Car Manufacturer that uses Wooden Chassis

[Todah Tear]

Someone posted a link for a video showing a British luxury car manufacturer that uses wooden chassis. In the video, a reporter is taken on a step-by-step tour of the facility by the owner. Wood is used for every part of the car. It is trimmed with leather and cushions in the seats though. They use one craftsman/car for each build to ensure quality. I thought that the post was in the General section, but I can't find it . It was posted this summer.

Does anyone remember the post? If so, would you tell me what it is.

Todah

[aggie79]

I can't recall the post but Morgan cars use ash wood frames (or at least they used to.)

[aggie79]

Just did a search on "Morgan". Here is the post I believe you were looking for:

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=56554&p=1024446&hilit=morgan#p1024446

[citylights]

Link to article http://www.motorwayamerica.com/content/cars-still-built-hand-morgan

[angib]

Morgans have a complete ash-framed metal-skinned self-supporting body (it can be lifted up as one piece), but it has a traditional metal chassis underneath the body - simple steel on the classic models and riveted/glued aluminium on the more 'modern' Aero models.

However wood-chassis cars have been built with the low-volume British Marcos of the 1960s as one major example. They worked just fine but buyer resistance made them change to a steel chassis. They did still use steel as reinforcement at some mounting points and as steel tube to make a front subframe, but the major box sections sills were plywood with epoxy-glued joints. I don't think the fiberglass body was structural, though other cars were built with a mixed glassfibre/plywood structure.

The plywood cars do suffer from rot, as you might expect, though at 50 years old so do steel cars. A Swedish company specialises in remaking the wooden chassis of the Marcos, Wooden Wonders, and here are some of their photos of a new plywood tub:

[Todah Tear]

Thanks. You guys are the "bomb.com". It's not just who you know; its who you know that knows stuff .

I thought that video was just fascinating. It's no wonder that they last. One of my favorite photos is of some wooden wagons with wooden wheels found in Death Valley. They are over 100 years old too.

Todah

[Fyddler]

I think it was "How It's Made" that had an episode that showed them dipping the wood frame on a "preservative". I remember thinking if it was similar to "the mix"

[CarlLaFong]

Franklins had wooden frames for many years. I think they were ash. Contrary to popular myth, Morgans do not. I don't think they ever did.

[Fyddler]

It's strain he that they would propagate a "Myth" on their web site.

http://www.morgan-motor.co.uk/technical/faq.phtml

[CarlLaFong]

It's strain he that they would propagate a "Myth" on their web site.

http://www.morgan-motor.co.uk/technical/faq.phtml

And there we have an example of the differences in British English and American English. The "Frame" they are referring to is the inner body framing. The "Chassis" is what we call the frame.
Ergo, wooden inner body structure, metal frame.
I used to work at British dealerships and have seen a Morgan or two. They don't have wooden frames

[Fyddler]

Ah, I get it now!

[CarlLaFong]

Ah, I get it now!

Blimy! You're a bright bloke.

[Breytie]

I remember my Grandfarther telling us of a car he had with the wooden chassis and cable operated brakes. With the brakes set for driver only, he could not drive off when 2 passengers got in. The chassis flexed, pulling the cables taut, engaging the brakes. With the brakes re-set for the passenger load, everything went well. When they got out, he had no brakes until he reset them.
He adjusted the cables every time passengers got in or out through a hole he cut in the floor.