Folks,
The M&SV Combine #1 was the first passenger car built by the Carter Brothers. /an important west coast builder. i am glad the State RR Museum did it!
The Md-Continent Museum has done the only surviving fish car; lots of new mahogany and dollars.
They did I think a Copper Range passenger car that was decorated by a name artist; the car is magnificant! glad to know that artisans such as Glen Gurea are still with us.
You need two things to do restorations like the above. Documentation and cubic dollars. if the car is a Pullman or Jackson and Sharp there are a lot of plans out there; if its is Barney & Smith or Brillmeyer & Small less likely to find plans.
Lots of wooden narrow gauge freight cars have been rebuilt with 100 % new wood. fewer standard gauge cars and I do not know of any that are passenger cars.
in the Interurban and street car world a number of cars have been given all new wood. maybe all new steel at Seashore Trolley Museum.
I do not know how far is the ultimate; but unless the car has a place to live indoors, then the project is just throwing its money away!
Ted Miles
Western railway Museum