VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 52 Station wagon wood grain paint

I have been restoring cars for the last 30 years. I love to do research on Factory specs and methods. I am at present working on my dream car....a 1952 Chevrolet Deluxe Station Wagon. It is what some call a Steely. The " wood grain" is a two tone paint on the exterior. I have perfect examples of the paint on some interior parts.
The problem is... I cannot... find the products or methods to reproduce the Factory painted wood grain look. I have searched everywhere! Can you help.
Thanks a million

Paul
Tennessee

Paul,

I also have a '52 Chevy tin woody wagon that I am restoring.

The exterior wood grain on the '49 - '52 wagons was not paint. It was a "soak and stick-on" applique or decal. It was called "di-noc".

Here's a Reader's Digest version of the process:

A medium tan colored base coat was put on the "wood" areas and the applique was applied over it. Then it was painted with multiple coats of clear. I'm told it was very convincing but only lasted a few years.

The light color was ash and the dark color was mahogany (Sapeli). I have a 1949 Fisher Body service manual for station wagons. It has detailed procedures for applying the wood graining.

I'm not even close to being ready for wood grain, but I have been looking at some options. One possibility is the stuff that was used on 80's Chrysler Town & Country mini-vans. It seems to be close to the correct color. Although, the graining isn't quite right.

I know of one guy who used the dark color graining from a 90's Buick Estate wagon. He left the light color as tan with no wood grain.

I could go on and on.... Please contact me about our kindered projects.

See my wagon at My \'52 wagon (it has a '51 grille)

Love those long roofs!

DCMatt

Paul;
There is a company in California that sells Di-noc made by 3M same company that made the stuff in the 50's,(same stuff used on the PT Cruisers for wood grain today) but it is a adheasive backed instead of the old type you glued on then clear coated. If you are intrested drop me a email direct and I will search for the address,they send samples of the colors and cost. Yvehc@lvnworth.com
Ron

i had a 51 chev "woodie" years ago. the di-noc was considerably thinner than the adhesive-backed stuff used on the PT cruisers. i'd think if you were to use the current decals, in order to simulate the early 50's finish, you'd have to really lay the clear coat on heavy enough to be able to wet sand a bunch. otherwise one could "feel" a step off when running one's hand across the edges of the decal. mike

The original was a thin decal.The "modern" is not really a decal but more of a contact paper.I would rather work with the modern version , it will be more durable and the edges (due to being thicker) will be some what hidden due to the fact they fit into slight recesses in the panels.

I have a wood kit on my 48 fleetline,I thought it was original and produced back then?But the inner graining is peel and stick and the instructions say to shellac it after installation???any thoughts??chef-

The wood kit was not made by Chevrolet so would not be the same as a wagon.I am not sure if I would want to shellac it but must have been necessary back then...The "modern" wagon wood grain requires to coating.

You might want to contact the VCCA 'tech adviser.' I think his name is Brownie Peterson. I know he lives in Utah, maybe Ogden. I seem to recall he sold his 52 'woodie' (that he'd owned for sometime and restored) about a year or so ago. As I recall it sold on eBay for $27-$28,000, so I presume it was pretty nice. 42Bill.

I saw that guys wagon when it was for sale on Ebay. "Nice" doesn't even begin to describe it.

I got samples of di-noc "peel and stick" from an outfit called Sharpline or something like that. They had one dark color that might be OK but none of the sample were even close to the light colored ash.

Here's the stuff I'm talking about: '81 Chrysler Lebaron Town & Country wagon. I think the color is about right for the old Chevy wagons. Opinions?



I called the local Chrysler dealer and got a very friendly person to look up the part for me.

She had a parts listing for a 1985 Plymouth Voyage mini-van wood grain kit. 12.2 inches wide and 78.7 inches long. She didn't really know anything else about it but thought it might be a pre-cut kit. It was listed for $175. I'll keep checking...

DCMatt

OK, here's what the Dodge parts guy told me:

The part number is 4773912. It's called a wood grain overlay kit('92 Dodge Caravan). The good news is that it comes in a sheet just big enough to cover a car door. It's also relatively cheap.

The bad news is that it apparently only comes in the dark color. I asked what they might use to repair the light color. He said they don't really do much of that anymore. They sub-contract a local guy to do all their overlay work. He didn't know what those guys use. There's not much call for exterior wood graining, these days...

So, back to the drawing board...

DCMatt

For those dudes that have 1947-48 coupes, a new "Country Club" wood kit for the 1947-48 Chevrolet coupes and convertibles is now available. The kit consists of a set of white ash framing material and 3M Di-Noc inserts. The stainless steel fasteners are also included. The price is $1,500 and the kit is ready for varnish. The wood kit is available from Al Webster Classic Cars, P.O. Box 592, Gormely, Ontario, Canada LOH 1G0. Phone number is: (905) 773-5675

Here's my final word on the Chrysler wood grain overlay. I talked to one more parts guy. He said the light color wood grain comes already on the panel or trim piece, then the dark color overlay is applied on top leaving only the outer edges of the light color showing.

In other words, there is no light color overlay material. :(

DCMatt

I have always been very leiry about putting a top coat over the peel and stick sheets on my 48 wood kit?What will be the eventual out come if I do not coat it??chef-

Check out the October 2003 Rod & Cuctom magazine there is an article on wood graining the outside of a 53 Chev wagon.Its done without peel and stick,its painted on the same as the interor on the old cars.Grain-It Technologies sells the equiptment to do it.
If it looks as good as the old Chevrolet dashes it would be a winner.

There is an add in the Nov.-Dec. Antique Automobile (page 69) for there woodgraining kits. website is WWW.woodgraining.com

I love this list !!!!!!!!!

Paul

I did a little more leg work on tracking down wood grain material for the outside of the tin woody wagons.

I talked to a super nice guy at PTwoody.com. He tells me that 3M used to make a light color wood grain material as well as the darker Marine Teak.

He thinks they may still have some rolls of it stashed away at the shop. He took my address and said he would try to locate the stash and send me a small sample. He described the color as "almond". I'll let you know when/if I get something from him (after the holidays).

He did say that it runs in 2 foot wide rolls and sells for $12 a linear foot. If you cut carefully, I'm guessing you could do the sides and tailgate with 20 feet of vinyl (you do the math!).

He also said it is a snap to put on - very similar to the way the original di-noc was put on these cars.

You measure and cut the piece, then spray the area with non-ammonia window cleaner. You also spray the adhesive side of the vinyl with the same cleaner. Place it on the panel, move it to the desired location, then squeegee the excess moisture away. Let it dry and voila!

He says you don't even need to top coat it but you can if you want.

Stay tuned!

DCMatt

If you can paint the printing process does look nice. Here is a 51 Pontiac we did in the shop.

Here is a link to a lot of pics.
http://woodgraining.com/photos/51/
Jdee

Di-Noc Transfers

This is from the
1949 Body by Fisher Station Wagon Service & Construction Manual

edited the above links so they will work. 4 Jan 05

OUR NEXT PROJECT IS A DI-NOC KIT WITH THE RIGHT COLORS AND GRAIN...NO KIDDING. I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH WAGONS PAINTED TAN, OR WITH BURL WOOD DECAL MATERIAL...HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THE RIGHT STUFF OUT THERE! THANKS! A "GOOD" WOODGRAINER CAN CHARGE UP TO $4000. TO DO THE WOODGRAIN PAINT PROCESS, AND IT NICE - BUT STILL NOT FACTORY CORRECT. I FOUND SOME VERY OLD STOCK OF THE LIGHT AND DARK COLORED MATERIAL THAT WAS 3M, (NO-LONGER-MADE)- ALMOST EXACTLY AS ORIGINALLY ON THE CHEVY. WORKING TO GET IT REMADE IN THE RIGHT SHAPES FOR EACH PIECE/PANEL. 3M DOES STILL MAKE ONE SIMILAR TO THE LIGHT, BUT IT IS ONLY AVALABLE IN SOME ASAIN MARKETS.===REGARDING LINOLEUM:
WE HAVE A 1952, AND ARE MAKING THESE AVAILABLE IN LIMITED QUANTITIES. THE MATERIAL IS A VERY CLOSE MATCH IN COLOR, ETC.. THEN WE ARE ROUTING THE GROOVES JUST THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL. NOT STAMPED INTO IT LIKE THE STUFF C.A.R.S. SELLS FOR 1955 / UP.
YOU CAN DO THIS, BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME! THIS IS THE THICK, STUFF. WE ARE GOING TO BE OFFERING A "KIT" READY TO GO. WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING LONG ENOUGH! SEND ME A PRIVATE MESSAGE AND I'LL ADD YOU TO OUR MAILING LIST. THEY SHOULD BE AVAILABLE EARLY THIS SUMMER!

Hey Jdee,

Looking at that 1951 Florida License Plate 9 - 6149. Issued in Escambia County (Pensacola area). There are two unique items about the 1951 Florida Tags. First, this was the one year the logo, "Keep Florida Green" was used. The state legislature intended it to mean Keeping Florida Green with plant life. Others interpeted the logo to mean Keep Florida Green in dollars. Before the end of 1951, the legislature changed the tag logo back to "Sunshine State." In 1985, the "Keep Florida Green" logo was reintroduced on the state Department of Forestry vehicle tags, but was dumped within a year for the same reasons as in 1951 and a generation before. Second, from 1923 onward, all Florida licnese plates had elongnated slots for attaching the tag to a vehicle. The 1951 plates have round holes! In mid- 1950, the machine which was used in Raiford Prison to stamp out the slots broke. After the numbers were pressed into the plates, the state of Florida sent the plates to the Georgia Prison System to have holes popped into them. At the time, Georgia had the round holes in their license plates and their machines did the same for the Florida plates.

Because of these two unique items, this has become a plate for collectors.

This is my 1951 Florida tag which was issued in Okaloosa County (one county east of Pensacola).

I know this is an old post, but are you still making this linoleum kit for the '49-52 Chevrolet wagon?

I'm working on a '50 and am also interested.

You may not receive an answer since apparently 1949-52LINOLEUM has not been on this site since 2005.

OK, I saw this and wondered if anyone ever really found the answer to that light colored wood decal? I am restoring an older minivan and was needing that lighter trim wood???? Thanks