Anyone here own or build a Model A Woodie?? I would like to talk to some owners.. I have a few questions about them. I have already tried the people that build them for a living route. They really don't want to talk about them, because they build them. I have been kicking around the idea of building one from scratch.. Thanks.. Al
might try kirk ducett (sp) from woodie works...he might be able to help ya.....a buddy of mine built his own ....i have only seen it once ...and that was when i striped it ...and it wasn't finished......i think bake knows jeff.....maybe he will chime in ......brandon
I Pm'd ya Al. Get out 'da crosscutt and head to 'da woods.... Ya need a heater in your woodie where you live. I got one in mine. A nice little HaDees Junior. farmermarkbbb on yahoo member's profiles shows what mine looks like...
Never thought of a heater.. I guess i should. One thing I did think about is making a riser behind the seats. I have to find out what the thickness is of those van seats that fold away. If they arn't that bad. I will just make the riser to hold them. Then I can fold them away when I need them. I also have alot of other ideas. Al
I have some info coming from Pleasantville Mfg in NY.. they make Model A woodie bodies. Debating which way to go. I really like the stock bodies and I have seen more out of proportion home made woodies then good ones. I have a letter setting on my desk ready to go out to the NWC for a set of their plans to take a look at them.
Not sure if you have ever been to this site? "Log Ride" license plate on one car was a hoot. www.nationalwoodieclub.com JT
That's the place to go...go thru the links and you will find local chapters as well as loads of good wood info! Welcome to the wonderful world of wood!
I am already a member of the National Woodie Club. That is where I got my plans. Boones.. What is the name of the place where you are going to get the plans from?? For you people that have them.. How much room is there from the back of your front seats to the back door?? I am going to extend the back to where it is on the original body, or about even with the rear bumper. Thanks.. Al
Al, I am planning on ordering the NWC plans. but I am also seriously looking at a complete body manufactured by Pleasantville Mfg in NY. I have their info coming. Going with a 4 dr will be tougher as my seat will be touching the rear if I am going to be comfortable. but I really prefer the look of a 4 door when it comes to a Woodie thou I have seen a few exceptions, the blue two door below and possibly the white one have very nice proportions.. How about we start posting some pics on this thread of Model A woodies and do some criticing of what is good and what is bad.. It might help some of us figure out what we like or dont like.
I would also like to know how thick are the uprights?? They look like 2x? In one of those pictures it shows the framework being installed. Is it wise to build the framework then install the panels?? I was thinking of roughing in every thing in pine first. I figure that if I make a mistake.. I would rather do it in pine than in the more expensive woods. Where do you go for glass?? Some people at work said to put in plastic on the side windows.. I say that that isn't legal.. There must be somewhere to get the side, and rear glass.. Al
Oh, I almost forgot to tell everyone.. I also have the plans to make the Tear Drop trailer.. You will see them with some of the original woodies. It is a trailer for two.. Quite nice looking inside. You can make one on a standard 4x8' utility trailer..
I know that there are wooden slats on the top. Some kind of headliner. Is that the headliner?? Or is there cloth up there as well?? Also is there something like 1/4" ply on the roof besides that black cover?? Thanks.. Al
AL, the slats are the headliner on woodies. I believe their is a fabric that goes above the slats before the vinyl. Let me see if I have some roof pics.. First here is the pic you sent me resized plus a few headliner pics
The blue one and the white one boones posted are perfect!! Are the 28-29 woodies made with car cowls or pickup cowls?
So now.. The uprights, or basicly the frame work is made from 1x stock?? I already have a slug of stainless steel screws. I also have a plug cutter so that I can use the same wood for plugs covering the screws.. I also heard that the floor in a Model A was made out of wood.. Is this right?? If so does anyone run some sort of metal down first to prevent heat buildup near the wood floor, or is there really nothing to worry about..
I saw this one or one very similar like it at the nationals.. I believe it was a steel frame woodie.. in my opinon if you were going to build your own wagon that would be the way to do it.. the steel tubing would be within the wood.. and the wood would attach to it as if it were simply "paneled" on the car.. the hercules 34 ford woodies are built this way.. I have heard cecil (owner of hercules) tell people that in 45 min all the wood can be off the car.. this method will also ensure that unnecessary stresses are nOT placed on the wood.. of course photos of my wagon.. are on my fotki site.. and here are some links to a local show that "featured" woodies http://public.fotki.com/sawzallshop/some_photos_from/older/hagley_museum_-/ good luck sawzall
Very good pictures. Very informitive. I saw on someplace that I was looking that one dealer had a kit of some sort. Is there a kit?? Also you mention the fact that some sort of tubing was used in making the frame work up. Do you think a dado was used to inclose the steel fram work?? I heard of the 3/4" or 1x hardwood is used. I see in your pictures that there are steel plates inside to hold the whole works together.. Is there a place to buy those plates?? or are they something that you have to make yourself??
Al. the floors on stock model A cars are wood (with a metal subfloor around the edges). As for attachment. yes there are a lot of metal parts that hold a factory one together. A complete Model A woodie kit (wood and metal parts runs 10k)
To me this is what a woodie should look like. simple and basic.. like its ready to haul a few teenagers down to Huntington Beach to catch a wave or two I have seen this car several times and each time I learn more about how one was built... here are a few shots of brackets on a factory one.
There was a guy in the Milwaukee area that built a MODEL "A" woodie using a MODEL "A" cowl and a square tubing frame work with plywood and wood trim attached to the outside. It was very clever, and all home built. He said it was real inexpensive to build the body, but it was very strong. I always thought it would be a fun , low cost project and it looked very nice. He nailed the proportions...it looked just like a full wood woodie, but looked extra strong inside! I wish I had some pic's of it.
aboner, that would be one worth looking at.. I thought the metal inner structure would be the way to go but worried about how to do it and not make it look either out of place or do bulky..
I'm bumping this old thread back up to get some more opinions, and hopefully some more build pics. I'v started collecting parts for a home-built woodie for my kids to put around in.
28-29 woodies used Model T coupe door pillars on an A Model passenger cowl. Look at photos, the roofline is about 3" taller than a closed car and the roof itself is almost flat. 30-31 woodies must have used a closed car cowl as the roof is curved down to meet the windscreen, which is lower than a 28-29. Ol' Henry must have finally used up all the T bits he had lying around the factory by 1930! Cheers, Glen.
Plans... Incidentally, there's been a couple of museum standard restored Model A woodies for sale on Ebay over the last year or so, and each one's had a mountain of professional photos of the cars, including lots of closeups of the bodywork. Keep an eye out for listings and pinch the pics, I certainly do! Cheers, Glen.
I like the idea of the steel structure. One thing I notice is that on the 2 door woodies the front doors still seem to be the same as the 4 door. Makes it look awkward in my opinion.
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