Long before the SUVs and mini-vans there was the 1970s station wagon. It was a great choice for many people and was a popular car in the 70s. These extra-long cars were ideal for carrying the family and then some. The station wagons of the very early 1970s were similar to those that were popular in the 60s.hances were that the only air conditioning available was provided by rolling down the windows â by hand! However, there were two events in the 1970s that had a huge impact on the size of the decadeâs cars and on station wagons in particular. In 1972, a host of emissions specifications were introduced.