1 Of 150: 1956 Powell Sport Wagon
The Powell Sport Wagon was the brainchild of two brothers named Powell. They planned to use recycled Plymouth parts to build a run of pickups and station wagons (under the same model name) in the mid-1950s. Some consider the Sport Wagon to be the forerunner of the Crossover SUV that has become popular with buyers some 60 years later. This 1956 Sport Wagon has been restored and is part of a large collection that is being downsized. It can be found in Oceanside, California, and here on eBay for the Buy It Now price of $25,000 (the Make Offer button is also activated). Thanks for this most unusual tip, Larry D!
Unlike most cars today, the Sport Wagon started life IN a junkyard. By using refurbished chassis and drivetrains from 1940-41 Plymouths, the Powell’s applied new steel and fiberglass bodies and other pieces. The Sport Wagon was not their first foray into recycling vehicles as the Powell’s first tried it with used Cushman and Vespa scooters. Since the brothers considered themselves sportsmen, they thought there would be a low-cost need for a “sportsman’s car” – something that would have the utility of a Jeep but with some creature comforts as well.
To keep production costs at a minimum, the Powell’s decided to source all the important stuff for the Sport Wagon out of Southern California junkyards. Pre-war Plymouths could be had for next to nothing, which fit right in with the Powells’ budget. Everything found in the scrap yards would be rebuilt and sent to the Powell factory where they would add the rest. Front end clips were fabricated in fiberglass, bumpers and tailgates were made of oak wood (then steel later), and the seats were simply vinyl stretched over foam rubber pads, rather than costlier springs.
A cool feature of the Sport Wagon was that a storage tube was built to slide in and out from a compartment between the wagon’s and truck bed’s inner and outer sheet metal. It was meant to store long, thin items like hunting rifles or fishing poles. Over three years (1955-57), the Powell’s built more than 1,000 pickups and 150 station wagons (like the seller’s). As parts started to get scarce, they shut down operations and moved on to other things.
This Sport Wagon is one of 130 of both body styles thought to still be around. It was previously restored and seems to be in good condition today. Maybe some of the recycled parts have been replaced with new stuff. The seller does not mention the mechanical health of the vehicle, but we will assume it runs given the high asking price for what ended up being almost a one-off every time a Sport Wagon left the Powells’ factory. We’re told all it needs is a good detailing to be put back into service.
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Comments
Always liked these, not that they are stylish but the basic aspect of the truck and the car. Low buck practical and used tried and true recycled parts. Pretty cool idea!
Someone please add some Homer badging…..
I have a soft spot for these ugly beasts that the Powells wrought. Probably began as a couple beers on the front porch
And we all know if not for redneck engineering, two brothers named Will and Orv wouldn’t have thought that sticking wings on a bicycle were a good idea.
Tell me a museum wuld have deep enough pockets for this? Sadly, I do not…
LeMay Marymount has one, beautifully restored
Glad to learn of this. Nice story. These would be a nice ride in rural areas where they can move about without having to twist and turn so much. Anyone want to parallel park this today?
The forerunner of the AMC Eagle. Sort of.
1150 total is a lot considering the base material, did they move on to 1946-8 Plymouths after exhausting the supply of prewar ones?
I believe this car was shown a couple months ago, and a few months before that, but fun to see again. These always reminded me of what a “generic” car would look like. Something you would build out of Heathkit from the back of a Mechanix Illustrated magazine( what’s a magazine, grandpa?) The Simpsons made fun of a car company run by Homers half brother, and was called Powell. They never say, but I’m sure it had something to do with these cars. Pretty clear, the little guy has no chance agin the Big 3. Nice try, though.
gad the chrome caped storage was mentioned as bein in the p/u too. And that’s a plymouth under the hood? WoW ~
This looks like something the VPG mobility vehicle company might have produced if they had been around in the 1950s.
Never seen or heard of one but it looks clean. Some MOPAR collector should have this.
I believe this one’s been for sale for about 5 years now, starting on Bring a Trailer and then on Ebay. Here’e where restoring cars gets interesting (not in a good way): If you choose a vehicle that’s unpopular, no matter how much money (and love) you put into it, if the market doesn’t recognize and affirm the value with a buyer that purchases it, the vehicle is not worth the asking price.
I find the Powell to be a cool vehicle, but its rarity says don’t dare modify it.
The seller should say 1 of 3 driving examples and according to the registry, 1 of 11 known to exist.