We were on a mission to find this year’s Best Ford in a Ford sponsored by Ford Performance at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. Finding that special car in a sea of more than ten thousand cars takes some time and effort.
We’ll admit it, the wood drew us in for a closer look and when we saw SVT on the valve covers we knew we were onto something special. Sure enough this “Just Green” 1946 Ford woodie was powered by nothing less than a 4.6 Ford Cobra engine connected to a 4RW70 transmission spinning a nine-inch Ford rear. Painted in a matching hue, the supercharged power plant blends perfectly with the rest of the car.
Phil Becker is no stranger to hot rodding and he learned early-on, for best results it always pays to begin the project with the best car you can find and afford. With that thought in mind Phil jumped at the chance to purchase this two-owner California woodie. It seems the old lumber wagon spent the first twenty years of its life as an airport car to pick up prestigious clients spending the weekend at a Napa Valley winery. In the sixties the mechanic that had maintained the car purchased the car from the original owner. If this old car could talk it would list some pretty famous people that rode in the back seat.
Phil brought the old woodie back to his Illinois home and enjoyed the car for a couple of years before deciding it was time for a complete rebuild that would include all new maple wood, more power, better suspension and flawless paint work.
The wood is nothing short of spectacular and while it may appear stock there are many subtle modifications to insure a perfect fit that would be both weather tight and good looking. Dave Martin of New Old Wood worked his magic on the wood while the sheet metal was massaged to perfect and painted DuPont “Just Green” giving this woodie a certain beach cruiser feel. Inside tan leather combines with more gorgeous timber while the dashboard is filled with Classic Instruments residing in a dash inserts formed by J&B Microfinish.
We find it interesting that over the past 69 years one thing has remained constant, this woodie wagon is still hauling people to places to have a fun time.
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