JUNE 2, 2011 1966 RAMBLER STATION WAGON-A FAMILY HERITAGE MAKES A COMEBACK

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Don Hogenson led a different life before he became a family man.

 

He was a professional football player with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League and then he embarked on a career as a professional wrestler.

That all changed when his family got bigger.

 

Enter this 1966 Rambler American station wagon.

 

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At that point in his life Don was a car salesman and in those days you didn’t use company demos for personal business. Don spotted this Rambler with a mere 114 miles on the clock and it was perfect for an upcoming vacation.

 

The fact that it was red and white (Stampeder colors) sealed the deal.

 

 

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The car was destined for the trip until, as Don explained, “we were going on holidays and I couldn’t take a demo, I bought it, parked it and a half hour later cops were there after a guy had an epileptic seizure. Lost my holidays that year, because I told them I wanted all new parts”.

 

 

A year later, the car was back to normal although Don admits that “the back corner has 4 pounds of lead on it”.

 

After that there were no more disasters with the little wagon as Don related “I drove it for twenty years pretty much anytime I didn’t have a demo car. I hauled kids everywhere in it and my daughter used it as a wedding car”.

 

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There were a few skirmishes with the car though as Don recalled, “my kid and 2 other brats decided to break the windshield and I wore myself out trying to catch them as they ran around the car…disadvantages of a wagon.”

 

Eventually the little Rambler became less of a factor for the Hogenson family and it wasn’t driven for 15 years. Last year Don’s son decided to take the family wagon back to its former glory.

 

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The car was really solid mechanically as Don explained “I had to redo brakes on them was seized, needed a new windshield, motor wasn’t touched “.

 

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The car was a fairly lengthy project and Don tried to stay away from his beloved Rambler during that period. Don admits, “that he cried when he saw it”. That speaks volumes about his inner car guy and his attachment to the little wagon because Don is not an overtly emotional guy in person.

 

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Currently the Rambler gets a daily workoutDon can be seen all over town behind the wheel of his 45-year-old car. He admits “that I’d sooner drive this than my 2004 Camry because of the sentimental value but it will never see another winter”.

 

His only regret-no power steering. Don said it was easier to drive in 1966 when he was much younger.

 

 

Other than that, this 1966 Rambler station wagon is home for good as part of the Hogenson family heritage.

 

Jerry Sutherland

 

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