I've seen cars with an entire boat tail body hand crafted out of wood. I've seen dashboards and other details that were clearly hand formed from wood,C-cabs made from wood. I've used the end of a two by four to pound out a dent that I couldn't reach with the hammer.Some guys will make a wood buck and use it to form body panels. The vehicles are mostly made of Steel but I suspect that wood enters into it at some point in the project. From lame and hairball to old world quality wood work tell us or show us how wood applied to your build (PLEASE spare us the clever references to your bedroom applications with your wife or girlfriend etc.)
Part of original bodywork, I copied some pieces and in the end made the connection between cowl & backend, wooded the door shell... Makes a good body especially with the deck screws and glue available now. I have no illusions about finding any other original body parts and plan on the next roadster body to be from scratch. I don't have enough sheetmetal tools yet but certiamnly can build the wood frame. Locust or ash is the most common locally, lighter than oak. Can carve with chainsaw, bandsaw, disc grinder and costs nothing.
I always epoxy a 3/4'" oak board under the dash for the fuse box to screw too. Make it a little larger for other stuff. A small junction box grounded to the frame that I can run other ground wires to.
Use the old rotten wood as a pattern to make steel replacements so there is a degree of actual safety in my car. Doc.
Wheel chocks. I have a big-ass hammer made from a chunk of 4x4" landscape timber...hits hard with a soft face. I drill into it on the drill press. I use a stubby 2x4" to check brake lights, wedged between seat and pedal. Also as a transmission mount spacer. I've mounted seats to 3/4" plywood, and then to the floor. You can also use it for making a "Buck", which is a pattern you for sheet metal over to make body panels. Wood is handy stuff. One other thing. My garage is made out of wood. That's and important acessory for a car, right?
In order to make my trunk floor flat, I used some cheap wood, and then glassed over it to make it water tight in case the beer spilled all over...
i used wood to make my body. wrapped the wood with glass. wood dash and shifter case box. wood is so classic and timeless.
My whole interior is custom made from wood....including the headliner. Based off of Eames and other mid century modern movers and shakers. Can't post pics because I am on the salt in bonneville and away from my computer. You can see pics on my CHURCH fan page on facebook though.
I used discarded Oak 1x6 ran it through my table saw to make my frame work. Then used scrounged Board N Bead for the top. Cleared it with Rudd Laquer from another job. Found some cedar tounge n groove cleaning out some tweaker shack and used it for the back of the bed. Total cost $0
I did new oak for the rear cab support on my '33. I used the old stuff as a template & it worked out just peachy. I also used plywood for my half of my floors. I've always been better with wood than metal, so it was a pleasure to do that part. Here's a shot where I used buffalo nickels to cover the bolts heads.
Has anyone put a wood floor in their ride? I always thought a nicely stained oak floor with stainless trim would look killer.
I built a complete template frame from 2x4's. Then once I had my desired shape & size transfered it to 2x4 box steel tubing. I think it worked well to get the perfect stance and shape of my frame without doing everything over and over to get the shape wanted. See spy pics 32.
The car in the avatar currently has 1/2 ply as a filler in custom dash cluster and a 2X4 e brake. Has had a wooded steering shaft bearing / support when i drove it with the column tube removed and 2X4s to support temporary floor pans.
I've definitely "gotten wood" working on certain parts of my car . . . other than that, not going to say
Okay Pete . . . wooden keg . . . or a non-traditional aluminum one? Shit, those things look like they're made of 'billet'. You should know better . . .