Fancy a boat with that wagon? Here on eBay is a 1941 Ford Super Deluxe wagon with its sidekick, a 1953 Fleetcraft runabout, looking for a new home. Neither has been fully restored, though the wagon was repainted in its original Loch Haven Green and given a new fabric top at some point; it has also benefited from careful mechanical maintenance. This pair is bid to $25,655, reserve not met. A hint at the reserve is available in Hemmings, where this vintage set is listed at $54,500. Spring is coming, so a drive home from Savannah, Georgia is becoming feasible.
Ford’s Super Deluxe was originally equipped with a 221 cu. in. flathead V8, but this one has a later 8BA 239 cu. in. installed – a sensible conversion. The later engine is good for about 100 hp. This one is paired with a three-speed manual. A new radiator and high-efficiency water pumps help keep everything cool even in Savannah summers. The gas tank, generator, voltage regulator, carburetor, and shocks are relatively new; the seller installed Pertronix ignition. The brakes are new Bendix self-adjusting drums, and the mufflers were replaced with glasspacks. The car has a six-volt electrical system, and the seller keeps it on a tender. The wagon is said to run and drive well.
The Super Deluxe was supplied to buyers with leather seating and a painted “woodgrain” dash. This wagon retains its three seat rows. The gauges and radio were rebuilt, and the car has new mirrors inside and out. A prior owner installed a set of vintage turn signals; all lights and the horn work. The condition is outstanding throughout – gently worn but not beat-up.
The Fleetcraft is a fiberglass-hulled runabout with a wood interior and an Evinrude Fastwin 15hp motor, vintage 1953. A portable six-gallon fuel tank is provided with the boat. The seller has not started the motor nor had the boat in the water, but indicates she’s sound and requires no work.
Ford pioneered the mass-produced woody wagon in 1929; it made its last “real” woody wagon in 1951, though wood grain appliqués would be popular for years after that. The wood structure here is sound now after a few repairs, but the new owner should read up on maintaining wood-bodied cars. Cracks in the varnish can result in rot in no time flat. This handsome pair will likely not make reserve in the short time before the auction ends; what would you pay to put these two in your garage?
About 5 years back I saw a similar combo at the “Woodies on the Cove” car show in Wells, Me. The owner drove from Wisconsin with his Woody & runabout.
Boat never been on the water? Guess you could call it a ‘showboat’.
This pair would make a great nostalgic combo @ any Northeast /west lakeside community ! @ least to me anyway lol Like the modern upgrades to the wagon yet keep it mostly original /stock looking ! that s where / how the cars retain their value $$!
That’s about the prettiest old Ford I’ve seen in quite a while. Beautiful!
Wondering what the 1/4 mile E/T is on that boat trailer.
I think you measure it in minutes.
Along with learning how to maintain
all that wood, you might wanna call a
pest control service like Slug A Bug or
Terminix to see what they have to keep your car safe from termites who
would regard this car as an all they can eat buffet. Same with the boat too. Like the wagon, but the boat, not
so much. To me, the word boat means bust out another thousand.
Nice find for someone though.
This is an extraordinary find, if not for the boat alone. This setup wasn’t for just anyone. I read, this car cost $1,095 new. Keeping in mind, the average wage in 1940 was around $1,350/year. That was over $150 more than the convertible, and a standard Ford was $735, making it the most expensive Ford in 1941. I can’t find prices on the boat or the motor new, but they were both luxuries. Again, the boat alone wasn’t cheap, and the motor too. Most boating in the early 50s was a putt-putt single in a row boat, or none at all. Okay, “Fast”,,,twin is relative. 15 hp, originally 14 hp, bumped up to 18 and I think 22hp later, was indeed fast for the time. Many learned to water ski behind a Fastwin. It’s a great vintage setup, ironically priced well beyond the means of someone that might actually enjoy this.
Sorry to be critical, but it’s such a glaring error and follows the second photo The description refers to new generator and regulator yet that is clearly an alternator where the generator should live. Nothing wrong with generators either – my 76 year old Bentley survives fine with it’s original Lucas dynamo. I personally like the appearance of a proper generator on a properly vintage motorcar, I was disappointed to see the alternator, and left wondering, why, if you’re dead set on ruining (oh, excuse me, upgrading) the original electrical system, why was it not converted to 12 volt at the same time? Even my aforementioned Bentley left the Crewe works so many decades ago running on 12 volts.
Well, lah-de-dah.
That’s a 6 volt battery used in the Ford also, not just an alternator, not sure what’s going on there. Maybe a voltage drop somewhere?
A beautiful car and cool combo. I thought termites need ground contact to get started but that’s in structures; though a carpenter I have zero experience with Woodys.
I would gladly drive this but it’s well out of my price range…
Bidding ended at $29,956; don’t know if it actually sold at that price or if the reserve was much higher. My buddy used to restore Woody’s, which is why I would never buy one. Strangely, it’s not the water that wrecks them, but the sun that destroys the wood.
BOB HESS. you are so spot one…Il love Wooddy wagons.. had I Not just bought my 1954 Century and started on it I would for sure buy this. I would go ththe351 Cleveland land route.
It’s been listed for months, with a buy it now price of an amount that I can’t recall. But, as usual, too much. You would think that sellers would eventually get the hint, after MONTHS, that they’re not going to get what they want. I see the same cars listed for months on FB, ebay, etc.
I have an alternator in my 1940 Ford Coupe, but it’s built into a generator housing. Speedway has them. It was worth the extra cost to me just so that it looks proper.