Following the precedent set by Ford with its hot new NASCAR Fusion, Dodge unveiled a muscular Charger that’ll be running Sprint Cup during the 2013 season. Dodge enjoys the distinction of being the only Cup car that’s based on an actual RWD V8 civilian version, but the reveal also comes at a problematic time for the manufacturer: with Penske Racing having just announced that it’ll be leaving Dodge for Ford, the only Charger in the field is run by independent Robby Gordon. SRT Motorsports chief Ralph Giles says all options are on the table, including pulling Dodge from the series altogether. What do you think, does Dodge have a future in NASCAR? After seeing this new Charger, I kind of hope so. More info at NASCAR.com, pics via Autoblog.
The wooden frame was white ash (adding structural rigidity to the doors and deck lid), fitted with interlocking miters. Mahogany veneer plywood filled the spaces within the frames.
Now that is craftsmanship!!!!
The engine was the Spitfire Straight Eight with 323.5 cubic-inch displacement and 135 horsepower coupled to a fluid drive transmission.
135 HP
The convertible was the most favored of the Town and Country line with 8,368 sold. In 1948, the price tag showed $3,395.
I got this idea from our friend Joe in Florida. Thanks, Joe, for the pictures and the reminder of some these great iconic cars.
I’ve always admired the workmanship that went in to the older cars that had wood components and have always disliked the simulating wood on cars with plastic molding and contact paper stuck on the horrible quality 1970’s and 1980’s station wagons was supposed to be a retro look (but only at 15 feet away) and cool (well as cool a station wagon was back then). I recall working in my father’s body shop and how much “fun” it was to put that contact paper back on Ford station wagon. In this mini series “Gorgeous “Wood Vehicles” I’m going to pick a year and toss you a few facts about the cars that came ‘in wood’.
Wood was used a lot in the auto industry, from all wood wheels to just the spokes to entire frames and interiors (like dash boards and steering wheels). Some of the best uses known uses were on the outside and truck beds. They were often referred to as ‘Woodies” either correctly or incorrectly, be most of us know that the term relates to cars with real wood on the outside. These are the cars I’m going to look in this series. For no particular reason, other than this was the first picture Joe sent, I’m starting with the year 1948.
A major reason for using wood was the shortage of raw materials and labor issues for producing steel/sheet metal. This was the case in 1948, just a few years after the end of World War II.
Nearly all of the major producer had models that had external wood components. This 1948 Chevy was one.
1948 Chevy.
This is the two door Fleetwood Aerosedan, but Chevy also made an 8 passenger station wagon the Model 2109 Fleetmaster. This year’s model set the record for Chevrolet woody production with 10,171 wagons built. Both Cantrell and Iona built bodies to fill the demand for the last Chevrolet wagon with structural wood. The 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Station Wagon was the last true woody (structured wood) from Chevrolet. What type of wood was used? Ash the wood used for the structural base, while mahogany was used for the panels. Leatherette was stretched over a wood frame to provide the roof. Approximately 10,171 were built between February 1948 and January 1949.
Most of these cars were powered by the Chevy Straight 6, 216 CID engine.
The 1948 Straight 6 216 engine (The 235 was very similar).
Engine specs:
Bore and stoke 3.5 x 3.75 (in); Displacement 216.5 (CID); Compression 6.50:1; Max Brake Horsepower 90 @ 3300 RPM; Max Torque 174 Lbs.ft. @ 1200 RPM
Packard was another manufacturer that produced woodies. They released their Twenty-Second Series cars. They were Packard’s first totally new models were since before World War II. The wood used was northern birch for the frame and maple panels. This was purely for looks, because the overall structure was braced by the metal body shell which actually was modified from the Standard Sedan Body, only the upper rear quarters which were removed from the sedan body used the wood as actual bracing. On the door sides and window frames the regular sheet metal was cut away in order to allow the wood to be inlaid, rather than just bolted on top. These were powered by the Packard’s L-head straight 8.
Some engine specs:
Bore x stroke 3.50 x 3.75 (in.); Displacement 288.64(cid); Horsepower 130 @ 3,600 rpm; Torque 226(lb-ft) @ 2,000 rpm; Compression ratio 7.0:1; Main bearings 5; Lubrication full-pressure; Carburetor Carter 2-bbl
automatic Choke; mechanical Fuel pump
We have Chrysler’s, and Pontiac’s 1948 woodies as well as a Bentley woody and Willys coming up next in this series.
You loved the Camaro Firebird he drove on the show, but in real life James Garner was a car guy!!! (Corrected – As Bill points out in the comments – the car in The Rock Files was actually a Firebird! — Thanks Bill.)
by Chris Demorro on March 7, 20
American muscle cars and Hollywood royalty have long had a close relationship. While just about every star from A-to-D list celebrities has some sort of muscle car in their garage, back in the day actors like Steve McQueen and Paul Newman did more than collect these cars; they raced them in serious races, from Trans Am to the Baja 1000.
Having film and television star James Garner piloting his Goodyear Grabber 4-4-2 was publicity boon for the tire maker.
Yes, it might be strange to think of American muscle cars racing across the desert of the Baja peninsula, but back in the 60’s what else would you have raced? There were all sorts of shops that specialized in converting American muscle into crazy off-road competitors.
Among the many Hollywood stars who would drive in these off-road desert races was one James Garner, a television actor who became so enamored with car racing that he raced an Oldsmobile 4-4-2 in the 1969 Mexican 1000 (a pre-cursor to the Baja 1000).
The star of the Western-comedy show Maverick, detective show The Rockford Files, and racing-packed Grand Prix, Garner rose to fame as an actor. But he was a more than competent racer as well, and among his many rides was a rather unique 1970 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 modified for the NORRA Meixcan 1000 off-road race.
This car was lost for decades before being found, restored, and brought back to racing condition for the 21st century. Now this unique, star-touched car is up for auction on eBay, of all places.
Getting The Grabber To Go
Garner first got involved with the world of motorsports during filming of the 1966 flick Grand Prix, in which he plays a race car driver who falls for his teammate’s estranged wife. In 1969, Garner grabbed a sponsorship from Goodyear tires.
Garner suffered a virtual Rube Goldberg-level breakdown that robbed him and the Goodyear Grabber 4-4-2 of their 45-minute lead, landing them a 2nd Place win during the 1969 Baja 1000.
I have a National Motor Museum Mint die-cast car to give away. It is the 10 millionth car Ford produced. It was 1924 and the 1924 Model T Touring Car was the car of choice.
When new, the “real” car would cost between $295 and $380. There were 773,102 produced and it was powered by the L-4. With 176.7 cubic inches displaced it muscled out 20 Horse power.
In the original box and with Certificate and "baseball" card
How do you win? Post of a good picture of your 1920-1950 engine, tell us what it is and get someone to like the pic. The engine picture with the most Likes wins.
You can post it on our Facebook page located here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Average-Guys-Car-Restoration-Mods-and-Racing/185827701454279
The 2015 Mustang reveal is getting closer and there’s been a lot of hype from the Mustang community about the new model! J. Mays, Ford’s Creative Chief Officer, previously said the new gen model will be less retro and way more modern as to move the Mustang name forward. That has people creating their own renderings of what they think it will look like.
What we do know about the 2015 Mustang so far? Well, it will be smaller, lighter, feature independent rear suspension, and will be offered globally. An Ecoboost has been everything but confirmed.
Check out the Mustang concept that Popular Hot Rodding magazine drew up! These renderings are what they believe the new Mustang model will look like. In my opinion, the red drawing looks more like a squished Bugatti than a Ford Mustang, and definitely very futuristic. Also, the silver concept has more of a Mustang feel with the front and rear end and I can dig it. Definitely cool drawings and concepts, but is this where the new Mustang could be headed?
Oh the cars of the 1950’s were great. So how did they start out that iconic decade?
Some fantastic car and shapes came out in 1950.
Leading the numbers game was Chevy and Ford with over a million each, Chevy with 1,498,590 and Ford with 1,208,912, not bad.
Plymouth was third with nearly 800,000 out of first place with 610,954, Buick with 588,439 and Pontiac finished up the top 5 with 446,429.
Here’s the rest of the 19 makers:
Oldsmobile – 408,060
Dodge – 341,797
Studebaker – 320,884
Mercury – 293,585
Chrysler – 179,299
Nash – 171,782 (produced it’s 2,000,000th car)
DeSoto – 136,203
Hudson – 121,408
Cadillac – 103,857
Packard – 42,627
Lincoln – 28,190
Kaiser – 15,228
Crosley – 6,792
Frazer – 3,700
Do you have a favorite? I have a couple. My first would be the Hudson, followed closely by the Studebaker with its bullet nose.
I don't know why but I love the shape of these cars. Here is the 1950 Hudson Commodore.
There is nothing more interesting than the Bullet Nose Studebaker. Here is the 1950 Land Cruisera.
What else went on in 1950?
Micro Cars!!! Say WHAT??? Yeah!!! The IMP – hailed as “The Little Car with the Big Future”. With an MPG of 10 miles per gallon and all fiber glass body, the hopes were high. But the car didn’t sell and disappeared in the same year.
Well I’m beginning to think that my local grocery store is really a car show 7 days a week!!!
Case in point is this ’39 Ford coupe I saw over the weekend.
Great Hub Caps, Great Paint.
You’ve got to love that split rear window.
Pretty stout looking tail pipes.
Besides the tail pipes I’m liking the chevron tail lights.
1939 brought hydraulic brakes to the Fords for that year. Ford produced 487,031 cars that year, coming in second to Chevy.
Love the rolling fenders and the dog dish hup caps with the V8 log pressed into the centers.
Love the grill and the V8 and Ford badges.
You can't tell from my 'most excellent' photos, but there is a huge difference in the width of the rear vs. the front.
The V8 engine was the Flathead, which was originally developed in 1932. For 1939 the flathead was the V8-91A, compression increased to 6.15:1, power rose to 90 hp.
I love combing through ads for selling cars. Every now and then you read some really good ones.
1. ” 1960 Plymouth Fury donor car. Seems to be complete including chrome and emblems. Glass not broken. No bullet holes. Frame and floor pans rusted through. Guaranteed NOT to run. Absolutely as-is. Will help load; no hurry to move. Strip what you want and leave the rest if desired. No title. Worth ~$400 for scrap iron.”
2. “I HAVE NO INTERIOR AND MOTOR IS ALL THERE BUT STUCK.”
3. “…have to get rid of all my rides but a bike and my work truck. I don’t know a lot about older cars like this besides that it runs and drives good and seems like a good deal to me.”
4. “I purchased this car in late 2010 as a project car for my son and am now selling it due to his lack of fulfilling his obligations in order to keep it…..OH SNAP!!!”
