Some of us think that combining a station wagon with a sports car is a great idea. Fun to drive yet practical, too. Unfortunately there aren't many true believers, for such a vehicle has never sold well though it's been tried many times. Even Ferraris and Jaguars and Aston Martins have been turned into wagon prototypes by Italian bodymakers. The only successful production sports wagon, however, was the Volvo 1800 ES, unless you include Britain's limited production but lovely Reliant Scimitar.
Back in 1955 Chevrolet unveiled the Nomad, a two-door wagon concept that closely resembled its then-new Corvette, and when motor show audiences raved about it, Chevrolet put a more restrained version into production. Of course, it was no longer a true sports wagon… more like a conventional sedan with a racy appearance from the B-pillar back. A year later Ford reacted with the Parklane Sports Wagon. An attractive car, the Parklane was not as unique as the Nomad but for anyone who wanted wagon versatility in a sporty two-door format the new Ford should have had considerable appeal. It didn't. The Parklane lasted just one model year, while the Nomad survived for three. Lovely cars, no takers. I should add that two-door wagons have never been big sellers, the buyers of such vehicles apparently preferring the convenience of four doors.
I recall the production Nomad well enough but didn't remember Ford's competitor until alerted by the latest OldCarsWeekly newsletter, which featured a 1956 model as its "car of the week." Beautifully restored, the Parklane Sports Wagon wears an authentic two-tone Bermuda Blue/Diamond Blue paint scheme. Owner Tom Riplinger says he originally bought the car for parts but when he realised how few were made (15,186) decided to restore it. That was 20 years ago and since then he and his wife have put more than 20,000 miles on his rare Ford wagon.