Chassis No. 899A2344182

Ford introduced its first factory-built wood-bodied station wagon for 1929, and for the next nineteen seasons, excepting the war years, the model was a staple of their lineup. Originally intended as a commercial vehicle for railroads, hotels, and the like, it eventually became something of a society item, frequently employed alongside the Duesenberg or Packard as a car for shopping or errand-running at the summer home.

Nineteen forty-eight was the final year of the traditional Ford 'woodie,' and by this point the bodies were built entirely in-house at the company's facility at Iron Mountain, Michigan. In a feast of vertical integration that must have pleased Henry Ford, the bodies used oak, maple, and basswood sourced from Ford-owned forests, milled by Ford sawmills, assembled by Ford employees, and shipped downriver on Ford barges pushed by Ford tugs.

The Taylor 1948 Ford wagon was built March 15, 1948, and retains its original body woodwork, with hints of the desirable 'birdseye' graining; the wood is in good condition although stressed in a few areas. The steel body has been refinished from the original maroon to white, but the chrome and stainless trim are both in good condition, the original woodgraining is still on the dashboard, and Ford script glass present in all but the back window. Under the black vinyl roof is an interior finished in heavily grained red vinyl on all three rows of seating, complete with seatbelts and accompanied by a clock and heater. Ford factory fog lights are mounted along with Unity spotlights. Whitewall tires are mounted to wheels pinstriped to match the upholstery, with a rear-mounted spare under original metal cover. During Mr. Taylor's ownership, the car was completely rewired, and the cooling system and brakes recently sorted.

Driven 26,399 miles at the time of cataloging, this is a charming old beast, never restored but simply recommissioned as a continued workhorse over generations of owners.