Our Feature Truck of the Month is one of the remaining Chevrolet Woody’s that were on a pickup ½ ton chassis (cars are seen more). No doubt these ½ ton "people haulers” even caught much attention 80 years ago.
We were not able to make contact with the owner despite the efforts of a national Chevy club member, Martin Sinzig #46433, also in Switzerland. We feel lucky finding his very nice article in the G&D which will explain this Woody’s history.
Note: Can anyone share some data on the ½ ton (probably a Suburban at the factory). It appears black vinyl is on the metal top!
A 1952 CHEVY WOODY BECAME THE PASSION OF Henri Stroele from Switzerland. Since his passing, his family honors his love and dedication to this beautifully restored truck by taking her out on many tours across the Alps.
It all started when Henri found a small ad in the members’ magazine of the Swiss equivalent to AAA. A 1952 Chevy 3100 Woody was for sale. “Henri always wanted one,” his widow Francoise and son Cedric recalled. He’d seen those Woodies in movies and in books, and after attending a Woody car meet in California, he was definitely hooked.
In 2003, Henri and Cedric took that 150-mile drive down to the city of Geneva in the south-west corner of Switzerland. They found the Woody in a storage space and quickly realized she wasn’t in good shape at all. After some effort, the truck based vehicle was started, but everything related to body parts and the underlying wooden structure would need a thorough restoration. Overall, the Woody was complete, so Henri bought her and took her home, knowing it would take a bigger effort to bring her back to glory. But hey, he was soon to retire, and he didn’t mind the challenge. A deeper inspection at a local shop followed, and a two-year-long effort for finding parts and skilled shops that were able to take on such a project ensued.
Lo and behold, by 2005, Henri would drive his beloved Woody home, taking her over a major mountain pass crossing the Swiss Alps. It was an achievement in itself for the quite large truck’s reliable 235 thriftmaster inline-six cylinder engine mated to its proven three-speed manual transmission. That same year Henri and his family would participate in the Louis Chevrolet Memorial Tour around Switzerland. The Woody mastered this four-day event with no major problems. Over the years, the Stroeles and their Woody would become loyal participants of those tours. The Woody would always draw attention and stand out because of its sheer size and uniqueness. The green metallic paint job and the solid woodwork emphasized its show quality, while the mechanical work proved to be good for many miles of touring. Henri took his pride on trips to Belgium, France and Italy, covering roughly 29,000 miles over the 15 years he was able to enjoy his one and beloved Woody.
Initially, Francoise didn’t like the big truck, but she soon warmed up to the project as it neared its completion. Also, she realized it was her husband’s biggest dream. Now, five years since his passing, she remembers Henri’s pride in owning and driving the Woody, and she’s even happier about keeping the truck in the family. “She’s an homage to my father; she’s become a true family member,” son Cedric chimes in.
Not only does he enjoy driving his father’s truck, Cedric also sports a tattoo on his left upper arm, in reference to Louis Chevrolet’s motto he adhered to in his early racing career: “Never give up.” So, the Stroeles keep on touring and honoring Henri’s love for his dream truck. Whenever you’re traveling over a mountain pass or through a valley in Switzerland, watch out for Henri’s Woody.
