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What kind of wood did chevy use for their trucks in 36?

Thanks.
Shawn

The best answer is anything they could get their hands on. Though the literature specifies "hardwood" (trees that loose their leaves) "softwood" (pine) is also found. Many pickup beds used white pine.

I think that originally only the better hardwoods were used but as availability decreased and price increased they moved to lesser quality wood. Eventually they used anything that would hold a screw or nail.

It is amazing to see the multitude of wood types that are in the 30s Chevrolet bodies. A friend is replacing the wood on a '31 five passenger coupe. Only a couple of small pieces of oak were found. Though we didn't try to identify all the species there were several used.

What is going back in? Some original pieces and oak and ash.

Also, Chip didn't mention but it depended where the assembly plant was located as to what wood was used, for example many of the Saint Louis Mo. cars had white oak wood and others used Ash or whatever wood that was produced near by that they could purchase.
Some cars had different kinds of wood in them, I would guess the body wood working shop supervisors probably had their own preferences as to what piece was made from which wood.
(anyone have some history on the wood working shops?, and their procedures?)

Remember the old pallets that transmissions, engine blocks and the like were shipped on to various Chevrolet factories back in the 1930's? Well.....some of the wood out of those pallets ended up in the bodies of new GM cars as well. Like Chipper Dipper said.......Chevrolet used anything that they could get their hands on! :eek: :eek:

I don't remember what was found in the cars Dad restored, but he wanted to use oak to replace it, (probably that's what he he found as original in his cars). I know the '31 Roadster was built in Tarrytown, NY. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

When he found out the wood that were used as "stickers" between the new sewer pipes being installed in our town in the '70s was oak. We were running all over town scooping it up.

Now that I think about it.....it may explain my actions at our local dump these days......

Some of my best wood came from "sewer" pipe pallets/spacers, including black walnut! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Some have suggested that GM used wood in the tops until their supply of forest resources ran out. Makes a good story even if it's not true.

My '29 coupe (Atlanta made) had really nice white oak for the major pieces.
:) My '32 cabriolet (atl. again) used pine (hard, almost 'lighter pine') for the top header bow. :(

My Dad used to call it "swamp oak", whatever that means????

I know he cut up every old pallet I dragged home. "this is good stuff" he used to say.

When I busted Him too much, he had me put the screws in without drilling first!

RGwiz...

Often it was "Water oak", no pun intended.
:cool2: