1939 Pontiac Woodie advice

[46 woodie]

Great, now it's time to join the National Woodie Club! P.O. Box 6134, Lincoln, NE, 68506, $35 a year, plus you get a monthly magazine, The Woodie Times.

[Restorer32]

We built a phantom '47 Cadillac Woodie for a customer. This was possible because a '48 Buick Sedan body is identical to a '47 Cadillac sedan body and Hercules started with '48 Buick bodies to build their "real" woodies. Once we made the necessary changes to the Cadillac body to mimic what was done on the Buick bodies by Hercules it became impossible to tell that the Caddy body was not "real".

[Restorer32]

Woodie Times is about 80 % street rods, for good or bad.

[46 woodie]

80% Street Rods in the Woodie Times, not in the issues I get. I think you might be exaggerating a bit. At Wavecrest, the biggest Woodie show on the planet, there are probably about 25% street rods and that's OK. Woodie owners all seem to co-exist with out any issues. At the Woodie shows I have attended, and I have been to the "biggies", Wavecrest and Woodies on the Wharf,  I have never heard any one complaining about a modified car parked next to a restored car. "It's all about the wood" is the term that is used.

[ng8264723]

Here is the windshield with the original tack holes!!!

[ng8264723]

Here are the original door pan Les and latches

[ng8264723]

Window channels rear tire mount

[ng8264723]

Under the window channels u can c the tailgate metal.   All primed ready to go!!   

[SC38dls]

I think that’s great. Enjoy it and have fun with a great project. Doing a little research is much better than taking hearsay advice, no matter how well intended. As you say it will be difficult to “prove” this is an actual woodie as the ID plates don’t have any information identifying it as a woodie. I would ask for a letter (maybe even get it noterized (sp) from the best friend,/auctioneer and Mark’s wife. I would include pictures of them and the original parts car if you can. They may not be legal identification documents but history helps when selling it.  

Have fun and be sure to post your progress. Like I said before I would love to be in a position to do a project like this. 

Dave S 

[46 woodie]

Great find, those parts are what you need. Keep posting pictures. You can see the "ghost" line on the exterior panel where the horizontal rail attaches. Those two pieces in the bottom of the picture that has the spare tire mount, might be the tailgate hangers. Gold mine!!!

[ng8264723]

I joined the Woodie club before I joined this forum.  

I spoke with a bud he does a lot of woodwork and works for me.  He is excited to finish the woodwork including the urethane,   The engine is gonna go to the builder.  Although it is rebuilt I    Want it gone through.  He will assemble it and will get it running on the stand.  I’m also gonna have him do the tranny.  That way I can just drop it in when it’s done.

[ng8264723]

I think this is the tailgate stuff.   Is this what u meab

[Restorer32]

16 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

Woodie Times is about 80 % street rods, for good or bad.

 

Let me restate this. In my opinion Woodie Times seems to be about 80% street rods and modified cars. My impression, I could indeed be exaggerating some. And I did not say it was a good or bad thing.

[46 woodie]

ng, glad you joined the NWC. I don't know if you received a copy of the Membership Directory yet. The Directory not only lists members cars, but also their contact information such as phone numbers and E-Mail. If you haven't received it, I can send you and old one. This will put you in touch with other '39 Pontiac Wagon owners.

[46 woodie]

That looks like the tailgate counterbalance spring in post 52. The tailgate was so heavy so they used a spring as an assist. The two parts that I'm referring to have what looks like a notch in them. They might be the tailgate irons that keep the tailgate at 90 degrees when it's open. I'm very familiar with '41 thru '48 Ford Station Wagons so I'm trying to piece together and match your parts to Ford.

[ng8264723]

I am following the advice of a member hear.  I spoke with the Auctioneer.  He is going to write a letter stating the authenticity of the car!  He said he spoke with Mark K (the late restorer).  There are so many parts here.  I found all the chrome for the grill and hood emblem and trim replated and restored!  It was all packed away

[ng8264723]

Restored tail gate latches

[ng8264723]

Ok this is cool.  I found all the receipts for both cars 1 and 2.  They were both being restored at the same time.  The receipts go back to 2004 or so.  The blue car was finished.  Apparently the second car was not because the owner stopped paying the bill

[Restorer32]

Appear to be same tailgate latches as my '48 Buick Hercules.

[ng8264723]

• Restorer32 was yours a Hercules body?

[ng8264723]

Does anyone know a good hub cap restorer?

[Restorer32]

1 minute ago, ng8264723 said:

• Restorer32 was yours a Hercules body?

Yes, we used our original parts to reproduce the hardware for a phantom '47 Cadillac Woodie we built for a customer.

[46 woodie]

ng, I'm looking at the invoices and see they are from Mass. If you are near or in Mass, on September 8th, there will be a Woodie show held in Whareham Mass. It will be held on the grounds of the A.D. Makepeace Co., 158 Tihonet Rd. Makepeace is one of the worlds largest cranberry bogs. There should be about 30 to 40 Woodies attending. Hope Mother Nature co-operates.

[ng8264723]

I was looking at one of my parts cars.  That spring is for the hood!  What a weird system.  I will snap a pic this weekend

[46 woodie]

Well, it was an educated guess. With out an example to look at, I can see why we thought it was the tailgate balance spring. Ford simply used a spring that was about a foot long that ran from the right side of the quarter panel to the tailgate. Find any more parts?