Truck based woody

[GB SISSON]

Anyone have a photo or two of a wood wagon built on a '42-'47 truck platform? I am in the process of gathering the parts I need. I am a cabinet and furniture maker with 44 years experience in custom woodwork. The first 10 of these was in wood boat construction. I am hoping to combine my passion of ford trucks with my vocation of woodworking and build one of these. Google search didn't find much on Ford trucks, but saw some really cool chevs, gmcs, dodges etc. Thanks. I have a 1/2 ton chassis but the cab for it is way too good to cut up just to get a cowl. Could use a cab with bad corners and floors. I could fix lower cowl if need be.

 

[38 coupe]

The only good Ford truck wood station wagon pictures I know of are on the next generation trucks in this thread over on FTE:http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/432001-f-2-f-3-woodie-anybody-ever-seen-one-of-these.html

 

[wga]

GB - are you on the Yahoo Woodie Group? This type of question is not unusual for that group. One of the best woodie wood guys - Rick Mac is up your way.
Cantrell, Hercules and a few others did those type of builds. Just saw a real nice Dodge
and International Harvester woodies. A gathering of the faithful is coming up near San Diego next month - Wavecrest, you would see those types of woodies.

http://www.oldwoodies.com/gallery-truckwoodies4.htm

 

[GB SISSON]

Thanks guys. This has been helpful. Last Friday I brought home a '47 tonner rolling chassis. It would make a cool HD woody, but really think the 1/2 ton would be more user friendly when finished. Besides, then I could use that nice cab on the tonner frame.

 

[big job]

I agree GB its the cowl and windshied problem not to cut up a good one. My case
it was a mint no mile 1933 Plymouth PD. I wrote to Chrysler in 1960 all they said was
we made a few chassis only. Researched body builders at that time few 33 Dodges
but no Plymouths. My mother worked for a Dr who gave it to her (he raised shepards) it had about 4500 miles and bought it new. I suspect he bought a new
car and had it built locally. I would like to do this but finding a chassis cowl sheet
metal is impossible, so thats pipe smokin. Here is a 1959 photo of this rare car. sam

 

[GEOFFNZ]

The New Zealand army had quite a number '42 Ford V8 woodie wagons on the half ton jailbar chassis.I think they were built here from the cowl/windscreen back.I remember them being sold at army surplus sales in the mid fifties and all in good order. A lot were used as tradesmen's vehicles but don't know of any survivors which is not to say that there aren't one or two tucked away somewhere.My father bought a '42 one ton Ford truck out of the army in 1945. Geoff

 

[GB SISSON]

Once again, good info. I haven't ventured into the world of facebook yet. I'm holding off as long as I can. I have a lot of jailbar parts and 3 59ab flatheads. I kind of hate to sacrifice the complete pickup in the earlier post, but it has a good title and box floor, fenders and tailgate are pretty bad. The cab I'm looking at to cut is on a 1 1/2 ton truck with no bed or engine. Seems a good candidate because the door bottoms are rusty and so are the floors. No title.

 

[woodiewagon46]

Ford never made a "Woodie" other than those made on automobile type chassis. GMC, Dodge and IH however made a truck type "Woodie". What you are describing is what is known as a "phantom". I wouldn't cut up a restorable car to build one, but I would start with a chassis and cowl. I have seen several "phantom" woodies and some were very nicely built. With your woodworking background it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[41ford1]

Here is a link to a good article on woody bodies. http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/h/hercules_campbell/hercules_campbell.htm

 

[BrianCT]

You will need a titled frame and any cab .

 

[mrtexas]

A woodie body is quite a complicated thing. However on my 36 woodie most wood is flat and straight except for the roof frame. On the later woodies like 42-51 there aren't many pieces that are straight. If you have made wood for boats making a body shouldn't be a problem for you. The woodie makers out there now are making the whole thing including fiberglass firewalls. It would be helpful for you to have access to a 46-48 woodie to get an idea of how to shape the pieces. I think a 4 door sedan would be a better starting point than a truck. http://www.woodiewood.com/for_sale.htm

 

[Fordors]

GB, I think you will like this past thread-

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=560891&highlight=woodie#post560891

 

[GB SISSON]

GB, I think you will like this past thread-

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=560891&highlight=woodie#post560891

Thank you, I like it a lot! I never buy new stuff. I have lots of parts here, but all truck parts. All ford except for a lot of landcruiser parts and two running wagons, one diesel, one gas. My original plan was toyota frame and running gear for ps, pb, 4wd etc but too short, even the wagon. Now I lean twds the '47 1/2 ton frame with or without landcruiser gear under it. I can't afford to be a purist or buy fiberglass parts or special chassis. I use what I have and as for the truck sheet metal I feel that I don't have to build it 'correct' if I do it truck style as they got built by whoever. And... Like I said I only have truck parts here. Mostly jailbar, which I prefer over the more car-like 40-41 sheet metal. This thing won't be seeing Pebble Beach unless maybe I'm living in it someday and stay at the Walmart parking lot there. Thet DO have a Walmart at Pebble Beach don't they?

 

[41ford1]

Granted this pic is not a Ford, but I think if you built a similar body on a 42 - 47 chassis it would look right. All the side pieces are flat. I certainly would not be opposed to having something like that.

 

[GEOFFNZ]

That looks very similar to the Jailbar based New Zealand army versions.Geoff

 

[truckdog62563]

Here's the Midstate Campbell's F-2. I have an original hard copy I can Xerox and mail if you want it. Think I still have your address.




Here's a half ton. I have a hard time seeing past the 18" "milk truck" high clearance wheels.



And I know I have a pic somewhere of a '47ish tonner woodie but can't find it. I'll post it if I find it. Stu

 

[GB SISSON]

Flat looks great on that curvaceous front end.... Why wouldn't it look great on a jailbar truck? My wife just gave me the green light on heading to Eastern Washington after work on Thursday to pick up the cab and front clip there. The cab would be cut down for the woody and the front clip since it has the larger fender openings would go on the tonner chassis I just bought. The half ton jailbar has two other sets of front fenders in the bed, and a NOS set of jailbars I have been hanging onto because they are too good for most of the wrecks I bomb around the island in.

 

[truckdog62563]

Gary - I mentioned to you once that I've had a dream of doing a truck based M-H woodie. Seems to me that use of a donor pickup cowl and floor section doesn't give a means of attaching the rear fenders. I was thinking that a panel truck would be a better donor body. Have you thought of another way to interconnect rear fender structure? Stu

 

[GB SISSON]

Thanks for the offer on literature Stu. As far as the rear fenders I guess I assumed they were attached to the wood structure. The framed plywood panels should be very strong and when an inner fender or tub is incorporated it could be flanged to the floor. Keep in mind I would not be trying to copy or reproduce in exact detail any truck based woody built in the 40s or 50s. Mine would be based on what I can find locally and isn't too expensive. I would like to enjoy it for a couple of years and then perhaps sell it most likely here on the island. I have a long history of selling trucks to the clients I build furniture and cabinets for. They move here with a couple of european luxury cars and don't have anything to go to the dump with. I had my diesel converted '54 gmc 3/4 ton on Seattle Craigslist for three weeks with only one call so one Saturday morning I put it in front of the grocery store with a for sale sign on it and had two calls before I got back home. The second guy was really disappointed not to get it. Same story with my old '38 tonner, a '34 1 1/2 ton, '40 ford 1/2 ton and a '53 dodge 1/2 ton, a 51 F3 and a '32 1 1/2 ton. This island is a perfect place for vehicles that like to run 40 mph. These people who buy these don't ever take them to car shows and they like them a bit faded but new brakes and reliable.

 

[jerseyboy]

The 32 woodie does not have a full metal floor, but the wheel wells are attached to flanges on the section of floor between them. Thought this might be helpful.

Keep V-8ing and 4-banging!