Chassis wood coating

Tom - ATL

Junior Member
Probably been asked before, but could not find it. What is a good coating for New oak wood? What did Henry use? Probably an inexpensive petroleum base product? How about an oil base pain?

Thanks; Tom
 
For all of my SW Sedan top wood, I used 3 coats of tongue oil,letting it dry for two or three days ,paying extra attention to the end cuts. It is great for sealing out moisture.
Bruce Davis
 
My car is original, I believe, and its got a thick black coating on all of the wood. It reminds me of oil base paint without hardener after about 3 days of drying. Its not completely hard, in places where its ran, you can still press your thumbnail into it. If its not original it was done before 1950 because I've documented it back to there. Have a feeling its done drying by now...!
 
the m sheet for 'water repellent black concentrate' calls out Wax, gums, oil, asphaltum as the non volatiles and petroleum sprits and other solvents as the volatiles. the m sheet for 'water repellent black solution calls out 'water repellent black concentrate and special spirits. " the wood parts are to be dipped must be dry, and after dipping in the above solution shall air dry in 30 minutes. I made some up, but never achieved the drying time. It is a thin, (grain of the wood shows through), black covering with a waxy look. rustoleum 'wrought iron black' is a fairly good match.
 
My car is original, I believe, and its got a thick black coating on all of the wood. It reminds me of oil base paint without hardener after about 3 days of drying. Its not completely hard, in places where its ran, you can still press your thumbnail into it. If its not original it was done before 1950 because I've documented it back to there. Have a feeling its done drying by now...!

Wolman 1G Woodlife Creocoat Black Wood Preservative seems to be the closest stuff to original sold today. When dry it still had a waxy feel.
 
Original wood on 1930 Town Sedan was & still is in excellent shape.

However, termites & high humidity in this Town Sedan's new location.

From underside, first sanded exposed porous black finish & applied green wood preservative, followed by two (2) coats of POR 15.

Underside of wood is now definitely as hard as steel.

It would probably take a termite a full set of dental root canals, & probably about 50 change outs of tooth caps to eat through the first layer of POR 15, plus about 40 bottles of Pepto-Bismol to digest the PoR 15 -- don't think they could afford all of this at today's prices.

Looks good.
 
For all of my SW Sedan top wood, I used 3 coats of tongue oil,letting it dry for two or three days ,paying extra attention to the end cuts. It is great for sealing out moisture.
Bruce Davis

so how do you get the slivers out of your tongue after licking all that wood three times? :)
 
Thanks to all who answered. Probably will use the Black Exterior Oil Based. Thin it for the first coat or two (so it will penetrate in good) then top coat.

Thanks Again; Tom
 
:DHey "PAT IN SANTA CRUZ" at my age ...I'm tough all over.... I consider slivers as tooth picks for the few teeth I have left!!!;)
 
Just wondering about the often-proposed method of "Thin it for the first coat or two (so it will penetrate in good) then top coat."

Does it really penetrate any better (assuming it is specified for hard wood application in the first place) and where does all that thinning solvent go after it has penetrated when covered by a top coat?

Not being a wood expert, I just ask these questions. I too use Woodlife (a real wood preservative designed by experts) on wood in old cars, to preserve them.
 
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