Time Can Be A Friend!

Hidden behind the dash, connects both door pillars together

Pillar and dash support, test fitting

Layout and installing upper hinge

Drivers door pillar

     As time passes some progress eventually happens.  I am more and more coming to the realization that Woody owners and enthusiasts are WOOD lovers at heart.  Who else would work for years, yes years on a car project?  Of course lots of guys and even gals build cars, sports cars, muscle cars, antique cars, resto-mods and , well you get the picture.  Woodies are different, the painstaking recreation of rotted wooden parts so one can have a template to use for making a new part for the project.  That is if you are lucky enough to have an old part.  If not, then by what ever means, through hours and hours of pattern making and refining, the part eventually gets made.  Even with the part rough cut it still has to be final shaped and fit into it's particular location.  But nothing brings out the wood junkie more than the selection of the WOOD.  It has to have just the right color, a pleasing grain configuration, and make all of these small and large pieces flow together so as to have a harmonious look.  People are odd creatures, most all of us when viewing a beautifully crafted wooden object just can't help ourselves, we have to feel that object.  It is as if it brings us together, it must have a clarity of finish, not even very small but barely noticeable scratches will do.

     Enough time cutting, shaping, scraping and sanding has to be spent and a glass like finish goes on,to

Autowood Restoration makes this and other kits

protect and to preserve all those hours in the shop, usually alone, with just the sound of time passing.  I have never owned a woody, but I have built different pieces of furniture and I can see the devotion and caring and craftsmanship that goes into building a wood bodied car is not any different.  All the pieces must fit just so and have a fine touch to the hand, there is not just a visual but a visual and just maybe a spiritual aspect in creating some thing from WOOD.  A once living breathing creation, that once felled, harvested and shaped, it is still pleasing to observe.  Surely isn't the skeleton that resides on the inside of my 32 Chevy make it a woody at heart.  Most likely it will only be seen when repairs are being made but it is there just the same.

More later from---Beneath The Bark