- Seller: Andy A (Contact)
- Location: Branford, Connecticut
- Mileage: 100,000 Shown
- Chassis #: B1LB142391
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: Flathead V8
- Transmission: 3-Speed Manual
Nineteen fifty-one was the last year for the true Ford Woodie Wagon. The following year saw the introduction of wood paneling installed on the body, which was easier and cheaper to manufacture than the previous generation with wood built into the car’s structure. While later cars are easier to restore, they lack the charm of earlier cars. This 1951 Ford Woodie Wagon is one of the last real woodies built and is ready for its next owner to jump in and drive! It’s located in Branford, Connecticut, and is being offered here as a Barn Finds Auction, so cast your high bids below.
We helped Andy find a good home for his Ford F1, so he decided to list this amazing Wagon with us as well. Given its specialty, he opted to have one of our professional photographers take the pictures. And as you can see, it’s a sweet machine! It has some flaws, but with a surfboard strapped to the roof and some Beach Boys playing, it’s sure to put a massive smile on your face.
The interior has already been redone and looks to be in great shape. It’s equipped with three rows of seats, which can be easily removed if you need more cargo space or want to haul your surfboards inside instead of strapped to the roof. The seller states that the windows all open as they should, including the rear window. It’s equipped with a 3-speed column shift manual transmission. All of the touch points look to be in good condition and seems to present nicely throughout.
The 239 cui flathead V8 recently received a new carburetor. It’s said to start right up and runs nicely. The seller also states that it doesn’t overheat, smoke, or make any odd noises. They also state that the clutch works smoothly without any chatter or issues. This engine was rated at 100 horsepower and could be paired with either the 3-speed manual or a Ford-O-Matic. The car is said to go down the road nicely, although the seller notes a little play in the front end.
It might need a little work, but it wouldn’t take much to make this a very nice car. The interior is already done, which is a huge plus, and the body and chassis are in solid condition. To look its best and hold up for years to come, it will need the wood refinished, but hopefully that can be done without taking it apart. It sure has a great look to it and could be a fun classic to have! So, if you’d love to give this Wagon a new home, be sure to bid. And if you have any questions for the seller, leave them in the comments below.
Bid On This Auction
James Powell bid $15,000.00 2025-04-05 11:36:52
PMD1965 bid $8,800.00 2025-04-01 08:37:50
This certainly is not the nicest example of a 51 Ford station wagon I have ever seen, but that’s OK! I am an octogenarian and I have loved cars for as long as I can remember. I think it is in my DNA. I especially like the best of the best, the cars that show craftsmanship, creativity and more art than they are an automobile. However, and I mean BIG however, most of us cannot play on that field and a lot of us don’t want to. Again that’s OK! Sometimes I would like to see the little person get recognition for their nice driver quality car that he/she enjoys and drives. This little wagon could certainly be one of those!
If your going to Surf City this is a good choice (even if it’s not a ’34)!
Agreed. Not all woodies are ’30 Fords like the song says. And like Joe said, built with craftsmanship. Just try finding that in a car today. Yep. Think I’ll use this one as the basis for a nice print. Hey! You guys forgot about The Mod Squad. They used one there too. Broke my heart when they wrecked it during the
2nd season. But that is, as they say show biz. Nice car. Wouldn’t kick it off my parking space that’s for sure!
It was a 1950 Mercury wagon that caught fire and I believe it was then pushed off a cliff in the episode “Wild Bill Hannechek”. It was sad indeed. I’m going to have to watch these again, many years since seeing them.
I never saw this: “The Return of Mod Squad (1979)”, but it says Pete got another one. I’m going to watch tonight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVd4yV2K8Hk
Ha! I always thought it was ’34 wagon, not ’30 Ford wagon! AM broadcast quality on a small early 60’s transistor radio! LOL
Remember “the Israelite”? Never knew the real lyrics
I dunno, since this has the maroon/red interior it’s not only a period-correct combo with the yellow exterior but quite leading-edge vogue for the day. Yellow/red was a newish thing in the 50s so sortof hip. As an Edsel guy I’ve seen that FoMoCo was still into it in 1958, on a dataplate-correct Jonguil Yellow and red/white interior Pacer convertible seen at a show one year. So I like it because it was an available color combo for that short while in the 1950s. Maybe this 51 was even first year of the trend at Ford??
I think the wagon is great, would love to have it! But somehow…to my eye…the only correct color for a woody wagon is green!
anyone else think that yellow is not the best color here, I love the style and it could be great, but scrambled egg yellow does not work for me
That was my very first impression. Some (not all) shades of yellow are ok on some cars, but not yellow on this particular car. It kind of clashes with the woodgrain.
I was thinking a deep Carmine or a dark forest green might be nice
Yes, what an unfortunate color.
It would be a great color on a Ranch Wagon or Country Sedan a year newer, maybe with white around the windows as an accent color. On this body style it just accentuates the car’s unfortunate fivehead, the result of sharing the windshield with all other body styles while having its’ own, higher side windows including in the front doors.
Actually, it plays off the wood well. AFAIK, Ford and Mercury only built two door wagons 49-51. By the time everyone switched to all steel, two doors were usually only tradesman level cars. Never understood either the wood paneling replacing the door skin while the iinner panels remained. The technology was there, and by this time GMC had been making all steel wagons for 20 years. Why did Ford of all companies continue with this expensive 19th century woodworking when all steel would be much less expensive?
chacun a son gout of course
Buick built it’s last woodie wagon in 1953
@Kim
Probably because FoMoCo owned it’s own forests and had unlimited access to wood
Ford owned forests in Michigan’s UP. Raw materials were there for the taking.
Man, that is one SWEET ride! I’d be proud to drive that gem around town and to every local car show.
This one tugs at the heart strings for sure. Always loved the Ford woodies. Tried to buy a 50 Merc woodie for years, but the stubborn owner wouldn’t budge. He finally called me a few years after I quit bugging him. When I went with cash in hand, all the wood was gone and chickens were living in the shell. I still bought it for parts. It was beyond saving.
I could be wrong, dash is of the 49-50. The dash was different for the 51? Just asking since it has a 51 grill and steering wheel.
I had a ’50, my mother had a ’51. The ’50 had the push button starter (like this one) and the ’51 had the key start. I like the color and I love the car, BUT the wood desperately needs to be refinished. Also, it appears the driver’s side fender sits lower than the passenger’s side, causing the hood to fit poorly and the clearance of the upper grille bar to the two “bullets” to be uneven. Great driver’s grade car.
For whatever reason, Ford reused the 1950 dash in the wagon only.
And as far as the comment about GM making all steel wagons for 20 years before this, not so. Our family vehicle for a while was a wood-bodied 1939 Chevrolet. Dad replaced the vinyl insert roof with a sheet of Masonite. It was a four-door but he disabled the driver’s side rear door so we littl’ ‘uns wouldn’t accidently open it and fall out.
you are rt it’s a 1950 dash Ford never put the nice new 1951 dash in the 1951 wagon never understood why
That is the correct dash for the 51 Country Squire only. The others used the new 51 dash.
Back in 1974 I had a black 1950 Ford woody that was built in the Dallas plant and was still in Dallas, that flathead V8 was so smooth that you could not tell it was running at idle, one of the many rides I wish I still had, but who knew.
Refinishing the wood on these correctly is no simple feat, but at least it hasn’t deteriorated too far. My cousins 35 woody he and I refinished in the 70’s and it took us all winter, but there is a lot more wood in a 35 as compared to this one. I love yellow Country Squires, but not on this body style.
doesn’t look like a ’51 dashboard to me. ’49/’50?
Somehow I managed to miss the F1 auction. A couple of nice Fords, I hope the seller is at peace with the decision to sell them.
I didn’t really see any questions posed to the seller in the prior auction or this one thus far. Were they both personally restored by the owner? How long have they owned it and is any of this one’s history known?
I’m fine with the yellow, if it’s the original color it was born with. If it was a color change, it admittedly wouldn’t be my first choice.
Unfortunately, the F1 and this auction have no photos of the undercarriage. I can’t imagine buying a vehicle sight unseen without them, or a driving video and just more photos in general. Especially of a 71 year old.
Appears to be a nice one, just wish there was more to see and more info. I feel like there needs to be more detailed transparency with these auctions. Best of luck with the sale.
Hmm, the brain calculator was malfunctioning. 74 year old, not 71.
I, too, was born in 1951, so I caught that immediately. lol
The dash is not a 1951! Not sure why? Woodies were special and were assembled at a different location. It wasn’t unusual for Henry to mismatch parts especially when it was the beginning of a new Year. It was about money, don’t throw it away, use it!
I think this car is incredibly cute. While yellow would not be my first choice of color it is certainly sunny enough and kind of feels like an upbeat fun color. The wood definitely needs refinishing and while it’s not a particularly difficult job if you know what you’re doing, it is certainly time-consuming if you want to do it right. GLWTA!!
all 1951 Ford wagons got the prior 1950 dash never understood why
Got a couple buddies we are all gearheads and discussed the three of us doing Route 66 to LA, we are all in our 70s and this might be the ticket.
How is the front windshield? Cracks? flaws?
2 doors, 3 bench seats. How do you get in the back ones.
a section of second seat folds completely forward to get in 3rd seat
If I were not deep into a MGA coupe restoration I’d jump on this Ford
What was really cool about the station wagons was the taillights. The way they swung out when you lowered the tailgate so they could still be seen and useful rather than pointing straight down at the road. That’s innovation. It was ugly as sin with those rods going up the tailgate but it worked.
I may be wrong, but the ’49 and ’50 had real wood on the tailgate, the ’51 was steel. There is a commercial on TV now that has a ’51 with the tailgate painted body color, although they were originally fake wood and dycal. You got in the 3rd seat by folding down a small section of the 2nd row on the passenger side. I used to ride back there in a ’50, the floor had rusted out and you could watch the road go by underneath you. .
I’ll age myself here…”Mod Squad” 1950 Mercury. The 1st time I thought a “Woody” was really cool!
What is the ballpark figure on reserve ?
We don’t reveal reserves until they are met. Thanks.
Same presentation=same end result.
This is why cars get listed over and over and are for sale for months on end.
First I viewed this auctions I though what a homely car but in the British sense:
(of a place or surroundings) simple but cozy and comfortable, as in one’s own home.
And rightly so it could be. Reminds me of an old favourite pet. Comments have been enlightening. Hope it goes to a good new caretaker.