29 replies to this topic

[Flatout]

This is my 1st large scale model, it was built as a retirement gift for a coworker/friend over a 4 week period. Started with the latest edition of the "Big Deuce"...cut roadster body at the cowl/door line, drew up plans for the wood panels, panels were built by another friend from Koa and Pine, scatched up a winshield frame and attached/blended the frame to the cowl, then built the rest out 'da box. Thanks for lookin'...

Aloha...Pete

Edited by Flatout, 23 January 2012 - 04:11 PM.

[MonoPed]

That is seriously cool!

Edited by MonoPed, 28 December 2011 - 04:38 PM.

[Danno]

Exceptional!

Very fortunate friend.

[Harry P.]

That's really nice, love the woodwork.

But why no windows anywhere?

[Danno]

Other than the windshield, early woodies did not have windows. They had optional rolled canvass covers for the openings (in case of rain).

I don't think glass windows came along (in woodies) until the mid-30's.

[Flatout]

That's really nice, love the woodwork.

But why no windows anywhere?

Haven't seen many woodies with other than a windshield...

[Harry P.]

Really? They had no glass?

I didn't know that.

[SoCalCarCulture]

Beautiful Model! Love the Koa.

Harry - here's a real '32 - no glass!







Here's the "side glass" in the open position...

[Harry P.]

So those "windows" slid up and down on tracks like an overhead garage door? What an unusual design.

Interesting. You learn something new every day!

[Sixties Sam]

A Steelers fan in Hawaii? Great! Very nice woody! The woodwork is beautiful, and the black finish looks just right!
Sam

[Danno]

Dave, that looks to be the very rare Murray-bodied Model B station wagon.

Most Ford station wagons did not have those slide-down curtains. Even as late as the Model B's, most Fords had snap in curtains like the Model A and '33 Fords depicted below, or aftermarket rolled canvass curtains afixed inside the body near the roof.

It wasn't until the advent of steel-bodied station wagons that glass windows were available. I'm no mid-30's Ford expert, but the earliest example I could readily find with fixed glass rear side windows and crank-up glass door windows is 1938.

[baddgass]

Great pit of work.

[SoCalCarCulture]

Dave, that looks to be the very rare Murray-bodied Model B station wagon.

Danno - you are probably correct, I didn't research this particular car, just fell in love with it at this year's Wavecrest show!

That car just grabbed me and when the side curtain question came up I remembered the the "roll-ups" on this one.

You know my love for Woodies if you've looked through my albums - I'll shoot anything with a wood body!

Tell me more about the Murray Bodied wagons.

[Prostreet]

Beautiful work.

[Danno]

Dave,

Some detailed info, borrowed from Coachbuilt.com, explains it better than I can:

"Prior to 1929, all of Ford’s station wagons were produced by custom body shops such as Cantrell, York-Hoover, Waterloo and others utilizing chassis purchased from independent Ford dealers. Ford decided to provide a factory station wagon for the new Model A, marking the first time a manufacturer mass-produced a station wagon on their own assembly line. Murray produced 4,954 examples of Ford's new $695 Model 150-A Station Wagon in 1929.

The following year, A new body style, the 150-B, was introduced and the contract was split between Murray and Baker-Raulang in Cleveland, Ohio. Murray was swamped with other Ford projects so Baker-Raulang built the lion's share of the 6,363 Model 150-B bodies built in 1930-1931.

1932 Ford Model B station wagon bodies were all built by Baker-Raulang, as Murray was still overwhelmed with bodywork destined for the new 1932 Ford."

However, Murray tried ... and a few Murray-bodied station wagons were built on Model B chassis. The problem is, exact production figures are elusive.


The next excerpt is from a gallery of images of a specific, documented Model B (also from Coachbuild.com):




"The following year, A new body style, the Model B, was introduced and the contract was split between Murray and Baker-Raulang in Cleveland, Ohio. Old-growth hardwood was sourced from Ford's own Iron Mountain forest, and Murray, in turn, farmed out the elaborate millwork to Mengel Body Company in Louisville, Kentucky. Murray was swamped with other Ford projects so Baker-Raulang built the lion's share of the 6,363 Model B bodies, making the Murray-bodied Model B in this gallery a very rare example."





The example you photographed seems to be identical in woodworking details and hardware, indicating common genesis with this wagon. And, if you look closely at the underside of its roof, you can see reflections from the plastic windows of the slide-up side curtains, just like the one you photographed; and, you can see the slanted slide tracks in the vertical door posts. The slide-up 'windows' were a feature not included on the Baker-Raulang wagons, as they had snap-on side curtains.

Both of these wagons are beautiful indeed, and Pete's model is exceptional! It appears more inspired by a Baker-Raulang wagon, as evidenced by the lack of slide-ups, the square window framing and the details of the body framing in general. Look at the rear doors ahead of the rear fender kicks to see a noticeable difference in Baker-Raulang and Murray bodies.


This is fun. I feel just like Art!

Edited by Danno, 31 December 2011 - 06:32 AM.

[SoCalCarCulture]

Thanks for that info Dan, I wasn't aware of the differences, couldn't see the images you posted either - here's a '30 I saw this morning at Cars & Coffee Irvine...

[Danno]

I wonder why they have it identified as a '30 ... that's clearly a '29 cowl, hood, and radiator shell. Of course, they also have the bumper bar clamp/medallions in the wrong position, too. Curious but very nice looking anyway! Love those old woodies. And love those Model As!!!

[Ira]

Beautiful!

Nice Work...

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Outstanding!

[Darren B]

Awesome work that thing is huge