Classic Woodies (Hardcover, illustrated edition)

Classic Woodies: A National Treasure caters to a rapidly-growing woodie revival that is putting more of these great machines -- called the collector's car of the 1990s -- on the street and in the public eye. These rolling works of art, with their magnificent styling and lush wood detailing, have their roots in the classic coach-making tradition that extends back to the eighteenth century. Wood-framed and wood-paneled automobiles have been around as long as cars have, but the classic era of the American woodie was in the 1930s and 1940s. Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors all produced variations on the theme, and woodies became an integral part of the American lifestyle, first as a comfortable family car and then as the car of choice for surfers and beach-goers.

The illustrations in this book include many archival photographs not seen in half a century, as well as contemporary color images of stock and restored woodies, with special emphasis on close-ups and details. These are complemented by authoritative, descriptive text.