Wood-bodied sedans and station wagons came into their own in the 1930s, though they date back even further. They were a thing of beauty when maintained, but doing so as well as building them was an expensive process. So, they disappeared in the early 1950s. The seller bought this 1947 Dodge “woodie” about 10 years ago and has since disassembled it for restoration. And that’s where things lie. Located in Berlin, Massachusetts, this labor of love awaits a second (or third) chance and is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $5.000.
Ford was perhaps the most invested in the wood-body wagons as Ole Henry owned his own tree farm to supply the lumber. Dodge, it seems, outsourced their bodywork and had a contract with J.T. Cantrell & Co. to affix the wood bodies on a chassis supplied by Dodge. Estimates are that Cantrell produced about 200 of these wagons through the end of the 1940s. After that, the industry and Dodge moved to all steel in their wagons because it was more cost-effective. Perhaps Cantrell built this wagon nearly 80 years ago.
The seller of this 1947 Woodie had plans to return it to its original glory, but got to the point where his woodworking skills weren’t up to the job. Redoing one of these wood bodies requires specific skills and a decent-sized bankbook. The photos show it on a trailer when the seller no doubt acquired it, while others show it in bits and pieces. Everything is apart except for the engine, which used to turn freely. The seller has a supply of ash plywood that may suffice for the project.
We’re told the frame is all set and ready to go. And the seller has a machine to reproduce the running boards as the originals were shot. Most of the sundry pieces have survived, like the front seat, glass, and various trim pieces. Depending on where you are, the seller may be able to load it all up and bring it to you. Do you have the resources to bring this classic back to life? Kudos to “Zappenduster” for this termite’s delight of a tip!
Unfortunately this is a puzzle that will likely never be pieced back together. There aren’t many craftsmen left that can take on the wood aspect of this car. There was a feature on Barn Find Hunters several years ago of a shop that only did woodwork and restorations on these old Woodies, he had accumulated templates for many makes and models, then his shop was lost to a fire. That probably doomed many restorable Woodies. As mentioned, this will be a labor of love, which likely won’t find its match, it has too much going against it.
Steve R
Wow. Considering this `47 Dodge is a truck-based woodie and not car-based, that alone makes this an interesting restoration project for the right buyer! How many of these can possibly be left? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these.
GLWTA!
I don’t know as for my knowledge of shops out there the only one i would trust to restore it properly is FantomWorks in Norfolk, VA but i would not be able to afford to have it done however i know they would do it right