RE real woodies

S

SplitPersonality

Guest
For anyone offended by any of my remarks pertaining to what I offered as my
own opinion of what I think of as a real Woodie, I apologize. What Charles
says is, of course, very true. Campbell and Cantrell and possibly others
did make a lesser number, I believe, of pretty much all wood Woodies later
than 1948. I am not up on the stats relating to these post 1948 all Wood
Wagons, but am aware that there were some. I already stated that I had had a
1951 Chevy Tin Woodie which I loved and I almost bought a 1949 Olds Woodie
as well as a 51 and a 53 Buick Woodie. I have come close to buying a
couple of Morris "Woodies" which definitely have a minimum of wood trim. I also
have almost bought or built a VW Woodie Wagon ( for which I have the plans)
and also a VW Woodie convertible, as I am a vertical fan VW nut as well.
Any offense, I recognize, would be because of my use of the adjective
"real," but then that is just my opinion.

Unlike most Woodie owners, I was, I think by the merest chance, someone
whose parents bought a brand new Ford Station Wagon in 1948 while another
close friend's family had a 1947 Sportsman. Consequently, I have been
driving Woodies for 62 years now. I still own a 1948 Packard Woodie which I have
had for several years, but if for nothing other than nostalgic reasons, the
48 Ford is perhaps understandably my favorite. I can still remember my
family driving from the Detroit Area on Christmas vacation all the way to Key
West and back in 1949. Despite the fact that they are now so rare, it was
absolutely a normal thing to do back then. My very first exposure to a Woodie
was in a 1936 Ford which a scout leader friend owned. 1936 was also the
last Ford Woodie with the split middle seat. Another friend's family had a
1946 Ford Woodie and a personal friend had a 1950 Ford Woodie and still
another a 1951 Mercury Woodie. Thus I love them all, pretty much, but am
entitled to my own opinions which is all I expressed. At shows and Cruise Ins,
when I explain that there is no metal substructure ( other than small metal
gussets ) to my 48 Ford from the dash back or the floor up, including in all
4 of the very solid doors all of which. of course, have roll up windows,
people are almost blown away.


Quite incidental to this discussion, but unless someone can tell me or show
me otherwise, all the Ford literature relating to Wooden Station Wagons
from 1946 to 1948, and probably 1942 also, if they show pictures of the
Station Wagons ( all of which I believe are artists' renderings, ) contain an
error. ALL show a vertical bar on the middle of the rear back doors
indicating sliding glass windows. Though I have seen 1942 Wagons, I cannot remember
right off, but to my knowledge 1941 was the only of the 1941-1948 series
to have sliding windows in the rear side doors, despite the Advertisement
pictures. If I am mistaken, I would appreciate someone correcting this
matter. Also, does anyone know of any other definite differences ( excepting
paint colors ) between 1947s and 1948s other than that 1948s no longer had
the steering wheel lock ( unless it was an unsold 1947 model and was titled
as a 1948.)


Vic Nelson near Daytona
 
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