Good Wood
by Dan Burger

Richly colored woods, uniquely grained, and intricately cut and joined, it bends our automotive perspectives to take into account more than metal and paint. While it’s beautiful to behold, it’s also frightening for many people to think about repairing, restoring or even maintaining such an extraordinary, yet bizarre vehicle – the woodie.

As much as there is to admire about the craftsmanship and uniqueness of these vehicles, the funky charm stems from the woodie’s association with the surfing scene. If you believe that you are what you drive, when you drive a woodie you’re a laid back dude.

Ron Heiden, of Encinitas, California, is one of the few woodie restoration experts in the country. His restoration experience spans 14 years and somewhere between 100 and 150 restorations. Currently he has six projects under way including his own 1946 Ford four-wheel-drive woodie.

I wanted to know what the average guy could expect to get into if he took on a woodie project, so Heiden gladly offered some perspective and advice.

Naturally the condition of the wood is a priority. The mortal enemy of wood is dry rot. Heiden’s first and foremost piece of advice is to beware of dry rot that makes the wood soft and spongy. “It’s the worst thing that can happen,” he said. “You have to replace any wood where this fungus grows and any other piece that touches it. It’s a sign that water has probably been getting to the wood for years and years.” It’s also an indicator that a vehicle has been neglected, probably in more ways than one.

Heiden says if you’re going to find a dry rot problem, “90 percent of the time you’ll find it in the back corners of the roof.” You can generally detect this by examining the roof from inside the vehicle. The vinyl tops tend to trap moisture. So if it is cracked or you notice slits in the vinyl, that’s a clue that there could be problems with the roof.

“Mold and fungus won’t be a problem in a well-cared-for car,” Heiden said. “These cars don’t sit in the rain for weeks like they did before. You don’t need to be afraid to get a woodie wet, but it does need to have a chance to dry out afterward.”

Like repairing rust on a metal body, you have to strip away the weak, deteriorated wood until you get to something solid. Examine the joints where the vertical and horizontal members come together. If they’ve pulled apart and the car has been in the weather, dampness may have created a perfect environment for dry rot. If the vehicle has been protected from the weather, joints can often be glued together again if the wood is still strong and has not fractured from stress. Many times the glue has just dried out and the joint has pulled apart.

When deciding how much of the original wood can be salvaged, Heiden prefers to save as much as possible. But different owners have different likes and dislikes. Some people can’t stand any imperfections, so they replace all the wood. But more often than not, woodie owners believe the old wood lends a certain character that makes a woodie more distinguished.

Checks and cracks in the wood result from old varnish that ceased to protect the wood from drying out. The cracks do not necessarily indicate structural damage. Many times it is just cosmetic and it does not require replacement. Another often-seen blemish is a black mineral mark where the chrome blind nuts come through the wood. These can be so deep in wood that they won’t come out with the acids and bleaches that are commonly used to eliminate discoloration. Again, some think they add character.

Cutting out the dry rot or sections that are fractured requires matching a new piece of wood with what remains of the original. The color matching – staining and coloring the new to match the old – is one of the more difficult aspects of the restoration process. “Some will want to keep the old-wood look and so I spend a lot of time matching.” Heiden said. “If I end up replacing about a third of the wood, by the time the job is completed the cost might be $15,000. If I replace all the wood, the cost might be $20,000 to $23,000. The wood will match better if it’s all new, but for some it’s an issue of character and for others the money they save on wood will go toward paint and mechanical work.”

With a woodie that is 75 percent structurally sound – only a couple of pieces of wood need to be made – the average person who is handy in the garage can do much of the restoration work. “There are a lot of people who can do it,” Heiden said, “but it is a long-term, do-it-at-home project to put the wood back in decent shape. Some do it great, others get into it, then lose interest and quit.”

The basic steps that Heiden uses to refinish structurally sound wood is to first remove the old finish. He uses wood scrapers of various sizes rather than chemical strippers. “The less I have to get the wood wet, the better I like it,” he said, explaining that chemicals tend to alter the original color of the wood. He also cautions that those who want to hurry the job run the risk of gouging the wood with the scrapers.

He than moves on to sandpaper, beginning with 60 grit and progressing incrementally to a 200 grit. If necessary, he’ll use a bleach or acid to remove deep discoloration, but he is always careful not to remove too much color from the wood. Then he’ll go over it again with the 20-girt sandpaper.

Sand it flat with a block of wood, he advises, so you don’t have a roller coaster effect and don’t take too much off or change detail. The staining should never be done with full-strength stains. Thin it to a half-and-half mixture and color it out gradually. The first three coats of varnish should be thinned by 20 percent, with block sanding between each coat. He usually applies six or seven coats of varnish. Providing a good seal is critical to preventing future damage from moisture and the sun.

A good-quality marine-grade spar varnish is his recommendation. It has an amber color although some are darker than others. Varnish selection is an individual preference based on how dark the owner wants the wood, but Heiden prefers the lighter colors because he applies seven coats. UV protection is critical. He says the sun typically does more damage to the wood than the rain. It dries out glue and varnish and leads to cracks in the wood. The varnishes he uses cost approximately $90 per gallon. With a garaged vehicle that is not seeing everyday use, a varnish should last at least 10 years.

The demand for woodies is increasing while the supply is becoming much more limited. Vehicles in poor condition that were overlooked before are now being chosen for restoration and restification projects.

Clearly Ford is the most popular woodie. Even though a Chevy or a Plymouth or a Pontiac is more rare, a Ford will cost more: a decent 1949-51 Ford costs $15,000 to $20,000. A 1946-48 “fat-fendered Ford is $5,000 to $10,000 higher. Mint-condition examples will be higher as will collector models such as Chrysler Town & Countrys, Ford Sportsmen, Packards and 1930-era Fords. Most woodie owners use the vehicles to “just have fun,” Heiden said. “These are mostly folks who just like that funky original look.”