Ordered
and
owned
by
the
governor
of
Mexican
State
of
Michoacan
de
Ocampo
Complete
mechanical
and
cosmetic
restoration
Show
winner
at
the
multiple
shows
in
Mexico
Includes
an
original
1947
79M
owner's
manual
In
the
1930s
and
1940s,
few
cars
had
more
prestige
than
the
Mercury
Woodie
station
wagon.
The
highest
priced
model
in
the
Ford
line,
it
carried
as
much
status
as
a
Chris-Craft
speedboat.
Hotels,
resorts,
country
clubs,
stables,
and
movie
studios
sought
after
woodies
to
project
a
sense
of
class
and
sophistication.
In
1947,
the
eight-passenger
station
wagon
was
the
most
expensive
model
in
the
Mercury
lineup,
selling
for
$2,207.
In
total,
there
were
a
mere
3,558
examples
produced,
as
compared
to
16,104
Ford
wagons
that
year.
The
timber
was
mostly
maple
and
ash
framing
with
mahogany
panels,
all
grown
from
Ford's
forests,
then
harvested,
dried
and
aged
at
Iron
Mountain.
Skill
craftsmen
hand-built,
assembled
and
trimmed
each
Woodie
body,
a
process
that
was
complex
and
expensive
to
build.
In
1947
Jose
Maria
Mendoza
Pardo,
then
the
governor
of
Mexican
State
of
Michoacan
de
Ocampo,
sought
to
be
associated
with
the
high
end
lifestyle
of
the
Woodie.
He
special
ordered
the
Mercury
directly
from
Ford
and
had
it
shipped
to
him
in
Mexico.
Purchased
with
government
money
the
car
was
licensed
as
a
government
vehicle
and
plated
as
such.
In
1949
due
to
some
political
unrest
in
the
region
Mendoza
abandoned
the
vehicle
with
relatives,
never
to
return.
Fast
forward
to
1994
in
San
Luis,
Mexico.
The
Mercury
is
presented
as
a
trade
for
a
1959
Mercedes
220.
The
new
owner
saw
the
potential
of
the
old
Woodie
and
set
about
a
complete
restoration
that
would
cover
the
next
13
years.
Why
would
a
restoration
take
13
years?
The
owner
wanted
the
car
to
be
as
original
and
correct
as
possible.
Vintage
period
parts
were
sourced,
including
correct
upholstery
and
roof
top
materials.
The
original
glass
of
the
car
was
kept
in
great
condition,
and
it
is
currently
displaying
the
original
Mexican
government
registration
stickers
that
were
assigned
to
the
car
in
the
50s
and
60s.
The
original
wood
framing
of
the
car
was
retained
and
restored.
The
remaining
panels
were
hand
crafted
by
furniture
restoration
specialists
who
still
possessed
the
skills
and
knowledge
to
shape
fresh
maple.
Even
the
correct,
original
paint
color
and
type
was
used
in
finishing
the
car.
The
final
step
was
to
establish
the
history
of
the
car,
and
to
answer
the
question
of
why
such
are
rare
American
car
was
in
Mexico
in
the
first
place.
El
Museo
del
Automovil
in
Mexico
City
was
contacted
who,
after
an
exhaustive
search,
discovered
the
fascinating
origins
of
the
Mercury.
Once
completed
the
Mercury
was
entered
into
a
variety
of
high-level
Mexican
car
shows
where
it
either
won
overall
or
placed
in
category.
At
the
prestigious
Concurso
de
Elegancia
Huixquilucan
in
2009
it
was
selected
for
the
Hall
of
Excellence
out
of
450
cars
from
around
the
country.
The
Mercury
returned
to
the
U.S.
and
was
sold
by
the
second
owner
in
2011,
arriving
at
Canepa
for
the
first
time.
With
only
47,000
original
Kilometers
(29,204
Miles)
the
Mercury
was
put
under
the
Canepa
Difference,
where
a
total
of
$49,181
were
invested
to
bring
the
car
to
the
American
standard
of
concours
condition
and
mechanical
reliability.
$15,000
was
spent
in
chrome
plating
and
polished
stainless-steel
trim
restoration.
The
Mercury
was
mechanically
serviced
from
bumper
to
bumper
-
tune
up,
brake
service,
engine
seals,
gaskets,
new
tires,
coolant
system
service,
fuel
lines/fuel
filter,
and
all
fluids
changed.
The
Mercury
was
sold
in
2017,
to
a
Bay
Area
enthusiast
who
enjoyed
the
car
until
2021.
As
with
all
things
time
moves
on
and
tastes
change,
but
true
icons
are
constantly
reborn.
The
Woodie
took
on
a
new
life
in
the
1960s
and
1970s
as
it
became
synonymous
with
California,
surf
music,
and
bikinis.
What
was
once
viewed
as
the
stately
realm
of
the
country
squire
was
now
the
home
of
the
pioneers
of
modern
surf
culture.
70
years
on
and
the
Woodie
continues
in
the
spotlight
as
a
sought-after
classic
car
that
has
both
investment
potential
and
useful
practicality.