The Estate Wagon’s predecessor was a Ford station wagon. It had interesting “3rd row” seating - two benches for 2 (kids) that faced each other. So it sat 10 instead of 9.
One year my mom took her 4 kids plus family friends’ 2 kids from Fla to Az. (One of the family friends’ kids could drive). I have no idea how she kept her sanity.
It helped that there were no seat belt laws then. 3 or 4 of us could lay down in the back.
That sounds like the original Road Trip. What fun that must have been!
I just happened to think...I was six weeks old when we took the Al-Can Highway to Alaska Territory, and as it was then all gravel, I can’t tell you how long it took. I’ll have to ask my Real Brother, I guess, because now, I need to know!