46 woodie

As hawk points out you need to be extra careful as these scam artists get better and better every day. I had a guy call me about a woodie part that I reproduce. All seemed right until he started asking me questions that had nothing to do with the part. What color is my station wagon, what month was it built, and the clincher was when he asked me the license plate number? I immediately ended the phone call and he never called back about the part's I sell. I would advise you to walk away from this deal.

Two states, New York and Maine required suburbans to have special suburban license plates in the 1930's, '40s and '50s. The New York plates had SUB stamped into the left side of the plate. Maine for some reason had a circle stamped into the left side, not a zero or an O, but a perfect circle. I have asked several people about the meaning of the "O" but no one knows the reason why. If you have a suburban or Woodie from that era and you live in New York or Maine and register your car with year of manufacture plates, you need a rare SUB plate to be correct.

George, just don't get too aggressive as some of the numbers might be stamped in very lightly, ("monday morning stampings", as the guy working the stamps was getting over a hangover). Remember the old adage, never buy a car that was built on a Monday. I would use something less aggressive than a rotary wire brush. Perhaps a brass, hand, wire brush.

The numbers are located on the top of the drivers side frame, near the front crossmember. Sometimes they aren't stamped in too deeply so you need to look carefully. I wouldn't use a grinder, as if you remove the numbers you might have an issue. I would use a toothbrush and some sort of a degreaser, but if the frame is painted as you say, you might need to strip it to see the numbers.

The newest car I can make out is the 1931 Model A Fordor sedan over the guy's right shoulder.

Well, not an accident, but my 1946 Ford Station Wagon was attacked and stabbed. I was in my driveway washing my car getting it ready for a local car show, kneeling down on the drivers side, cleaning a whitewall. I heard someone screaming "help me he is going to kill me". I looked up and saw a 13 year old boy running up my street and when he saw me he ran into my driveway, past me and into my garage. He was bleeding from his mouth and shaking. It was then I saw a man walking up my driveway with a large Bowie knife in his hand and I called out for him to stop. With that he raised the knife and said "I'll kill you and the kid". I yelled to the kid to run into my house and tell my wife to call 911 and I followed the kid but stopped at my front door and told the aggressor that the police were on their way. With that he said, "this is what I have for the police" and stabbed and broke the windshield, ripped off a cowl mirror and drove the knife into the whitewall, $2700 in damages. The police caught the man and said he was off his medication for three day's and was out of his mind. The boy and his friend's were playing Lacrosse at a nearby school field and they were attacked by this maniac. Well it started out as attempted murder with a deadly weapon and after several court dates it was downgraded to simple menacing and the madman was released.

To begin with, I would try to find a date code on those original tires. If they are "hard as a rock" as you describe you might want to avoid driving over 60 mph. As to purchasing Coker tires for you car, you might want to do some research on Coker quality on this and other site's. There are major brands that can provide wide white tires for your car. I have B. F. Goodrich, radial, wide white's on my 1946 Ford Station Wagon and highly recommend them over Coker's.

I can't change the oil myself on my new VW. It came with a one time use oil pan plug that requires a special removal tool and I would need to get the plug from VW, if it's available.

Yes that is the poster. Jack if I can find the one I have you can have it, let me search around.

West, back in the '70s I purchased a poster at Hershey listing all the manufacturers of cars in the U.S. I have no idea where it is now, but from what I remember 1,500 might be a low estimate. I'm sure someone from the A.A.C.A will know the answer.

I purchased an Arrow pneumatic staple gun from Lowe's and stainless steel staples and it worked out great. Chistech your recommendation of staggering the staple was spot on. For the life of me I don't know why the shop that originally installed the top on my station wagon wagon 20 years ago did not use stainless steel staples. After 20 years of driving and getting caught in the rain many times most of the steel staples were gone. Thank's again for your advice.

'41-'48 Ford is different. The front of the roof uses a metal tack strip with a rubber insert. The sides have metal gutters that nail to the roof sides with a rubber insert to cover the nail head's and the rear uses the hide-em welt.

Thank you to all that have replied to my question. I think I'll invest in a pneumatic staple gun.

Thank's Old Ford, I'm going into maple that is very hard. Can I use a T-50 hand staple machine or do I need a power staple machine?

What are the recommended nails/tacks used for anchoring "Hide-Em" welting.

There is a Town and Country Chapter of the National Woodie Club. I would contact Harold at www.townandcountrywoodies.com and ask him.

A company called Juliano's, 800-300 1932 has several types of anchor plates available. I believe their website is Juliano's Hot Rod Parts and pictures are available of the anchor plates.

Just as Ford, the 1956 Meteor Ranch Wagon had no side trim. The Ford Custom Ranch Wagon, Parklane Wagon and Country Sedan Wagon all has side spears. The 1956 Country Squire Wagon had simulated wood on the side. You car is quite rare and would look great restored! Is it for sale?

David, there are six 1941 International Woodies listed in the National Woodie Club Directory. If you are a member of the NWC, give them a call about the correct fabric. If you aren't going to have your car judged I don't think it would really matter and only a personal choice. In 1941-1948 Fords the fabric was light in color.

Some TIG welders like to use 2% Thoriated tungstens for better arc stability at a higher amperage. Thorium is a radioactive element and should never be ground without eye, nose and mouth protection. I see people welding on those TV shows with almost zero protection and someone should clue them in about welding safety.

On April 18th 1943 it was a squadron of P-38s that shot down the "mastermind" of Pearl Harbor, Japan's Admiral Yamamoto. It was a great plane, but always gets overshadowed by the P-51 Mustang.

I give him a lot of credit in basically starting over after the car was almost totaled and he almost killed by a hit and run driver. What great workmanship and it only proves that there are a lot of talented individuals out there.

David, '41 thru '48 Ford used a small clip to transition from the rear "hidem-welt" to the metal rain gutter. If you have a copy of the Restoration Specialties catalog, it is part number 7323. You might also see the clip on their web site. The slot goes into the rain gutter and the other side goes over the welting. It makes a nice transition.

David, the 1941 International has all flat glass. Any good glass shop can cut glass for your car. If you don't have old glass for patterns you can use 1/8" Luan plywood for templates and give them to the glass shop to use.

Something isn't right here. I called Hartz on behalf of the NWC and was told that the Cobra grain is only available in 49" and 60" widths. Are you sure you are talking about the Cobra Grain and not Hartz Cloth?