Cars Inwards Yards: 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood Station Railroad Vehicle An Automotive Household Unit Of Measurement Heirloom

We’ll create your footling dark wagon! At Junkyard Life all wagons receive got a history that invites too entices us. Their stories, often similar inwards content larn all their ain ane time the memories get flooding back. The Hurst family, of Fultondale, Alabama, receive got seemingly always been involved alongside cars. And they ain a station carriage total of trouble solid unit of measurement history — their freshly-rescued 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood Wagon. 
  The Hurst trouble solid unit of measurement did non purchase this machine new, although they didn’t miss past times much. Gilbert Hurst knew a affair or ii almost cars. He owned too operated his ain auto repair trouble organization during the 1960s. A dependable trouble solid unit of measurement machine was a top priority for this family-minded mechanic. Also, Gilbert may receive got known a proficient bargain when he saw it. Enter into the Hurst trouble solid unit of measurement a Sierra Gold Brookwood Wagon. This moderately optioned wagon had the real of import 3rd spot option. With a growing family, Gilbert too his married adult woman Sylvia needed the room. Their fille Kathy was shortly granted a footling brother, Lynn, inwards 1962. Lynn Hurst arrived and this station carriage would testify to live a real valuable utilization of his history too definitely made him a car guy for life. Despite the almost novel carriage beingness born Sierra Gold, it did non remain that way. Gilbert Hurst was a huge Nascar fan inwards the 1960s too decided the carriage would meliorate correspond his racing passion inwards Daytona Yellow. 

Gilbert Hurst painted the 1958 Chevy Brookwood carriage Daytona Yellow inwards the belatedly 1960s.

Are We There Yet? 
  Throughout the residuum of the 1960’s this at ane time yellowish Brookwood carriage was pose through the torture of beingness a trouble solid unit of measurement utility vehicle. It is a proficient affair the station carriage they picked had a third row spot because Gilbert too Sylvia had a few to a greater extent than blessings coming their way. Pennie Hurst arrived and gave Kathy a footling sister. Traveling alongside a trouble solid unit of measurement of 5 is no slow task. Make that a trouble solid unit of measurement of vi when Laura made her debut alone to surrender the role equally the trouble solid unit of measurement infant to the youngest Hurst addition, Melinda. Now nosotros receive got a trouble solid unit of measurement of vii to bear around. Is at that spot a meliorate vehicle than a wagon?

A few of the Hurst children laid upwards for a trip inwards the ’58 Chevy Brookwood carriage (early 1970s?).

Motor-vation
  So, what was the weapon of choice nestled betwixt the fenders of the former faithful family truckster? Surprise! It was non nosotros thought. We guessed a 283-V8 engine. Introduced inwards 1957, the 283-V8 made an touching on buyers. But, novel for the 1958 line, at that spot was a novel ability works life on the menu... a 348 c.i.d. V8, which made to a greater extent than horsepower (250). Bigger is better, right? Gilbert Hurst took a run a endangerment on this strange ability plant.  
  What is this novel “W” engine? This weird shaped engine had to testify itself inwards the long run. For many years and trouble solid unit of measurement trips Gilbert Hurst tested the limits of the 348, using it to describe boats, campers too other trailers. Years too many miles subsequently the 348 gave up. Gilbert Hurst, beingness the machine guy he was, did not intend to allow the family’s best friend sit down idle long. He yanked the master 348 motor inwards favor of a 350 from the classy Buick segmentation of GM. To live fair, the 348 did in conclusion over 10 years too had a lot asked of it. How long could you lot bear vii people too describe a boat? 
  So, at ane time nosotros receive got a Buick powered Chevrolet wagon inwards a color you lot can’t miss!

The send service lady

  In the early on 1970’s Sylvia Hurst got a project equally a send service carrier (see fun facts) too the Brookwood wagon made for a perfect delivery vehicle. Then, inwards 1974, it earned semi-retired condition inwards favor of a novel trouble solid unit of measurement car. What could accept the house of this trouble solid unit of measurement friend? H5N1 actually huge, too new, 1974 Ford Country Squire wagon. 
  Was that the cease of the line for this interesting too frugal fashion of transportation? Not past times whatever means, wagon fans. Fear not! Two years after the arrival of the novel Country Squire wagon, the Hursts machine crazy son, Lynn, turned xvi too must receive got the keys to something. 
  “Hey, Dad. About the wagon? No, the other one.”

1958 Chevy Brookwood carriage was painted dark when teenage son, Lynn Hurst, got the keys to the trouble solid unit of measurement car.

A novel color? That is a large ten-four!
  The Daytona Yellow was cool, but that was dad’s color. Now nosotros receive got other plans. Seeing this as an chance to brand a cool machine fifty-fifty cooler (hotter?) the color must change. 
  ”Hear ye, listen ye." 
  Lynn Hurst declared jet dark was to live the 3rd color fate of this Buick-powered wagon. Rolling alongside the times, this also called for an AM/FM/8-track too meliorate speakers. Hear ye indeed, Lynn. Anybody who was cool too wanted to avoid “smokeys” had to receive got a C.B. radio too. It was a 1970’s rule. The interior was elaborately redesigned inwards matching dark rolled vinyl. Dual pop-up sunroofs were also installed.

CB radio withal resides within the custom interior of the ’58 Chevy wagon.

Memory lane
  Adventures ensued. Fun was had. Tears were cried too the carriage proved to live an integral utilization of the family inwards a overflowing of memories. Here are some highlights that Lynn recalls fondly:

• The pigment was literally withal moisture when dad, Gilbert, drove the carriage to the Daytona 500 inwards 1970! They simply pulled the record off too packed the car! The entire trouble solid unit of measurement also went on a trip to Daytona around 1973.
• During footling league baseball game flavour the carriage was loaded total of baseball game players going to games around the county. As many equally 10 people piled into the wagon!
• A prankster teenager that he was, Lynn had a switch that turned off the tail lights inwards the wagon. H5N1 friend was “chasing” him inwards a Ford Pinto too turned off the Pinto’s headlights on a nighttime road. Lynn switched off the wagon’s tail lights too made a abrupt plow that the Pinto didn’t meet coming (his ain fault) too crashed into a burn downward hydrant. The hydrant survived meliorate than the Pinto did.
• Lynn’s dad, Gilbert, was a founding fellow member of the Black Widows (a local machine society that opened legendary local drag strip Lassiter Mountain). Lynn remembers the carriage beingness at the track. When Lynn got the car, he knew meliorate than to hot Canis familiaris inwards it due to a weak two-piece drive shaft that would non agree upwards to abuse. When inwards the mood to practice whatever sneaky racing, Lynn too a friend would accept out a 1967 Impala SS 427 4-speed owned past times the friend’s father.
• The carriage pulled a boat to Smith Lake. Correction, the camper pulled the boat. The carriage was the camper. They slept inwards it piece camping!

End of the road?
  Lynn drove too cruised this Brookwood for many years. Eventually, the Buick ability plant was sidelined inwards favor of a suitable small-block Chevrolet. It seemed appropriate, but it never happened. H5N1 newer machine was purchased too took over full-time duty for Lynn instead of the long roof ’58. However, the dark Brookwood carriage remained in the family. 

Parked for to a greater extent than than 30+ years, the ’58 Brookwood carriage has held upwards well.

Hibernation
  In 1987, Lynn Hurst became the proprietor of a real successful towing company. Hurst Towing, a cite synonymous alongside his habitation base of operations inwards Fultondale, Alabama. The carriage got shuffled around company storage lots too facilities, but never sold. It commonly had a dry out house to sleep. You can’t sell family.
  Lynn’s sister, Pennie Hurst Carter, finally made a motion too insisted the machine come upwards to her barn. This is where nosotros at Junkyard Life came on the scene. We knew of the carriage too pulled every string nosotros could to meet this cool fourth dimension machine. Somehow, nosotros persuaded Pennie to allow us crawl all over it. (Editor’s note: I was at that spot and I think Ron has gotten “persuaded” too “shameless begging” mixed upwards again.) 
  Pennie’s enthusiasm is contagious too within minutes she had us wanting to plow wrenches. Much cheers to the Hurst/Carter family for letting us photograph this automotive heirloom. I receive got no incertitude they will preserve this machine too it volition ane time once to a greater extent than meet the highway too this fourth dimension no fighting over the keys!

Ron Kidd
— Junkyard Life

Body remains solid on the ’58 Brookwood because it spent many years stored indoors instead of outdoors inwards the elements.

Junkyard Life’s 1958 Chevrolet Fun Facts:

• 1958 Chevrolets are at ane time highly prized too a rarity. Once shunned due to the enormous popularity Chevrolet experienced alongside the 1957 models, then perfect inwards the consumer eyes that they were dubbed “57 Heaven.”
• Fultondale Alabama has several ties inwards this story. (1) Sylvia Hurst delivered send service inwards Fultondale in this car. (2) The machine was stored inwards Fultondale after Lynn Hurst started Hurst Towing. (3) Pennie Hurst Carter currently delivers send service inwards Fultondale.
• Daytona Yellow (code 51) was available on direct few Chevrolet products including the 1969 Corvette and Camaro.
• 1958 was the showtime twelvemonth for the 348 engine. The odd shaped “W” pattern was a preview of what was to larn the 409 a few years later.
• Sharp eyes tin say the deviation inwards a 348 too a 409 past times the location of the dipstick.
• The machine that Lynn Hurst replaced the carriage alongside was a 1976 Pontiac Grand Prix LJ. (Editor’s Note: While non a 1958 Chevrolet fact, Grand Prixs brand Ron real happy. I knew he would move that inwards somehow.)
• Ronny Howard drove the most famous 1958 Impala inwards the coming of historic menstruum George Lucas film American Graffiti.
• “Martinique” was the cite of ane of 10 1958 Impalas “girlied-up” for the 1958 GM Fashion Show past times Jeanette Linder. This machine had a built-in lighted vanity mirror too a exceptional make-up case that folded downward inwards the dash. Where is the Martinique today?
• 1958 was also the first-year that curl springs were equipped all around. It was a blueprint victory inwards their eyes, equally it was to improve the ride from all corners.
• The same fuel options equally used on the famous Oldsmobile triple two-barrel set-up known equally the J-2 too Pontiac’s Tri-Power brought you lot xxx to a greater extent than horsepower on the novel 348, bringing it up 280 hp. That would live fun too that is a fact.
• 1958 was the showtime twelvemonth for the cite “Impala” on a GM vehicle. An Impala is a minor deer-like animate beingness that runs for honey life from predators. Chevrolet had slap-up success alongside the Impala line. It usually indicated upper trim back levels inwards their full-size line.
• 1958 was the showtime twelvemonth for the X-frame. Designed for both structural rigidity too safety. 

Do you receive got a slap-up classic or musculus machine barn honor story? Send us details too we’re on the way!  Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com & Ron Kidd at Kidd403@bellsouth.net

More photos of the rescued 1958 Chevy Brookwood wagon

Layers of peeling pigment inwards the door jam unwrap the diverse colors that the 1958 carriage ane time wore.

1958 marked the cease of the Harley Earl blueprint era at GM. Earl loved curves. Notice the curving trim back surrounding the tail light on the raise of the wagon.

Sinister depression angle shot of the raise of the dark 1958 Brookwood wagon.

Detail of the chromed rolling curves that brand upwards the front end bumper on the 1958 Brookwood wagon. 

Detail of the vent window too windshield on the 1958 Chevy Brookwood wagon. They don’t brand them similar this anymore.

Remnant of teen stereo days sits inwards the dorsum of the wagon.

Chevrolet produced 170,473 4-door wagons inwards 1958.

Long roof ’58 Chevy 4-door wagons weigh roughly 3,750 lbs. depending on engine/options.

Front end, grill of the 1958 Chevrolet is menacing.

This 1958 Chevrolet Brookwood got parked when it was fourth dimension for an engine swap. Decades passed too the swap never happened.

Vintage Cal Chrome wheels withal mounted on the 1958 Chevy.

Snapshot from the 1970s. ’58 carriage painted black, magazine wheels, sunroof, CB, AM/FM/8-track stereo.

Pop-up sunroofs were added to the 4-door Brookwood wagon.

Interior thought of the pop-up sunroofs inwards the 1958 Brookwood wagon.

The Hurst trouble solid unit of measurement has held onto the trouble solid unit of measurement hauler for 55+ years. It may shortly live on the route to restoration.

Do you receive got a slap-up classic or musculus machine barn honor story? Send us details too we’re on the way!  Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com & Ron Kidd at Kidd403@bellsouth.net

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