1948 U.S. Automobiles reflected previous years. This was the last year of the pre-war designs. There would not be many changes this year, as all of the automakers were preparing the introduction of the all-new 1949 models. Sales figures were very similar to the 1947 values, with the exception of the Ford Motor Company. While their sales seemingly went into the toilet for ‘48, they had actually introduced their new ‘49 models in June of ‘48. The ‘49 sales figures would be vastly increased over any previous year, with the company passing one million units for the first time. The FoMoCo price reductions might have been due to the company trying to move product prior to the early ‘49 introduction. If the buying public had become aware of the early introduction enough beforehand, people might have needed extra incentive to buy now, rather than wait for the new models.
Other than prices, changes in the models were very modest.
This time of high post-war inflation saw significant price increases for all but Ford Motor company. Even after factoring out inflation, most of the increases were indeed substantial. The U.S. economy was booming and people could afford paying the higher prices. Buick, Mercury, Lincoln and Frazier were all up over 20%, but these brands had low total yearly sales and smallish increases in sales could produce large percentage changes. With the exception of Buick, none were market influencing companies. Approximate total sales: 3,414,000; change: +1.5%.
1948 Noteworthy Events
- Buick – Automatic transmission
- Pontiac – Automatic transmission.
No great gains or declines among the major players this year. Buick was the one exception, losing over 20% over last year.
Chevrolet
The Chevrolet models remained Stylemaster and Fleetmaster, with Fleetline a sub-series of Fleetmaster. A new grille had the horizontal bars of last year but added a center vertical divider. The upper series continued to have three horizontal trim pieces on the rear of the front fenders and on the rear fenders.
The 216cid 90hp inline OHV six-cylinder engine remained the sole offering, as was the 3-speed manual transmission. 4.11:1 rear axle ratio was a carryover, too.
Approximate sales: 718,000; change: +3.7%; industry rank: 1st.
There’s actually more than a little bit of variability in Old Faithful’s eruptions. I remember standing there and thinking “the sign said 6:49 and now it’s 6:54! Is the damn thing going to go off or not?” I think I’d want my car to be more reliable than that.
You sure as heck can’t get as close to the geyser as they are here, not for many, many years.
Buick
The ’48 Buick models remained Special, Super and Roadmaster. The Super and Roadmaster were based on the new GM C body. Coupes had fastback styling.
A 3-speed manual transmission was offered, with the new Dynaflow automatic available optionally on the Roadmaster. The Super was the top selling series, followed fairly closely by the Roadmaster, with the Special a distant third.
Approximate sales: 200,000; change: -21%; industry rank: 6th.
I love the looks of this Roadmaster from the rear. The functionality of that rear window is questionable, but I really think the styling is cool.
Oh, yeah! That’s how special Buicks are; you’ll have stars in your eyes!
Dynaflow Transmission
The Dynaflow was a revolutionary product, one of the very first fully automatic transmissions to be offered to the public in significant numbers. It allowed countless numbers of people, largely women, to drive automobiles. This was still an era of manual transmissions that were not yet fully synchronized and shifting often involved double clutching and varied degrees of gear grinding. Even men got tired of the work involved, especially in stop-and-go driving.
The Dynaflow was Buick’s answer to this problem. It was truly a unique beast in the fully automatic transmission kingdom, in that it had a sophisticated torque converter but did not use multiple gear ratios. All of the effect of varied mechanical advantage came from the torque converter’s characteristic as a “variable fluid gearset”. This provided Buick with a smooth ride, one free of rough shifts, because there was no shifting! Dynaflow did indeed have a planetary gearset, but it wasn’t generally used; most drivers left the trans in second, first being reserved for really hilly conditions.
Buick models featured a rear coil spring suspension, which, at the time, required a torque tube to locate the rear axle. This was like the Model T had, a tube enclosing the driveshaft that provided a solid link from the transmission to the rear axle.
The Dynaflow was derogatorily referred to as the “Dyna Slush”. Since there could be no gear downshifting, acceleration depended solely on the torque converter’s changing torque conversion ratios, resulting in leisurely acceleration. But it was a darn smooth ride!
Oldsmobile
For 1948 the Oldsmobile series were renamed. The Special name was gone, being replaced by Dynamic 60. The Custom Cruiser 98 became the Futuramic 98. The Futuramic featured different rear fenders and front fenders that were now flush with the body and doors. Oldsmobile offered two totally different body styles this year, which had not been common for them. This was also the last year for three different sized series.
The 238cid L-head six and the 257cid L-head eight were unchanged, as were the transmission options.
Approximate sales: 173,000; change: -11%; industry rank: 8th.
What’s with that rear window? I guess if you drive an Olds convertible, you don’t need to see what’s behind you!
Olds Series Naming
Olds had a simple and rather unique way of assigning series names. The base series was the 60, with the top being the 90 series. The second digit was either a ‘6’ or an ‘8’, representing the engine configuration. Of course, the 90 series was the top-of-the -line, and was eight-cylinder only, hence no ‘96’ models. At various times, the middle series would be the 70 and/or the 80, both as six- and eight-cylinder.
Look at those front fenders! All of the Olds models will be built this way in ’49.
If this drawing is actually to scale, that’s the longest freakin’ hood of all time. And look at the front fender! Holy crap!
Pontiac
Pontiac continued with the same two models, Torpedo and Streamliner. Both series were again available as either a six cylinder or an eight cylinder. The grille retained its three horizontal bars, but several much lighter vertical elements were added. More noticeable was that the top arched piece became much flatter. It’s hard to say if this look was any more or less attractive than the ’47 front end.
The Deluxe versions of both the Torpedo and Streamliner received chrome gravel guards and chrome spear moldings on the front fenders.
As before, the standard transmission available was a 3-speed manual, with column shift. New this year was the beautiful Hydra-Matic fully-automatic transmission that Olds and Cadillac had been using since 1940.
Available axle ratios remained 3.9:1 and 4.55:1. Engines remained the same, with the 239cid L-head six and the 249cid L-head eight. Approximate sales: 235,000; change: +2.2%; industry rank: 5th.
Nice look, for sure!
The “Help America produce for peace” thing at the bottom is a little perplexing, with the war being over.
Chrysler
Chrysler again had very few changes. The series remained Royal, Windsor, Saratoga and New Yorker. The standard wheelbase Windsor accounted for an astounding two-third of Chrysler sales.
The 250 L-head six and the 323 L-head eight cylinder had the same specs as the ’47 versions and the transmission offerings were unchanged, being the 3-speed manual being standard and Fluid Drive and hydraulic M-5 optional (see table). There were substantial price increases this year. One interesting option was a concealed cowl-mounted radio antenna.
Approximate sales: 130,000; change: +9%; industry rank: 9th.
The name ‘Town and Country’ would ultimately be used by Chrysler in many different decades.
Dodge
Dodge was as boring as ’47, including the ‘braces’ grille treatment. Series remained the Deluxe and Custom, with the 230cid L-head six as the only engine. Transmissions remained the same, with the 3sp manual as standard and Fluid-Drive as optional.
Approximate sales: 243,000; change: 0%; industry rank: 4th.
“Come and be Thrilled”. Uh, okay. Sure.
Plymouth
The Plymouth entries were unchanged. The 95hp L head six remained the sole engine. The two series were again Deluxe Six and Special Deluxe Six. If you liked the ’47 Plymouths, you also liked the ’48! But wait! There was something new! You could get a couple of economy options. The first was a smaller carb, knocking 30hp off the already meager 95hp, and the second limited the top speed to 45mph! Go, Plymouth!
Approximate sales: 412,000; change: +8%; industry rank: 3rd.
Plymouth was all about value. Note the reference to “…20 of 21 features found in most high-priced cars…”. I guess these are things like ‘Super-Cushion Tires’?
Ford
The Ford offerings for ’48 were again the Deluxe and Super Deluxe, pretty much unchanged from last year (or 1942, for that matter). The “big news” is that the six found five more horsepower.
Approximate sales: 430,000; change: 0%; industry rank: 2nd.
What’s with the Solid Lifters?
Any muscle car enthusiast is likely to know that solid lifters (and camshafts) were the domain of high-revving, high-horsepower engines, such as the higher output Chevy 427’s and 454’s. Why else would you put up with the lash adjustments that solid lifters required, when a hydraulic cam and lifters alleviated that altogether?
Well, earlier engines had solid lifters simply because hydraulic lifters hadn’t been developed yet! Cadillac introduced hydraulic lifters in their engines in about 1930. But, as is often the case, it took time for this (more expensive) technology to find its way into common usage. Later, in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s, solid lifters would be used for the ‘nastiest of the nasty’, high-revving monster engines. See Camshafts section for more information.
This advertisement is referencing the Fred Allen Show, which ran from 1932 to 1949.
Allen, born John Florence Sullivan in 1894, had a segment with a fictional alley in an equally fictional small town. The alley was full of interesting characters.
Allen was a close friend of Jack Benny, and the two engaged in a years-long fake spat. Many listeners were convinced the two loathed one another, which couldn’t be further from the truth in real life. One would zing the other, in his show, with the second returning the favor in his show.
Mercury
Mercury again incremented their sole model name this year; the 79M became the 89M. Oh, the excitement! The 239cid L-head V8 was once again the only engine to be had. A 3-speed manual was the only transmission offering.
Approximate sales: 50,000; change: -41%; industry rank: 16th.
The Mercury grille is different than about any other.
Well there you have it! Mercury delivers more of everything! Forget the petty details, we’re talking e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g!
Well, not for me, Bunky! If it was indeed everything, that guy wouldn’t be at the wheel, Farah Fawcett would!
The following article is from the February 1948 Mechanix Illustrated and is authored by the famous automotive journalist Tom McCahill. The review is of the new Playboy car, a small, inexpensive, sporty hardtop convertible. This was an interesting attempt to market a ‘play car’, prior to the Chevrolet Corvette. The price was $985, F.O.B. Buffalo, NY. This jumped up to $1,600 for its final year, 1951. It’s unclear how many had been sold, but numbers were low.
1948 Engine Specs
1948 Newspaper Ads
This is an ad from the July 1948 issue of Mechanix Illustrated
What car cost less than a grand, weighed around one ton, seated three and had a 40hp engine? The Playboy, of course! The original 1947 name was Midget Motor Car company, later changed to Playboy company. (Remember that this was some five years before the magazine of the same name). Through their final year, 1951, Playboy company sold about 100 copies, some of which still exist.
The Tucker
This article is from the August 1948 Mechanix Illustrated, with the noted automotive journalist Tom McCahill reviewing the new Tucker. He had nothing but praise for the car. The Tucker was full of innovations. The lines of the car were wonderful. It’s a little hard to see in this photo, with the door being open.
