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This is an old post from my Facebook page.
General Motors was the last North American manufacturer to use structural wood framing in the car bodies. They stopped using wood in 1937. This means that all US or Canadian cars with wood bodies are at least 80 years old. These structures relied on glue to give the joints strength. All of them were assembled with hide glue which lasted only a few years with heat and moisture. To return the body to original strength and to prevent issues with paint cracking, repairs seperating and future door/panel misalignment, every joint in the body needs to be reglued without exception. Except for re-inforcing brackets the screws were only there to hold it all together until the glue dried. Modern heat and moisture resistant glues are beyond superior to the original and is a must.
Next we need to consider the wood. If all is well, there is no rot in the wood. This includes punk wet wood rot as well as dry rot. There is no satisfactory repair other then replacement. Splicing, epoxies and other makeshift repairs are at best temporary. Wood this old has probably lost all its moisture content and will have become brittle and weaker then required. Anyone working with old furnature will attest to how hard and brittle old wood can get. Some dried wood I have seen will shatter when subjected to twisting like what occurs in a wood bodied car. So even if the wood in a car has not rotted it should be replaced with new wood to return the structural integrity of the body. Remember the body strength also relates to occupant safety not to mention having the body creak and sway over any road irregularity.
While many different types of wood were used the absolute best is high grade white ash for its strength and performance. White oak was used on visible areas in higher priced cars for its visual appeal. Northern built cars utilised maples as they were more abundant. Local factories used locally harvested species in place of ash as well. If the intent is to stay original by all means use the same wood as found in the body. If longevity and reduction of future problems is desired, white ash is the preferred choice.
On workmanship remember this, every joint should be tight with no gaps and solidly glued. If not there will not be the level of strength required and the car could be unsafe. Also movement in the joints will cause alignment problems and any new finish will start to fail at every joint and panel seam. Money spent on a super paint job can quickly become wasted if the structure underneath is not healthy.
So given this many will argue at the expense. Well the expense should be considered before deciding on a restoration. How much is the car worth? Is it for profit, personal or sentimental reasons? A good idea would be to restore the body first as this will probably be the most difficult part.
This is not intended to dissuade anyone form considering a restoration but to give them the information they need to make the best choices for their project. Remember to research all service providers and know who you can trust. Patch work will always be substandard and this goes for mechanical as well. Happy restorations to all!