Remember When
The post war American automobile buying public was ready for a fresh new look from Detroit. In many cases most cars looked only slightly different than their prewar forties models right up to 1949. Surprisingly, the least expected to do so first was Studebaker with their all new Starlight coupe, and Kaiser, both in 1946, and followed by Hudson in 1947. 1948 saw Cadillac jump on the bandwagon with their new tail-finned models. As far as Chrysler Corp cars, Ford, and the rest of the GM line it wouldn't happen until 1949. And the once great Packard lagged all by offering their new models in 1951, and it, and along with other things probably contributed to their ultimate demise in 1956.
Mechanical and drivability changes were also rapidly happening, and becoming the norm. Features that we've longed taken for granted in most cars today were starting to appear on some of the higher end models. Automatic transmissions were probably an option that many people wanted, and names like Dynaflow, Hydramatic, Fordomatic, and Powerglide were commonly bandied about by the community of new buyers. On the higher end cars you'd probably find things like power windows, power brakes, and power steering, automatic headlight dimmers, and search features on the AM radios, and maybe even air conditioning. And as far as styling, a big new change appeared in 1949, the no post hardtop, or hardtop convertible as it was also known as. It wasn't until 1951 for Ford to have their versions. And that popular look continued right up until the seventies when the government felt it did not meet rollover safety standards. The car seen above was Dodge's version of the all new hardtop design, a 1950 Dodge Coronet Diplomat, their top of the line offering in 1950. This one is a very nicely restored example, albeit never a real favorite of mine, but I suppose it's kind of pretty.
Vince
Remember When
The post war American automobile buying public was ready for a fresh new look from Detroit. In many cases most cars looked only slightly different than their prewar forties models right up to 1949. Surprisingly, the least expected to do so first was Studebaker with their all new Starlight coupe, and Kaiser, both in 1946, and followed by Hudson in 1947. 1948 saw Cadillac jump on the bandwagon with their new tail-finned models. As far as Chrysler Corp cars, Ford, and the rest of the GM line it wouldn't happen until 1949. And the once great Packard lagged all by offering their new models in 1951, and it, and along with other things probably contributed to their ultimate demise in 1956.
Mechanical and drivability changes were also rapidly happening, and becoming the norm. Features that we've longed taken for granted in most cars today were starting to appear on some of the higher end models. Automatic transmissions were probably an option that many people wanted, and names like Dynaflow, Hydramatic, Fordomatic, and Powerglide were commonly bandied about by the community of new buyers. On the higher end cars you'd probably find things like power windows, power brakes, and power steering, automatic headlight dimmers, and search features on the AM radios, and maybe even air conditioning. And as far as styling, a big new change appeared in 1949, the no post hardtop, or hardtop convertible as it was also known as. It wasn't until 1951 for Ford to have their versions. And that popular look continued right up until the seventies when the government felt it did not meet rollover safety standards. The car seen above was Dodge's version of the all new hardtop design, a 1950 Dodge Coronet Diplomat, their top of the line offering in 1950. This one is a very nicely restored example, albeit never a real favorite of mine, but I suppose it's kind of pretty.
Vince