The Most Famous and Infamous Wooden-Paneled Cars

In the early days of the automotive industry, cars were made with steel bodies, which was much more expensive than wood. Therefore, car manufacturers used wood to make car bodies and succeeded.

The first car models had horse-drawn carriage-like appearances made of wood. The difference is that there were no actual horses. These cars were produced for many centuries.

The first car with a wooden body produced on a large scale was the Oldsmobile. The car was manufactured in 1901.

As the automotive industry grew and steel stamping techniques advanced, metal began to replace wood in many parts such as the frame, fenders, and hood. However, many car manufacturers and aftermarket companies still used wood to create larger details such as windshield frames in station wagons, sedans, convertibles, and trucks. The Ford Model A 1929 was the first model of its kind to be mass-produced.

When steel became widespread, designers turned wood into stylish decorative details. Customers liked the durability and ruggedness of metal bodies. However, they still favored the friendliness and aesthetic appeal of wood, especially in the Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe 1949.

The era of change began when steel became cheaper and more common. Meanwhile, wooden details became luxurious decorative accessories. The Town & Country was the most luxurious model from Chrysler from 1941 to 1959.

Gradually, cars with real wooden materials stopped appearing in the market. Instead, fake wood details became popular. However, the Chevrolet Spark 2010 displayed at the Paris Motor Show was adorned with real wood.

The second half of the 20th century saw the birth of many wood-paneled cars that were eye-sores for customers. Below is a list of the 5 worst “disasters”.

Chevy sold 8,509 Chevette Estate Coupes for $3,098. The Chevette Estate truly brought back sad memories of the decline of wood-paneled cars bearing the Chevrolet brand. The first wood-paneled car model from the brand, the Master 85 Model JB, was truly a masterpiece. Meanwhile, the Caprice Classic Wagon was just a fake wood model.

The Escort was the last fake wood model produced by Ford from 1981 to 1985.

Although it shared the same frame as the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Sapporo Coupe, Mitsubishi was the manufacturer of the Colt Wagon from 1978 to 1979. The car was equipped with a 4-cylinder 2.6-liter engine with a dual balance shaft. However, the Dodge Colt Wagon was the worst wood-paneled car from the brand. Additionally, there were two other disasters: the Dodge Caravan and the Plymouth Voyager Minivan in 1995.

Equipped with the 4×4 system from Jeep, the AMC Eagle Wagon became a unique model in the ’80s. The AMG Eagle Wagon also sparked the SUV craze in the ’90s and the explosion of the 4-wheel-drive crossover segment today. However, the fake wood details made the AMG Eagle Wagon look ridiculous.

The last disaster is the Smart ForTwo Woodie Package customized by car customizer George Barris. He is the person responsible for creating legendary cars such as the Batmobile, Muster Koach, and Knight Rider Pontiac Firebird KITT.