Manual transmission entry-level station wagons have exited the US market entirely, leaving only a handful of wagon options in their wake. Nobody paying attention should be surprised by this - the manual transmission faces near-certain demise in North America, and crossovers have replaced the station wagon as the most practical family car.
Today's Fiat 124 is comparable to the recently departed Golf Sportwagen, taking up entry level family transportation duty. The twin cam Lampredi engines were not available on the wagons; in their place came a trusty OHV 4-cylinder. The 64hp unit wasn't overly burdened by the ~2000lb curb weight, but upgrading to a classic SOHC 1300 or 1500cc unit from an X1/9, or perhaps a DOHC unit from the 124 model-range would be a good upgrade.
Year: 1972
Model: Fiat 124 Wagon
Engine: 1,197cc 4-cylinder
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Mileage: 58,389 mi
Price: $15,000 obo
Location: Tujunga, CA
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1972 Fiat 124 Wagon
1972 Fiat 124 Station Wagon.
It's your lucky day, you finely found the classic you were looking for. I had that same feeling when I bought this ugly duckling 10 years ago.
Previously registered In San Antonio, TX
Real eye catcher. Gets a lot of attention every where it goes. Runs and drives great. This is not an everyday driver. Keep in mind it's only 4 speed, freeway not recommend. Garage kept. Lots of new parts never had time to put on, comes with the car. Lots of new parts (mechanical) already installed, too many to list here. Small rust spots here and there. Small oil leak from main seal.
The seller seems to downplay the rust here, and they may be correct in their assessment. To us, the rust looks like it might lie deeper than what is visible in the photos. Finding a 124 wagon for patch panels isn't so easy today, so any metal work will take real effort and ingenuity. Parts are available for this RWD Fiat platform, though trim might more of an ordeal to source.
The seller has this example priced as if it were a perfect example. Maybe it's truly the best that we'll see for sale for a couple of years. That said, these used to go for less than $5,000. We'd let the listing languish a bit, and swoop in once the seller gets a little bit more realistic with the pricing.
-Graham