The 1949 model year was a big one for the American automakers, with major product changes nearly across the board. Here’s a review.
When the Second World War ended in 1945, the American auto industry fell into the biggest boom it had seen since the roaring ’20s, as 15 years of pent-up consumer desire combined with unprecedented middle-class buying power. The automakers sold every car they could pound out.
Studebaker was first to launch its line of postwar cars in 1947, with truly fresh styling and the slogan, “First by far with a postwar car.” Kaiser-Frazer also entered the passenger car market that year with a new if totally conventional design. But for the most part, the automakers pushed on with updated and facelifted versions of their prewar products. They still sold like the proverbial hotcakes.
By 1949, the seller’s market for automobiles was softening, consumers were ready for something new, and the Motor City had its answers ready. Ford introduced the car destined to ultimately save or sink the company, the all-new 1949 Ford, while the companion Mercury and Lincoln lines were totally redesigned as well.
The General Motors B bodies—Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile—were thoroughly  modernized for 1949 as well. The design trend was clear. Across the industry, vestigal running boards and clamshell fenders had all but disappeared and now, flow-through fenders and full-width, envelope bodies were the new normal. In America, anyway. In Europe, especially in Britian, more traditional looks would remain popular for nearly another decade.
This was also the year for a GM innovation in body styles, the hardtop convertible. Product planners had discovered that while convertibles were solid sellers, many owners seldom if ever took down the tops. They simply liked the convertible look, which featured a clear, open greenhouse with no B pillar and a low, sporty roofline. The company responded with the fixed, pillarless hardtop, first on the 1949 Buick Riviera, Cadillac Coupe DeVille, and Oldsmobile Holiday. Pontiac and Chevrolet got their own production hardtops with the same one-piece steel roof design (and three-piece backlight) the following year.
It was also in 1949 that GM introduced the Cadillac and Oldsmobile V8s, the first overhead-valve, high-compression bent eights in volume production. Fair to say these two engines were game changers in the world of horsepower. On a more trivial note, ’49 was also the year Buick introduced its familiar fender portholes—proper name in Buick PR lingo, “ventiports.” You’ll find all these wonders and more in the slide show gallery below.
I remember the 1949 Ford very well. I thought it was the best looking car on the road and I was totally taken with the car. My father purchased one shortly after they came out and encountered many problems with the car. It had numerous water leaks in the trunk, windshield and back window. Brake problems and numerous squeaks and rattles. He had an early one and the radio speaker on the dash was chrome and it would reflect the sun right into the drivers eyes. Ford did correct that fast by changing the speaker cover to match the painted dashboard. As soon as the 50 model came out he traded in the 49 and the car was really 50 ways finer as Ford advertised as he had no issues at all with his 50 as I recall.
@Jim: It’s amazing that your dad went back to Ford in ’50 after all the problems he had with his ’49. I totally agree with your sentiment that it was the best looking car around. Could that have been his reasoning?
He used his car in business and had good luck with his 1942, 46 and 47’s but Ford in their rush to get the all new 49’s on the road built them with alot of bugs which they were notorious for. He I guess decided to give Ford another try and it worked out for him.
Interesting to read of your Dad’s experiences, Jim. Water leaks (also air and dust) are among the problems invariably mentioned in the ’49 Ford’s development bugs. By the time HFI died, Ford was years behind in engineering capability, but quickly came roaring back. HF II doesn’t get enough management credit, perhaps.
The 49 Ford really saved the company and even though Ford rushed it into production I think the cars modern appearance and engineering advancements overcame the production shortcomings it had. I don’t know this for fact but I assume the late 49’s showed much improvement over the early ones. The car went on sale earlier that normal in 1948.
I see two cars here I never heard of, Del Mar and Gregory. What were they?
@Luke: Ben Gregory, from Kansas City, was an American front wheel drive pioneer. He built his first fwd cars before 1920, took a hiatus from cars to start one of the country’s first passenger airline services (Fly with Ben) with a fleet of Tri-Motors and went back to dabbling in cars after the war. The sedan pictured was actually a rear engine/front wheel drive design. An example can be found today in the Lane Motor Museum, along with his last car, a sporty aluminum fwd roadster built in 1952 with a front mounted Porsche 356 engine. The most commercially successful vehicle he designed was the Mighty Mite light general purpose military vehicle.
Good deal. I was hoping Myron would weigh in — he’s a genuine authority on the most obscure makes.