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1971 Chevrolet Townsman: Jumbo Truckster
For the eight of you who’ve been following my Brougham-A-Palooza indulgence these past few years, you know I am a major fan of what I term the “Nimitz class:” grand, giant American land yachts of the 1970s. I love these as much as I disdain the boring, potato-shaped, albeit reliable and comfortable combover fare being foisted on us in 2025.
For those who do, in fact, like modern cars, I get it. Any modern, moderately priced new car is leaps and bounds better in many ways. But…they just don’t have the classy look and presence of the yachts of yore. And barring a Suburban or Escalade, they sure don’t have the room.
These Nimitz-class cars, despite their propensity to rust and the typical 1970s build quality (that affected everything from Chevys to Toyotas to Volvos; don’t buy into the notion that this was a domestic-only rolling stock issue), had plenty of room to spare. And the all-new 1971 GM wagons, from plain-Jane Chevy Brookwood wagon to uber-luxury Buick Estate wagon, were the biggest yet.
These were pretty much the last of the unfettered GM cars. Sure, there were already some safety and emissions requirements, but unless you lived in California and had to deal with smog pumps and other temperamental rickrack, it wasn’t too bad yet. And these were big wagons!
To the tune of 223 inches long with a 125-inch wheelbase. Non-wagon Chevy Impalas, Caprices, and the like rode a slightly shorter 121.5-inch span. And another big deal was the disappearing tailgate.
Unlike the old fold-down tailgates with the flip-up glass section, each portal now retracted into the body in the case of the tailgate, and up into the roof for the window. And this was standard on every full-size GM station wagon, though a power-operated version of same was optionally available.
It was a good year to be a Chevy dealer, too. Despite the 1971 UAW strike that threw a wrench into 1971 GM production, Chevrolet still managed to produce about 668,000 big Chevys, from Biscayne to Caprice. And 1972 would be even better, with over a million sold. But we were talking about 1971, weren’t we?
There were seven different wagon models from which to choose, with either two-row or three-row versions. Cheapest—and only available in a two-row model—was the Brookwood wagon, essentially the Biscayne trim level, but in a wagon. The price was $3929 ($31,025 in today’s money), and 5314 were built.
Next up was the Townsman wagon, the same as our featured Antique White example. It came in either a $4020 ($31,740) two-row or $4135 ($32,650) three-row version. Sales, respectively, were 12,951 and 6870.
Further up the 1971 wagon ladder, in increasing luxuriousness, were the Kingswood and Kingswood Estate (with Di-Noc simulated woodgrain sides, of course), both available in either two- or three-row versions.
Another interesting factoid on the 1971-76 GM wagons: They were so large and majestic that the third-row, instead of utilizing the usual “way back” rear-facing seat, faced forward. The middle seat was divided 75/25, and the curb-side seat folded forward to allow access to the rear two-passenger seat, which resided between the wheel wells. Our featured longroof was a two-row model, as evidenced by its middle seat lacking a split. Any way you slice it, though, these wagons are a very uncommon vehicle these days!
And Chevrolet was justifiably proud of their new wagons, especially that futuristic tailgate. As the brochure relayed, “Altogether, you’re going to find the advantages of our big new wagon nothing short of spectacular. Starting with the tailgate.
“Imagine: no door to walk around. No door to limit loading to one side. No door to get in your way—in the garage, in the parking lot, in trailering. No loading gate to bend over. We’ve changed all that for you.
“Just turn the key, and the rear window automatically glides up into the roof. Another turn and the counterbalanced gate drops down and slides under the floor with one easy push.
And it was pretty slick, though it potentially could have become a royal pain in winter with snow or ice jamming the mechanism, and a rear-end fender bender could cause all sorts of mayhem, potentially. But it’s still pretty cool. And as far as I know, only the 1971-76 GM big wagons had this feature.
This particular car was seen back in September 2024 and is owned by a friend of a friend. My buddy Phil Schafer was in town for a wagon show (that I sadly missed because I was at a Lincoln Club show in Springfield that morning), and my friend Jayson and I saw him and his 1976 Pontiac Grand Safari when we got back into town that evening.
When we got to the hotel and saw this Townsman—a seriously rare birdie—we went nuts gawking at it and taking pictures. Then we went to dinner, and after that, finally connected with Phil and got to see his wagon. All in all, it was a grand day for Nimitz-class GM wagon sightings!
Mr Klockau, I really enjoyed your article about the ‘71 Townsman! It brought back a ton of memories for me. I was a 21 year old airman stationed in Victorville CA in 1981 when I blew the engine in my ‘64 Nova SS(an old worn out 327,another story). I bought a ‘73 Chevy wagon for the engine, a small block 400. All my buddies laughed, they thought I was crazy. I had the heads reworked, put on an Edelbrock intake and a Carter AFB and dropped it in my Nova, I had to change the oil pan. It wasn’t totally badass but it would run good! I still have that same sb 400, hasn’t been bored but needs rebuilding. Thanks!
A beautiful car, what a neat wagon! Those were the days!
My parents ordered one of these new in 1973. The Caprice estate. I was not the biggest fan of the woodgrain. I was with them at the dealership when they ordered it. They got some pretty significant options. Air conditioning and power windows. It was a first for a car that we owned. Am/fm. Power rear tailgate. Tilt wheel. Rear fan defogger. I remember my mom saying” I want the biggest engine”. And my dad turned and looked at her, sort of surprised and sort of confused. She said “ it’s a big car and I don’t want to feel nervous merging”. Done deal, 454 box checked. They still have the wagon in the garage, long since relegated to occasional use. They service it regularly, and use it once or twice a month. Other than a small spot of rust at the trailing edge of the rear passenger door, the car looks like it is 5 years old. The car is quiet, very powerful, and the a/c is ICE cold.
I drive a 1995 Caprice Classic wagon which is only 217″ long on the puny 116″ wheelbase… 🙂 But it is a LT1 with all the bells and whistles. Its a three row with the dual opening tailgate. Every time I stop, especially at stop lights, people want to talk about it.
those are great wagons and a worthy successor in the spirit of the early 70s barges, and far more enjoyable driving.
One of the only full sized “Nimitz Class” mid 1970’s cars in the GM Hertage Collection is a 1976 Buick Estate Wagon that was ordered with so many options it has a two page window sticker. It even has dark blue crushed velour interior with a a 50/50 front split bench with 6 way power and recline on both sides.. Tom and his fellow wagon fans would go nuts. 🙂🙂
It is amazing that the profiled Townsman survived as most became handyman tool carriers.
I love old wagons. Where did you spot this car? Because as I read this, I’m sitting about 4 miles away from the still open Herrin-Gear Chevrolet dealership in Jackson, MS.
It was near the Quad Cities Airport in Moline. IL. And I remember Herrin-Gear chevy, my family lived in Brandon in the mid 80s. I still have brochures from that dealer.
Our family car was a 1971 Brookwood wagon, 350 2 bl. turbo 400 trans, we pulled all sizes of trailers with it those where great times.
My first car was a 72 Brookwood trim wagon. Great car! 350 motor. I must have had a rear gear upgrade on mine because 60 mph on the speedometer was actually 90 mph according to my friends following me on our first highway trip! My car had a huge 2 barrel carburetor that looked as big as a 4 barrel carb. It was faster than the then new 1983 or 84 Mustang GT’s or Lincoln Mark VII’s., which I’m sure made those guys feel terrible.
What killed the car for me was a bad heater core and I had an accident which broke the rear quarter curved glass.
When my mother bought a 1976 Malibu wagon (base 305 model) at a deep discount because it has sat on the lot for two-plus years and already looked quite old by 1978, we kids could only dream about AC for those long, hot summer trips from Ottawa to New York to visit our grandparents — hotboxing my mother’s Benson and Hedges all the way! A full-sized wagon like my grandfather’s Buick seemed the height of luxury to us…
I love this article! Ten years ago I purchased a one family owned 52,000 California rust free mile 1969 Chevelle Concours wagon. They’re only original once. It wears its age well. Shortly after acquiring it, I tracked down a pair of dealer license plates frames. I purchased them from a collector in Canada.
The company I worked for leased new 1971 Kinsgswood wagons with the 350V8 as field service vehicles. They were huge, slow, and got about 12 MPG!!!! I was young and came from a family of Chevrolet owners. By comparison to older Chevrolets, the 1971 Chevrolet was CHEAP!!! Awful “primer less” paint that faded fast and any minor scratch was a rust spot in short order. Cheap aluminum trim around the windows. One day I moved the heater/AC lever and it BROKE OFF IN MY HAND!!!! It was PLASTIC! Heater/AC fan motors quit every 4 months. That “claim shell tailgate” – a noisy rattle trap that would bind often – terrible. The window was electric, but the tailgate was MANUAL – Awful. Interesting how time makes things seem better than they were!
In 1972 the company leased Vega’s to save on fuel costs — cheap materials AND unreliable. I never bought another Chevrolet until year 2000 when I got a deal via work on a new Chevy Silverado truck – which was actually a good vehicle and HUGE!!!! Now I’m retired and have downsized.
We had one in the family when I was little. I remember that rear window creaking and squeaking to move, but the tailgate never had a problem slamming down. It seemed to take all Dad’s might to lift it hard and fast enough to get it to latch up.
When I went to work for Chevrolet in 1970 I was driving a Volkswagen bug (with four Children.) The 400 ci small block was new so I checked on the reliability of its Siamese cylinders with a counter part who worked in the Flint plant where the 400 was built . Once assured, I bought a Kingswood Estate with that engine. Never had a problem in the seven years we owned it but know of others who had problems with the tail gate.
I later had some influence on the first usage of the automatic sliding door on the 1994 Venture minivan. I was determined that we not have problems on that. We didn’t.
A current day Tahoe is 13 inches smaller and a Suburban is only 3 inches longer. Crazy nimitz class wagon length.
The 2024 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Cab Lariat with the 5.5-foot box has an overall length of 232 inches and a wheelbase of 145.4 inches. The curb weight varies, but it typically ranges from 4,687 to 5,950 lbs. The F-150 was the 2nd most popular vehicle sold in the US, after the Toyota RAV4. So, what else is new? Nothing. Americans love big … and the rest of the world seems to agree.
Growing up my family had a 72 Chevy Kingswood estate. Very comfortable, loved the rear facing 3rd seat and great AC. It was my dad’s company car and was eventually replaced with a 75’ Ford LTD wagon, which was inferior in many aspects.
Great article! I didn’t even know this car existed. For the record, I was 19 in 1971, but just wasn’t paying attention I guess.
Fabulous wagon Thomas,
you might be interested to know that here in Australia GMH ( General Motors – Holden ) adopted the Kingswood moniker in 1968, and it applied to a whole range of sedans as well as wagons, lasting until 1980.
And being a great fan of US wagons, I should mention that I owned a ’76 LTD Country Squire, complete with woodgrain and converted to right hand drive after it was left in Australia by a US serviceman who brought it here almost new and then sold it when he moved back to the US.
I had that beast, complete with the 460 V8, for over 25 years until I finally let it go to make room for other weird vehicles I like to collect,
I always enjoy your articles, the cars you love are in line with my own experience and are a joy to own or just gawk at,
Thanks again, Greg, Sydney, Australia