued them to the modified lens. As Clint Eastwood would say “Improvise, adapt!”