1941 Ford Super Deluxe Woody Station Wagon
"Originally created as a cheaper utilitarian vehicle, the Ford Woody quickly turned into one of the most iconic and recognizable cars of all time. The first woodies were manufactured in the early 1900s by local coach makers, who purchased chassis without bodies, and constructed the bodies out of wood themselves. The woody continued to grow in popularity, until finally in 1929, Ford released its own version. Ford marketed the cars as all purpose utilitarian vehicles with low initial cost, as wood bodied cars were less expensive to build than steel bodied cars." Thx to audrainautomuseum.org
For consignment, a 1941 Ford Super Deluxe Woody station wagon showing 94,305 unverifiable miles as the title reads exempt, and retaining much of its original wood and equipment. It has a Flathead V8 from 1946 and the visor has been signed by Beach Boys legend, Mike Love. The car is the recipient of several Best of Show awards.
Exterior
Let's do the impossible, ignore the wood for a minute, as we gaze upon the Tucson Tan paint that smoothly coats the incredible steel front end of the car with its forward pointed hood and unique grille configuration, both of which set this car apart from anything of the era. The wrap around trim piece on the fender, when you really stop to look at it, is a lovely addition and complements the nose trim that sweeps back to the cowl. This side trim picks up again on the tan rear fenders and creates a continuity broken only by the spectacular wood panels. Mahogany framed in Birch is simply breathtaking and the artisan skill used to bend wood to contour to fenders is exhibited with excellence on this car. Destination decals and many others are affixed to the back windows and if you have time after admiring the wood, you will have lots of fun stuff to read. The color matched 16-inch wheels wearing Coker white walls are very nice and so is the rest of the wagon, and we could not find any glaring exterior flaws.
Interior
The great thing about Woodies is that the wood is on the inside too! And this one has a little extra with mahogany panels on the doors surrounded by the honey colored wood and it's like a rolling piece of fine furniture. Brown vinyl bench seats occupy the first and second row and are nicely stuffed and stitched in immaculate condition, made by the LeBaron-Bonney company. More Tucson Tan on the 2 spoke steering wheel which leads to a simple brown dash with a narrow band of horizontal gauges in chrome housing and bakelite knobs down below. That chrome strip spans the dash and houses a deco style clock on the passenger side. There's an AM radio onboard and a two gauge pod below the dash. Wood kick panels are in the footwells and a knit mat covers the floor, along with clear plastic mats. The ceiling is a spectacular lattice work of wood, dripping with shine and extending the length of the wagon. The cargo area wears a knit mat which shows some discoloration from usage.
Drivetrain
Earthtones aside, we're hit with a big blue 239ci flathead V8 under the hood which is clean, fed by a 2-barrel carburetor, and rated at 100 horsepower. A 3-speed manual transmission is augmented by a Columbia Overdrive unit mounted on the left side of the steering column. Drum brakes are supplied at all four wheels.
Undercarriage
Nice and clean underneath where the big X-frame is bathed in black and surface rust is nowhere to be found. There's some oil on the transmission and a bit of residual oil on the rear diff, but otherwise a clean and dry underside. Transverse leaf springs make up the suspension front and rear and dual exhaust encounters slim stock style mufflers before exiting out the back via chrome tips.
Drive-Ability
The cabin is not unlike a Polynesian tiki bar with hula dancers on the dash, flower leis hanging from the mirror, and wood construction all around. The flathead V8 starts up without hesitation and off we roll in this tall wagon with lots of airy space inside and big slab sides on the outside. She tracks straight and provides good visibility, even out the back where decals frame the windows. On our report card, we note the following things as inoperable. The exterior lights, the turn signals, the horn, and the trip odometer. All other functions operate as they should. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
Often associated with surfing and surf shops, it's no wonder this Woody bears the signature of Mike Love, a Beach Boy. You don't see them casually at the beach any more as we imagine salt air might impact the wood, but you do see Woodies at car shows where they often draw oohs and aahs as a finely crafted American automotive icon. The National Woodie Club just celebrated its 50th anniversary so there are plenty of resources if you're new to the wooded world.
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price.
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