The Kingswood of the wagons: Automodello’s new 1969 Kingswood Estate
Automodello now offers the 1969 Chevrolet Kingswood Estate as a 1:24-scale resin model with all of the quality and detail the company has put into its previously released models.
Chevrolet offered no fewer than eight different station wagons among its full-size (“biggest-size”) and mid-size (“second-size”) lines in 1969. So there would be no question as to which wagon was tops, Chevy crowned its biggest and most luxurious the Kingswood Estate.
To the second-in-command Kingswood, the top-dog 1969 Kingswood Estate added woodgrain exterior paneling to harken back to the days of woodie wagons, but otherwise it was all modern for 1969: overhead-valve V-8 power, available automatic transmission, vinyl interior upholstery, courtesy lamps, two-spoke steering wheel, thick foam seat padding, full wheel covers, body-side moldings and three taillamps, as found on the Chevrolet Impala and Caprice. All 1969 Chevy station wagons — from the entry-priced midsize Chevelle Nomad to the full-size Kingswood Estate — featured a new dual-action tailgate hinged on both the side for swing-out passenger entry and the bottom for drop-down loading.
Fewer than 100 of each color of Automodello’s new 1:24-scale 1969 Kingswood Estate were built. Pictured is the silver version. Old Cars
Since all 1969 Chevrolet “biggest size” wagons shared styling with the full-size Chevrolet passenger cars, they featured the one-piece bumper that fully encircled the grille and oval-shaped wheel openings. By the time the 1969 Kingswood Estate hit the streets, Baby Boomers’ kids were hard at work making families of their own, so the station wagon market was still going strong, but there’s no available production figure for the number of Kingswood Estates built. Due to its high price ($3,678 for the nine-passenger and $3,565 for the six-passenger model), the Kingswood Estate was likely one of the rarest Chevrolet station wagons built that year. Add to that the hard use Jumpin’ Johnny and Squirrely Suzy put their parents’ station wagons through into the 1970s, you’re not likely to see a ’69 Kingswood Estate at a car show. But you can see one every day on your shelf.
Automodello now offers the 1969 Chevrolet Kingswood Estate as a 1:24-scale resin model with all of the quality and detail the company has put into its previously released models, perhaps more so. Given all of the trim that originally dressed Chevrolet’s 1969 Kingswood Estate, this might be the most detailed model yet from Automodello. Those details include tiny fender-top turn signal housings, a delicate luggage rack, thin strips of window trim and woodgrain “wallpaper” paneling — including the silver trim that borders the paneling — to create a rather complicated scale creation. Despite the obstacles one might expect in duplicating all of these dainty trim pieces, Automodello has pulled it off at a master level, perhaps even seeing it as a challenge. After all, the fender-top turn signal housings and the luggage rack were optional on the Kingswood Estate, and it could have modeled the paneling-less Kingswood, but Automodello built the king of 1969 Chevy wagons and everyone wins for its efforts.
As part of the luxurious Caprice line, the Kingswood Estate featured full wheel covers, wood paneling and drip rail moldings, all of which are present on Automodello’s model. Old Cars
Among the accurate model’s fine trim pieces are its delicate grille portraying the optional hidden headlamp arrangement and the six rectangular taillamp lenses, all of which are fitted to an expertly proportioned 1969 Chevrolet station wagon body replicated from the Kingswood Estate in General Motors’ own collection.
A peek inside the window openings reveals an equally well-detailed interior. The pleats of the Kingswood Estate’s vinyl seat upholstery are present, as are the swaths of woodgrain trim on the steering wheel center, door panels and instrument panel. And speaking of the instrument panel, the “P-R-N-D” letters on the gear indicator there appear almost legible, and very well may be readable if you have a fresh set of trifocals.
All in all, Automodello’s Kingswood Estate station wagon is an impressive model worthy of any model or Chevrolet collector’s display. It’s available in five colors: red or yellow ($249.99 each) or black, blue or silver ($299.99 each). Fewer than 100 of each color was built, so order soon while they’re still available from www.diecasm.com or 877-DIECASM.
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