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Terraplane Woody ?


StillOutThere

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Have any of you ever known of an existing Terraplane woody wagon?

There were a few special ordered in 1934 and 1935 with a '34 photo common around the internet.

Then in 1936 - 1938, they were in the Terraplane commercial car brochure as a factory offering.

Do any exist in any condition anywhere today?

I'm NOT asking about Hudson woodies starting 1939 to as late as 1947. I'm aware of a large handful of those that exist. Just no early Terraplanes.post-57494-143142976122_thumb.jpg

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Back in the 1980's I owned a 1937 Terraplane pickup, and enjoyed driving it around Santa Monica, CA, where I used to live.

One day I was buzzing down Pico Blvd. around 24th St., and I spotted a 1937 Terraplane Woodie, the first and only one I have ever seen.

It was in a fenced yard, and I could not raise anybody around, so returned the next day and it was gone!!

It was a medium dark green, and looked recently restored, or a terrific original.

When I returned the next day, I took my camera, but as before mentioned, it was gone, so no pics, sorry!!

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Pico and 24th? It probably got stolen and stripped. That was a rough neighborhood.

Maybe it is now, but back then it wasn't bad at all. Just mostly businesses.

But there were a lot of homeless around, though they wouldn't steal it, they would probably sleep in it!!

It was gorgeous, imaging buying one new to go camping in...

My first Woodie was a 46 Ford, and the fellow that sold it to me told me there is nothing like sleeping in it in a rainstorm!!

I only shuddered!!

And rechecked for wood rot!!

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No Mike, this was in the mid 80's. Now that I recall Pico ran east / west and 24th St did as well. The area I'm thinking was Pico between the 110 freeway and Hoover. My neighbor at the time had a body shop in the area so I was quite familiar with what was around there.

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No Mike, this was in the mid 80's. Now that I recall Pico ran east / west and 24th St did as well. The area I'm thinking was Pico between the 110 freeway and Hoover. My neighbor at the time had a body shop in the area so I was quite familiar with what was around there.

You are correct for Los Angeles, but not for Santa Monica.

You are right, Pico goes east - west, right to the coast.

24th Street is north - south in Santa Monica, just 24 blocks from the beach.

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The Terraplane Woodie is very rare if not extinct. I have never seen one at any of the Woodie events I have attended. The car has beautiful lines. Believe it or not the Bronx in NY, was once the most beautiful place in the entire city. My how things change! Mike if you saw one in the '80s it might be still around, that would be some find, keep looking!!

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The Terraplane Woodie is very rare if not extinct. I have never seen one at any of the Woodie events I have attended. The car has beautiful lines. Believe it or not the Bronx in NY, was once the most beautiful place in the entire city. My how things change! Mike if you saw one in the '80s it might be still around, that would be some find, keep looking!!

Oh, believe me, my eyes are wide open in that regard!!

When I saw that one mentioned, I had no idea that they even existed, so it was a real eye opener!!

My first experience with Terraplanes, was when I stumbled on a 4 door sedan, stashed behind a building for many years.

I had pulled off a road I frequently traveled, due to fatigue, pulled up intending to get some much needed sleep.

Then, I spotted the 4 door sedan 1937 Terraplane, and just woke up, wide awake!!

Forget sleeping!!!

I found the owner, nearby, quite easily, and we made a deal, but I would have to pick it up later, since my trailer wasn't with me.

I returned shortly after to pick it up, but I had reservations...

I truly loved the front half, but the back was "kind a dumpy looking"!!

So I loaded it up & dragged it home, then started researching it.

That introduced me to their truck offerings...

Same front, better rear!!!

But, never found any word about Woodies, until much later.

I ended up reselling the sedan after I got up a pickup, and thoroughly enjoyed driving it around town.

Which I was doing when I spotted the before mentioned Woodie!!!

WOW!!

A Woodie like this!!!

I will try to post some pics of the truck, back then they were Kodak, hard copies, not easily loadable!!

Any help here, in that regard, would wellappreciated...Mike

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Hey Mike in Illinois, You've found the driveway Spohn Custom photo mentioned when we talked. Thanks for posting it! For other readers, as you can tell by my avatar, I now own the Spohn Custom which Mike had on his driveway some years ago.

'35 T woody - WoW - guess it never appeared again.

Edited by StillOutThere (see edit history)
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The lines on the '34 are much nicer than on the '37, it looks like the grill is too high in relation to the cowl. Speaking of rare, a SPOHN!!! How many of these baby's were made, only a couple of dozen right!

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Best evidence I've been able to find suggest about two dozen Spohn Customs were built in the '50-57 era. Spohn closed in mid-57 and did innumerable cars concurrently but still not a sufficient number to retain their craftsmen. As contracts and employees dwindled, the end was inevitable, as it had been for most prewar coachbuilders. I have a database listing the Spohn Custom cars (defined as American chassis with coachbuilt bodies to owner preferences). Most Spohn Customs received the LeSabre tail treatment but not all of them.

I'm also very fond of the attached '50 Oldsmobile done by Spohn very much as an American-style custom of the time with chop and section work.

post-57494-143142985207_thumb.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
Guest woodie53buick

There is one, supposedly, in a junk yard in Pennsylvania not far from Hershey. A vendor always had pictures posted in his flea market space of the cars in his yard. I never followed up on it, and then I never saw the guy again. I seem to recall the location as Schaeferstown, PA, and one day I drove nearly every road in, around, and through the town. Never saw the junkyard or the Terraplane. It was pretty far gone at that point, over ten years ago.

Have any of you ever known of an existing Terraplane woody wagon?

There were a few special ordered in 1934 and 1935 with a '34 photo common around the internet.

Then in 1936 - 1938, they were in the Terraplane commercial car brochure as a factory offering.

Do any exist in any condition anywhere today?

I'm NOT asking about Hudson woodies starting 1939 to as late as 1947. I'm aware of a large handful of those that exist. Just no early Terraplanes.[ATTACH=CONFIG]295465[/ATTACH]

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  • 4 months later...
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  • 8 months later...

In 2010 on my way to the Woodward Dream Cruise I stopped in London Ontario to visit with Hedley Bennett and he showed us his Hudsons and Terraplanes.  

He had a 1939 model 112 Hudson Woody Wagon as can be seen in the referenced video.  At the time, he had a huge collection of Terraplanes and Hudsons. 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/12762140@N07/4919762026/in/album-72157624664187887/ 

 

Enjoy

Doug

 

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On 4/8/2015 at 7:01 PM, woodie53buick said:

There is one, supposedly, in a junk yard in Pennsylvania not far from Hershey. A vendor always had pictures posted in his flea market space of the cars in his yard. I never followed up on it, and then I never saw the guy again. I seem to recall the location as Schaeferstown, PA, and one day I drove nearly every road in, around, and through the town. Never saw the junkyard or the Terraplane. It was pretty far gone at that point, over ten years ago.

I believe I found it.. or what was the terraplane your speaking of.. a friend now has whats left of it, and recently I had a chance to see it, its possible were talking about the same car.. (or what was the car) 

 

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  • 6 months later...
  • 7 months later...
On 6/4/2016 at 8:39 PM, Jeff Yeagle said:

I believe I found it.. or what was the terraplane your speaking of.. a friend now has whats left of it, and recently I had a chance to see it, its possible were talking about the same car.. (or what was the car) 

 

Jeff,  Any update on the Terraplane woody?

 

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On 8/23/2017 at 2:50 PM, StillOutThere said:

Jeff,  Any update on the Terraplane woody?

 

so.. my friend bought a "terraplane" at auction .. he believed that it had been a wagon.. and its possible, however SO little of the car survived.. it would be hard to determine if it were in fact a terraplane.. 

 

I believe most of the car was scrapped before the auction.. my friend HAD part of a cowl.. but no numbers etc.. 

 

 

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