|
More Classifieds
|
|
|
Classic Car Articles |
 Chopped, Cropped and Customized
A Very Un-Country Squire!
by Terry Kohl
Dutch mathematician and engineer, Simon Stevin founded the science of
hydrostatics (the pressure exerted by a liquid upon a given surface that depends
on the height of the liquid and the area of the surface). He was also a
bookkeeper in Antwerp, then a clerk in the tax office at Brugge. After this he
moved to Leiden where he first attended the Latin school, and at age 35 he
entered the University of Leiden in 1583.
While a quartermaster in the Dutch army, Stevin invented a way of flooding the
lowlands in the path of an invading army by opening selected sluices in dikes.
He was an outstanding engineer who built windmills, locks and ports. He advised
the Prince Aurice of Nassau on building fortifications for the war against
Spain.
"So what," you ask? Well, among all of these engineering feats, old Simon is
also credited with making one of the very first "Woodies."
This "Sailing Chariot" was basically a wagon on wheels that traveled on land by
using the same sails you would use on a ship. The one designed by Stevin,
covered forty-two miles in two hours, carrying twenty-eight persons and was used
quite regularly.
Woodie, Woody, or Shooting Brake, whatever name you choose to use, vehicles with
wood bodies possess character definitely missing in today's vehicles. At one
time every conveyance was made of wood: boats, chariots, wagons, trains, even
airplanes. In their day, Woodies were often the most expensive cars offered by a
manufacturer and many tallied impressive sales figures.
 Woodies have always satisfied the need for stylish transport of people and
parcels. The earliest woodie automobiles were utilitarian adaptations of the
'Rockaway' horse-drawn carriage and canopied express trucks. By the thirties,
fashionable American woodie station wagons were pressed into service by lodges,
inns and country clubs. At about the
same time, wealthy land-owners with country estates adopted the woodie for
suburban transportation - frequently with a chauffeur at the wheel. In Europe,
wood was utilized by coach builders of exquisite vehicles for the aristocrat.
During World War II, wood construction helped to save steel for critical
war-time uses. After the war, the middle class found mass-produced woodie wagons
perfect for family travels. The popularity of woodies for personal
transportation peaked mid-century. By the late fifties and sixties, used car
dealers had plenty of cheap, poorly maintained wood-clad cars. Surfers found
these bargains perfect for hauling their long boards in search of the perfect
wave. The rest, as they say, is history. A legend was born and today, woodies
are among the most popular vehicles at auto shows.
NEXT PAGE>>
|
|
|
|
New Page 2
|
|
|
|
|
