For the overall aesthetic the goal was to slightly modernize the look but keep it similar enough that people probably wouldn’t notice the changes. The original body was so rusted that it was really only held together by a hope and a prayer! Since we had to replace so much of the original body we decided to make some custom changes. The original roof was rusted through in numerous spots, and we knew that we wanted to chop the top anyway. We were able to get a donor wagon and kill two birds with one stone by getting a solid roof as well and chopping it roughly 2 inches. This helped get rid of the bubble-type shape they have. We also knew that we wanted/needed to raise the front fenders to accommodate the larger tire size. So, the hood was chopped 2 inches in the front and 1-3/4 inches in the rear to give it a slight slope. The front fender was raised to meet the bottom of the hood and lengthened. The original front fender used to go down and sit below the body of the vehicle. We raised it up as well so that it was close to flush with the body. Again, trying to keep everything sleek, and if someone were to ever wheel it then it would be up out of harm’s way. The sides of the grille were also modified so they weren’t so bulky. The rear wheelwell needed to be opened considerably to fit the 37s that we wanted to do. A new interior wheelwell was handmade and then we also crafted in-house a rear fender flare that mimicked the appearance of the front flare. The wagons didn’t originally come with rear flares but with the tire stance we definitely wanted something to add a bit of protection. The gas filler was moved and hidden behind the passenger taillight. It had to be moved when we opened up the rear wheelwell. To keep the body lines sleeker we decided to hide it behind the taillight. There is a pop up in the hood that was originally a vent; we no longer needed the vent, so we replaced it with two LED pod lights. We really loved the exterior chrome pieces that were originally on the vehicle so we kept all of those and then reshaped the front and rear bumper. The rear bumper used to wrap around the sides of the vehicle and we chose to shorten it so it didn’t extend past the rear corners. The front end styling is what always stands out to everyone on the wagon so we knew that putting some sort of aftermarket bumper would ruin that. So, we took a replacement bumper and shortened it and had it chromed. This way it kept the classic sort of styling but also blends in more of a stubby off-road style bumper. Holley RetroBrights came in clutch so that we had modern lighting while sticking with the old-school look.

There wasn’t much left of the floor and firewall of the original body and we knew we would need to make modifications to fit the 4L80E so we scrapped most of the floorpan and firewall. The bottom two-thirds of the firewall is handmade as well as the front floorpans, trans tunnel, and riser where the seats were mounted. We combined custom bead-rolled side panels and a centersection of a Chevy bed replacement panel to complete the rear floorpan as well as interior of the tailgate. The original wagons included wood slats in the rear section of the floor, so we had wood slats made that mimicked the styling of the ridges of the bed pan to keep the look cohesive. The original upper and lower tailgate hinges were made it a way that lent them to rust. So they were both redesigned to prevent that in the future.

With the interior we wanted to still stay relatively true to the original idea. It had some creature comforts for the time but was also very utilitarian. The front door panels were redone with new leather but the layout and style were kept exactly the same as the original. We incorporate the three raised body lines that run along the top and bottom of the exterior panels into the interior. You’ll see them stitched into the top of the door and rear side panels as well as the seats. The dash was cleaned up and simplified with a replacement large speedometer and new billet knobs to control the headlights, wipers, and center LED pods. The front bend seat was replaced with two individual seats and a center console. The center console has a secret pop-out component that holds a Holley screen so that we’re still getting all the data and can make any adjustments to the motor. The interior is completed with a classic wood steering wheel and custom-made floor mats. They’re made out of marine interior, so they’re easy to clean and snap in and out so that the floor can be cleaned underneath them.

Overall, the main goal was to create something new and fun while paying homage to the vehicle. Something that a younger generation would love and something a purist would still appreciate. Thanks to the Hardline Customs crew, Jed Laborte and Dave Belzer; Tim Long at Dalton Automotive for the paint; Spencer at Top Stitch Interior for the upholstery; Andy Key and Jimmey Fowler at D and A Automotive for the engine work; Mark from Glass By Mark for all the flat glass; and Dan at Woodstock Muffler for the exhaust.