A Woody Challenger Wagon

What do you guys think of this design?

 

The real wood on early wagons was replaced with vinyl tape. Another cost-cutting more from Detroit.

Something similar happened with the Challenger, when the carbon fiber on the 2006 Challenger Concept was replaced with "carbon fiber" vinyl tape on the hoods of the 2008 and 2009 SRTs.

Here is some information about woodies:

Woodies were never a profitable item for car makers. They were extremely labor intensive to produce; literally hand assembled. Ford bought a track of forest known as Iron Mountain in Michigan as a source for lumber, other makers simply purchased the lumber, or more often, had outside vendors manufacture the wood bodies.

Woodies were considered commercial vehicles; part of the truck line. They were advertised with pickups, delivery vehicles and other commercial workhorses. While families might occasionally end up owning station wagons, you’d be more likely to see the local handyman driving one. Despite the obvious advantage for transporting kids, use of station wagons for family transportation was still years away.

With the passenger compartment being made completely of wood (including the roof which was covered with a waterproofed fabric), there were plenty of drawbacks. The cars tended to squeak as the wood joints aged and the wood needed constant refinishing much like a piece of furniture left outside. Despite constant care and attention, the wood was prone to moisture damage, discoloration and rot. And while no one ever performed any safety studies on woodies, it is easy to assume in a serious crash, the passenger compartment would splinter and break apart.

Ford maintained dominance in wagon production through 1942 when WWII brought an end to all civilian automobile production. During the war, a small number of woodies were made for the military and were painted army green or tan. Most, it seems, were shipped overseas.

After the war, GI’s returned home and the historic baby boom began. For the major manufacturers, the new 1946, ‘47 and ‘48 automobiles were nothing more than warmed over ‘42’s. This included station wagons. But once car makers caught up with demand, they turned their attention to new designs and retooling.

This was the beginning of the end of wooden bodied wagons. The 1949 Chevrolet, Pontiac and Oldsmobile wagons featured just a strip of wood running lengthwise down the side, along with a wooden tailgate. By mid year, the wood was gone, replaced by a wood grain decal.

The 1949-51 Ford and Mercury wagons featured real wood but in the form of inserted panels. The wood was no longer structural. It was cosmetic. When the new 1952 Ford wagon arrived, the wood was gone and in its place was a simulated wood-look material. The last major maker to offer a full production wagon with real wood on the exterior was Buick in 1953.