Filed under: Wagons/Estates, Etc.
Man gets bored, builds Family Truckster
Click above for gallery of the remade Family Truckster
People have remade the iconic Family Truckster wagon from the movie National Lampoon's Vacation before, but we don't think many have done so well as forum poster ls1nova71 over at ls1tech.com. He's faithfully recreated the metallic pea (everything except for turning the white wall tires into green walls) from a Ford LTD Country Squire wagon and dropped in a stock 5.3L small-block GM V8 to keep it road worthy. As we caught up to the forum thread, ls1nova71 had loaded up the Truckster and made it to a stop on the Hot Rod Power Tour, where he did us all proud and ran the Griswold's wagon down the quarter mile at 14.9 seconds at 94 mph. Clark would've no doubt been ecstatic if his version could do that in the movie. Perhaps then he could've kept up with Christie Brinkley's Ferrari.
Gallery: Family Truckster
[Source: ls1tech.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Torrent 2:07PM (6/12/2008)
Now that I think about it, the Aztek wasn't all that ugly.....
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John P. 2:17PM (6/12/2008)
I love this thing!
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Dinger 2:17PM (6/12/2008)
Best car ever!
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Red Star 2:18PM (6/12/2008)
Chevy engine in a Ford ... That is just wrong.
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Geeky1 2:31PM (6/12/2008)
I'd call it an improvement, personally.
mk 2:31PM (6/12/2008)
No kidding.
A 351W is somehow harder than converting a ford to run an SBC? Really?
I realize the guy is a Chevy fan, but that is taking it a bit farther than necessary.
Honestly, if you want an SBC wagon, why not convert a Buick Roadmaster wagon into an Impala-SS-like lead-sled custom with a GM crate motor...
BrandonG777 3:39PM (6/12/2008)
At least it'll run.
havoc 7:02PM (6/12/2008)
maybe the argument should be
how could he ruin a perfectly good 'sbc' by wrapping a ford LTD wagon around it?
mohrt 5:54PM (6/13/2008)
Yeah, what a disgrace to the Chevy. ;)
Dave 2:20PM (6/12/2008)
Very talented work. Now you just need Imogene Cocca strapped to the roof.
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tenfifteen 2:30PM (6/12/2008)
...and "Honky Lips" in spray paint on the side.
Biff Baxter 2:24PM (6/12/2008)
"Honey, can I wash your back? Can I wash your front?"
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Biff Baxter 2:28PM (6/12/2008)
"She was born without a tongue, Clark."
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kaslings 2:31PM (6/12/2008)
I can't tell, does it even have the fuel filler door in the hood? "Yes, I know, honey, I'm just checking the license plate"
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Alex 2:59PM (6/12/2008)
Its there but judging by the open hood pics, its not functional. That's probably a good thing though...
Alex 2:36PM (6/12/2008)
"Now, I owe it to myself to tell you, Mr. Griswold, that if you are thinking of taking the tribe cross country, this is your automobile. The Wagon Queen Family Truckster. You think you hate it now, but wait till you drive it."
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Bondtastic 2:38PM (6/12/2008)
See I am torn. This vehicle is cool because of its role in a brilliant film.
This vehicle sucks though because I think it's the leading reason why Americans hate station wagons and buy SUVs instead.
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ronzo 2:49PM (6/12/2008)
Trust me, Detroit gave us a whole lot of REAL reasons to hate station wagons... this one was the charicature of those.
Alex 2:41PM (6/12/2008)
i can't get "Holiday Road" out of my head now.
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ronzo 2:45PM (6/12/2008)
Yeah, tell me about it...
My turn at quotes:
"Yeah, but my daddy says I'm the best"