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Before World War II and beyond the borders of Britain and the United States, the wooden car took on a different form --- exquisite boat tail sports cars for the elite. The torpedo skiff was a unique expression of the coachbuilder's art, and their styling paid homage to yachts and early aircraft. These extraordinarily rare vehicles were built on the finest chassis and drivetrains the world could offer, cost be damned.

There were also work woodies --- in the decade following World War I, French farmers and merchants used robust wooden body wagons produced in both open and fixed roof styles.

After World War II, extravagant wood clad cars gave way to mass produced diminutive station wagons for the middle class. As in England and the USA, the woodie wagon experienced a post-war boom, then fell from popularity as the public became aware of the additional maintenance required for wood bodies.

Still, wood bodies pop up now and then as one-off specials. Wood's versatility makes it a choice for the individual who wants to create a personal statement on wheels --- just as the coachbuilders did three-quarters of a century ago.

World Woodies:
Pre 1910 | 1910 to 1919 | 1920-1939 | 1940 to 1949 | 1950-1959 | Post 1959

• Automobiles and Automobiling a book by Ronald Barker & D.B. Tubbs
  with drawings by Pierre DuMont
• Amerikanische Station Wagons + Woodies, by Halwart Schrader
• Cars That Time Forgot, a book by Giles Chapman
• Concours East
• Great American Woodies & Wagons, a book by Donald Narus
• KTUD - Pal Negyesi's incredible Automotive Archive
• Old Timers - web site by Andrei Bogomolov, Moscow, Russia
• Subaru of America, Inc.
• Topolino Fiat Planet (Italy)
• VintageWeb (Netherlands)

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