Surfs Up! Long Live The Woody Wagon

Surfs Up Dude!

The 1948 Ford Woody Wagon an American legend. Starting at the turn of the Century car makers offered wood bodied vehicles as commercial vehicles meant for transporting people or goods.

In the early days of car building steel bodies were laid over a wood or ash framework. To ease in building “depot” or commercial vehicle car makers used wood panels. As car making improved to all steel producing these wood wagons was a costly and slow process.

In the 1930′s car makers, seeing the diminishing market, started o farm out the construction of these unique vehicles. Over 90 percent of the construction of these Woodies would be farmed out to two update New York companies: the Murray Body Company and the Baker Body Company. As the 1950′s unfolded the demand for these expensive-to-build termites dream had dwindled to almost nothing. Most of the East Coast Woodies would fall victim to ravages of poor weather and fall into obscurity. But on the West Coast mostly California these Wood and Ash body beauties would flourish.

The surf culture of 1950′s and 1960′s adored these at the time cheap used cars. Being made a legend in both movies and Beach Boy’s songs. Perhaps the most popular was 1948 Ford Woody like the featured car. Most 1948 Ford Woodies were powered by Fords legendary Flathead V8 but this pristine Surf Mobile appreas to a be a Resto-Rod using Fords curvy body and original wood panels but powered by a modern drivetrain,suspension and brakes. Surfer dude Moondoggie would be proud…

"Surfs Up!" Just CLICK HERE to see the classic Beach Boy’s Surfin USA video.

This story brought to you by Port Jeff's own Carlisle Johnny aka Johnny B.