In the day and era of technological advancement, most of us love to sit home and binge on reality TV shows. And why wouldn’t we? Reality shows bring real-life interactions and exciting content to keep us hooked. Mike and Frank host a similar reality show that knocks the sense out of our minds and sends us looking at our grandparent's belongings in hopes of finding a treasure!

American Pickers have aired more than 300 episodes looking for forgotten treasure in barns, basements, and even the remotest place in the country. In Season 17, Episode 7 of the American Pickers, we see the master negotiators come across a unique vehicle. The vehicle and its legacy move Mike and Frank so much, that they do something you would not expect, as the car is so rare that no price can justify it; a hand-built Wooden Model-T!

A true Hot Rod Hero that the American Pickers stumbled across, let us find out why the Wooden-T is the rarest car that the Pickers crew have ever found...

Construction Of The Wooden-T

The Wooden-T in its early phase of construction
via: American Pickers, History Channel

Built by the late Wayne Allen, the Wooden-T was the love child of his passion for cars and woodcarving. Allen spent nearly seven years and 4000 hours on building this spectacle with his bare hands, all while holding a day-job to support his family. It was a hot-rod of heaven, winning Allen the love of enthusiasts and the car several accolades to its name. In the words of Allen’s son Brent, people would flock to look at the Wooden-T instead of $100 grand vehicles in the event. It sported the Ford 215 engine, initially used in the Ford F-series trucks. The inline-6 engine brought about the second generation of the inline engines produced by Ford during the ‘50s.

Wayne poured his blood, sweat, and tears into the creation of his masterpiece, which is nothing less than a fine piece of art. The level of detailing in carving the wood is so pristine and detailed that it has minute parts taken into consideration. With immense dedication, he sought out the impossible and built this vehicular art all by himself. It has elements like the windshield wiper, which operates manually, and the metals underlays which Allen used glue on and covered with wood, all these intrinsic tasks done with such craftsmanship that one can only bask in the glory of his beautiful creation. It had an upright steering wheel, the kind on the original Model-T, the only difference here, wood was used to carve the steering wheel and the seats.

Hand-built wooden replica of a Ford Model T
via noteably.com

The Wooden-T has the authentic hot-rod vibe going about it, a low stance with narrow front tires and big fat wide ones in the rear it carried itself with unparalleled charisma. Allen used cabinet quality American Basswood, which he carved, crafted, nailed, and glued together to create the car with a stunning wooden body. He then used polishers and various chemicals on the wood to give it a shine that has survived the test of time and is still intact. He also fashioned the hood ornament by hand using a piece of black walnut, and just for this idea of his, I would like to term it the Symbol of Ingenuity, which is one of a kind never to be made again.

Related: The 20 Most Expensive Vehicles Found On American Pickers

Early Life Of The Wooden-T

People admire the Wooden-T at an Auto-Show in 1987
via: American Pickers, History Channel

The Wooden-T was much of a spectacle to witness in every auto-show it visited. A crowd-pleaser, show-stopper one can say. Just the idea of a drivable car made out of wood seemed so bizarre that people wanted to witness it for themselves. It stood tall against the expensive vehicles in the shows at that point and won many awards along with features in newspapers and magazines. Allen went on to compete in many competitions and auto-shows over the years. His pride and most prized collections the Wooden-T became a part of his identity.

Wayne Allen and the Model-T feature in a Newspaper article circa. '80s
via: American Pickers, History

The Wooden-T has also got its fair share of glory. Hot-Rod magazine featured the Wooden-T in its 50th-Anniversary edition, making a spot in the top 100 of all time. That’s not all, Allen and the Wooden-T also won South East Regional Champion and National Runner-up for Radical Altered Rod in the International Show Car Association. The Wooden-T stood second in the Altered Rod competition, losing the title to Boyd Coddington a Hot Rod King. Boyd was the best American Hot-Rod designer in the ‘80s; his popularity was such that his clientele was full of A-list celebrities and their rides. His hot-rod designs had the flare that sets the hot-rod culture ablaze as his work is still considered legendary. He was also the star of a reality show American Hot Rod on TLC. One of Coddington’s designs called the “Chezoom” based on a ‘57 Bel-Air auctioned for $372,000 at an auction in Scottsdale in 2005.

Related: 15 Vintage Cars The American Pickers Cast Discovered In Really Bad Shape

Life Of The Wooden-T Posthumous Wayne Allen

Wayne Allen enjoying a drive in the Wooden-T
via: American Pickers, History Channel

Wayne Allen lived a long, happy life surrounded by family and close ones. Sadly, he passed away on the 22nd of September 2014, leaving most of his prized possessions to his son. Allen has a massive collection of old-school cars and motorcycles, but none compare to his legacy of the Wooden-T. 3-years later, Mike and Frank stumble upon this magnificent collection in Brent’s backyard. Brent had stored the Wooden-T away in a container to prevent any damages, on looking at which, both Mike and Frank are stunned by its sheer brilliance.

A magazine feature of the Wooden-T
via: American Pickers, History Channel

In conversation, Brent talks to Mike and Frank about his memories growing up around cars and the Wooden-T. The intricate detailing and the stories of the Wooden-T move Mike; he is awe-ridden with the utter beauty and craftsmanship of the Wooden-T and suggests putting it on showcase in a museum. Brent reveals that he wanted to do something similar with the Wooden-T to honor the memory of his late father. The pickers agree to help with the restoration of the Wooden-T and getting it to showcase in a museum as such craftsmanship and an idea is priceless. Even though the pickers did not buy the vehicle, they made sure it found a place where it rightfully belonged. The American Pickers crew found a vehicle so rare that they could not even put a price on it, a true Hot-Rod Hero!

Next: 10 Of The Coolest Vehicles Found On American Pickers