• Originally owned by HRH Princess Arthur of Connaught • Used to transport shooting parties in Scotland • Acquired by the National Motor Museum in 1982 • Offered for restoration The 'Woodie' station wagon, with its characteristically half-timbered body, ranks alongside the pickup truck as a quintessentially American vehicle.

The style originated in the 1930s, its popularity peaking in the immediately post-war decades, though the look has been periodically revived by manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic ever since.

Towards the end of the 1950s the Woodie became the vehicle of choice among California surfers, who appreciated its ability to carry several passengers and their boards.

Surfer pop bands The Beach Boys and Jan & Dean both referred to them in hit singles, thereby enshrining the Woodie's cult status.

It has also featured in countless movies.

Sadly, many were cut down or scrapped when the body timbers rotted, and the relatively few survivors are both highly prized and...