Cerny's Suburban

That 'burban is the main reason I am building my '56 Buick Wagon.

It has class. I love the look, the car was going against the grain because as you said, Wagons were for Moms and Dorks...

Good article!

 

I always thought that was a cool car. Took some balls to do that car back then.

I could have sworn that a year or two ago there was a picture of it in Rod and Custom at a show in primer. Then not to long ago a picture of the completed car.

 

great story ryan ..

 

Ryan, I love this car and that's hard for me to admit as back when these were new or fairly new, that's what my dad bought. I was not impressed then as they were certainly not stylish and they had those wimpy little flathead six cylinder engines. I wanted him to get a manly-man car, like an Olds or Caddy, or even a Ford with the best sounding eight cylinder flathead, best sounding if you had a set of Smitty's. But, he bought those plain jane Plymouths and Dodges and we, me at least, used to shrink down in the back seat so no one would see me in such a drab car.

But, George Cerny's little wagon. Ohhhhhhhh Momma, is that car cool or what? The chopped top, the cool side trim. Yummy!!! And, if memory serves, it was powered by a delicious big old Hemi motor. Could be wrong here, as CRAFT disease has a pretty good hold on me right now.

The only thing I'm not too wild about on this car are the flames behind the rear wheels. Just too funky looking, I'm thinking. But, who gives a crap about what I think.

Thanks for reminding me of the work of one of the masters.

 

the world needs a few more chopped wagons. great article.

 

I love this car !!!

oldandkrusty it actually was a Cadillac engine !

As you Ryan I like it best without the flames only I like the Pontiac grill treatment better than the Chevy grill .

thank you for posting this , and thank you for the wonderful photos Rickster !!

 

Here is a "Spotlight" that Rikster did a few years ago.The Cerny's created some really good looking Kustoms.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51968&highlight=George+Cerny

 

I used to keep a copy of that magazine in the glove box of my 53 Plymouth suburban to show guys that wagons were cool. Mine had a $29.95 paint job, rattle can scallops and Moon discs. The grill was a '58 Caddy. Keeping with the fad of the day, I had "Circus Wagon" on the rear quarter panels.

 

I saw an article on this a while back, really is a sharp looking ride! I'm not as excited about the flames, but the stance and trim is spot-on!

Thanks Ryan for bringing up to our attention.

 

my family has a little "all in the family" heart warmer like that too.. we still drive ours alot too

 

It was on the cover of CAR CRAFT April 1956 too! I gathered all the parts to clone that car. when the time came to build it. it's location was unknown (12-14 years ago)

I came up with 3 wagons 49, 50 and a 52 all needed floors, I was given a 52 Belvedere hardtop that had good floors. at that point I made a hard decision as much as I loved the Cerney wagon. I had two thoughts.

first was about the time I finished the clone, the Original would turn up, which it did

second was with the hardtop I could build my own style wagon.

the final decision was based on the originals flame job, perfect on the car, but probably be mis understood by todays youth
I gave the merc grill shell and 55 chev fenders away but still have the rest except the dodge tailights

 

It's hard to believe that a wagon that well thought out didn't inspire others.

Mom-mobile or not, that was a good looking car.

Would love to see it in a single color. The two-tone in Ryan's lead photo really makes the front of the hood look big... almost like it received a "reverse pie cut".

JH

 

man that would look bitchin with a couple long board pokin out the back!!

 

That's awesome. A friend of mine just built a '50 Plym wagon for his family to cruise around in.

 

A friend from nor cal in the early 70s norm hudson had george jr paint his anglia AG race car it was called HUDSONS HORNET it was in drag racing mag back then. I can remember makeing a non stop run to LA and back . His shop was in NORCO CA. The car was painted in his horse barn. maybe somebody has the book and could post the photos. That wagon is my all time favorite.

 

I have that same issue and the influence of the 2 tone paint job is what I am doing to my '53 Plymouth wagon. I have had mine for the last 7 years now and funny how an issue from back in the day made my decision on the paint job that I have come to settle with. I just got off the phone with Mr. Cerny. Makes me want to get started on my wagon now. I love talking to the 'ol school guys and getting tips and all. Looking forward in seeing the wagon done!!! KNUX!

 

I had the pleasure of meeting George's son who is also a body man/painter. He was kinda drifting between shops and he was working out of the back of a Maco by my house. I went down there a few times and watched him work and listed to his stories about some of his father's builds. It was pretty incredible. I am not sure but I am pretty sure he is still painign somehwere in SoCal.

FONZI

 

Check this one out..
<img src=http://a944.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/90/l_f15f0c6b960c953b18831e09f221459f.jpg>
Local "Payaso" from Salinas..

-Juan

 

i've been staring at Ryans post here for about 20 minutes trying to like this car, but i just cant. dont get me wrong, i dig longroofs, and NONAME's hardtop custom is fuckin rad, but the chop on the cerny car just does nothing for me.

 

Must be hot out there in Salinas, the whole front end melted.

 

Went to David Starr Jordan H.S. with Cerny's son in North Long Beach, class Of 1966. Remember him driving this to school. Lion's drag strip every Saturday night. School had a bunch of cool hot rods, customs, and choppers. Harvey's every friday night, and Bellflower Blvd. Gene's muffler on Lakewood Blvd. right next to Watson's shop and close to the Lakewood Drive In. Why can I remember this and not to put out the trash.

 

That thing is bad ass.

Only weak point for me is the taillights.. they look kinda 'tacked on' compared to the rest of the car.

I like both the paint treatments-- the earlier version is cleaner, but I love that flame style... at some point flame jobs became fairly standardized and designs became a lot less funky. Those flames are definitely funky.

I haven't been able to make up my mind about getting rid of my '52 dodge wagon, (it's a 4 door, but still way cool) and this isn't helping!

 

I just find it odd that in Riksters pictures that they went back to stock front sheet metal instead of the Chevy or Pontiac grill in the other pictures. I like the custom grill look better.

Rod

 

Sure is better than the modern Chev. Suburbans that I work on occasionly. I dig wagons and have had a couple. They are practical and fairly secure and weather proof haulers, usually based on sedan/car architecture and styling. This one's way kool and personally I like the flames. Good to see that it's been restored by and is owned by family. Great tribute to Dad.

 

Great to see the family got the wagon back. Dad would be delighted I'm sure. Thanks for the post Ryan.

 

Very nice wagon. In high school (class of 64) we called them bread boxs, we all liked them but they were scarce. I repeat, very nice.

 

Somewhere in the thread it's mentioned that the car was wrecked after the Cernys sold it. I'll bet it got a stock front clip from a junkyard after the wreck.