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From the book "The Wood, The Cars, The People, 30 years of the National Woodie Club" 

WOODIE - GENERAL DEFINITION 

A Woodie is a motor vehicle incorporating natural-finished wood as an integral part of the body's exterior aesthetic features. 

Woodie body types cover a full spectrum of styles including station wagons, convertibles, sedans, depot hacks and certain other special models. 

The desired finish of the exterior wood components is a clear protective top coat over a stained or natural tone wood. The key feature is to show the natural wood grain, the special wood joints and colors of the various types of wood used in the construction of the vehicle's body. 

Classified National Woodie Club Definitions Category I - Pre-1953 Vintage Woodie 

• A Category 1 Woodie is a motor vehicle that has real, natural-finished wood as an integral part of the body's exterior aesthetic features. This category applies to vehicle types and styles built by manufacturers prior to and including 1953 models. 
  
  Two types of body construction are classified as Woodies: Type A, the wood body, and Type B the steel-and-wood body. These two types are further broken down into the following classifications: Original, Restored, Modified, Custom/Phantom and Special Application.
   

• Type A Wood Body Construction consists of an exterior wood framing structure with wood inset filler panels, mounted to a cowl and floor pan assembly. Example: 1929-48 Ford station wagons.
   

• Type B Steel-and-Wood Body Construction consists of steel exterior body panels and exterior wood framing, with or without wood inset filler panels, integrated into the body's exterior architecture. Example: 1949-51 Ford station wagons.
    

• Original (unrestored)  An original woodie is defined as one manufactured or assembled by or for the original vehicle manufacturer. The condition is as delivered to the original owner, with only minor or normal maintenance as required. Minor cosmetic restoration is permissible to maintain the preservation of the vehicle. Original vehicles shall include production, limited production or custom-bodied original vehicles of the era.
  

• Restored A restored woodie is defined as an original vehicle rebuilt and refurbished to as-new condition per the original manufacturer's specifications. New, new old stock (NOS), reproduction, custom-made or refurbished components are comprised to make a restored vehicle. Restored vehicles shall include production, limited production or custom-bodied original vehicles of the era.
   

• Modified A modified woodie is an original or restored Woodie with a driveline or chassis altered with vehicle components not of the vintage era. These driveline and chassis modifications alter the performance of the original manufacturer's design. Example: A 1948 Ford station wagon with Chevrolet V-8 engine and transmission.
   

• Custom/Phantom This class of woodie has a substantially modified or specially-built Type A or Type B wood body. Custom is defined as a vehicle with body modifications which change the manufacturer's original design. Example: A 1951 Ford Country Squire with a chopped top. A Phantom is a body design that was not produced by the original manufacturer, but is consistent with original design techniques of the era. Example: A 1934 Ford two-door station wagon. This class shall include new phantom and customized vehicles of the pre-1953 vintage design era.
   

• Special Application Special Application is defined as a Category I wood-bodied vehicle whose vocational application required the natural wood finish or the design to be altered for its intended use. This class covers vehicles on which the wood has been painted or modified for a special purpose. Examples: WWII painted military woodie emergency-type vehicles.

Category II Post-1953 Vintage Woodie 

• New Era Woodie. post-1953 vintage A New Era woodie is a motor vehicle that has real, natural-finished wood as an integral part of the body's exterior aesthetic features. This category applies to a limited number of woodie-type vehicles built after 1953, but not including 1953 models. These vehicles can be broken down into body construction types and classes identical to Category I woodies, pre-1953 vintage. 
  
  This type of woodie is limited and rare, since the majority of authentic woodies are pre-1953 vintage. There are only a handful of these modern-day woodies in existence. The origins of these vehicles are usually of a foreign or domestic custom manufacturer.

Explanatory Notes: 

The National Woodie Club reserves the right to define Woodies and Woodie-type vehicles by category, type and classification. These classified definitions have been prepared by the Board of Directors, on behalf of the NWC membership, to clarify woodie vehicle types. They are intended to help the club, other organizations and communities to categorize woodies and woodie-type vehicles for shows and awards, in the interest of fairness. Written appeals or exceptions to any of the definitions may be addressed to the Executive Board, which shall review, investigate and judge each appeal. The Executive Board's decision on the appeal shall be considered final. 

The Board of Directors wishes to emphasize that all persons interested in woodies are welcome as members of the National Woodie Club, and to acknowledge that a few "unique and/or obscure woodies may not fit into these categories. Our intent is to keep these parameters as basic and uncomplicated as possible. Also, local chapters and event organizers retain the authority to include vehicles of their choice in their shows.