Want to drive this vintage Chevy wagon?

Different modern vehicles are rampantly swiveling their wheels down the road. Most of these amaze us with their wonderful modifications while others remain attractive with their simple bodyworks. With all these modern auto designs, other enthusiasts are yet more amazed with vintage cars.

We can see a lot of vintage cars such as sedans and coupes, and we know that the cost of these kinds of car is not a joke. Oftentimes, these cars are more expensive than a brand new sports car. This is especially true if you will see this vintage station wagon from Chevy that I am going to share to you.

Station wagons were first facilitated in railroad stations, carried campers and worked for tradesmen. And in 1948, one covered the length of Africa. If you want to drive this vintage wagon, take a quick view of its history.

Henry Donner, a professor of astronomy and geology at what was then Western Reserve University in Cleveland, drove a 1947 Chevrolet with his wife through Africa. During that travel, he was studying geological formations and comparing star measurements with those made on previous trips. His vehicle had heavy-duty springs and fan, spotlights, dual batteries, a winch, and a skid plate. It was also outfitted with a screens, bed, and curtains, spares and extra supplies.

The Donners drove their Chevrolet wagon from New York to Le Havre, France, then from there, they’ve traveled on to Paris and then to Marseille, and to Algiers. The English travelers leaving in four-wheel-drive military vehicles predicted the Chevrolet's defeat. The Donners and one English truck followed and were joined en route by an ex-military Dodge. Subsequent to fighting sandstorms, getting stuck, searching for gas and food, breaking the winch and pushing for hours in first gear, they wedged up to the Brits who had doubted the Chevrolet. After 74 days, across 9400 miles, they reached Bloemfontein, South Africa.

The car that was owned by the university and used later by Donner on student trips to Colorado was later sold several times through the years. And in 1971, Larry Nagode bought what he thought was simply a 1947 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Special Deluxe woody. The seller told him that Western Reserve had owned it as traces of the name remained on the body. Nagode learned the car's story from the school.

He started to clean it up. As he took some of the molding off, it was packed with red dust. Then these things started to make some sense. He contacted the Donners and arranged to meet.
The original owner was very happy to see the car again. Since it was his home for many, Nagode was crying when he pulled into the driveway. The sheetmetal was repainted in 1955, and most modifications were removed. Nevertheless, Africa left evidence behind then lettering remains barely visible on the wood. The fenders show waves from the ships' lifting slings. Plating on the rear bumper's corner is worn away from having served as a seat during the Colorado trips. Nagode did not hurry to change that. He said, the car has needed only exhaust replacement and front-end work.

The Chevrolet is easy to drive. This is asserted by the steering that demands little strength, and the brakes that stop the car smoothly and quickly in a 1947 way, together with a heavy pedal pressure. The vacuum assists help the column shifter through the standard three-speed pattern with only gentle direction. The transmission is as well of great sturdiness. The gearing is low enough, though, that shifting is infrequent. Similar to the Chevrolets of its time, it would make any competent driver comfortable, and that is something Donner recognized.