This is a 1973 Chrysler Plymouth Dealer film demonstrating the features of the Chrysler Town & Country Wagon and Plymouth Fury Suburban Wagon. Also included is the Satellite B Body Wagons
Back in 1983, with all of their children now grown, my wife's grandparents wanted to sell their 1973 Chrysler, Town & Country Wagon. It was a fully optioned, metallic green with a tan and green interior. They wanted to just give the wagon to us, but, not wanting to take advantage of them we paid $500.00 for the old Chrysler. The ten year old behemoth was equipped with all the 'Bells and Whistles' (The 'Premium Option Package' or whatever it was called at the time) which Chrysler offered in '73 along with a very luxurious interior and even the 'Dual Air Conditioning'! With 230 inches in overall length she had plenty of room for everyone, and I mean EVERYONE! ... seating for 9-plus! He even had the original Monroney sticker of just over Six thousand dollars! This awesome ole Chrysler touted no less than eight rubber "Isolators" which separated the front subframe from the rest of the unit-body chassis as part of the division's 'Torsion Quiet Ride Suspension', which itself made use of an additional ten Isolators in conjunction with control arms, shocks and torsion bars. Similar Isolators were used with the rear leaf-spring suspension.But, most importantly, it was equipped with the awesome and infamous 440-ci with a 4-bbl and the bulletproof and buttery-smooth 'TorqueFlite' auto transmission (auto. 3). The 440-ci even had an early computer to maintain peak efficiency! Leo, (my wife's grandfather) was a top notch machinist and an expert in both Harley Davidson engines as well as Chrysler made automobile engines; as such, even though the Chrysler 440-ci was detuned from its Tire Shredding past at the factory to just 215-hp (SAE net) for fuel economy and was choked with some early emission controls, (known as, "Anti-Smog devices") he was able to get her right back to the vicious, high performance engine that the designers and engineers had originally envisioned. After he re-tuned the 440-ci, along with a few modifications, it obtained 475-hp with a torque rating of approx. 490-500-ft-lbs (@ 3000 rpm). I'm not sure exactly everything that Leo did to that beautiful old Chrysler, I know he changed the rear-end to maximize low-end torque etc., he replaced the Chrysler factory 4-bbl carburetor with a much larger velocity Holly 4-bbl performance carburetor, he even mounted wider steel belted radial tires all around. Other than that, I really don't know all the details. All I know is that she ran like a Raped Ape! My brother had a Ford XL with a 429-ci with 475-hp, the ole Chrysler Wagon kept right up with her until she hit third gear, then the Ford XL just walked her, pretty damned good for a 2.5 ton steel monster! The only things which I needed to do were to give her a good interior detail and a wool pad high-speed buff and, abracadabra!... the ten year old wagon looked and ran like new! (funny how a car seems to run better after it has been freshly detailed 👀 ) With the 440 now running at nearly peak efficiency she would squawk and squeal the posi-traction rear-end in two of the three gears, she just gave a sharp 'CHIRP' when she hit third. Given that she weighed two and a half tons, I think that was damn good! I was only ever able to get about 12 MPG on the highway, I don't even want to know what the city MPG were! I never should have sold that beautiful automobile!
Gotta love the station wagons of the '60s and '70s! I remember those winter trips to Syracuse in the '67 Olds Vista Cruiser...two adults, four kids...mom and dad chain smoking with the front vent windows opened just a crack. Ah, memories...
I am 52 now, but I remember sometime around 4 or 5 years old going from Louisiana to New Mexico in a station wagon sitting in the rear facing seats. I cant remember the make, but I think it was a light metallic blue. Just seeing the rear door swing open in this commercial, brings back memories. I can almost feel the heat of the sun through the windows, while the hum of the air conditioning tried to keep us all cool. Damn it, I want a stationwagon now, if just to sit in the back again.
After I became a dad, that was my favorite type of car, particularly the Buicks. I remember going to the drive-in movies, parking backward, and watching movies from the rear reversed seat, with legs stretched over the rear gate, No more.
My '04 F150 can, and when I bought it the dealership had hell finding a regular cab with a full 8' bed. I don't have any idea why everyone has to have a truck, but has to have a full crew cab and a bed you can't even put a lawnmower in... useless!
@@FromSagansStardust Last summer I was at a building supply store and I saw a Ram with a 'mega-cab'. It had a five foot bed with a tiny utility trailer hitched to it that must have measured 4X4. It was hilarious.
A unique vehicle that was a part of American family and culture from the 1950s to 1970s . Seeing this makes me remember when I was a kid and my mom driving me to school
Growing up we had a Custom Suburban,station wagon. My dad hauled everything,from a half a ton of mushroom soil,to an industrial lathe. When you put studded tires on it,with it's 400 ci. engine,and heavy duty transmission.It would go anywhere,and it could fly down the highway. It was a beast.
@@arthurcrunden6107 I'm guessing the real purpose of them was to assist in loading the luggage rack. But Nixon's secret service would use them when driving parade speed.
Thank you ma & pa for having me Born in 1962! I got to see and grow up in the best years for cars,trucks, music & most citizens lol 60s & 70s babieeeee
I had a 1974 Satellite, a 1975 Imperial, and a 1973 Dodge Adventurer. They were all running well when I had to sell them. Oh, how I loved them! If I had the money, I'd buy them all over again!!!
My buddies Dad drove half the little league team to the McDonalds after the game in one of those. We would be all rowdy and riled up and he woul tell us all to " simmer down". He would tell us to "simmer down" a second time. The next time we srarted acting up he would slam on the brakes as hard as he could, send us all flying into rhe seats and say, "I told you all to simmer down!"
@@oliverdelgado6952 He's a pain in the butt. If he gets any worse we will strap him to the roof rack like they did the old lady in National Lampoon's Vacation.
My parents bought a brand new '73 Plymouth Satellite 9 passenger wagon in "Sherwood Forest Green" -- wonderful car. They had it until the mid 1980s when they bought something newer. I wish I still had that wagon -- so many memories. We lived in California, so no rust to destroy it.
To make it worse, they are removing the tow rating altogether from smaller cars even as they put higher HP engines under their hoods. They want everyone to buy a SUV or truck.
The salesman at Jack Powell Chrysler-Plymouth tried to talk Mom into trading her '67 T&C in on a new '73. While the '73 was a beautiful luxury car, it was too "soft" in character: in order to dominate San Diego's freeways, she needed the '67's menacing, sinister aura. Folks on the street walked over to peek inside a '73. Those same folks shivered a little and slowly backed away from the '67!
LOL Hell yeah Bob!! i had to Google the '67.. SHIT YES I'd have been scared of that monster too! That is one big menacing car, to be sure! Wish I had one right now as my daily driver!
Mark Sandstrom I’m pretty happy with my 68 Fury. Despite previous owners’ neglect, it is back to daily driver status. Much more interesting to drive than what the automotive world offers today-for me, anyway.
My family had a 74 town and country. We toured all of the southwest and west coast from San Diego to Canada in one of these. My parents had classical music, Glen Miller, 70s rock and assorted disco tunes that they played on the state of the art, 8 track tape deck. I miss that big ole boat. The only thing I hated about that wagon was when my dad made me wash the thing. It took forever to clean. I remember the biggest option we installed that we were all proud of was the CB radio complete with a big ass antenna. I use to talk all day on the CB and the only thing that would get us to stop playing with with that wagon was that we had to be inside in time to catch the Carol Burnette show, the BionicMan, Charlie's Angel's, the Night Stalker or SWAT. Lol!
The rear window deflector. Chrysler Australia introduced it as standard on all VH Valiant station wagons. It remained a feature on the following VJ, VK, CL and CM wagons. It was an industry first then and still is. Station wagons have long since gone in favour of SUV's but Chrysler were the first and last to offer this as a no cost built in feature on their station wagons.
My Civic hatch has a spoiler that acts as a rear deflector and I rarely need to use the rear wiper. But I think as cars got taller it’s less effective. And that’s why people stopped buying wagons. No vertical space. My minivan will move things that these “larger” wagons won’t... yet fits in normal parking spots and garages.
@@Bartonovich52 Very true. Back then though a wagon was the only choice and Chrysler made very good ones. It's ironic that their own mini van sealed the wagons fate.
Talk about a "tough sell". As will be mentioned here a lot, this was about the darkest times for people selling full sized cars. Being about the same age as the kids in this film, I remember sitting in gas lines in our Coronet 440 wagon in 1973.
My parents had a fully loaded 1973 New Yorker Brougham sedan. They bought in March 1974. It was the showroom model unsold due to the oil shock. My father got it for 40% sticker.
What part of the country was this? I remember in September of 1973 only a before the Arab Oil embargo started that the CP dealers were loaded with the new 1974's....maybe sales suffered regionally? 1973 was a record breaking year for Chrysler in terms of sales. Sales increased 15% in the 1973 model year over 1972 and a 16% increase in the 1972 model year, after 1969 fuselage look was introduced, Chrysler Sales significantly increased.. 1974, almost cut in half. The Embargo started in October of 1973, the 1974 models were already in production since August of 1973. The left over 73 was probably left over more due to color and option choices.
dual air conditioning was offered exclusively on Chrysler Corporation full sized Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth station wagons from 1957 through 1973 - it was a relatively expensive option - approximately $600 on a 1972 Fury Sport or Custom Suburban - but worth the price if you lived in a more arid region of the country - there were two fan speeds
@@727100bear Dang that's a lot. So the rear air featured in this commercial was the last year it was offered until the extended length minivans came out in '87 I guess. Hmm.
correct - the 1974 models stepped up the front units to include a 4th fan speed - which of course was a poor substitute for the dual unit. Dodge Sportsman and Plymouth Voyager traditional vans featured a rear system with vents located along the driver side of the rear interior. These vans were the full sized models - like panel trucks - albeit with spruced up interiors to include passenger seats for up to 15 being produced during the late 1970s long before minivans were introduced during the mid 1980s. My mother drove a brand new Plymouth station wagon beginning with the 1966 Belvedere II and then a new Fury Sport Suburban beginning in 1968 and every other year until 1977 (1970, 1972, 1975, 1977). Since Chrysler Corporation stopped building full sized station wagons in 1977 my dad opted to buy a 1979 Dodge Sportsman 8-passenger “wagon” as the dealer referred to it as to appease my mother who did not like the term “van”. It was a nice looking vehicle in a two-tone blue and good amount of stainless steel chrome trim. The dealer even outfitted it with a traditional station wagon roof rack and rear ladder for accessibility. I sure miss the station wagons of the 1960s and 70s. They were stylish, functional, powerful and comfortable. No minivan ever held a candle to them either!
@@727100bear Not just a arid region. If you have ever experienced a Midwestern summer with 90 percent humidity and a Dew Point of 75 at 97 degrees you'll know what I'm talking about. The old "pleather" seats would about cook you.
My mother had a 73 Town & Country. Green with green interior, and roughly the size of aircraft carrier. 440 engine pulled like a freight train. Rear A C was a really great Mopar feature back then. Dad didn't order it. A C was about a $450 option, rear A C added around another $ 350. $ 800 was a lot of money in 73. Was my mother's favorite car. By the way got about 14 mpg on the highway, 10 around town.
@@painkillerjones6232 Funny story about that. Must have been about 76 or 77. I was riding with my older brother. We were sitting at a stoplight, when a red 75 Camaro rolls up along side. My brother sees its a guy he knows from high school. The guy in the Camaro sees my brother, and snickers cause we're riding moms station wagon. He then revs his engine. My brother responds in kind. Then says to me " hold on, and watch this " . The light turns green, and the Camaro, being smaller, and lighter gets the jump. But what is a smogged up 75 Camaro 350 ? 165 horsepower ? Then the Thermoquad opens up on that big 440. and we just blow by.At the next stoplight the Camaro rolls up. The guy in the Camaro is so mad , he won't even look our way. Just sits there. My brother, and I still laugh about it.
Best of all , when it came to Chrysler even their intermediate wagons were designed to hold plywood. That is a priceless feature every once in a while.
Route it along the frame rail then up through floor and rear roof post. Really similar to how they do vans. Yes early 60s Newports and New Yorker wagons had rear AC as options so it was nothing new to Chrysler.
@@antonioederlopezlopez7341 I don't know if they drove better, but I will say, people just drove their cars in those days. Not look at maps, play Candy Crush, watch cartoons, or post on message boards. There's so much bric a brac in cars now that people forget what they're supposed to be doing.
You notice the difference between that car commercial and car commercials today? Car commercials today focus on selling you a cell phone on wheels. Car commercials from back then focused on the actual car.
This isn't a commercial, it's a training film or presentation film to a potential customer in the Dealer on a Dealer's special Demo Screen system......Dealers have stuff like this still today.
Look Ma! No seat belts or air bags, anti-collision avoidance, lane change assistance, back up cameras........ And we managed to survive. People drove the damn car and didn't play with toys and gadgets when they need to pay attention and drive with some form of responsibility!!!! We weren't told we could rive like total assholes and maniacs without getting hurt or inflicting pain and suffering on others... Sorry but!!!!
Yeah, WE survived lol. But. I don’t think many kids or grandfathers survived when a semi slammed into the back of those wagons and they all flew face first into the truck’s grille.
I had no clue that rear climate control and anti-theft systems were even a thing back then! Too bad these vehicles are extremely rare today. They were used and abused by families in the 70's. Most of these 73's didn't even make it to see the birth of the K-car generation in the early 80's.
I grew up in a retirement town in the 1980's. The land yachts didn't rust in Arizona and boy were they cheap because their wealthy owners were ready for something manuverable. Sorry to admit but we destroyed quite a few of them in the desert hills. Dang fun though.
They -" were so Beautiful and Fast! I sold mine to a Poor. FAMILY 👪. Before moving to Oklahoma! Town &:County Wagon - what a Beautiful car and it was a Limousine! Special Color !" Midmight blue 💙 Metallic! It actually became va Factory color! After my dad's Special Order ❤️ was produced
My favorite part is that this is the official promo video and the Satellite’s front grill trim is about half an inch out of alignment to the headlight trim. Like... did you seriously pick a Friday built car for the promo? lol. I’m a ‘69 B-body owner, btw.
had an olds had a ford had a 360 dodge same times.. the ford was the best 351 ,,olds was most cool and also a great car ,,the polara kept busting motor mounts inside was cheesy for shure the least of them 3
What's with all the black interiors, what is this the 2010s? At least the Satellite and T&C had off-white headliners so you don't get the complete cavern feeling the Fury demonstrates.
