What is this old car, with rounded shell, inch thick wood interior?

Looks to me a lot like a 31/32 Chevy Baby Grand, going by the shape, the between-the rails rear mounted fuel tank, and the double bead at the top of the body. Being an open body, not a sedan, I'd definitely say there is a VERY good chance.

Ash and Oak were commonly used for automotive body framing - Fischer Body division of General Motors used wood framing up untill 1937.

What were 'Woodies' made from - station wagons were in the 50's.

We had Wood carrier top that had to have Spar put on it now and then. I want to say the tailgate also, but not the sides.

Mart> >

The Chrysler Town and Country convertible in the forties just had decorative wood trim on an all steel body, as did Ford's woodies from '53 on. Very shortly thereafter, even that trim was "fake wood"

The body looks more like a two door from the sheet metal in front of the rear fender, and the fender rolls over the tire too much for a 28 durant.

Alice Jones was heard to mutter:

For comparison...

So it was *not* a 1928 Durant D-60 4-door Sedan.

Note the Durant doesn't have the "double bead" across the back of the body. That is pretty common on the GM cars of the period - and the rounded, curved in at the bottom profile was pretty well exclusive to

It's NOT a Durant - only a 28 Star would be close, and it does not have a one piece pressed steel bustle - the sides and rear quarters are separate and have a "bead" vertically on both sides to join them. This is a pressed steel "bucket" - That, with the double bead around the top of the beltline, rules our any Durant - and if it's a Chevy pretty well narrows it down ro a '32 . On closer inspection, it's not a touring or Phaeton because the door of a phaeton or fordoor would go back over the fender

So whatever it is, it started life as a 2 door, it's a stamped steel tub, I'd say LIKELY a 32 Chevy 2 door with the roof cut off. (Assuming it is a North American built vehicle)

As I said - no double bead at the top, and it's a 3 piece body instead of a preswsed steal tub. Defineitely NOT a Durant of any stripe. Almost CERTAINLY a 32 Chevy from all the clues.

For me, that was clue that it couldn't be the model Casper linked to in his post.

Take a look at ANY durant - the closest would be a 28 Star (or "RUGBY" as it was exported as) but the Durany is a 3 piece tub, not a stamped steel tub as shown - and the side panel is too long for a 4 door or touring. I've been around a lot of old cars - and the first thing that came to mind, with the way the gas tank is mounted, the double "bead" or "feature line" around the top, the moderate curve to the obviously stamped steel tub, and the lever shocks peaking through the floor on the one picture is "32 Chebby". Looked like a Phaeton except the side panel matches a 2 door body, not a 4.- and all "Chebbies" of that era did not have a separate roof - so it looks like somebody took off the roof to make a "topless" two door - not to use the roof elsewheere because the "riser" which would be left after removing the roof appears to have been metal-worked out (if indead it WAS a 2dr Chebby)

I'm still wracking my brain to find a better answer.

H'mmm, you just answered a question I had in my head, I saw a 2dr Chevy sedan and the tub near as I could see, seemed to fit, and I saw a sedan where the top was off, but there was a wooden post left attached to the hub.

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Neill Massello) was heard to mutter:

I only posted the link for visual reference to a (any) Durant as hubops mentioned it.

FWIW, after looking at the back of a few Chevys (got a friend in a car club with a few Chevys, Fords, etc), can't say I see a resemblance.

I'm not as into cars as some and anyway I prefer British ones.

Looks like Mother Earth is taking all those parts back in the photos.

There is only ONE YEAR of Chevy yhat resembles that body - and it resembles it very closely. That year is 1932. NOT 1931, and NOT 1933. Totally different animals. 1932 was a 1 year only "baby Cadillac"

see:

I'd say this matches it to a "T"

Looking at what you posted here I'd love to have the body, with a chassis tag for registration and channel the body by setting it over a frame and chop the top to about an 8" window, put a Tbird rear seat (cocktail lounge style) from a late middle 60's in the rear, nice buckets up front, a built 4 bolt main Chevy 350 with a Paxton blower with side drafts on it, plus the usual goodies with laughing gas for special occasions. Done up in chrome with a deep lacquer black cherry paint job. Make a nice Sunday family drive car, ;) or Friday and Saturday evening car for cruising and hanging out at a good burger place.

Even a decent rat rod would be good when your too busy with other stuff. :)

Cars are not my thing, but I have a friend who could put it back in pristin e condition. What the man does is simply amazing. He just finished his la st restoration (he is retiring), which was a 32 Ford Cabrolet. When he sta rted all he had was a body, which was in much worse shape than what you are showing here (rusted up 4-6" all around the bottom, no floor pan, no top m echanism, no rumble seat, no hood, no chassis) , and the cowl. He delivere d it (drove it over to the owner's house) Sunday and you could comb your ha ir in the paint job.

I've seen some real magic done too, but there is hardly enough left of that Chevy to make it worth while. Lots of more complete vehicles around that even if more expensive to buy, will cost MUCH less to complete. That "tub" might be a good repair part for a more badly rusted, more complete, vehicle.