Pontiac’s first wood-bodied station wagon was introduced in 1939 as part of the Special Six line. While all wagons had essentially the same standard body design, construction was farmed out to three major suppliers of wood wagon bodies: Cantrell, Ionia, and the Hercules Body Company. Built in Evansville, Indiana, Hercules bodies were easily distinguished by their ash-framed bodies that had inner panels of beautiful, rich mahogany, which formed a striking contrast. It is easy to see why Hercules eventually became the exclusive supplier of “woodie” bodies to General Motors.

The Hercules-bodied Special Six Station Wagon offered here is believed to be one of only a dozen known survivors of the entire 1940 model run, for which exact production numbers are not known. It spent its early life in Connecticut, and it was, at one point, painted black from end-to-end. While not particularly flattering, that livery did have the positive effect of largely preserving the woodwork underneath. In the course of a painstaking restoration, former owner Larry Lange was able to preserve some 70 percent of the original ash framing, which remains intact and in beautiful condition today.

The remainder of the ash, as well as the beautiful inner mahogany panels, was replaced by the skilled hands of Mr. Lange, a professional woodworker, and he was, perhaps, the man best-equipped to restore this wagon. The engine was rebuilt, all chrome was redone, and the body was refinished in the striking factory color of Glacier Blue, with a beautifully tailored interior piped in leather to match. Surrounded by fine woodwork, the effect is of traveling inside a warm, cozy log cabin on wheels. Interestingly, this wagon is equipped with a single side-mounted spare, which was an increasingly rare option in 1940, as streamlined design moved more and more into favor.

This fine example is surely among the best-known existing 1940 Pontiac wagons. It was the subject of a feature in the August 2001 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine, and it was also displayed at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum in Auburn, Indiana, where it was a visitor favorite. It is now ready for inclusion in a new home, where it will add a bit of elegant country style to its surroundings.