The story goes that, due to the steel shortage during World War II, manufacturers began using wood as replacements for body panels. Hence, the “woody” was born. The style maintained popularity throughout the decades, even so much as starting the trend of wood-patterned vinyl stickers on the sides of family vehicles in the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. This is the real deal, though. You can find this 1940 International Harvester Westchester Suburban here on eBay. Thanks to Larry D for letting us know about it!
Let’s not beat around the bush. It…needs work. That’s to be expected of any car used as a daily for three decades and promptly abandoned for a further five. It rolls and steers on its own, but will need a full restoration. Importantly, the seller states that there is no rot in the metal, just surface rust. Thank the car gods for California’s kind climate. The car is said to have been used as the local town’s ambulance, and it still has a remnant thermometer from days gone by. It’s had other lives, though, too, serving as a daily driver for the family who owned it.
Inside there’s plenty of space for it to be restored to either of its past incarnations: family hauler or impromptu ambulance. If you wanted to do something else with it, you’d be free to do that, too. I love cars that need a full restoration because you get basically free license to make your own car, especially when more than half the thing is made from wood. Wood is arguably easier to work with than metal, and gives you more options for whatever you want your new classic to be.
Are you in the market for a faithfully restored to factory specification Concours family hauler? A ramshackle town ambulance? A vintage-looking but entirely modernized overlanding camper? A farm truck? Few vehicles could be all of those. This International needs a dedicated and loving home, and is sure to bring its new caretakers miles of smiles, no matter what they decide to make of it.
Wood bodied cars have been around since the beginning. Wagons with wood bodies were pretty much the norm in the 20s and 30s into the 40s. All metal wagons started showing up after WW2. The term woodies was popularized by the Beach boys in Surf City.
Surfing references aside, the D series IH, I feel, was one of the most beautiful truck designs. 1940 was the last year for these, as the K model was introduced mid-1940, with a much more utilitarian design. Depending on who you talk to, according to the “National Woodie Club”, the Beach Boys spelled it “Woody” which they consider wrong. I get a chuckle, “no metal rot’,,,yeah, just about every other kind of rot. Woodies are inherently tough to restore, just because there’s so much work to do, and woodworkers are like car painters, good luck finding one. Same old thing, again, you have “pockets” enough to restore this, whats a couple “somethings” more, and just go buy one,,
Great to see something like this still here, but as someone who has done woodwork on a few cars working with steel is a lot easier than working with wood. How’d you like to tackle reproducing those two curved pieces on either side of the rear doors? That said, of all the woodies in the world IH’s version was one of the best looking of the bunch. Not bad for a truck manufacturer.
It looks like a demon goat is coming out of the back door.
This would be AWSOME restored.
Might have to bid on this one.
Good reason to go to California this Spring and pick this up while I am there!
Wood was used in the first Fords because it was cheaper than steel and easier to work. Some cars even had wood frames, the Wippet comes to mind. My 1929 Model AA Ford has wood door posts, floors, above the windshield and roof rails to hold the fabric room material up.
I wonder if Ben, the author of this article, has ever worked on a wooden or steel vehicle for that matter? There are plenty of metalmen like myself that have no problem creating a patch panel out of a piece of sheet metal. There can’t be many woodworkers who could handle this project, or dreamers that could afford the cost to restore this…
Wooden Car and several others in California specialize in this type of woodwork. Cheap? No however quality craftsmanship of anything is not cheap.
Located in:
Oceanside, California
Steel framed bodies came late to the auto industry. Wood body framing was the standard up to the early 30s. The steel covered the framing.
Woody wagons were the norm though the 40s, and even as panels into the 50s. In 1940, the US hadn’t entered the war. Steel restrictions didn’t come until 1942.
Talk to wooden Boat owners for artisans.
Only the REO pickups were better looking. I’m too old to take a project like this on now.
No – it’s a Cantrell body works – wood body on a truck chassis – they built a lot of woody trucks on all the manufacture chassis.
Look them up – and find me a Studebaker – the sexiest of the bunch !
It looks like some of the replacement wood on this will have to be steam bent. Start by finding green hardwood. Not an easy task & since pressure treated wood takes poorly to bending the new owner will be in for an adventure. a rare vehicle I hope gets a high quality restoration.
Mar 01, 2022
Winning bid:
US $6,300.00
[ 22 bids ]