1953 Woody Wagon Rescue

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SSVDP

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Waterford, Mi 48329
Not a Mopar but this is what I did today.

Rescue - 1953 Ford Woody Country Squire nine passenger wagon

My good friend Kevin recalls this car back when his age was in single digits - a very long time ago. He was able to acquire this 1953 woody from the second owner when he was only fifteen and has stored it ever since. I met my friend in the late eighties and I have never seen this car; actually since I have known him he hasn’t seen it either! He has always had visions of restoring or making it a restomod before that was even a word.

So after being locked in an off the beaten path storage unit (actually a converted chicken coup on a farm) we set off this morning to investigate the condition of his dream car. Kevin had assembled a crack team of amateur anarchic vintage car experts to investigate. I was politely informed I was not to touch anything and was only there to act as a witness and take pictures.

Once there at this remote mid-state site and with my ears still ringing from the incessant yakking during our short trip I immediately clipped off the padlock. The overhead door was lifted. To our amazement this seventy year old car was in exactly the same condition as it has been left four decades earlier. Rather shocking considering our Michigan climate. It was obviously kept dry and there was no evidence that any sort of critters had been residing in this majestic beast. One front door was really rusty but that was from mice getting in there before he purchased the car. And the seventy year old wood, real ash wood, was in sad shape but it has not gotten any worse.

Even more amazing is he had drained the coolant and removed the gas tank before putting it in long term storage. Marvels mystery oil has also been put into the cylinders. Three of the white wall tires even had air in them. None of us had known what to expect and each took a few minutes to admire the car and appreciate that it was in much better condition that any of us could have ever hoped for.

Our trip was a resounding success and now that we know the condition of the car we are already planning a trip to recover this grand automobile and bring it home.

Yes V8 Flat Head

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This is a very cool car...... and quite rare, so it definitely needs to be restored. Also, a very nice read from the good old days!
 
Sa-weeet!

Fixin that wood is gonna be "fun", though.
 
Very cool!!!
440 with manifolds and quiet mufflers…
Sleeper!
Just kidding, leave it factory.
I want.
Cool story too, you’re just seeing the car now.
 
I would leave it stock, I like old flat-heads, but your buddy has a dream.
 
A good friend of mine bought a 51 Ford woody many years back, about twenty years. It took him almost 5 years to get the wood looking like it did when it rolled off the line. He upgraded the suspension, put an 8" Ford rear under it with a 5.0 liter FI engine and overdrive transmission in it. He still drives it to this day and it's a hit at every outing he goes to.
 
Outstanding! I always wanted to build a flat head V8, still may do it one day, even just for an engine stand.
Keep us updated and make a parts list you would like to find :thumbsup: I would be proud to help locate things, I go to Pettit Jean Mt soon, fathers day weekend, a bunch of old Ford parts vendors and people setting up with there own old Ford parts, some are crazy cheep here in Arkansas. Look up Pettit Jean Mt on utube and see what keep me going back 28 years now
 
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