The Science Channel is doing a How Its Made on Dream Cars I watched the Morgan Aero 8 being built from aluminum and ash. It is going to repeat a few times so check your local listings for other times but it will be on next Thursday at 10:30PM Friday 1:30 AM Saturday 5:30AM
Since they don't have wood, I won't mention the Porsche, Bentley, or Ferrari that will also be featured.
I had a '52 MGTD which sported a wood frame. Made it easy to anchor the seat belts that my wife demanded. Had to sell it a few years back when my bad left knee made it too difficult to get in and out. Loved that car.
Larry
belts that my wife demanded. Had to sell it a few years back when my bad left knee made it too difficult to get in and out. Loved that car.
How about a "brush" - wooden chassis as well.
Bentleys have lots of wood in them. Lots of burl wood, that is.
Both my 1928 Chevy National and my 1935 Chevy Master had a lot of wood in them too. ANd a lot of dry-rot in the '35
Brother and I found a year unknown for certain very early post WW-II TC also w/ oak frame rails and a fair amount of other pieces-parts. It had brass radiator frame and headlight cowlings as well as much of the other bright metal work like door handles, etc.--not a single piece of chrome on the entire vehicle. We could only presume it was so early in postwar production the recycled casing brass was the only thing they could bet yet. It was built for England and somebody had imported it--I presume probably a returning serviceman but hadn't had an active title in quite a few years then so chain of custody was lost. It was saved from salvage by local guy who realized it wasn't just another clunker--we bought it "as was" for $80 in '60 or '61. It did run but could only get it going forward in 2nd; too many teeth missing on 1st unless had a running start to try to find a couple... :)
Wood was in very good shape; it hadn't been in the damp much at all, obviously.
--------------------------------------------------------------- My Dad had a '35 Chevy.
Don't remember any wood on it, but the fenders were held on with baling wire they were rusted out so badly by the time he finally junked it at the end of WWII.
That car gave new meaning to the term "Rust Belt".
Also, those were the war years, there were no new cars.
You patched up what you had and drove it.
Lew
Even as late as the 60's wooden floors/beds were still being used in pickup and panel trucks. I had a 1964 Chevy panel with a wooden floor, I believe it was white oak. Unlike later trucks I owned with metal beds, it never rusted. I had that truck until the mid-80s and the floor was just as solid as when it was new. Of course, a wooden floor in an open bed pickup would probably not least nearly so long.
That reminds me of my own father's story about his 1932 Chevy. He was drafted in 1942 for the war and could find no one willing to buy his old clunker, so (he claimed) he drove it to the induction center, parked it and went on in to report for service. That was the last he saw of it. Of course when I first heard this story from him as a kid, he always said he wished he had kept it!
All the doorposts were tin covered ash - and the doors were all wood framed, covered with tin. The roof was also wood framed - with a fabric covered chicken wire re-enforced "blamket" over wooden slats in the center. They were known as "termite's delight" - body by fisher.
The '28 had even more wood - but a lot less complex to replace. Getting to the wood in the 35 required a LOT of work - which is why I got rid of mine. Full wood kits are available now - not cheap - but they are still a LOT of work to install.
The wood floor in pickups actually stood up better than most steel beds do today. My '57 had a wood floor with steel "slider" slats between the wood planks. I replaced mine with douglas fir when the old white oak or ash got so badly cupped and split I couldn't put them back in when I redid the truck in 1975
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