It took woodies a while to catch on with the general public, but for decades there were guys who appreciated their combination of style, comfort, and utility. You’ll remember the surfers of the ‘60s heading down to the beach in their sand-worn wagons, surfboards hanging out the back, recognizing that the woody represented the most affordable way to carry your board in style. These guys weren’t necessarily car guys, but they understood cool and woodies were most definitely cool.

This particular woody is a 1946 Dodge WC pickup truck that’s been cleverly modified into a very usable and stylish panel truck with a great woody look. The original cab was sectioned right behind the doors (the lower half of the cab forms a bulkhead behind the seat) and flush with the bed itself, then the wooden superstructure was grafted on. The work is actually quite skillfully done as the design almost could pass for a factory effort and there was obviously a competent woodworker behind the build. The original steel box remains for carrying cargo, with the upper half fabricated out of fresh timber to seal it up. More wood was grafted onto the original pickup doors and splash aprons to complete the illusion. The wood, which I believe is poplar, was whitewashed to give it a look of age and patina, much like the surfer wagons of yore, but it is all new so that look of age is purely an illusion. I particularly like the arched framing above the doors that gives it an elegant profile and the way the roof is designed and neatly integrated into the windshield gives the Thing a very finished, OEM look. There’s a fully functional tailgate out back, the side windows slide for additional ventilation, and it all looks just about right. There’s a lot to like on this Dodge.

Beyond the wood, the sheetmetal is in very good condition and this was obviously not a rusty truck at any point in its life, so the bones are quite good. The copper paint is presentable but you won’t have to worry about weather or bugs when you’re out driving it, perfect for the low-maintenance surfer lifestyle. I think if this were mine to keep, I’d paint it satin black and perhaps even lower it a bit, because you’re certainly not going to kill its value and that might just be the look it really wants. The proud headlights, the wrap-around grille, and even the rather ornate hood ornament are all in decent condition, with auxiliary turn signal lamps added fore and aft. Heck, even the chrome bumper shines up pretty well.

If you’ve ever been in a post-war Dodge pickup truck, you’ll feel right at home in this one. The original leatherette bench is still there and it’s comfortable enough for bopping around town with no worries. Someone threw some somewhat plush residential-grade carpets on the floor and they fit pretty well, so don’t mess with them, but otherwise it’s pretty original. The gauges are unrestored and mostly functional; the speedometer is off by 10-15 MPH depending on how fast you’re going, the needle for the temperature gauge fell off somewhere, and the ammeter reads backwards, but to be honest I don’t care because it’s so much fun to drive. It’s all part of the thing’s charm and for what it is and what you’re going to use it for, it’s all just fine. The driver’s side windshield wiper is flat-out energetic in its operation with the passenger’s side less so, and the heater is actually from some ancient Oldsmobile but it does indeed pump out some BTUs for chilly fall days. They created a rather nice headliner that extends all the way back (it’s nicer in person than it looks in photos) so the whole interior has a nicely finished look to it.

Mechanically, the big Dodge is probably indestructible. You know we love Power Wagons, and this is the Power Wagon’s more civilized brother, if such a thing is possible. The 217 cubic inch inline six is recently rebuilt and runs great with a great trucky grumble from the exhaust system and makes enough power to give the Thing decent performance around town. Give it a little choke in the morning and it springs to life quickly and pulls eagerly in all three gears. The clutch is a little grabby, so you’ll jerk it a few times before you perfect your launch, but once underway it works quite well with synchronized 2nd and 3rd gears that like you to wait a beat before jamming it into gear. With 4.10 gears out back, it’s not a high-speed cruiser, but it’ll haul a stack of plywood home from Home Depot without being a rolling roadblock and it feels reasonably energetic at speed. It’ll cruise at 50 MPH without complaint and despite no functioning temperature gauge, it never threatens to overheat. Braking is firm, the handling is, well, truck-like, and yes, we know, the 16-inch wheels wear Plymouth hubcaps, but again, they look good and it suits the casual look. Recent light truck radials are fitted, which certainly help with ride and handling.

I like this Dodge a lot. It would make a great shop truck and the way it goes about its business with a minimum of fuss is very endearing. At this price, it’s not hurting anyone and anything with wood on its sides will attract a crowd wherever it goes. So if you like the way it looks, you’re going to love the way it acts. Lighten up, have some fun, own a woody!