1942 Ford Super Deluxe Woody Station Wagon
Posted on 10/02/2025 6:45:46 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
If you find yourself driving along the scenic New York State Thruway near Lake George, you might get a sudden urge to sing the song “Holiday Road.” The popular Northeast vacation destination is home to a small fleet of cars associated with another very popular vacation: the fictional Griswold family’s trek to Walley World in the 1983 classic National Lampoon’s Vacation.
The accidentally-purchased 1987 Ford Country Squire owned by Tom and Chrissey Dittus of Lake George. Over the past several years, he’s made the car look like the cross-country driving station wagon from the film. It’s has garnered thousands of views on Facebook and plenty of buzz in real life.
“Sometimes I wonder if it’s the most viewed car in the country,” Tom tells Popular Science. “People and businesses share on their Facebook pages and it gets a huge response.”
The pair now take their three Griswold cars to film festivals, conventions, and other events around the country, inviting fans and even celebrities (including Chevy Chase himself) to pose with what Clark Griswold lovingly called the “Family Truckster.” The cars are even given a seasonal twist in honor of the film’s third installment, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Tom Dittus: In 2014, I wanted a cheap car to put lots of stuff in, and I like old cars so got an old wagon for $2,000, which I found online at a garage sale site. It was 15 minutes from our home in Lake George, New York.
TD: I, and others, associated the ‘80s wood-grain vinyl wagon with Vacation movies. Since the car made people happy, I decided to play the role by throwing old luggage on the roof and stuffed big coffee bean bags from a local café to look like Aunt Edna. People loved it!
TD: I searched for a custom plate, but “Griswold” was taken plus various abbreviations for “Family Truckster” were taken too. So, I thought about changing the “s” to a “z” since it would sound the same. So, it became “Grizwold.” I put old crappy luggage on top that we had hanging around the house along with a sleeping bag ready for the garbage can. I got a kid’s set of plastic golf clubs too. A Lake George café, Caffé Vero, gave me coffee bean bags which I stuffed for Aunt Edna. It was already nicely customized by 2 guys (Eric Wildman and John Larson) in their garage in DesMoines, Iowa. I found them on their Clark W. Griswold Facebook page and bought it sight unseen in 2020 during COVID. I give them a lot of credit for their efforts in building something so special. A couple of years ago, I did get the body renovated. We also got all 8 headlights and all 4 tail lights working (only 2 worked in the movie). Then we added a gas flap in the hood per the movie.
“Wallywld” seemed appropriate for the second wagon since people ask us if we’re headed to Walley World when they see the car. But, every six months, I switch the plate to “XmasVaca” and throw a tree on top with a ceramic squirrel, and put a cousin Eddie mannequin with a trapper hat and white bath robe in the back seat per the Christmas Vacation movie. We put a Santa face on the front grill, lots of garland, lots of solar lights, Santa and elves in the back seat, etc.
It’s a huge hit at Christmas events such as bars and the Palace Theatre in Albany, New York for a Chevy Chase appearance where they showed the Christmas Vacation movie!
TD: Driving the Family Truckster anywhere is an experience unlike any other car. Folks really admire my ’63 Triumph since there are very few around. I’ve had exotic cars like an ’86 Porsche 930 Turbo that gear heads certainly appreciated. It had the extra wide rear end and big meats (tires) on the back. The ’90 Ferrari Testarossa had the same wide stance. I loved those cars, but the Truckster is different. It triggers big smiles, laughs, and thumbs up everywhere.
Most people just glow when they see it. They stop what they’re doing, drop what they’re carrying, whatever. I can often read their lips – OH MY GOD!!! A few have actually said, “That’s the greatest thing I’ve seen in my life!” or “That just made my vacation!” Also, many relate to having a station wagon as a child. They sometimes get emotional remembering sitting way in the back while their parents (who sometimes have passed away) were in the front.
She’s up there.
They have one on display at Volo’s auto museum.
Ah, my favorite car color - Metallic Pea
My dad always had a station wagon. The one I remember the most and drove for hunting and fishing was a Kingswood Estate - probably 1974 or so. I know it had the 454 engine in it. Had the clam shell back end.
Fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood, or sleep me and a buddy and our gear.
The youtube Matt’s Offroad Recovery just did the “Cannon Ball Run” using a 1993 Buick Roadmaster that he bought for $4,000 when he got to the east coast. (”It’s always fun to do the test drive after you buy the car”.) They named it “Aunt Edna”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chm7gypflS0
Station wagons are the absolute BEST car design ever imagined! You get the smooth transitions of a sedan from the front, then the cargo capacity of a truck in the rear.
I absolutely LOVE station wagons, and am curious as to why anyone could dislike them. They’re a whole lot more pleasant to look at than what they call SUVs today.
I’m curious, what platform do you prefer? 4 X 4 crewcabs?
In 2000 my 20 year old full size chevy pickup was on it’s way out. Now with a family I needed two rows of seats but I also wanted the space of an 8-foot bed. But, soon realized that I did not want to have to drive around and park for projects in the city with that.
I was seriously looking into getting a short bed and trying to figure out a way to cut through the back of the cab and into the bed. Complaining that why don’t they make something like my dad’s station wagon!? (Well, there was the Suburban which I started looking at).
But then I saw an ad for the all new Chevy Avalanche. It checked all of my boxes. I’m on my second one after totaling the first by hitting a deer.
I sometimes think it would be fun to buy an old station wagon and fix up a bit.
I'm very well aware of why people bought them. Their utility doesn't change the fact that they were UGLY!
I absolutely LOVE station wagons, and am curious as to why anyone could dislike them. They’re a whole lot more pleasant to look at than what they call SUVs today.
I prefer the look of an SUV. My son drives one.
I’m curious, what platform do you prefer? 4 X 4 crewcabs?
My husband has one of those, and we use it when we need to haul stuff around. I have a Mustang, which is a fairly useless car as far as carrying stuff around. But it's pretty! Red, 2021 Mustang with black racing stripes. People think I have a Shelby because of the racing stripes, but it's just an economy model. With racing stripes. Because I like the stripes.
1942 Ford Super Deluxe Woody Station Wagon
“You think you hate it now, but just wait until you drive it!”
My mom’s had a 454 too. You could literally watch the gas gauge move.
I watched Matt’s cannonball. I’m starting to get the bug.
I’m surprised no one has called the tail gunner seat(s) yet! My favorite place to sit!
Wonder if they upgraded the alternator?
https://www.blueovaltrucks.com/tech-articles/the_vemco_v-drive_system/
I did dislike the giant, four-door land yacht station wagons that the WQFT mocked, but the earlier "ranch wagon/Nomad/etc" two-doors are fondly remembered.
WOWSERS! That thing is everything I could want in a car. All that traction, with a 429 4 bbl would make it perfect.
Father owned a 1969 Ford LTD Country Squire. It was the family car. Father sold off Mother's cherry red mustang to get it. It had wood paneling and a rack on the roof, etc. Father kept the car well into the mid 1980s.
This is mot an original pic of the car, but this is exactly what it looked like, including the green color.
😅
THAT is beautiful! The best one posted so far, for sure!
Dad never had a station wagon, but he's had 17 Volkswagons through the years. We had two of the Van-A-Gons (sp?), which were their big BUS of a vehicle. As a kid, I was the 'Official Wheel Washer' because that was the only part of it I could reach!
My first car was a stick VW Bug, 1971 Baby Blue & White. I later had a Jetta and I still own Dad's 2001 Golf. Still only has 65,000 miles. It's my Summer Car. In the Winter I drive my F-150 Ford Truck.
Mom's BFF's family had a Station Wagon, so I've had PLENTY of time in those as well - us 5 kids in the far-back, all the windows rolled down, speeding along on our way to somewhere FUN. We 'kids' STILL talk about that car and all of our adventures. :)
The owner was my Godfather, Howard. He just passed at 90 years old last month. Great guy.
Cute!
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