Building a real woodie - Ford's History

The full story is at this link:
http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/i/iron_mountain/iron_mountain.htm

But the wood types used in the actual construction are about two thirds down the page:

I think I'm gonna find a framed car model, and build a real woody from scratch, as a long term project. I was missing the details of what woods would be best (stable, less warping and distortion, color stability, body strength). But those few paragraphs speak volumes.

I've got the machines, the knowledge and experience, having run several wood furniture factories, and that would be fun!

And take a look at the index:
http://www.coachbuilt.com/index.htm

Who designed the Volks? and the detail drawings of panel construction. Holy cow!

 

If there was ever a better Forum to start a project like this on, I've never seen it. All the other Wagon forums are Brand and Model purists and this one has folks with open minds, ideas, and adventurers.

To save me a lot of aggravation with the Registration and all that, I'll start with an existing car with a frame, probably Pre-1980, and one that I can get a new Frame for. I'll have to dig around for that. It's going to be a Station Wagon. Fuel efficient, auto or standard tranny, disc brakes all around on 15" wheels, PS, PB, PW, AC, PDL, AM/FM/DVD/CD, Alarmed to the teeth, Fire-Extinguisher and fire-retardant-treated wood), elegant and practical.

I'll have to investigate grounding materials I can embed (router) into the wood (brass or bronze alloys react less with wood acids). I'll get the Fairmont done in the next week or two, and then think about it some more.

 

With all the improved techniques in wood working, from veneers and steam benders and finishing materials, I'm sure a car-buff could do most of it without blowing his budget for the hobby or costing much more than a full restoration.

Working with wood is a patient task, and putting it into a boat or a car or a plane's carcass is all well established for centuries, with hand-tools. At the end of it, I can just go to the attic to build a new fender from an old mold! It might be fun going to a cabinetmaker to replace my headlight brackets!

 

Quick search in Google for "Car Frames" got me 22,000 hits, and the first one makes Wagon Frames and classic frames and all the things you could want in a beefed up frame, even new floor pans:

http://www.progressiveautomotive.com/

http://www.progressiveautomotive.com/Chassis.htm

http://www.progressiveautomotive.com/55badmadchevy.htm

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/m/273_Street-Rod-Chassis-Frame-Suspension.html

Just want to add a couple more links here on frames:

Repairing them:
http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/auto-body-repair-frame.htm

Automotive terms:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body-on-frame

Powder Coating:
http://www.icpowdercoat.com/faq.html

 

Don't know if the 'Edited' version gets re-sent so here it goes.

 

Good to know. Thanks.

Now for this long-term Woody building project, I've come upon an Automotive Design software for Free!!!

It's not a full CAD thing, but it would give a guy an idea of what could be:

Winsite is a Freeware site and I've used it many times for specialty jobs. Some programs are 'try-before-you-buy'. This one is an all out freebie.

http://www.winsite.com/bin/Info?21000000037552

I'll use the Ford Chassis Shop manual to get some ideas of weight distribution, frame-to-body weight stress (overhang distances front, rear, sides, center of gravity, etc.) Then draw up a shell to see what it might look like, and tweak it from there.

 

Stormin, Any frame you have in mind?

 

That frame site has frames for chevys up to 1964, and I've got to check around for a some licensable junker for registration purposes. The other part is that I'd like an X-Frame model, so it might be a 1960 0r 1959 chev or ponch or caddy. Canadian chevies and pontiacs didn't come with the big V8's like the 389 cid. But we had a good range of sixes. I don't want to find out if my wood-braced roof can fly. Just a good machine with reliable, solid engine. The Ford sixes have 7 mains. I haven't checked out the Chevies or maybe a Checker Cab six !

It's not a car I'd want to spend a lifetime repairing. GM Frames are all over the province in farmer's fields, but I have to get out there and look around.

 

I just got my Home Cad program vendor's offer on a user-friendly Cad program, and this is right on for Automotive use, check out that brake drum image in 3D!:
http://www.punchcad.com/products/viacad2d3d.htm

 

How is your new Cad Program working out?

 

I'm just downloading the trial version (589 MB) Huge! They had so many requests that their email server choked. So I emailed them about an hour ago and they sent me the link. I may have to stop posting to let this beast come in faster. 5 hours on high-speed internet. whew!

Try the movie demo, with the sound on. Outstanding!

 

I downloaded it! 5 hours and 45 minutes. I closed all the other windows and email. Just the download window. 29.9 KB per second. I think they had a thousand others doing the same thing. It's awesome!

I'll install tomorrow and play with it. I was up to my ears in door panel mods.

 

Have you decided on a frame?