NewOldWood

The start of what is looking to be quite extensive patchwork on a 1950 Plymouth woodie wagon. The owner likes the aged look but in some places I have no choice but to start over. Where I can I will try to hide the new wood inside the old, build some structure back into it without changing the look.

12 volt? Is that a modern alternator? Maybe it came out of the same pickup truck as the diamond plate tool box.

A while ago I did some work in a well known custom car shop. Everything they build uses a manual transmission so everyone there knows how to drive one. One day a new project came in, a late 60s Chevy pickup with a three speed on the column. The head fabricator, a guy in his late thirties, got in it and couldn't figure it out. I watched him and it took me a minute to realize that he had no idea what he was looking at. "Three on the tree" I told him, he had no idea what I meant. I have an old square body Chevy with the old granny low 4 speed in it that I use every now and then when I need to move something heavy. I can't go anywhere in this thing without someone wanting to buy it. I was out the other day and of coures someone was looking it over and commented on the stick shift. "Modern day anti theft" I called it. Old guy, he just smiled and agreed.

I had a wheel restored recently here, can't remember what it cost but it included replacing all the spokes, chrome, etc. This was from a 37 Gar Wood but he told me that the wheel was the same one used on a 36 Hudson, if I remember correctly. I thought he did a nice job on it. https://qualityrestorations.com/

The shape of that panel wont let it bend into a convex shape. It does bend both vertically and horizontally, but it's more of a twist, more of a spiral or conical shape than convex. It's a lot of fun to fit....

I have the gaps around the doors pretty much set except for the tailgate doors. Inner and outer panels for the sides are made and have some of them installed. the plywood in the rear door window opening are glass patterns.

The door frames are all built. The latching hardware is installed in the four front doors, don't have the parts for the tailgate doors yet. Working on cleaning up the gaps on the front doors and then veneering the panels.

I've never really been comfortable being described as an artist. To me the artwork was in the design, i'm just reproducing it which I have always seen as more technical than artistic, but thanks anyway!

I had this wheel restored recently. He said he replaced all of the spokes. I think he told me this wheel was used in a 36 Hudson, in my case it's in a 37 Gar Wood. https://qualityrestorations.com/

Coming along on the tailgate doors. This will be the end of the major fabrication. Nowhere near done yet, panels, trim, hardware, and final fitting will keep me busy for a while yet.

I never saw the car but that's what I was told. What makes you question it?

Maybe take it back, but not at anywhere near the full purchase price. Stupidity should be painfull.

I spent most of my life in the mid west, seemed like every year at the first snow most of them drove like they had never seen the stuff before.

I built a set of wood sills for a 41 Cadillac a while ago. The originals were all but gone but the owner came up with a set of blueprints. Not sure where he got them but they were a nice set of prints.

I was originally looking for a standard 8000# lift but ended up with this one because it's what they had in stock at the time. It's 9000# but is also 6" wider than the 8000# lifts. After using it a while I am glad I have the extra width. https://liftsuperstore.com/product/quatro-stacker-heavy-duty-9000-lb-4t/

I don't own one but here's a thread on a 37 Gar Wood tripple cockpit that I restored recently. 22' and without the cool Liberty engine, but other than that very similar to this one.

Not your daddys Gar Wood.....methinks.... Undoubtedly restored (rebuilt) with some type of a watertight bottom. Even if it has a traditional spar varnish finish on it, todays varnishes will last quite a few years if not left out in the sun all day every day, unlike the twice (at least) a year affair it was back in the 30s. If it has a urethane clear coat finish on it, it will hold up even better. Hard to beat the ride quality of a wood boat, much softer and quieter than glass.

In one case a new owner of a car I had built that he bought at an estate sale tracked me down. Just out of general curiosity. In another case a new owner bought another car I had done the woodwork on and tracked me down because he had another car he wanted a wood body built for.

The finger joint cutters have to be custom made. I can't remember who made these for me, it's been too many years. They are about 6" diameter, 1-1/4 bore. I use them on a 5hp shaper.

The door frames are fit and glued in place, I try to leave a little extra wood around the edges and finish off the gaps after all the latching hardware is installed. Applying pressure to the joints while the glue dries requires a little creativity. One of the ways I do it is to glue some temporary clamping blocks around the joint. This is a finger joint in what will be the upper piece of one of the tailgate doors, but the principle is the same. Have you tried Johnsons lumber? they show Ash up to 16/4 on their website, maybe not in stock?

The four front door frames are done for now. Still rough around the edges but wont be able to set the gaps till I have all the latches and dovetails. The tailgate doors should keep me going for a day or two.

The upper half of your door is going to determine where the window track in the lower half has to go. It is an extention of it, it all has to be in one plane. Do you have regulators yet? If you end up with clearance issues with the hinges, a fixed wing window might be a solution. The pictures of the old car don't show one, but it was something of a custom body to begin with, I doubt anyone would cry foul.