U.S. Style-Setters

There was a huge appetite for new cars in post-war America, so car makers rushed into production, working with essentially pre-war body styles. These styles, however, had seen three seasons’ more development than European makes, since the United States had joined the war later. By 1949 pent-up demand was satisfied, and manufacturers were competing head-on with aerodynamic new styles and with the first signs of fins and chrome.

Lincoln, 1946

 

Origin	USA
Engine	4,998 cc, V12
Top speed	92 mph (148 km/h)

Lincoln, Ford’s upmarket brand, was still making pre-war-styled cars in 1946. They were fine cars, but the public was looking for something more modern.

Kaiser Frazer F47, 1946

 

Origin	USA
Engine	3,707 cc, straight-six
Top speed	82 mph (132 km/h)

The first U.S. car with true post-war styling—a full-width bodyshell with no front or rear wing moldings-the Frazer was styled by Howard “Dutch” Darrin.

Pontiac Chieftain Convertible, 1949

 

Origin	USA
Engine	4,079 cc, straight-eight
Top speed	85 mph (137 km/h)

Low, sleek, full-width bodies were the hit of 1949 at Pontiac. This was some compensation for the rather unexciting pre-war L-head six- and eight-cylinder engines.

Buick Roadmaster Sedannette, 1949

 

Origin	USA
Engine	5,247 cc, straight-eight
Top speed	87 mph (140 km/h)

Buick’s 1949 Sedanette was superbly proportioned, its fastback style enhanced by tapering chrome sidebars, spats over the rear wheels, and fighter-plane-style “ventiports.”

Chrysler Windsor Club Coupe, 1946

 

Origin	USA
Engine	4,107 cc, six-cylinder
Top speed	82 mph (132 km/h)

The Chrysler Windsor was a Chrysler Royal with better trim, including two-tone wool broadcloth seats. This coupe has distinctively post-war rear-end styling, despite still-protruding wings.

Buick Super, 1946

 

Origin	USA
Engine	4,064 cc, straight-eight
Top speed	82 mph (140 km/h)

Buick’s post-war style was a light update of its 1942 models, but it was still more modern than most of its rivals. Elegant and attractive, the convertibles were particularly desirable.

Chevrolet Stylemaster, 1946

 

Origin	USA
Engine	3,548 cc, straight-six
Top speed	80 mph (132 km/h)

The best-selling U.S. car was a competitively priced, pre-war-styled machine whose Stovebolt Six engine dated back to 1937.

Tucker 48, 1948

 

Origin	USA
Engine	5,475 cc, flat-six
Top speed	131 mph (211 km/h)

Even without the personality of its mercurial sponsor, Preston Tucker, this car would have made headlines with its rear-mounted helicopter engine and storming performance.

Ford Custom V8, 1949

 

Origin	USA
Engine	3,917 cc, V8
Top speed	85 mph (137 km/h)

Ford’s new styling came in 1949. It was clean, low, modern, and boxy-all of which was soon to be seen on European Fords too. The public flocked to buy the new models.

Dodge Coronet, 1949

 

Origin	USA
Engine	3,769 cc, straight-six
Top speed	80 mph (129 km/h)

Dodge’s boxy new look arrived in 1949. Apart from the chrome, U.S. cars were not too different in profile from European cars at this time, but this was soon to change.

Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special, 1947

 

Origin	USA
Engine	5,670 cc, V8
Top speed	90 mph (145 km/h)

In 1947 Cadillac was still building a pre-war-styled car, dressing it up with ever more chrome. Slightly wider doors were fitted to the luxury Fleetwood model.

Hudson Super Six, 1948

 

Origin	USA
Engine	4,293 cc, straight-six
Top speed	90 mph (145 km/h)

One of the few small firms in post-war U.S. car production, Hudson excelled with its low-built “step down” 1948 models and new, powerful, Super Six engine.

Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe, 1949

 

Origin	USA
Engine	5,424 cc, V8
Top speed	92 mph (148 km/h)

General Motors’ 1948 body design featured tail fins inspired by the P38 Lockheed fighter plane. 1949 brought a new OHV engine.

Chevrolet Fleetline Deluxe, 1949

 

Origin	USA
Engine	3,548 cc, straight-six
Top speed	80 mph (129 km/h)

Chevrolet adopted fully blended front wings in 1949. The wings were still a conservative style, but the marque remained the market leader.

Oldsmobile 88 Club Sedan, 1949

 

Origin	USA
Engine	4,977 cc, V8
Top speed	100 mph (161 km/h)

Futuristic styling, plus the new high-performance Rocket V8 engine and effective Hydramatic automatic transmission, made the 1949 Oldsmobiles hugely desirable.

Packard Super Eight convertible, 1948

 

Origin	USA
Engine	5,359 cc, straight-eight
Top speed	98 mph (158 km/h)

1948 was Packard’s finest post-war year, as its clean, modern, “bathtub” styling was a hit with buyers. However, the small company could not afford annual restyles like its rivals.

Studebaker Champion, 1950

 

Origin	USA
Engine	2,779 cc, straight-six
Top speed	82 mph (132 km/h)

In 1947 Studebaker was the first big name to introduce post-war styling. By 1950 the Champion was onto its first major revision, with a longer nose and aerodynamic lines.

 

It is a quote. The Definitive Visual History Of The Automobile 2011