Woodie wagons remains as popular as ever. With the genesis of the automobile industry from the carriage business, many of the earliest car had bodies were made from wood. As more efficient forms of mass-produced steel panel production were developed, manufacturers relied on wood less and less. But even after fully stamped-steel bodies became commonplace, wood still played a part in some automobiles, with the increased complexity in craftsmanship adding a level of luxury to some vehicles.
Perhaps the most obvious use of wood following the adoption of steel was in the production of station wagons, those tall spacious vehicles with the long roofs that continue to capture the imagination of collectors today. Just about every American manufacturer (and plenty overseas) got in on the woodie wagon action. The last American wood-bodied station wagons came from Ford and Mercury during the 1951 model year.
close up of the wooden rear section of a 1948 Mercury Station Wagon
Nostalgia is a powerful force, however, even by the late 1940s, you could get simulated woodgrain material on the side of your car. In some cases that vinyl applique was accompanied by real wood trim for at least a couple of years. Over more than four decades that followed, countless American kids practically grew up in the back of wagons that superficially looked like they were made of wood, but in reality were covered in durable vinyl decals. Models like the Chevrolet Kingswood Estate, Ford Country Squire and Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser all made extensive use of the material.
Given the longstanding popularity of woodies and their simulated woodgrain counterparts, we’ve selected eight such wagons—and one convertible—manufactured between the 1930s and 1990s and now available on the Hemmings Marketplace.
1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Station Wagon
1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Station Wagon, woodie, parked on the street, front quarter view
For 1948, Chevrolet offered its passenger-car models across three series: the “ultra-distinctive” Fleetline at the top of the range, “the handsomely styled” Fleetmaster in the middle and the “popular” Stylemaster as the value proposition. All shared the same 116-inch wheelbase chassis and most were available in multiple body styles, but the wood-bodied station wagon was sold in the Fleetmaster series only. All were powered by Chevrolet’s proven, OHV 216-cu.in. straight-six engine that was rated at 92 horsepower from the factory. With three rows, the spacious station wagon was made to accommodate up to eight total passengers.
1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster woodie station wagon, rear view, parked on the street
This 1948 Chevrolet Fleet Master Station Wagon spent some 55 years in the hands of its second owner, from the early 1950s into the 2000s. During his tenure, the woodie was the subject of an award-winning restoration that resulted in multiple AACA National awards in the early 1990s. The Oxford Maroon refinish dates to that restoration and appears to remain in excellent condition. The ash framing and mahogany panels were refinished in 2020, according to the selling dealer, who notes that the car has no known current needs. This classic Chevy woodie looks ready to show or cruise with your seven closest friends along for the ride.
1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon
1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon, parked on grass, front view
Buick’s venerable Roadmaster nameplate returned in the early 1990s after more than a 30-year hiatus. Among the offerings was the Estate Wagon, which came standard with “woodgrain vinyl applique” in “Light Colonial Oak.” With cargo volume better than many SUVs of its day, the Roadmaster wagon was among the last generation of GM vehicles built on the body-on-frame B platform. It also had a version of GM’s 5.7-liter LT1, among the last iterations of the original Chevrolet small-block V8. Rated at 260 horsepower in the Buick, it certainly made the list as one of the best engines out of the 1990s.
1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon, rear interior with rear-facing back seat
This 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon, currently available from Hemmings Make Offer, boasts of less than 50,000 miles on the odometer, with the seller indicating that just 400 of those miles were added between 2008 and 2024. The listing also details a “fully loaded example” with the desirable optional tow package (upgraded transmission and oil cooler) and a limited-slip differential. The seller indicates a host of recent service and maintenance and adds that “it runs and drives like a dream.”
1941 Cadillac Woodie Station Wagon
1941 Cadillac Woodie Station Wagon, parked on the street, side view
Not every woodie came from the factory and they all didn’t have four doors. When three former employees of famed designer Dutch Darrin set up their own shop in Hollywood, California in 1940, they named it Coachcraft and billed themselves as “one of the world’s finest body shops.” Among their wares were fully customized Cadillacs—coachbuilt coupes, cabriolets, limousines and wagons, distinctively designed and executed for the discerning clientele that could afford the cars.
1941 Cadillac Woodie Station Wagon, front view, parked on the street
One of their models was a 1941 Cadillac Series 61 that was rebodied as a two-door woodie wagon for the actor Charles Starrett, known for his cowboy roles with Columbia Pictures. That cars still exists, but, as a one-off, it inspired the build of this 1941 Cadillac Woodie Station Wagon custom now available via Hemmings Make Offer. This tribute version also boasts a modern drivetrain in the form of the tried-and-true GM 350-cu.in. small-block V8 mated to a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission. More akin to a shooting brake than a true station wagon, the Cadillac was noted as having just 1,650 miles since it was “completely dismantled and restored.”
1978 Ford LTD Country Squire Wagon
1978 Ford LTD Country Squire Wagon, parked by a garage door, front view
Ford actually made three different wagons with available simulated woodgrain in 1978: the compact Pinto Squire, the mid-size Fairmont Squire and the full-size LTD Country Squire. While the Fairmont and Pinto models featured unibody construction, the LTD had a good, old-fashioned body-on-frame design. In the engine bay of the LTD, V8 power was standard, with the base engine a 351-cu.in. The 400 and 460 V8s were available as options. The 1978 model year was the last for the 121-inch wheelbase in the Country Squire, which switched in 1979 to the Panther platform and its downsized 114-inch distance between the axles.
1978 Ford LTD Country Squire Wagon, parked near a garage door on the street, rear view
This 1978 Ford LTD Country Squire wagon, finished in an oh-so-Seventies shade of Antique Cream to complement the simulated woodgrain, is listed as being a one-owner car prior to its acquisition by the selling dealer. The odometer shows under 99,000 miles and the brown (saddle?) vinyl interior looks to be in decent shape. The seller does disclose some “typical oil leaks underneath due to age” along with “some rust underneath.” The paint is billed as original, and presumably the woodgrain surfaces are too. The seller is also keen to note that the car “runs and drives well.”
1937 Buick Special Series 40 Woodie Wagon
1937 Buick Special Series 40 Woodie Wagon, parked near a lake, front view
This 1937 Buick Series 40 Station Wagon came not from Flint but from GM’s Melbourne, Australia, assembly plant. In fact, this right-hand-drive is still in Australia, offered in a Hemmings Classified ad out of Green Point, New South Wales. Like American Buicks of the time, the Australian brethren had OHV straight-eight engines. In the Series 40, its 218-cu.in. engine was rated at an even 100 horsepower.
1937 Buick Special Series 40 Woodie Wagon interior roof woodwork
This 1937 Buick is listed by the seller as having the woodwork completely redone in the early 2000s. The image of the interior roof shows just how extensive that work was. Everything else on the car also appears to remain in excellent condition, including the steel body panels finished in maroon and the cream-colored interior that looks to be vinyl. This woodie wagon might literally be unique, giving its next owner the opportunity to have the only car like it at its next show.
1935 Ford Deluxe Station Wagon
1935 Ford Deluxe Station Wagon parked near a garage, front quarter view
Among Detroit’s automakers, perhaps Ford is most associated with wood-bodied wagons. From the early Model T depot hacks to the emergence of the first true Model A Station Wagon in 1929, Ford had experience building the desirable models that would become collectible in the years that followed. Ford’s debut of its flathead V8 engine in 1932 also boded well for the blue oval gang.
1935 Ford Deluxe Station Wagon, parked near a brick wall, side view
Restored in 2010, this 1935 Ford Deluxe Station Wagon presents well with the striking contrast of its Vineyard Green steel panels and wooden wagon body. The seller shares that the 221-cu.in. flathead V8 under the hood produces enough horsepower “to enjoy driving or putzing around.” We applaud the idea of driving or putzing around in this 90-year-old Ford that “presents extremely well.” Find it in on Hemmings Classifieds.
1989 Buick Electra Estate Wagon
1989 Buick Electra Estate Wagon, parked on grass, side view
We’re a little heavy on Buicks on this list of woodie wagons, but perhaps no American automaker stuck to its wood and simulated woodgrain as long as Buick did. Before Buick resurrected the Roadmaster name in the early 1990s, its long-roof family hauler was known as the Estate Wagon, and was available in Electra or LeSabre trim. While most Buicks moved to front-wheel-drive unibody platforms, the wagons remained on the longer body-on-frame chassis. Considered the more upmarket of the duo, the Electra Estate Wagon came standard with a 140-horsepower Oldsmobile 307-cu.in. V8 that was also rated at 255 lb-ft of torque at just 2,000 rpm. In Buick’s words in 1989, the Electra Estate was “quite simply, the ultimate expression of what a wagon should be.”
1989 Buick Electra Estate Wagon interior showing dashboard, steering wheel and front seats
This 1989 Buick Electra Estate Wagon is now being offered as a Hemmings Make Offer listing from the son of the original owner, whose late father drove it as his primary vehicle through 1996 and then as a secondary car through 2018. With 133,000 miles showing, the seller indicates “almost no rust” and “overall, excellent” condition. Optional on the LeSabre Estate, but standard on the Electra, was the woodgrain vinyl applique that lands this car on this list.
The well equipped car also features power windows, power adjustable split-bench seat up front, six-speaker stereo system, and the Dual-Action tailgate that swings like a door or folds down like a traditional truck tailgate. That tailgate features a power retractable window and, yes, it also has the optional rear-facing back row for the little ones, either to wave or give other hand gestures to cars and trucks behind while on road trips.
1948 Mercury Station Wagon
1948 Mercury Station Wagon, parked on the street, front quarter view
According to the brochure, Mercury’s woodie wagon was “the handiest thing on wheels…and as handsome as it’s practical.” With its Taffy Tan painted surfaces complemented by vast expanses of natural wood, the look of this 1948 Mercury woodie wagon makes it pretty hard to argue with that sentiment.
1948 Mercury Station Wagon interior showing red leather seats, steering wheel and dashboard
This Merc was formerly part of the Nick Anderson Collection, a noted Southern California assemblage of as many as 60 V8-powered, wood-bodied wagons from Ford and Mercury that was almost entirely sold at a live auction in 2009. Powered by a 255-cu.in. flathead V8 and believed to still have its factory-installed red leather seats, this classic Mercury is now listed via Hemmings Make Offer.
1949 Chrysler Town & Country Convertible
1949 Chrysler Town & Country Convertible parked on grass, top down, side view
Not all woodies were wagons. Chrysler most famously built the Town & Country for 1941 and 1942 and then again from 1946 to 1950. While the former were built as wagons, the latter were available as a sedan, convertible or two-door hardtop. The 1949 model year was the beginning of Chrysler using Di-Noc vinyl woodgrain applique in lieu of actual wood panels, though wood framing remained. Later in the 1949 model year, body-colored panels replaced the Di-Noc, giving the car a different kind of elegance.
1949 Chrysler Town & Country Convertible interior showing steering wheel and dashboard
This 1949 Chrysler Town & Country Convertible now available via Hemmings Make Offer is listed as having been in the same family since new. The listing continues that it’s number 420 of just 1,000 made. Power comes from a 324-cu.in. L-head straight-eight that Chrysler rated at 135 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. Extensive service conducted recently includes a new top motor, fuel gauge, stainless steel exhaust, wheel cylinders, brake hoses and other components “as needed.” Though the leather interior looks original and in need of some help, the Apple Green finished applied in 1995 appears to be holding up well.
Source: Eight Woodie Wagons—and One Convertible—Now Available from Hemmings
