(Below information provided as a Guest Post from Automobile Driving Museum.)
El Segundo, CA – If you’re a fan of the Beach Boys, or a surfer nostalgic about the glory days of the 60’s, then a mention of the ‘Ford Woodie’ is sure to strike a chord with you. There was a moment back then when cars, surfing and rock ‘n roll just seemed to go hand in hand. “Little Deuce Coupe” and “Mustang Sally” were the classic car songs, and of course the surfing anthem of the time was “Surfin’ USA”. But the song that truly pulled cars, surfing and music together was the song “Surf City”. Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys penned the song, with the opening line “I got a ’34 wagon and I call it a Woodie” establishing the identity of the car for a generation. The song hit the top of the charts for two weeks running, and established the ‘Woodie’ in the minds of the American people forever more as the ultimate surfing car.
Woodies weren’t always meant for surfing. Back in 1929 Ford produced a very standard ‘Station Wagon’ with big wooden panels down the side – functional and spacious – which was intended for hauling luggage and people from town to town, making trips to the station and probably even moving house on a budget. But somewhere in the background, something was happening in the surf community. Ideal for long, rambling trips up and down the coast, the soon-to-be-named ‘Woodie’ was a surfer’s dream car. Enough room for the boards and a few changes of clothes, and a huge set of rear doors to throw open, sit in the back and relax after a hard day’s surfing.
If you want to see these vintage surf cars, you should come down to the ‘Woodies Picnic” event on May 20th in El Segundo, CA. Woodies of all kinds will be there, old and new, along with a LIVE Surf Band – “Jetpack” – and food trucks for your enjoyment. Bring down your vintage long board for free and showcase it along with many others while checking out some beautiful “Woodies”.
Automobile Driving Museum is located at 610 Lairport St, El Segundo, CA 90245. www.automobiledrivingmuseum.org