A woodie is a type of station wagon where the rear car bodywork is constructed of wood or is styled to resemble wood elements.
Originally, wood framework augmented the car’s structure. Over time manufacturers supplanted wood construction with a variety of materials and methods evoking wood construction — including infill metal panels, metal framework, or simulated wood-grain sheet vinyl bordered with three-dimensional, simulated framework. In 2008, wood construction was evoked abstractly on the Ford Flex with a series of side and rear horizontal grooves.
As a variant of body-on-frame construction, the woodie as a utility vehicle or station wagon originated from the early practice of manufacturing the passenger compartment portion of a vehicle in hardwood. Woodies were popular in the United States and were produced as variants of sedans and convertibles as well as station wagons, from basic to luxury. They were typically manufactured as third-party conversions of regular vehicles—some by large, reputable coach building firms and others by local carpenters and craftsmen for individual customers.
Each year the Southern California Woodie Car Club has a show at Doheny Beach in Dana Point, CA bring together some of the best restored wood classics.
Click below on a photo for a larger gallery
