1975 Chevrolet Corvette “Greenwood” Sportwagon Special
Greenwood didn’t just build Corvettes for the track, constructing a variety of different street car kits over the years. These ranged from simple body kits on up to tube-chassis monsters. Among those vehicles was the Sportwagon, which transformed the sleek and swooping lines of the sports car into a proper two-door wagon.
The story goes that the original ’wagon concept was commisioned by a drummer who wanted a Vette with enough cargo space to haul his drums to various gigs. Since the demise of the Corvette trunk, easily accessible cargo areas were definitely on the wish list for many enthusiasts. Chuck Miller designed and built this first Shark-era Sportwagon, which also incorporated a unique front end.
A Stationwagon Corvette wasn’t an original Greenwood idea, but it was redesigned to better fit the shape of the rubber bumper body style. The first ’wagon variation was designed to fit the chrome bumper Vettes of ’68 to ’73 with their Kamm-back style rear end. The production version had narrow side windows, a high, turned up rear roofline (mimicking the stock rear deck) and a non-functioning rear window. These kits were sold through Eckler’s catalogs, and could be ordered with or without side windows (called a Panelwagon). This original ‘wagon design kit could be ordered as an upper-half rear section or as a complete rear clip, with or without flared fenders.
The original design left a few things to be desired, particularly with the advent of the soft rear bumper in 1974. The upswept rear roof no longer seemed integrated, the side windows limited vision and access through the cockpit made cargo access no easier than a stock Vette.
The roofline of the Sportwagon is extended rearward, while new glass windows are added along the side. The hatch out back even opens up for easy access to the larger luggage compartment, while a rear spoiler helps accent the look. As the story goes, Greenwood designed such a vehicle so that he could enjoy picnics with his girlfriend. Regardless of the ideation, between 20 and 25 Greenwood Sportwagons were built in-period.
Image Source: carandclassic.com
