The 1949 U.S. Automobiles were here! 1949 was the year that all of the domestic models got greatly updated! Ford got a head start on the year, with their June ‘48 introduction of their ‘49 models. This year was probably as significant as any single year prior. Who knows when a similar styling would have appeared if the war hadn’t intervened.
In general, many new models had a more integrated look, where sheet metal flowed into adjacent metal, and the exterior components didn’t appear as separate entities that just happened to be bolted to the same chassis. Many models now featured integrated front fenders, which soon all cars would have.
New Fenders!
Like Buick, Chevrolet cars lost the old-style front fenders. In fact, all of the GM products did. The Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth offerings also appeared with the new front fender style. The Ford and Mercury models now featured the integrated front and rear fenders on their models. Their vehicles really did look modern and stylish relative to their competition.
The round Buick ventiports arrived this year, with the Special and Super having three per fender and the Roadmaster four. Pontiacs again had the Silver Streak hood center-line decorations.
Oldsmobile was the only brand to feature a new engine this year. Two, in fact; a 231cid six and a 303cid V8. The six had an oddly long stroke.
Ford, Mercury and Lincoln sales were way, way up, due to the early introduction of their all new ’49 models. The percentage change values were relative to the shortened ’48 sales year, which further inflated the values. It was a tough year for Kaiser, Frazier and Crosley. Approximate total sales: 5,243,000; change: +53.5%. This total exceeded the all-time record set in 1929!
With the market being up over 50% relative to 1948, it was a great year for most makes. Most of the independents didn’t share in this success, though. Both Mercury and Lincoln posted enormous gains, but keep in mind that their share of the market was tiny. When you sell an average of well under 100,000 or 200,000 units a year, it’s more likely you might see huge gains like this, or huge drops for that matter.
Chevrolet
The Chevrolet series this year were Special and Deluxe. Both series had subseries named Styleline and Fleetline, such that you had a Special Styleline or a Deluxe Styleline, etc. The body styles of the two series were identical, differentiated only by trim.
There was a new, less busy looking grille and a new front fender style, with the front part of the sides now being slab sided, as industry styling would embrace in the future. This is significant in the sense that most other ’49 models still had at least remnants of the older, bolt-on, rear fender design.
The 216cid 90hp inline OHV six-cylinder engine remained the sole offering, as was the 3-speed manual transmission. The chassis continued to use a tubular driveshaft that was fully enclosed in a torque tube, which was a structural member. The ‘knee-action’ front suspension was new.
Approximate sales: 1,037,000; change: +45%; industry rank: 2nd.
If you compare the ’49 with the ’48, you’ll notice a remarkable difference. The hoods are flatter, the front fenders much more integrated into the body, and the rear fenders more swoopy. Windshields are curved and overall glass area is greatly increased. The vestigial ‘running boards’ are gone, too.
Some of the details here are interesting. Turning the trunk key opens the trunk, and when raised, it stays up!
Also, the door handles were now the ‘push-button’ type, not the older type that you twisted.
The Mystery that is Trunk Lids
I have to admit, I have never had the opportunity gain hands-on experience in this era of American cars. Never thought about the trunk lid! Well, trunk lids didn’t always have the torque-rod kind of devices to keep them open. Prop rods were used, and some circa-1940 Chrysler company cars had a mechanism that held the lid when raised, and you then raised it further to release it. Of course, without a torque-rod, you were holding the entire weight of the trunk lid. I’ll think about that the next time I’m parked on just a bit of a slope and my ’97 Thunderbird lid doesn’t want to stay open because of the slope and the weight of the wing.
Buick
The ’49 Buick models remained Special, Super and Roadmaster. A 3-speed manual transmission again was standard on the two lower series, with the Dynaflow now optional on the Super. The Roadmaster again had the Dynaflow as standard equipment. Like the ’49 Chevys, Buick models lost their old-style front fenders, adopting the new, more integrated look. Riviera was a 2-door hardtop from the Roadmaster series.
Approximate sales: 409,000; change: +91%; industry rank: 4th.
The rear had the tail-lights integrated into the rear fenders. Kind of an interesting look.
This advertisement is a treasure-trove of fun stuff. I don’t know where to start! There are the Fireball engines that are cradled on Hi-Poised engine mountings, the buoyant Quadruflex springs, and wide-swinging doors that are feather-light in action. But we shouldn’t neglect to mention the ‘Living Space’ interiors, Durex bearings, Duomatic Spark Advance, Permi-Firm Steering and Hideaway Hood Latches. Whew!
The text under the small picture at the left says “…this sensationally smooth new drive eliminates all shifting through first, second and high gears.” They’re making a comparison with the common manual three-speed transmission, obviously, but the Dynaflow was only a two-speed transmission! Also, the Dynaflow did not shift between its two gears; that was done manually. Most drivers left it in ‘high’ and let the torque converter adjust to the driving conditions. Something of a ‘variable fluid gearset’, so to speak. So, a little bit of possible obfuscation here, but probably understandable under the circumstances of the time.
Here is a newspaper article about the “new” Dynaflow transmission and its market success. It indeed was very successful.
Oldsmobile
For 1949 the Oldsmobile series were again renamed. The names became the Seventy-Six, the Eighty-Eight and the Futuramic Ninety-Eight series. Now all of the models had the new style front fenders and the side molding styling became a bit more simplistic.
Along with two of its sister divisions, Olds introduced the hardtop body style this year, with its 98 series Holiday coupe. This new style was a two door that had no post between the side windows. With both the rear and front side windows down, there was one unobstructed opening, which was really stylish and sporty. In addition, there was a new glass treatment that had a wraparound rear window for the hardtop. The look of the hardtop and curved rear glass was fantastic and the sign of a new industry trend.
Other big news was that both L-head engines, the 238 six and the 257 eight, were gone. New were the 231cid inline OHV six and the 303cid OHV V8. The six only picked up 5hp, and retained a bizarrely under-square design, with a 3.531” bore and a 4.375” stroke.
Approx. Sales: 287,000; change: +66%; industry rank: 7th.
First Muscle Car?
Some people consider the 1949 Olds powered by the 303cid V8 to be the first muscle car. I don’t believe this to be the case. Where did this idea originate?
In 1949 both Oldsmobile and Cadillac introduced their V8 OVH engines. The Cadillac 331 made 160hp compared to the Olds 303 engines 135hp. However, the Oldsmobile had roughly a half ton less weight to haul around, not to mention being substantially more affordable than the Cadillac. The 25hp boost over the previous Olds engine, a straight eight L-head, was noteworthy. This was just short of a 23% horsepower increase! How often does that happen?
I think the performance this offered the ‘upscale’ buyer must have been very appealing. Oldsmobile was a mid-high end make, being placed above Chevy, Pontiac, Dodge, Plymouth, and Ford in the minds of most buyers. This was not an example of a smallish body and largish engine that we would see later.
I’d sum it up as saying this engine was the first taste many people had of V8 OHV engines that were still reasonably affordable. It was a glimpse of things to come, but was by itself nothing more than notable. Maybe the first ingredient of the wonderful muscle car cake, but still missing the other necessary ingredients.
Olds speaks of the “…sleek Futuramic hood…”. It’s kind of hard to tell, but it does look like the 88 hood is less domed than the Chevy and Buick models.
“…that soaring, air-borne ease of travel.”
Pontiac
Pontiac redid their lineup this year. Series were now Streamliner and Chieftain. (Chieftain—this would be “cultural appropriation” today, wouldn’t it?). The new models featured all new bodies, which now had a 120 in. wheelbase. The front fenders now had the modern integrated look and the grilles had one sturdy horizontal bar, which resulted in a quite pleasing look.
The 3-speed manual with column shift was the standard transmission, with the Hydra-Matic available optionally. Available axle were now 3.63:1, 3.90:1, 4.10:1 and 4.30:1. Engines remained the same, with the 239cid L-head six and the 249cid L-head eight.
Approximate sales: 305,000; change: +30%; industry rank: 5th.
Note the ‘Silver Streak’ appointments on the hood and deck lid.
Pontiac models had either standard or Deluxe trim. In the standard, the headlight trim was painted, the gravel guard was rubber, and the side trim piece was absent. Deluxe models had chromed gravel guards and headlight trim rings, as well as the side trim piece.
Hey, when your sweetheart marries your sorry ass, doesn’t she at least deserve a new Pontiac? I’d expect so.
Chrysler
Chrysler came into ’49 with all new bodies. Gone were the old-style front fenders. The rear fenders remained the older, protruding style, but they didn’t extend as far from the body as before. The front grille, which had been a bit busy, was simplified. Series remained Royal, Windsor, Saratoga and New Yorker.
A 1948 labor settlement was cited as the reason for ’49 price increases.
Approximate sales: 124,000; change: -4.6%; industry rank: 12th.
Chrysler advertised chair-height seats, which the public seemed to value. In a rare accurate advertising statement, the ‘high compression ratio’ really was higher than in ’48.
Many of the Chrysler advertisements from this timeframe had the flowers, umbrella and rain boots in the lower corner. I’m struggling to find relevance…
Dodge
The Dodge models also had new designs this year. Series names were changed to Wayfarer, Meadowbrook and Coronet. The Meadowbrook and the Coronet were actually almost identical, only differing in outside trim and interior details.
The front fenders were given a contemporary style, and the grille was simplified. The Wayfarer series offered a two-door roadster, and all models now had Fluid-Drive as the standard transmission, with the Gyro-Matic semiautomatic transmission optional.
Approximate sales: 257,000; change: +6%; industry rank: 8th.
How to coerce your hubby to buy you a new Dodge!
It talks about the ‘New’ Dodge ‘Get-Away’ engine. However, it’s the same lame-assed 230 cid inline 6 that they’ve had since 1942!
Oh; it has Gyrol Fluid Drive!
I like how they try to portray this thing as kind of a ‘home on wheels’, with the talk of ‘rooms’.
1949 Dodge Brochure
Plymouth
To say that the Plymouth entries were unchanged would be an understatement. The vehicles sold up until the spring were actually virtually identical to 1948 models! When the “new” models did appear, they were just not that much different from the true ’48’s, other than the use of two different wheelbases. The two series names were unchanged, being Deluxe Six and Special Deluxe Six. The six was still the only engine and it picked up an unforgettable 2hp. But wait! New this year were the ‘Sea-Leg’ shock absorbers! Once you get done laughing, the name is kinda cool.
Approximate sales: 520,000; change: +26%; industry rank: 3rd.
I think Plymouth is trying to show the utility of their car by having six adults pictured in the vehicle.
Ford
The Ford offerings for ’49 were all new. The chassis suspension was changed to a wishbone type. The base trim level was just plain “Ford” series, and the upper trim level was the Custom series. The wheelbases remained 114 in. What was significant was the transition to a slab-sided look, with the bulging front and rear fenders now gone. Front bumpers and grilles were new, too, with a curved piece on the top and a substantial horizontal cross piece that had a center circular section with a logo inside it. It was a nice look. Engines and transmissions were carryovers, with overdrive being an available option. Longitudinal rear leaf springs replaced the single transverse. Model year sales were boosted by the unusually early introduction in June of 1948.
Ford desperately needed their 1949 models to be home-run hits in the marketplace. The company held a design contest, with selected contestants submitting one-quarter scale models of their design. The resulting design was the slab-sided beauty with a drop-dead-gorgeous front styling. Inside, the design was just as nice. This was exactly what Ford needed!
Approximate sales: 1,118,000; change: +160%; industry rank: 1st.
Wow! We have a bunch of cool marketing words here! ‘Equa-Flo’, ‘Deep Breath’, Equa-Poise’, ‘Lifeguard’, ‘Hydra-Coil’, and ‘Para-Flex’. As if that weren’t enough, “enthusiastic owners report up to 10% more gas economy!” Were there any engine changes? Nope! Where does this ‘10%’ come from? Why, the Marketing Department, of course!
Fashion Academy of New York
When this advertisement was put together way back in 1949 no one in their wildest dreams would have imagined this thing we call the ‘Internet’ and the power to debunk this ‘award’! The New York Times, in their December 17, 1954, edition reported “…Ann H. Hartman, trading as Fashion Academy of New York City at 812 Fifth Avenue, has agreed to an order forbidding representation that the “Fashion Academy gold medal award” is given to products on a competitive basis as an award for outstanding design.” In other words, Ford paid for the ‘Award’!
A Look at the New FoMoCo Models
The July 1948 edition of Mechanics Illustrated performed an initial evaluation of the new Fords and Mercury’s. Remember that FoMoCo released their 1949 models a few months early.
It was the iconic Tom McCahill who conducted the evaluations. (See the box below about Mr. McCahill)
McCahill was quite impressed with the new Fords. He stated: “The 1949 Fords lived up to their rumored billing”, and “…they are the snappiest jobs I’ve seen to date, cleaner and smoother than any of their modern competitors”. He noted the weight reduction of the new models and stated: “The new Ford … has divorced itself from all model T hold-overs and will feature independent front-wheel suspension with semi-elliptical side-springs in the rear”.
McCahill was less impressed with the new Mercury’s, though it wasn’t all Merc’s fault. He hated the new balloon tires, stating: “They sounded like pigs on fire when I started to bear down”. McCahill liked the suspension change (shared with Ford) and the obsoleting of the torque tube that previously encased the driveshaft. He noted the handful of additional horsepower, but stated there would be no gains in performance due to the ’49’s being heavier than the ’48’s.
A Look at Overdrives
Overdrives were nothing new, but they came into their own in the 1940’s, when the realities of gas rationing due to the war began to affect all Americans. Borg-Warner introduced their overdrive in 1934 and it eventually saw use on dozens of different models from various automakers, up until the early 1970’s. These R-10 or R-11 units were more or less a planetary gear set mounted behind the conventional three speed trans.
In 1939 these units became electrically controlled. The unit kicked in at 27mph and out at 21mph and utilized an approximate 0.70:1 ratio. The difference in engage and disengage speeds was a form of hysteresis. Your home thermostat does the same thing; the temp at which it comes on is different (slightly) than the temp at which it goes off. Otherwise, you would get an on-off-on-off-on-off sort of action that would impart needless wear and drive you nuts. Same thing for the overdrive.
If you were driving along with the OD engaged and came up to a slower vehicle, you could press the accelerator to the floor to pass, which would activate a switch and disengage the OD for passing speed. Once past, when you let the accelerator come back up it would allow the OD to engage once again. The last use of this system was by Ford in 1973.
Mercury
Mercury came into 1949 with all new bodies, just like Ford. The sole series was called the 9CM. The rear fender bulges were gone, but the front still retained styling lines that were reminiscent of the old fender style, flowing into the door panels. It wasn’t the slab-sided look that the industry was moving to, but I find it attractive. The new front bumper/grille treatment was attractive, too. The main cross piece looked kind of like a silver salami that was cut into slices.
The trans was still a 3-speed manual, with Touch-O-Matic overdrive optional. A crankshaft with a 4.0” stroke was used with the 239 block to make the new 255. It made 110hp at 3600rpm, up just 10hp from the 239. It was also used in Ford trucks, but no other cars received this engine.
Approximate sales: 301,000; change: +500%; industry rank: 6th.
Ford-Merc Styling
The contrast between the Ford and Merc styling is interesting. Notice how the front fender flows into the front door, with otherwise flat-sided styling. The front styling is nice, but not as attention getting as Ford’s. Sharp eyed viewers might spot the suicide doors, not featured on the Ford four-doors. Why? Because the Mercs were based on Lincoln bodies, not Ford!
The ‘coil spring’ grille is rather attractive. The rear doors opening backward is cool, too. The older style front fenders are retained, unlike the Fords, but this is one good looking car. In my view, the Merc is more attractive than the ‘Award Winning’ Fords!
I think the ’49 Mercs could stake a claim to one of the best-looking new models. However, the “Owners claim 17, 18, 19 miles per gallon—and up!” is disingenuous at best. Anyone can say “Owners claim…”, since it’s not Mercury that’s actually making the claim!
Note that they’re stating that it’s “long, low massive…”.
Fuel Efficiency Claims
I’m sure you’ve heard someone, perhaps friend or coworker, make an outrageous mileage claim for their car. I don’t know if they’re crediting their driving prowess, or if they happen to have gotten the best 2019 Toyota Corolla ever made, but the claim just isn’t credible. Many people don’t know that the ‘official’ EPA highway fuel efficiency ratings are based on a speed of 55 mph! I don’t know anyone who drives 55. So, if some yahoo tries to tell you he gets 40 mpg at 70 mph, he’s blowing smoke.
Sometimes I think it’s a little like an urban legend. If pushed hard, he might admit that he doesn’t actually get this mileage, it’s someone else he heard about with the same make and model. Be nice; just smile and nod.
1949 Engines Specs
1949 Newspaper Ads
