Vehicle Description
West Coast Classics are proud to present this extraordinary AACA
'Grand National Award Winning' example of a 1948 Chevrolet
Fleetmaster 216 CID 6 cyl 'Woody' Wagon in original 'Oxford
Maroon'!Advertised in 1948 as an 8 passenger, 4 door, 7 window
woody with drop & lift rear gates these desirable wagons
found niche buyers in parts of the USA. Throughout the 3 years of
production the station wagon was the rarest of body styles. This
particular example was the recipient of a no expense spared
restoration in the early 1990's. Following the restoration the car
was entered into AACA events and won Grand national honors. This
1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Woody Wagon is an example of arguably
the most now iconic and desirable body style of this generation,
the Estate Wagon. Wood-bodied construction was nearing the end of
its popularity, and this generation of woody wagons showed how well
integrated the wood could be with more modern styling. Its older
restoration shows very well, with a lovely finish on its wood
surfaces including the veneered door panels and interior trim. A
previous AACA 'Grand National Award Winner', this example is sure
to be a welcome addition at the home of its next steward.Postwar
continuation of the basic 1942 design but with the grille now going
full width in 1947 before going ornate in 1948. The 1948 therefore
is clearly more desirable than the earlier 1946-47 model and a very
rare and collectible model today, especially in Woody wagon form!
In '48 the Fleetmaster was chosen as the Official Pace Car of the
Indianapolis 500 Race, Chevy's very first time being selected as
the official pace car.Standard equipment included adjustable front
seat, front rubber floor mats, rubber covered running boards, front
door armrests, dome light, clock, dual sun visors, deluxe steering
wheel, window frame and beltline moldings, steel cowl, windshield
pillars and underbody with mahogany and natural wood finish
framework, reinforced leatherette top, single tail and stop light,
and major options included deluxe in dash heater &
defroster, windshield washer, deluxe pushbutton radio, radio
antenna, hubcaps, wheel trim rings & whitewall sidewall
discs.The car includes all its original features including its
original Maroon hood, fenders and roof with correct ash and
mahogany wood panels, and is equipped with its original and rebuilt
216.5 c.i. 'Stovebolt' inline 6 cylinder engine, 3 speed column
shift manual transmission, turn signals, heater with two-speed
blower, pushbutton AM radio, a fully functional dash clock, fender
skirts, Firestone Deluxe Champion wide white walls, bumper guards
and fender stone guards, rear under seat storage compartments to
hold the tool kit and lug wrench. Of special note is the LOF
Hi-Test Safety Plate glass that is date coded to 1948!In addition
there is a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania inspection sticker on the
front windshield dated from 9/25/1948 and the car resided in PA for
almost its whole life, having been bought new in Philipsburg by its
first owner who owned the car for some 5 years until being
purchased by its second PA owner, the late and legendary Harold
Zulick who was both an avid and well known and respected collector
and long time AACA & CCCA member and who was to go on to
own the car for some 55 years and who commissioned the no expense
spared restoration in the early 1990's. Following this thorough and
complete no expense spared restoration the car was entered and
displayed in AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) events and
won Grand national honors including in 1991 the highest award
possible; "THE AACA GRAND NATIONAL WINNER'!The car was sold by
'Auctions America' at their Ft Lauderdale, FL auction in 2012 for
$91,300 before eventually in the year 2020 the wagon was acquired
by a southern California enthusiast who went onto restore the car
further; restaining the clearcoat after stripping the wood,
installed vintage air conditioning with condenser and electric fan,
converted to 12 volt with alternator and new A6M battery, rechromed
the grille and bumpers, new Coker whitewall tires with 7" Artillery
powder coated wheels & accessory steering wheel ETC. For
fans of genuine wood-bodied wagons, this 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster
Woody Wagon is amongst the absolute pinnacles of desirability.If
you're under 30 years old, you may not understand why cars like
this 1948 Chevrolet Woody Wagon speak to collectors here in the
21st century. Everyone else, however, remembers spending awesome
summer vacations in cars very much like this, travelling the
country and seeing why America is great. And if family travelling
by highway was your thing, the woody wagon represented first class
accommodations that were unmatched by just about everything else.
In short, these were the finest, most luxurious wagons ever to be
built in America and everyone knew it. The car reportedly came from
the factory with 'Oxford Maroon' paint, and thats what its wearing
today. Its a lovely Maroon that glows in the sunlight and contrasts
brilliantly with the restored woodwork that makes this wagon so
dramatic. The integration of wagon bodywork with the steel panels
is seamless, creating a sleek profile that looks expensive from any
angle. Of note, it appears that the woodwork is the product of an
older restoration and mostly all original, with a soft golden hue
that comes from some beautiful maturity, although every piece has a
glowing layer of varnish and which has been recently clear-coated
to keep it looking its best for years to come. The doors fit well
and close with authority (no swollen joints here) and the mammoth
hood, which opens from both sides, sits neatly between the fenders.
All of the chrome and stainless trim on the car has been recently
and expensively restored, from the toothy grille to the massive
bumpers to the lovely taillights out back. The stainless trim along
the flanks has been fully polished and the tailgate hardware is
virtually irreplaceable, but fortunately the hinges and handles are
in excellent condition. For sheer eyeball appeal, its hard to beat
the Oxford Maroon over a Dark Tan leather interior in a Woody
wagon, and this cars passenger compartment is the pinnacle of
late-40s style and elegance. Beautiful mahogany door panels and
leather upholstery remain in excellent condition with almost no
signs of wear. The driver sits behind a massive steering wheel that
makes guiding this big car effortless and gauges are arrayed in
round pods, with the speedometer front and center and auxiliary
dials on either side with the clock on the passenger side with the
AM radio in the center of the dash. With a quality restoration
performed some years ago and recent expensive refurbishments, and
enough driving to ensure that it is definitely properly sorted and
dialed in, this is an excellent example thats ready to use and
enjoy and to win some shows immediately! These rarely come to
market, so its a genuine honor to have it in our inventory, and we
invite you to come see and drive it, because thats really the best
way to appreciate these wonderful machines.
