Long before Subaru introduced its Outback and AMC offered its range of Eagle AWD cars, some Americans bought 4-wheel drive automobiles. But they were rare and designed as work horses, not as fashionable vehicles with chrome wheels. This 1940 Ford Standard Station Wagon equipped with a Marmon-Herrington 4WD system is one of them.
In those days, no one spoke of SUVs. People carriers like this one had no sport connotation. They were designed to be “UVs”: utility vehicles – weather they had 4-wheel drive or not. And actually, this one could even be referred to as a “WUV” – for Woodie Utility Vehicle!
Little known 4WD specialist
Marmon-Herrington (M-H) was formed in the early 30s to develop all-wheel-drive systems for trucks, big and small. Today, it still develops technology as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and supplies all-wheel drive axles and transfer cases.
Initially it was a supplier to the US army, but in the late 30s M-H also offered conversions of civilian Ford (and later Dodge and Chevrolet) light trucks and even some car models, including woody station wagons. The conversion cost was around $1000 US and it was done at the company Indianapolis factory, where Duesenbergs used to be built. For a while, M-H also had a factory in Windsor, Ontario.
Considering that the Canadian base price for the Ford Standard Station Wagon in 1940 was $1135, a vehicle like this one would have cost around $2000 – the price of a brand new Lincoln Zephyr coupe of the same vintage! By today’s standard however, both Zephyr and Ford M-H wagon have become equally sought after collectibles.
Extraordinary Collection
This rare 4WD Ford wagon is part of a woodies collection built over the years by Nick Alexander. This successful BMW and MINI dealer of Southern California (he once was #1 MINI dealership in the US) had a love affair with cars long before he ever got behind the wheel of one. His passion for cars he grew up with never left him. In 1995, he began collecting Ford and Mercury woodies with the intention of acquiring the best possible example from each year of the era of the famed flathead engine.
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| Marmon-Herrington (M-H) was formed in the early 30s to develop all-wheel-drive systems for trucks, big and small. |
In those days, no one spoke of SUVs. People carriers like this one had no sport connotation. They were designed to be “UVs”: utility vehicles – weather they had 4-wheel drive or not. And actually, this one could even be referred to as a “WUV” – for Woodie Utility Vehicle!
Little known 4WD specialist
Marmon-Herrington (M-H) was formed in the early 30s to develop all-wheel-drive systems for trucks, big and small. Today, it still develops technology as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and supplies all-wheel drive axles and transfer cases.
Initially it was a supplier to the US army, but in the late 30s M-H also offered conversions of civilian Ford (and later Dodge and Chevrolet) light trucks and even some car models, including woody station wagons. The conversion cost was around $1000 US and it was done at the company Indianapolis factory, where Duesenbergs used to be built. For a while, M-H also had a factory in Windsor, Ontario.
Considering that the Canadian base price for the Ford Standard Station Wagon in 1940 was $1135, a vehicle like this one would have cost around $2000 – the price of a brand new Lincoln Zephyr coupe of the same vintage! By today’s standard however, both Zephyr and Ford M-H wagon have become equally sought after collectibles.
Extraordinary Collection
This rare 4WD Ford wagon is part of a woodies collection built over the years by Nick Alexander. This successful BMW and MINI dealer of Southern California (he once was #1 MINI dealership in the US) had a love affair with cars long before he ever got behind the wheel of one. His passion for cars he grew up with never left him. In 1995, he began collecting Ford and Mercury woodies with the intention of acquiring the best possible example from each year of the era of the famed flathead engine.
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| Initially it was a supplier to the US army. |