American Cars,946959

ALSO BY J. KELLY FLORY, JR.

American Cars, 960972: Every Model, Year by Year(McFarland, 2004)

American Cars,946959

Every Model, Year by Year

J. KELLY FLORY, JR.

McFarland & Company, Inc., PublishersJefferson, North Carolina, and London

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Flory, J. Kelly Jr.American cars, 946959 : every model, year by year / J. Kelly

Flory, Jr.p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-7864-3229-5illustrated case binding : 50# alkaline paper

. AutomobilesUnited StatesHistory. I. Title.TL23.F585 2008 629.2220973dc22 2008004086

British Library cataloguing data are available

2008 J. Kelly Flory, Jr. All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any formor by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopyingor recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the publisher.

Cover photograph: 957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser 2008 Kimball Stock

Manufactured in the United States of America

McFarland & Company, Inc., PublishersBox 6, Jeerson, North Carolina 28640

www.mcfarlandpub.com

Once again, I have many people to thank for theirhelp in compiling the information within this book. Firsto, I want to thank my family, friends and co-workers,who encouraged me to write a second book. Without theirpraise and support for my rst book, American Cars,960972, a follow-up might not have happened. I wouldespecially like to thank my parents John and Mary JeanFlory, and my friends, Rich Gibbs for providing time andexpertise in scanning pictures, reviewing and editing, and

to Steve Hartwich for loaning sales literature for informa-tion and pictures, and also for reviewing and editing ma-terial. A special thank you to my friends Tom Millard andBrian Atwell, for sales literature and dealer promotionalmaterials provided to help complete the pictures and otherinformation within this book. All of the above people con-tributed to my rst book, and their contribution to thisprequel is greatly appreciated. Finally, thanks to every-one who oered their input, ideas, and encouragement.

Acknowledgments

v

This page intentionally left blank

Abbreviations ixPreface 1

Introduction 5

Appendices:I. Minor Makes from the Immediate Postwar Period 0

II. Transmission Types 06III. Engine Types 020

IV. 950s Dream Cars 02

V. Milestones 030

Bibliography 033Index 035

vii

Contents

946 5

947 69

948 26

949 84

950 250

95 38

952 39

953 469

954 545

955 62

956 700

957 777

958 855

959 938

This page intentionally left blank

Auto body terminology

Bus. Cpe. Business CoupeConv. ConvertibleCpe. CoupeDr. DoorHT Hardtop or Hardtop CoupeHdtp. Hardtop or Hardtop CoupeSdn. SedanWgn. Wagon or Station Wagon# - p. Number of passengers vehicle is designed

to carry (e.g., 6-p.)# - S. Number of seats in vehicle (usually refers

to wagons)

Engine terminology

Bbl. Barrels (ports or venturi) on a carburetorCID Cubic inch displacementDual exhaust Two separate exhaust outlet systems (typ-

ically each carries half of engine exhaust)EFI Electronic fuel injectionFI Fuel injectionHO or H.O. High outputI# Inline engine block design (e.g. I6)V# V-shape engine block design (e.g., V8)

Measurements

Cap. CapacityCu. CubicF FrontFt. FeetG or gal. GallonL or l Literlbs. PoundsR RearWB Wheelbase

Miscellaneous

AC or A/C Air conditioningEC or E/C Extra costFADP Factory as delivered priceLY Last yearMet. Metallic paintNA or N/A Not available or not applicableNC or N/C No cost optionPB Power brakesPS Power steeringS Standard equipment$ Available at extra cost, but price not

known

ix

Abbreviations

This page intentionally left blank

Arranged year by year, this book includes all carsoered for sale in the United States by major Americanmanufacturers in model years 946 through 959. For eachof these model years, the reader will nd an overview of de-velopments aecting the automobile industry, followed byan annual status report of each nameplate and extensivedata about every model sold that year: production numbers,pricing, specications and dimensions, standard equipmentand major options, paint color choices, running changesfrom the previous model year, and other information.

Trucks are not included in this book, but each yearscommentary includes brief remarks on events surroundingtruck production by the major car manufacturers. Willys-Overlands Station Wagon and Jeepster models are not in-cluded within this book as they were truck based vehicles,even though they were considered cars by the National Au-tomobile Dealers Association and Willys marketed them asalternatives to traditional cars. See Appendix One, whichprovides an overview of minor makes, for more informa-tion on these unique vehicles. Likewise, this book excludeslimited production models by aftermarket coach builders,chassis only and commercial chassis (such as those builtby Cadillac, and others, for aftermarket conversions to am-bulances, hearses or limousines) and the products of small,independent makes without traditional dealer networks.Checker, for example, did not have a nationwide dealernetwork and sold nearly all of its production for eet ser-vice. Therefore, the Checker is not included herein.

Also, in the immediate postwar sellers market, nu-merous small entrepreneurs made attempts at building cars, most producing only a handful, others producing asmany as several hundred per year, but these are not in-cluded as they were never mass market vehicles. Examplesof such cars include the Dual Ghia, Muntz, Tucker andPlayboy vehicles. Appendix One provides summary infor-mation on makes that produced fewer than 500 units peryear.

Make and Model Listings

LISTING BY MAKE

Introduction. Each make is listed alphabeticallywithin a yearly grouping. Following the makes name is itsmain advertising slogan for the year, taken directly fromfactory sales literature or advertising. Next is an overviewof what was new for the year, including styling, power-train and model lineup changes.

Sales, pricing and production information. Thissection includes sales totals for the model year (unless oth-erwise noted), the marques percentage share of productionin the entire industry, and its ranking amongst competitors.Following the sales information is pricing information thatincludes the makes average base price, and its pricing range.Also, listed is the makes month or exact date of introduc-tion. Listed next are the various assembly plants in whichthe cars were manufactured as reported by the Recordingand Statistical Corporation or the manufacturers records.

Serial number or data plate identication. This sec-tion breaks down the various letters and numbers of the in-dividual cars Vehicle Identication Number (VIN), serialnumber, or engine number. The identication number wasused to track production and identify specic cars. Mostcars during this time period utilized a serial number sys-tem through 954, and some switched to a VIN in 955 foridentication purposes. This aided in the registration ofvehicles, and helped to standardize the numbering systemwithin the industry. In general, exceptions to the above areas follows:

Identication by engine number

Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products were identied byengine numbers from 946 to 949. For 950, FordMotor Company began using a VIN system.

Packard used engine identication from 946 to 954.

1

Preface

Cadillac used engine identication from 946 through957.

Location of engine number is listed whenever that in-formation is available.

Identication by serial number All General Motors (except Cadillac), Chrysler Corpo-

ration, Kaiser-Frazer, Hudson, Willys, Studebaker andCrosley products used serial number identicationthrough 954.

Kaiser and Willys continued using a serial numberthrough 955.

Studebaker continued using a serial number through959.

Nash used a serial number for 946 and 947. Location of serial number is listed whenever that infor-

mation is available.

Identication by VIN Each digit or letter of the VIN is identied and an ex-

ample of a complete VIN is given. For all model yearsnot listed in the above segments (mainly 955 and latermodels) a VIN format was used that generally identi-ed year, model and serial number, plus in some in-stances, assembly plant and or engine type. Locationof serial number is listed whenever that information isavailable.

Since every manufacturer used a dierent system, eachmake will be listed with these slight variations. In general,if serial number (or motor number) ranges are available thisis the information listed; otherwise it is only the beginningserial number (or engine number). If available by model orassembly plant, they will be broken down in this manner,such as with most years of Pontiac. Note also that when se-rial numbers were tracked by assembly plant, some manu-facturers such as Chevrolet are recorded with only the lastknown serial number. Example: 95 Chevrolet DeLuxeseries serial numbers were from JK00 through JK74408.However, in front of this serial number would have beenthe assembly plant ID code, such as for Flint, Michigan,or 2 for Tarrytown, New York. This means that each plantcould have had a serial number JK#00, but each wouldnot have necessarily had a JK#74408, where # is the as-sembly plant ID code. For Chevrolet and some other man-ufacturers, the last serial number by assembly plant is notavailable from industry references of the day.

Powertrains. The chart presented in this section listsall known engine and transmission combinations that wereoered at the time of each models introduction. Somemanufacturers oered overdrive transmissions as an op-tional feature and did not list them with their powertrainaccessories, but as a convenience feature. If that is the case,then an available overdrive may not be listed, even though

it was oered. Pricing information is given whenever anaccurate price could be determined. The prices listed are forthe engine and transmission together. For example, if thereis a V8 engine with automatic transmission listed for a carthat had a 6-cylinder engine with 3-speed transmission asstandard equipment, and the chart says the V8 and auto-matic is a $350 option, that price is for the two optionscombined. This amount would be added to the base priceof the car. If accurate pricing is not available, that will benoted by a $ symbol with no price, indicating an extra-costoption of unknown price.

Major options. This is a chart listing the most pop-ular or most heavily promoted options available across thefull line of cars. Generally this would include heater, de-froster, radio, wheel covers, whitewall tires (oversize tireprices not included), and additional power accessories inlater years such as power steering, brakes, windows andseats. Certain options are included when they were at apeak in popularity, often prior to becoming standard equip-mente.g., bumper guards through the 940s and powersteering into the 950s. For the most part, option packagesare not listed, as they often varied in price and content de-pending upon model or body style and could not be listedfor space reasons. Option packages were quite popularthrough this period for the dealers, as they could order carswith the most popular safety equipment packages, such asdual rear view mirrors and bumper guards, or conveniencepackages, such as additional interior lighting and vanitymirrors, and more easily sell the additional features to con-sumers who may not have even known that they would useor enjoy the added features.

Paint colors. This is a listing of all known colorsoered during the model year. Some colors were oeredonly on certain models; such cases are noted wheneverknown. Some manufacturers oered certain colors only onspecial order, and these may not be designated in the list-ings. In general, this listing includes regular productioncolors oered throughout the year, as well as spring colorintroductions if any were oered and such information wasavailable. Also, whenever the information is available, two-tone and tri-tone color combinations are included withtheir appropriate codes. In some instances there were somany combinations oered that it is nearly impossible tolist them all, as in the case of the 956 Chryslers, which wereavailable in more than 20 two-tone and tri-tone paintcombinations in addition to the single tone colors.

MODEL LISTINGS

Introduction. Each model is listed, starting at thelowest priced or entry-level model and proceeding throughthe highest priced or top-of-the-line model oered by themanufacturer. Typically manufacturers promoted their

Preface 2

models in a similar manner. This is only a general guide-line, exemplied by Chevrolet: the Corvette is listed last be-cause it is the prestige model in the line, and the manufac-turer always promoted it as such. Following each modelname is its main advertising slogan for the year, again takendirectly from factory sales literature and advertising.

Historical overview of the model. Following the in-troduction is a section containing a few facts on each model,including the year the nameplate rst appeared, and thelength of time the same basic body and or chassis was used.Also listed is the percentage of the manufacturers total salesthat were generated by this model, and then a very generaldescription of changes for the model year in question. Thephrase Completely redesigned indicates basically a newcar from the ground up, at least chassis and body or bodyand powertrain, whereas Completely restyled indicates acar new in appearance, but still utilizing the same chassisand main body structure as the previous years model withnew and signicant sheetmetal changes. Other changescould typically include new interior designs and possibly re-vised or new powertrains.

Standard equipment. This is a listing of the basicfeatures deemed as standard by the manufacturer accord-ing to factory literature. Certain equipment is consideredto be standard on all models during given time periods,and is not listed within this book. These standards wouldinclude such things as front passenger compartment rub-ber oor mats (early fties and later), safety glass and wind-shield wipers, which were generally standard equipment inthe postwar market on base models. Certain equipmentsuch as door armrests, sun visors, and some safety equip-ment, such as turn signals, were not standard on lower-priced lines in the immediate postwar era but became astandard by the mid-fties; thus these items are generallynot included in this listing through the latter period.

Models available. This is a chart listing all modelsavailable under a model nameplate throughout the season.Many cars were oered in a 6-cylinder and an 8-cylinderline. An example would be the Ford 6 and Ford V8 lines,which came in DeLuxe and Super DeLuxe levels. Wherethis is the case sometimes dierent body style numbers wereused, and if so, the listings will show the 6-cylinder oering(or base oering), with the larger engine listed as optional,even though they were technically an individual model list-ing. This is done to keep the listings uniform betweenmakes. Production numbers are fairly straightforward, rep-resenting the total model year production by body style.However, certain makes did not keep production recordsby individual body style and trim level (particularly from946 to 954), so production is listed as the information isavailable, with footnotes explaining how the production islisted when it varies. Factory, as delivered price (FADP)is listed as of the beginning of the model year, unless oth-

erwise noted. The term Manufacturers Suggested RetailPrice (MSRP) came into more common usage in the latefties when the Mulroney window sticker becamemandatory to provide consistent pricing information forconsumers, and MSRP became the norm. The columns forchange from LY (last year) on pricing and production showthe increase or decrease in each and how the models aectedone another. Finally, the column for weight is the shippingweight, which does not include such things as fuel and oil.Curb weight (not used here) would be slightly higher andincludes fuel, oil and other items.

Measurements. In general, most of the measurementsare for 4-Door Sedan models, when that model is availablein a line. If a 4-Door model is not oered then measure-ments are for the lowest priced model in the line, or thetable species which model is used. For the most part, mea-surements such as wheelbase, length, width, luggage ca-pacity, and fuel tank capacity are the same amongst all vari-ations of a model. Where there are signicant dierencesthey are listed, if available. Two measurements that mayvary among models in how they are calculated are headroomand legroom. Some manufacturers and sources publish theminimum headroom and some publish the maximum head-room. Often they do not identify which measurement theyare using. In general, it is common for measurements to beadvertised at the maximum end of the spectrum. Similardierences can be found in the cargo capacity segment,where some manufacturers reported usable cargo capacity,which accounts for the spare tire or other consumers ofspace. Other manufacturers would report total cargo ca-pacity.

Notes on the Data

It should be noted that the information containedherein concerning models, equipment, prices, productionand other statistics, is presented as of the beginning of themodel year, wherever possible. Many manufacturers pre-pared their sales literature and advertising months beforethey hit the showroom oors, and features of the car some-times changed during that time. Generally pricing was setearly on, but particularly in the late 940s, price changeswere common several times a year, so prices in various ref-erences may reect the beginning of the calendar year or theend of the model year, and it is possible to nd large dier-ences among sources.

Finally, it should be noted that as with any referencework of this type and magnitude, there are occasional gapswhen information cannot be found. These are most com-mon in cases of companies that no longer exist, but thereare also cases in which records were lost or destroyed forwhatever reason, making some details impossible to verify

3 Preface

with 00 percent certainty. All information containedherein was cross-checked between sources included in thebibliography whenever possible, to be as accurate as possi-ble. However, it must be considered that record keepingthrough the 946959 period was generally a manualprocess, and was not always accurate or dependable, so vari-ations in things such as pricing, production, and equipmentwill vary from source to source, even within a companysown documents and advertising.

Further Reading

The intent of this book is to cover consumers choicesand compare these cars to each other as marketed by theindustry. It also oers a historical look at the marketing em-

ployed by the manufacturers to get consumers to buy theircars. The author would recommend that anyone interestedin more details about the industry look into books on themany notable personalities that inuenced the automotiveworld during this time period. Names of importance dur-ing this time include Virgil Exner, Zora Arkus-Duntov,Semon Bunkie Knudsen, Preston Tucker, Henry Ford II,and Raymond Loewy, among many others. Books of thistype can often give a contrasting view of how the automo-bile corporations worked, as many of these people camefrom the engineering or nance sides of the company as op-posed to the sales and marketing side. Other resources in-clude the various marque-specic histories and referencebooks that are also available, and automotive magazinesfrom the era that can still be found fairly readily.

Preface 4

The early postWorld War II period through the 950sbrought great technological advancement and truly Amer-ican style to automobiles. This time period was to mid20th century automotive history what the classic period ofthe late 920s and early 930s had been to earlier automo-tive history. And, as time goes by, the memories and viewsof the period have been romanticized, furthering the care-free perception of the period. Anytime a street scene of thefties is depicted, it is almost certain to contain identify-ing elements such as a jukebox, a diner or a soda fountain,and one of the iconic cars of the period, like a 955 Thun-derbird or a 957 Chevrolet. These cars are so recognizableas products of the fties that the general population canoften easily identify them. So popular are these times thatmany late 20th century and early 2st century advertisingthemes for new cars and trucks have attempted to recap-ture the idealism of the period. And the real proof of theenduring nostalgic appeal of the period is the retro carsand trucks created by Detroit around the turn of the newmillenniumChryslers PT Cruiser, Fords 2-seater Thun-derbird, and Chevrolets SSR roadster pickup and HHRwagon, for example.

Times were good, the war and political troublesseemed to have subsided, and incomes and the economywere exploding. Consumers were demanding more, andmanufacturers of all consumer goods were ready to fulllthose demands. Modern appliances, television sets, mod-ern homes, the newly created auent, suburban life-style... America was on a roll! Outlandish styling, colorful paintcombinations, tons of chrome, and powerful engines char-acterized the mid-fties automotive market, and this themecarried over to other consumer goods. As often happens, allgood things must come to an end, and the 946 to 959 pe-riod ended on a slightly less cheerful tone. A mild reces-sion began in late 957, and although it was brief in length,its eects caused long lasting changes in the automotivemarketing landscape.

The Postwar Period

As World War II was nearing an end, automotive man-ufacturers were beginning to shift their attention from mil-itary supply production to resumption of automotive pro-duction. Under government order, the auto manufacturershad stopped building automobiles for retail sale in Febru-ary 942. From that time until May 945, there were no au-tomobiles built for the American retail market. Productionwas halted for several reasons, the main one being that rawmaterials were in short supply, and all materials needed tobe devoted to the war eort. One eect of this situation wasthat some of the last 942 models built were devoid of anychrome trim, instead having painted trim. Even if a man-ufacturer had a supply of chrome trim, it could not sell ve-hicles with it as that provided an unfair advantage over thecompetition. Cars built with painted trim (and often sanswhitewall tires) were known as blackout models. Anotherreason for the production halt was that the manufacturingfacilities of the auto manufacturers could be easily con-verted or utilized for other wartime purposes, without hav-ing to construct new buildings and assembly lines. Theautomobile manufacturers would continue to build auto-motive type supplies for the war eort such as trucks, per-sonnel carriers, transmissions, and engines, but they alsowere building torpedoes, airplanes and other weapons.Overall, it was a tremendous unied eort put forth by ahighly competitive industry. Not only did their eorts bringabout a successful result for the United States and its alliesin World War II, but it also provided the automotive in-dustry with a highly constructive proving ground for learn-ing about new ideas for cars to be introduced after the warwas over. General Motors Hydra-Matic automatic trans-mission, developed prior to the start of the war, was widelyused in tanks during the war. Experience gained in eld useand the application of appropriate design changes helped itbecome the most dependable and best selling automatic

5

Introduction

transmission built during this period. Similarly, otherlessons learned led to improvements in areas such as sus-pension design, engine cooling and engine performance.Military aircraft would inuence postwar automotivestyling as well.

Most of the major automobile companies spent theearly postwar years putting their factories back in order andgetting the work force reassembled and trained as needed.Not much eort was spent in the short term on gettingnew models designed and out the door, with a few excep-tions. This is not to say that the manufacturers had spentthe prior three years doing nothing with their future auto-motive plans. However, they were working with less timeand money available than there would have been undernormal circumstances. For most nameplates, the 946 mod-els were 942 models wearing new grilles and trim. Mostlikely, had there not been a war, these would have been themodels seen for a 943 or 944 model year. But by early945, most engineers and stylists whole-heartedly resumedtheir work on new models. Manufacturers such as Stude-baker, which was using an outside rm for design projects(namely the famous Raymond Loewy and his consultingteam), were able to get a jump on the competition with newmodels as early as the spring of 946. Since most of theGeneral Motors, Ford and Chrysler lines had been new de-signs in the early forties, they were not as far along in newmodel development as Studebaker. And, given the three tofour year lead-time that was typical in the industry, therewould not be signicant quantities of new models from theBig Three on the market until the 948 calendar year.

The postwar economy signicantly aected the auto-motive industry and vice versa. The shortages of materialsduring the war had kept many manufactured goods in shortsupply for the entire period. Demand for products rangingfrom household appliances to automobiles was high. Troopsreturning from overseas were also looking to rebuild theirlives, and often this meant purchasing new homes and carsand starting families. Meanwhile women had assumed anew role in the workforce. With so many of the young malepopulation being in the war eort, women had taken overjobs long thought of as male-only roles. When men re-turned to the civilian labor force, many women did notwant to give up their jobs. Since jobs were more plentifulthan they had been prior to the war, the economy felt a ris-ing tide of two-income families in the marketplace. Thiswould eventually lead to a rise in sales for the mid-rangeand luxury car markets. The economic inuence of thepostwar recovery is discussed in more detail below.

The wartime break in production was actually wel-comed by some of the smaller manufacturers, though italso spelled an end for some nameplates. Graham and Hup-mobile were two disappearing nameplates that would sur-vive the war eort nancially stronger as companies than

they had been prior to the war. Both companies decided notto return to automotive production after the war, but ratherto pursue more protable ventures. Graham and Hupmo-bile had actually formed a joint venture in 939 to build carsafter Norman De Vaux, who at the time was Hupmobilesgeneral manager (he had previously run his own auto man-ufacturing empire), bought the dies for the defunct front-wheel-drive Cord Beverly sedans of 936 and 937, in-tending to build a rear-drive version of the Cord using theHupmobile engine. De Vaux approached Joseph Graham,company president of the Graham-Paige Corporation, witha plan to build the new cars from the Cord tooling. Gra-ham agreed to build the bodies only if he could sell a ver-sion of the car with the supercharged Graham engine. DeVaux agreed, and this sharing of bodies helped to spread thecost of manufacturing and allowed each maker to reduceits selling price. Unfortunately, delays in Grahams settingup of the manufacturing facility depleted the early enthu-siasm for the cars. Each manufacturer sold a few hundredcars before production was terminated during the 94model year.

This did not spell the end for these companies though.Graham-Paige Corporation had prosperous defense con-tracts during the war years and was bought by aristocratJoseph W. Frazer in 944. Frazer wanted to return to build-ing cars after the war, but needed more funding for theproject, so he teamed up with tycoon Henry J. Kaiser, awartime builder of Liberty ships for the U.S. Navy. Thenewly formed Kaiser-Frazer Corporation would buildKaiser automobiles, and Graham-Paige Motors would buildthe Frazer at that companys Willow Run, Michigan, as-sembly plant. By early 947, Graham-Paige found that itcould no longer sustain investment in the automobile plantand sold its interest in the plant to Kaiser-Frazer Corpora-tion. Graham-Paige continued in the farm products elduntil 952, and then entered the investments eld. It wouldlater own several athletic teams and operate Madison SquareGardens for many years.

Financially, Hupmobile was able to recover during thewar due to defense contracts, but in 945 the managementteam decided to manufacture accessories for other auto-mobile companies, and not return to its own automobilemarketing and manufacturing eorts.

Prior to World War II, industrialist Powel Crosley Jr.of Cincinnati, Ohio, had ambitious plans to build a com-pact car and developed assembly plants at Richmond, In-diana, and Marion, Indiana. In May 939, the rst car wasshown at the Indianapolis Speedway. It was a two-doorconvertible that weighed less than ,000 lbs. and sold for$250. Sales began slowly, but by 94 more body styles wereintroduced, which helped to expand sales. The chassis hadan 80" wheelbase, half elliptic springs with beam axle infront, and quarter elliptic springs in the rear. Power was

Introduction 6

supplied by a two-cylinder Waukesha air-cooled enginethat was connected to a three-speed manual transmission,and then via a torque tube to the rear axle. This arrange-ment eliminated the need for U-joints. During World WarII, the Crosley became attractive because of gasolinerationing as the cars could achieve up to 50 miles per gal-lon.

Best known for radios and appliances, Crosley enteredthe postwar market with new styling and a new powerplantfor their economical little cars. Power was upgraded fromthe prewar 2-cylinder air-cooled engine, to a water-cooled4-cylinder engine. Exterior styling was updated to includestreamlined fenders and an exterior chrome belt molding.The rst and only model oered as production resumedwas the 2-Door Sedan. The line was expanded for 947and 948, with a sport Hot Shot Roadster added in theearly 950s. But despite some of the advanced thinking putinto the small cars, the public was not buying it, and by952 the last Crosleys were built.

General Motors LaSalle had already died before theUnited States entered World War II, nishing with the 940model year. The LaSalle nameplate had been conceived inthe early years of the Depression to give the luxury Cadil-lac line a lower-priced, less ostentatious car in those hardtimes of the early 930s. It succeeded in its mission, but by940, Buick oered models just as luxurious and pricedsimilarly to the LaSalle. As a result, GM decided to incor-porate a LaSalle priced car into the regular Cadillac line atthe lower price-point of the LaSalle, and thus was born theSeries 6 Cadillac.

The American Bantam was another nameplate thatdid not return after the war. Always a slow selling line ofsmall economy cars, the American Bantam had originatedfrom the American Austin company, which itself sold carsbased on the English Austin designed automobiles. Thesewere always high-quality, good-looking cars, but not ex-actly the type of transportation most Americans were clam-oring for in better economic times. As sales faltered, the de-cision was made shortly after the start of the 94 modelyear to cease production. At that time, the company thendevoted its full attention on building its prototype militaryvehicle that eventually became the U.S. Military GP (Gen-eral Purpose vehicle) or Jeep. While American Austin gotcredit for the basic design, production was shared with FordMotor Company and Willys-Overland, both of which builtfar greater quantities of the durable Jeep. By the end of thewar, Willys-Overland had decided to concentrate its post-war production eorts on Jeep style vehicles based on themilitary vehicle. Thus Willys-Overland became a leadingmanufacturer of early four-wheel-drive civilian vehicles andthe forerunner of the modern day sport utility vehicle. Ul-timately, American Bantam would disappear from theAmerican automotive scene.

Rise of the Imports and Fall of the Independents

After World War II, many of the independent man-ufacturers would struggle with recovery eorts, but even-tually mounted what appeared to be positive eorts at pro-ducing new models and garnering sales, even if onlytemporarily. Non-independent manufacturers were Chrys-ler Corporation, Ford Motor Company and General Mo-tors, soon to be known as The Big Three. Independentswere generally considered those manufacturers who soldcars under one or two nameplates, had smaller dealer net-works, and held relatively small market shares, typicallyunder 0 percent. Also during this period, most other Al-lied countries and a few former Axis powers were trying torebuild their economies and factories, many with U.S. aid.Once these factories were rebuilt, it was probably an obvi-ous conclusion that the pent up demand for automobiles,combined with the wealth of the United States market,would make the United States a great choice for generat-ing sales, and the resulting cash ow back into the coun-tries where these cars originated. But rst, a look at theindependents in the American market.

In the immediate postwar period, independents inthe market consisted of Crosley, Kaiser-Frazer, Hudson,Nash, Packard, Studebaker and Willys-Overland. By 959,of these seven companies, there would be two weakened andone stronger corporation still standing. It is a tale of clas-sic economic ideology that the strong were made stronger,and the weak either had to become stronger or fail.

The aforementioned Crosley could be purchasedthrough hardware and appliance stores. Crosley was famil-iar with these marketing outlets, as he had designed refrig-erators and radios in the twenties and thirties that were soldin similar stores. In the beginning, there was considerabledemand for his type of transportation oering. A low cost,economical to operate, two-cylinder sedan was perfect forthose struggling to recover from the Great Depression.During the war years, Crosley developed four-cylinder en-gines for use by the U.S. Navy, and after the war, a cast-iron version of this engine powered Crosley automobiles.This engine contract provided the income needed forCrosley to sustain postwar automotive production. Whilethe marketing methods may not have been the most desir-able for selling cars, the company did reach considerablesuccess by selling nearly 20,000 cars in the 947 sellersmarket. A restyling for the 949 models and a pretty newHotshot roadster model demonstrated signs of a promis-ing future for the company.

Unfortunately, sales began to falter due to some mis-steps along the way. A reputation for engine problems hadplagued the company early on. The rst models used an air-

7 Introduction

cooled two-cylinder engine, while later models used a cop-per-steel block four-cylinder (the previously mentioned en-gine developed for the Navy) that was subject to electrol-ysis in automotive applications. When this design wasre-engineered into a cast-iron block, the quality was vastlyimproved, but only after signicant damage had been doneto the company image. Modern style disc brakes were in-stalled on the Crosley in 950, and were among the rst usesof this technology, but production problems caused themnot to function properly, and drum brakes were used on thecars shortly afterwards. By this time, the damage was done,and sales fell to such a low level that the decision was madeto halt automotive production in 952.

Preston Tucker hoped to make his radically designedTucker automobile a new choice for the burgeoning post-war car market. The story has been told numerous times,in many forms, and will not be retold here as so many ofthe details are sketchy or unknown, making an accuratehistory nearly impossible. Engineer/designer Tucker hopedto make a dierence in the automotive world. His car wasbased on the idea that safety, performance and style couldbe designed into an aordable automobile. He purchaseda factory in the Chicago area, and began the design and pre-production processes. Questionable corporate nancial ac-tivities and other problems with the Securities and Ex-change Commission took his edgling company downbefore it could get a chance at a good beginning. The Tuckerautomobile is covered in more detail in Appendix I.

All of the other independents would survive the946959 period although not in good condition, and notwithout casualty of nameplates along the way. By 959,Frazer, Kaiser, Hudson, Nash, Packard, Willys and Over-land were becoming distant memories. But remnants oftheir legacy lived on in one form or another.

Nash and Hudson had both been relatively strongcompanies throughout the preWorld War II period. Bothhad survived the Great Depression through creative mar-keting strategies, and they both fared quite well in the grow-ing middle-price market class. Like other companies, bothNash and Hudson started in 945 by oering slightlyrestyled versions of their prewar cars. Nash had always beenknown more for its styling, and it would denitely be thestyling that got people talking when its rst new postwarproducts were introduced. The rather controversial bath-tub Nash, introduced for the 949 model year, was deemedby many to be too radical a design. However, they did makeecient use of space, and were actually very well built au-tomobiles for the time. Much of the credit for styling cango to Pinin Farina, as Nash had hired the Italian designcompany to work on the new models. Sales were okay ini-tially, but quickly started to decline as funds that wouldhave been used for restyling were instead devoted to a to-tally new concept with the compact Rambler introduced in

950. The Rambler was a new concept for American auto-mobile buyers, as it was over a foot shorter than the stan-dard car in its price range. But what it lacked in size itmade up for in comfort and style. Rambler sales were verygood initially, but began to trail o after several years, andby 955 the Rambler would disappear. It would return insimilar form just in time for the 958 recession as the AMCRambler American.

Over at Hudson, things were not going quite so well.Sales were reasonably good in 946 and 947, and thenewly-designed 948 models were quite stunning cars. Fea-turing new Step-Down design, the 948 Hudsons weresome of the sleekest automobiles on the street. However,steep price increases on the new cars, approaching $500model-for-model, turned away some potential buyers. Salesgains through this period were not signicant when com-pared to similar mid-range cars from other manufacturers.Hudson was cultivating a reputation for being among themost powerful in its class. Hudson had developed a repu-tation for quality engineering, and by the early fties, theirTwin-H powered models were turning heads on streetsand racetracks. But, it was the V8 powered Rocket Olds-mobiles introduced in 949, that would garner the most at-tention when they quickly began to win on the racetrack.Without a V8 to compete, Hudson would soon lose itswinning reputation on the track. In fact every manufacturerwas faced with the same dilemma during the early to mid-fties, and there was only one option for success. They hadto oer modern V8 powerplants, and styling had to be keptfresh and modernin other words, restyle every two orthree years. By 953 it was becoming apparent that Hud-son was losing ground and would need a major infusion oftechnology (i.e. V8 power), updated styling, and money tosurvive.

By 954, concerns over shrinking market share andweakening nancial performance brought the managers ofHudson and Nash together to discuss a possible merger.Nash was in good shape nancially and had a fairly loyaldealer body. Hudson was beginning to suer nanciallyand its products were showing age by 954. However, Hud-son could oer good quality factories and labor and an en-gineering reputation. Nash leaders felt that the only way tocompete with the Big Three in the future was to unite theremaining independents. Studebaker and Packard wereconsidered to join this new union, but they opted for theirown merger, one that ultimately could be termed a failedbuyout.

The luxury-line Packard had been oundering sinceWorld War II, as it tried to sell mid-priced cars to make upfor its lack of luxury-market sales. This strategy had workedin the thirties during the Depression, but with Americasnewfound wealth, people werent buying the lower-pricedPackard idea. By the early fties, Packard had wised up to

Introduction 8

this, and was actually making some money on their revivedluxury car lines of the mid-fties. Meanwhile, Studebakerwas struggling with rising costs of materials and labor, yettrying to compete with the Big Three at the low end of themarket. It had become a challenge that was costing Stude-baker money on every car it sold. The time had come to tryto spread out its xed costs, and one way to do this was toadd models to its existing production line. Packard felt thatit could benet in much the same way, by spreading outxed costs over more vehicles, thus allowing higher protmargins. So, in mid954, the two companies decided tomerge. Unfortunately for Packard, Studebaker quicklymade some decisions that would spell its demise. The 955model Packards were set in their design, so they came tomarket as the true Packards that they were, and carriedover to 956. However, in an eort to quickly consolidateoverhead expenses, the restyled 957 Packards becamenothing more than Studebakers with trim tacked on. At thesame time Packard was taken from a true luxury car to amid-priced car. Needless to say, the public saw throughthis, and sales plummeted. By 958 the recession spelled theend for Packard. The Packard name carried on in the cor-poration as the Studebaker-Packard Corporation for an-other ve years, then was dropped completely.

Studebakers own products had not been very suc-cessful in the market, the late forties Starlight coupes andmid-fties Loewy styled coupes being notable exceptions.Fortunately, someone had the foresight to see that smallercars were selling at American Motors and prots were beingmade with the numerous new imported cars coming ashore.This brought about the compact/mid-size Lark line. Whilesharing some components of the earlier Studebakers, suchas body shells and engines, they were the right cars at theright time. Through the early sixties, the Lark sold well, butonce again the smaller company faced a nancial burden intrying to compete on cost with the larger companies. Theearly 960s introduction of the Avanti did nothing for thebottom line but did a lot for the Studebaker image, at leasttemporarily. However, by the end of 964, Studebaker hadconsolidated all of its production to a single plant inCanada, and by 966, the last car rolled o the line. It wasquite an unfortunate ending for a company with the col-orful 00-year plus history of Studebaker Corporation.

Back to 954, Hudson and Nash had merged to formAmerican Motors Corporation, and Studebaker and Pack-ard had merged to form Studebaker-Packard Corporation.The mergers of either party could only be as strong as theirstrongest part prior to the merger. Therefore, AmericanMotors was doing quite well by the end of the decade. Thecompany had totally abandoned products that the previousHudson Motors had been selling, and concentrated on themore economical vehicles that Nash had oered. The tim-ing could not have been better; with the recession of 958

and the market shift towards smaller cars, the mid-pricemarket was shrinking and crowded, so Hudson would likelynot have survived on its own. American Motors had revivedthe compact Rambler just in time to help the companyclimb to an unprecedented number three position on thesales charts by the beginning of the 960s.

Another issue aecting all American car manufactur-ers during the fties was the growing market for smaller,more economical cars and the accompanying growth of im-ported car sales. At the end of World War II, there were veryfew foreign manufacturers with the resources to build carsto be imported to the United States. At best, they were ableto build a few cars for their home markets. But after a fewyears several companies started to rebuild and get back ontheir feet. During the late forties there were approximatelyfour or ve companies oering substantial quantities of au-tomobiles from outside the U.S. Most of these were Britishmakes such as the Ford Anglia, Jaguar and Hillman Minx.But by the end of the fties, there would be well over adozen successful imported nameplates available in the U.S.Most of this growth came from German and Japanese com-panies looking for new market opportunities as they re-built. Among the new oerings that found steady and sta-ble growth from the fties into the sixties were Volkswagen,Toyoda (now Toyota), and Datsun (now Nissan).

Other well-known imported brands nding reasonablesales success during the fties included MG, Morris, Sun-beam, Jaguar, Triumph, Citron, Peugeot, Porsche, Re-nault, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and BMW among others.Though it is often said that the Import Invasion beganin the seventies and actually overtook the American mar-ket in the early nineties, it is this authors opinion that thegroundwork was laid during the fties. Obviously, any newmanufacturer has a period of time in its infancy when theexpense of establishing a marketing and dealer network willinhibit growth. This is true of any consumer good, andparticularly automobiles. Hence, early import automotivemanufacturers concentrated their eorts in marketing toareas where they could reach the most people for the leastamount of money. So, in the 950s, New York and Los An-geles tended to be the cities with the highest sales of im-ported vehicles. This marketing strategy also made sense forother reasons. Since both cities had ocean harbors andports, delivery of new vehicles was made easier, and inlandtransporting was not required. With the large New Yorkand Los Angeles markets, companies could establish cen-tralized parts warehouses and marketing facilities locally. Assales grew, new dealerships could be established in otherport cities such as Seattle, Miami and all along the easternseaboard. With the growing sales, further expansion wasmade possible until eventually dealerships could be foundnationwide. For most companies, this would be about a0- to 5-year process. Even then, there were many areas of

9 Introduction

the Midwest where import car dealerships were a rare sight.Improved dealer networks provided better service and partsaccessibility and would further spur growth for the im-ported automobiles. By the late seventies, their growthwould lead to establishing factories within the United Statesto build their most popular models as domesticated im-ports. But, during the fties, owning an imported carwould remain an unusual proposition. Some imported carscame to be seen as trendy purchases, such as the VW 200Beetle. Others were purchased because of their perceivedstatus or exotic nature, such as the Porsche, Mercedes-Benz,Rolls-Royce or Ferrari.

Another component of the import market is the cap-tive imports, so named because they provided auto man-ufacturers an outlet in the United States for cars built over-seas to be sold alongside American built cars, with the U.S.companys name on the car. One of the earliest examplesof this is the Nash Metropolitan, which was designed andbuilt in Italy by Pinin Farina and sold by Nash dealers, atits introduction in 954. Due to the merger of Nash andHudson, and subsequent creation of American Motors, aversion of the Metropolitan was sold with the Hudson namefor 955. The cute little car was very popular in urban areas,and was sold relatively unchanged through the early 960sas a separate American Motors line. The Metropolitan lineis covered in further detail under the Nash section for 954.

It should also be noted that there were importedcars sold through other U.S. manufacturers dealershipsbetween 946 and 959 that were not considered captiveimports. Among the most well known of these were theEnglish-built Ford Anglia, Prefect and Consul, the En-glish-built Vauxhall (sold by Pontiac dealers) and the Ger-man-built Opel (sold by Buick dealers) beginning in thelate 950s. These cars are not covered in this book.

The Burgeoning Middle Class andMid-Price Market

The end of World War II brought hopes of renewedlives for millions of families. Those in the military returnedhome to begin new families and households, or to pick uptheir lives where they had left o. Many of those who hadstayed in the homeland had lives that were now drasticallydierent than they had been in 94. The workplace hadchanged dramatically, with a steadily climbing portion ofthe workforce now female, and not only in the traditionalroles. The new, growing category of two-income families,which had more discretionary income, was bringing a de-mand for higher quality, modern design and new technol-ogy to all segments of the consumer markets.

One other factor controlling the prosperity and in-

come of the nations households was turmoil in the labormarket. Immediately after the war, many labor unions feltthat employees should be paid more fairly as ination hadincreased costs of living for all Americans. The automobilecorporations found themselves in a similar bind, as the ma-terials shortages created by the war had increased their man-ufacturing costs, and the new labor requests were furtherincreasing costs. At the same time they had to absorb thecosts associated with retooling and restarting their plants.It was a never-ending spiral that drove up the price of nearlyevery car by as much as 0 to 5 percent a year through thelate forties.

After the initial recovery period of 945948, every-thing started to fall into place. As the job market eased andlabor unions managed to get their agreements worked out,the nations inationary pressures eased. Incomes began torise, and the all-important discretionary income whichAmericans had not experienced for nearly twenty years wasmaking a comeback. New products of all kinds began toow from factories around the world. There was a boom inthe new television market and in household appliances(dishwashers came into their own) just to name a few. Re-tailers found a new concept to take the goods to the con-sumersthe shopping mall. As U.S. cities expanded, theconsumers were taken away from the traditional downtownshopping areas of the cities, and the newly born suburbswere in need of their own shopping area. Shopping centerssprang up around the country, and of course a trip to themall would mean having to carry the family in comfort,with plenty of space to return home with their purchases.This helped to propel the success of the station wagon, arelatively new body style just prior to World War II.

Another side eect of the war was a technology boom,which resulted in a variety of new products. While the mostobvious inuence of the war on automobiles was in theirstyling and design, with the tailn, bombsight hood orna-ments, side molding sweep-spears, and the various rocketmotifs, there were other eects. Safety issues were broughtto the forefront during the period, and items like seat safetybelts became more common, as did padded dashboards,and the beginnings of modern crash-testing programs wereseen during this period. Durability was vastly improveddue to the lessons learned from harsh wartime use, and ex-tensive eld use pointed out the areas needing engineeringattention, so many postwar cars were among the mostdurable ever oered. Powertrain developments were spurredon by lessons learned, and the great horsepower race was inits infancy by 948. But the beginnings of the electron-ics/computer era would leave the most long-lasting eecton the automotive landscape. While not much was donewith actual electronics use in cars built up to 959 for theconsumer market, many show cars and prototypes of theperiod utilized the latest in electronic gadgetry. And a few

Introduction 10

cars brought to market used some of the new-fangled wiz-ardry, such as the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, several high-end Chrysler models, and the Cadillac Broughams of thelate fties. Forty years later, nearly every component of anyautomobile was either designed or controlled by an elec-tronic or computer device.

While the automotive landscape was changing in stepwith life-style changes, another eect of additional incomewas a change in the taste of the American consumer. Whilethe automobile had often been viewed at prior times in his-tory as either a luxury item, or a utilitarian vehicle, that at-titude changed after World War II. The utilitarian typeswere often viewed as the Fords, Chevrolets and Plymouthsof the market as they were the traditional low-pricedvalue leader cars for their respective companies while Cadil-lac, Lincoln and Chrysler were the luxury lines. Duringthe Depression era, the mid-price range cars came intotheir own success.

Buick, Oldsmobile, Nash and Dodge had been suc-cessful earlier in this price category, but for diering rea-sons. When the Depression hit, people who could aord acar but didnt want to appear pretentious would often buya less-expensive car that looked more expensive. As theeconomy improved, people would move up from Chevro-let to a Pontiac, as an example, just as Alfred Sloan of Gen-eral Motors had laid out in his grand marketing plan of thelate 920s. So there was groundwork laid early on for suc-cess in the mid-price range.

After World War II, the reasons for an automobilecompany moving into the mid-price range were changing.More often than not, the mid-price cars were now gettingthe innovations previously exclusive to the luxury brands:such features as air conditioning, power steering, and powerwindows, all of which the typical consumer had thought sonovel just a few years prior. As the traditional mid-rangecars were becoming more popular with the growing mid-dle-income consumers, automobile manufacturers realizedthey needed to give consumers what they wanted. Whathappened next was a period of explosive growth in the mid-range market. First the traditional makes, Buick, Pontiac,Oldsmobile, Dodge, and Mercury, all expanded their lineof models. They were also oering a full range of accessoriesfor their cars. As their sales grew, the lower-priced makesbegan to see opportunity by moving up-market. Thus camemodels such as the Chevy Bel Air (later Impala), the FordFairlane (later Galaxie), and Plymouth Belvedere (laterFury). By the end of the 959 model year, the middle-pricemarket was the dominant force in the industry.

The 958 recession slowed this middle-class growth,but only briey. The 958 model year introduction of theEdsel is the most well-known failure in the era. It was theright concept at the wrong time, a car that might have beenmore successful if introduced a few years earlier, or a few

years later when market conditions were better. ChryslersDeSoto line was another casualty of the economic down-turn, but in the end, the middle class would rule the auto-motive market. Throughout the sixties, Pontiac, Oldsmo-bile, Dodge and Buick would dominate the sales charts,right behind the always sales-leading Chevrolet and Ford.But, with a growing portion of Chevrolet and Ford salescoming from loaded higher priced models (Impala,Caprice, Galaxie and LTD), they were not exactly the bar-gain models they appeared to be at rst glance.

Combining all of the factors mentioned above, onegets a feel for where the market was headed and can betterunderstand why certain models succeeded and others failed.It is one goal of this book to explore these reasons, and togive the reader a better understanding of the market forcesthat contributed to the decisions manufacturers made dur-ing the time frame. It is also a goal to detail the reasons con-sumers made the choices they did based upon the infor-mation presented them at the time.

Standard and Optional EquipmentThrough the Period

As 946 models rolled o the line, many were carriedover from 942, and most of the 942 models had been de-signed in the late 930s. Features that by 959 buyers couldnot imagine buying a car without were often extras in 946.These include such things as door armrests, sun visors, turnsignals, dual windshield wipers, ignition key starting, andoor coverings, whether rubber or carpet. Most cars camewith at least a drivers side armrest and sun visor as stan-dard equipment, but the other features varied greatly.Where accurate information could be found, some of theseitems are noted in the Major Standard Equipment orMajor Options sections as appropriate. In general, mostof the above listed items were standard equipment on allcars by the early to mid fties, so after this time period anymention of them is dropped.

Most manufacturers made little eort to advertisewhat types of oor coverings were used, and as a result ac-curate information was dicult to obtain. In general, dur-ing the forties most cars were using black rubber oor matsfront and rear, except for a few luxury makes. Later, somemakes adopted colored simulated carpet made of rubber,and others turned to real carpet only for the front or rearcompartments (depending on manufacturer), and nally tofull oor carpeting by the late fties. Where this informa-tion was found for a particular car it is included; otherwiseuse the above statements as a general guideline. Also, head-liner materials tended to be mostly cloth early on, andswitched to vinyls by the end of the fties for many makes.

11 Introduction

There is other equipment that should be consideredas standard for most makes, with exceptions noted herein.Such things as shock absorbers and drum type brakes arean example. Several makes introduced disc brakes duringthe fties, so this will be noted where applicable. In the caseof engine lters, many manufacturers did not use engine oillters and used oil-bath air lters through the beginningof this period, until the paper cartridge type of both becamepopular and readily available in the early fties. Howeverdetails of this type of equipment are beyond this booksscope.

Another issue is whitewall tire options. Due to mate-rial shortages immediately following World War II, andduring the Korean War, availability of whitewall tires wasrestricted during 946, 947, 952 and early 953. In 946and 947, manufacturers compensated for the lack of avail-able tires by creating metal or plastic rings which mountedonto the wheel and simulated a white sidewall. Many buy-ers found that they didnt really create the desired eect, andby 952, manufacturers did not even bother trying to fab-ricate a substitute, although there were aftermarket choicesavailable.

Technolog y

Many safety and comfort features rose to popularityafter World War II as automakers struggled to keep up withconsumer demand. All the while, their dream cars often hadadvanced features that consumers didnt know they wanteduntil they appeared in their production automobiles. Beloware features that became popular during the 946959model years, with notes on their introduction. It is inter-esting to note that many features viewed as modern tech-nological advancements of the late 20th century and early2st century actually had their beginnings during the post-war period. Some would be touted as all-new featuresfty years later.

Air conditioning. First introduced by Packard in 940, thisoriginal system was expensive and had a lot of problems,and was quickly dropped. Then in 953, General Mo-tors introduced a lower-priced, more reliable system.This trunk-mounted unit worked well, and then in954 Pontiac introduced an underhood unit. The un-derhood unit proved the better alternative as it used notrunk space and t well within the engine compart-ment, tying into the heater and defroster system.

Interior air ltration. Introduced on the 956 Rambler asan option.

Seat belts. First oered as an option on 950 Nash mod-els and the 948 Tucker. Seat belts were later put intomore widespread use when Ford Motor Company in-

troduced their safety campaign in 956, which in-cluded seat belts, padded dashboards and deep-dishsteering wheels as part of their safety package.

Electric window lifts (power windows). Developed in948 by Daimler Benz, electric window lifts became acommon optional feature by 955 on most Americancars, and would be standard on many of the luxurycars. Hydraulically operated window lifts, more ap-propriately hydro-electric lifts, had been used by manyluxury makes through the 940s, but they were proneto leaks in the system. The shift to electric systemsbegan in 953.

Rain-sensing convertible top lift. This feature was de-veloped by General Motors and rst appeared in someof their Motorama show cars in the early 950s, suchas the LeSabre. It was later listed as an optional acces-sory in sales literature for 955 Chevrolet Bel Air con-vertibles, but it is not believed that it actually made itinto production.

Turning headlamps. Headlamps that turn to light theroad ahead on a curve have a history that goes back tothe late 920s, when large luxury cars sometimes useda system of driving lights that turned with the steeringwheel. It was never used on a large scale, and the ideawas rst resurrected after the war by the 948 Tucker.The Tucker used a third center-mounted headlampwith mechanical linkage that turned the headlamp asthe steering wheel was turned.

Automatic dimming, light sensing rear view mirror.Chrysler Corporation introduced the automatic dim-ming inside rear view mirror as an option on many ofits 959 models. Due to lack of interest by the public,it was dropped after a few years.

Disc brakes. Chrysler and Crosley share honors of beingthe rst automobile manufacturers to put disc brakesinto mass production on their 950 models. Chryslerput them into limited production on the massiveCrown Imperials, while Crosley oered them on anymodel in its lineup. Crosley subsequently developedproblems with their disc brakes, and had to go back todrum brakes. But the technology was not lost onChrysler Corporation, which rened the idea and in-troduced them as optional equipment on many of its952 models.

High-compression, overhead valve, V8 engine. Intro-duced by Oldsmobile on the 949 line. Popularized inthe lighter-weight 949 Oldsmobile 88, the OHV V8engine became an industry standard for many yearsafter. Chevrolets introduction of the small block V8engine in 955 set the benchmark for future V8s, asevidenced by its basic design still being used fty yearslater.

Self-adjusting brakes. First introduced by Studebaker in

Introduction 12

950. It would take the Big Three several more yearsto make use of this feature.

Memory seats. Mercury advertised this feature with itsall-new 957 models as the Seat-O-Matic, an elec-trically operated seat adjustment that would rememberseating positions for several dierent drivers. Thememory seat would soon appear in other makes suchas Imperial and Lincoln.

Cruise control. Introduced by Chrysler Corporation onthe 958 Imperial, and promptly followed by GeneralMotors as an option on the 959 Cadillac line.

Speed sensitive radio volume adjustment. First appearedas a listed option for the 957 Thunderbird. It is notknown how many were actually produced, if any.

Retractable hardtop. A manual version was rst seen on

the 946 Playboy two-seat runabout. Ford later pickedup on the idea and introduced an electro-hydraulicallyoperated retractable hardtop for its 957, 958 and 959Fairlane 500 (Galaxie) Skyliner.

Trip computer. Though a full-function trip computerwould only be seen in later cars, the 957 MercuryTurnpike Cruiser oered an average speed trip com-puter.

Electronic fuel injection. Chrysler introduced the rstsuccessful electronic fuel injection on its high-perfor-mance 300 series during 957 and 958.

Keyless entry and ignition starting. While this featuredid not make it into production in the fties, it madeits rst appearance on a concept car in the 956 GMFirebird II.

13 Introduction

This page intentionally left blank

1946

Victory! After nearly four years of battles, sorrow, hardlabor and strife, the United States, and most of the rest ofthe world, was about to return to some sense of normalcy.For the first time since the invention and introduction ofthe automobile, all U.S. civilian production and sales hadground to a halt in 1942 to support the countrys war ef-fort. For most automobile manufacturers, the past few yearswere spent busily producing the hardware of war. Mostmarketing efforts were trained toward building morale andcompany good will. Results of wartime production effortswere widely publicized in articles and advertisements. And,as the countrys automotive fleet aged, it became importantfor the manufacturers to tout their reliability, longevity andservice offerings to keep customers interested and ready tobuy at the end of the war.

Of course, not all was left to rest. Many cars had beenrestyled or redesigned immediately prior to the cessation ofproduction in early 1942, so there were few new productswell underway during the war years. But the design and en-gineering departments were kept busy with small projectsto prepare for the postwar period. Companies such asStudebaker had new designs underway that could be in-troduced by the end of the war. There were a few otherchanges caused by the war, such as the passage of name-plates like Graham-Paige and the creation of Kaiser-FrazerCorporation. The latter companys formation was at leastin part a result of the formers passing.

Victory in Europe (V-E Day) was proclaimed on May8, 1945, and Victory in Japan (V-J Day) followed on Au-gust 14, 1945. As the soldiers came home, family lives werebeginning to be rebuilt. Two-income households becamemore commonplace, as women put to work during the warretained their jobs or found newly created ones. New com-munities of spacious suburban living with a new home, agarage, modern amenities, and a lawn offered the promiseof better living. Technology had advanced during wartime,and as families and incomes grew, the opportunity to acquire

the new niceties of life presented itself. Life had changed.Now the stage was set for living the modern life-style.

Studebaker was among the first manufacturers to geta postwar model onto the market. Their wartime effort hadbeen concentrated on production of military trucks. Stude-baker had a worldwide reputation for dependable, ruggedtrucks. Construction of aircraft engines and short-track ve-hicles also kept the Studebaker factories humming. Realiz-ing that the first company to introduce a new postwar carcould gain a substantial benefit, Studebaker by 1943 hadwork well under way on an all-new model, which wouldbe introduced in the summer of 1946, as an all-new 1947model (tooling required for a new model could not be ac-complished while the war continued; hence the delay).However, with inventory and capacity available to startproduction at the very end of 1945, a brief five-month runof 1946 models was introduced based upon the alreadytooled and production ready 1942 Champion models. Theshort-lived 1946 models were dubbed the Skyway Cham-pion. Styling changes were typical of many 1946 models,generally amounting to new or revised grille and bodysidechrome trim.

Chrysler Corporation was also an early re-entrant tothe market. Much of their wartime production had centeredon a large tank contract and a full line of rugged militarytrucks which included the Dodge Power Wagon. All of theChrysler line had been redesigned for the 1941 model year,save the Plymouth, which had been redesigned for 1940.Mechanically, Chrysler had introduced their popular lineof semi-automatic transmissions in 1941, and as a resultthey were upholding their highly regarded engineering rep-utation as well. By the early spring of 1946, the lines weregeared up for full production. Styling changes were mini-mal as expected.

General Motors wartime efforts were varied, and in-cluded aircrafts and components, tanks, trucks, ammunition,shells, marine and diesel products. During 1943, GM was

15

1946

able to acquire the Yellow Truck & Coach Corporation andproceeded to merge it with the General Motors TruckCompany to form the GMC Truck & Coach Division.General Motors also took the break in production as an op-portunity to reorganize its massive organization. As prepa-rations began for resuming production, the Buick-Oldsmo-bile-Pontiac Assembly Division (aka B-O-P) was organized.For years, Cadillacs had been assembled exclusively in theirown plants, and would continue to be for many more years.Chevrolet had been blessed with factories that consistentlyran at or near capacity. But, with the mid-range cars shar-ing major body components and even some mechanical fea-tures, it became obvious that cost savings could be obtainedby organizing plants that could build more than one lineof car as needed. The creation of B-O-P aided this devel-opment strategy and would greatly benefit the companyfor another 25 years, but would eventually become a lia-bility as the cars identities became blurred.

As the recovery began to set in, General Motors be-came the lead target of a United Auto Workers strike in De-cember of 1945. The wage issues were finally resolved inMarch 1946, with a resulting wage increase much higherthan anticipated. The higher costs, combined with mater-ial shortages and ensuing higher material costs, resulted insignificant price increases in the marketplace. Prices of new1946 models were generally 30 to 40 percent higher thancomparable 1942 models, and prices rose several timesthrough the 1946 to 1948 period, despite government ef-forts to contain them. But it wasnt only a GM problem, itwas industry-wide, even crossing all industries, and the re-sult was a period of several years of inflation. As for prod-ucts, the Generals line was essentially carried over from1942, although GM seemed to pay more attention to newgrille styling and chrome trim changes than did other man-ufacturers. Perhaps the thinking was that first impressionsare what matter, and a new front end could do more to saynew car than any other change in the car.

Ford Motor Company was the earliest manufacturerto get production lines going, but they had so many facto-ries that it was a relatively easy process as compared tosmaller companies. They had spent the war years buildingB-24 bombers, aircraft engines and the famous general-purpose GP Jeep vehicle. Fords postwar products werechanged similarly to everyone elses, wearing small facelifts,but little in meaningful new style or engineering. The endresult was still a great car, as Ford had just restyled the linein 1941, so their cars still looked modern. And, of course,Ford had the only low-priced V8 engine in the market-place, so its bragging rights continued in that arena. Whenthe Indianapolis 500 race was run in 1946 after a four yearhiatus, a welcome sign of the resumption of the return tonormal life, the pace car was Fords ultimate luxury car, aLincoln Continental Convertible.

Packard production during the war concentrated onaircraft and marine engines. While a small company, theywere able to sustain profits during the war, but in 1945they would face the same problems as all other manufac-turers with labor problems, repairing and reinstituting as-sembly lines and tooling. And of course, the reality of hav-ing to build cars that were now nearly four-year-old designsbecame an issue. Packard faced further problems as Briggsbuilt most of their bodies, so Packard assembly lines wereheld up while Briggs resolved their own labor problems.Production finally resumed in the fall of 1945, but mater-ial shortages particularly overwhelmed Packard, as the BigThree seemed to get more of the available steel.

The remaining manufacturers stories are detailedlater, but suffice it to say, all the independent companiessuch as Nash, Hudson, and to a lesser extent Crosley werein the same situation as everyone else. Saddled with carsthat were a minimum of four years old in design, and ris-ing cost pressures, they scrambled to get everything backto normal and provide every car possible to a hungry pub-lic. For the most part, all were successful in their endeavor.

Most light-duty trucks had continued in production,on at least a small scale, throughout the wartime period formilitary and government purchases, and getting the pro-duction lines readied for civilian production was a mucheasier matter than it was for the cars. Chevrolet, GMC,Dodge, Ford, International, Crosley and Studebaker truckswere all on sale for the public by the early part of 1946. Nomajor changes were made to the prewar designs, but mostwould be updated within the next few years. An interest-ing truck model came from Hudson, known as the Model58 Pickup. This forerunner of the Ford Ranchero andChevy El Camino blended a Hudson body, from the B-pil-lars forward, with a typically styled pickup bed. Whiletrucks are not covered in this book, it is worth noting thatthese trucks were built on the regular Hudson car chassisstretched 7 inches to a 128 inch wheelbase, were poweredby the Hudson 212 CID 6-cylinder, and carried a Gross Ve-hicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 4800 lbs., in line withcontemporary 12 ton pickups. Base price was $1,154, whichdefinitely put it at the higher end of the price range forlight-duty trucks, being $200 higher than a base Ford 6-cylinder pickup, and $400 higher than the early 1946 modelChevy 6-cylinder pickups. However, for someone lookingfor a light-duty truck they could use around town, whichlooked nice and drove comfortably, this truck did the job.

Note that for all Chrysler Corporation divisions dur-ing this period, production records by model year were notmaintained (with rare exception); rather only a total bybody style was kept for 1946 through 1948. See the 1948Chrysler section for body style breakouts. Totals listed for1946 for each series are estimated based upon serial num-bers and calendar year sales reporting.

1946 16

1946 Overview and Changes from 1942

Total industry production: 2,208,924, up 95.05%. Number of manufacturers for model year: 17, no

change.

Number of models and body types offered: 167, downfrom 276.

Industry average base price: $1,847, up 21.89%. Industry price range : $749 for the Crosley 2-Door

Sedan to $4,609 for the Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood4-Door Imperial Sedan.

17 1946 Buick1946

Production of Buicks resumed in late 1945. New Spe-cial models were among the last to return to the showroomsafter the end of the war, and a smaller range of models wasoffered compared to 1942. The sporting Century, the A-bodied Special, and the luxurious Limited series were gone.The 1946 Special was the sole remaining B-body Buickfrom the prewar era, and it was trimmed down to one 2-Door and one 4-Door offering, while the Estate Wagonwas moved up to the Super line. Estate Wagons usedwooden upper body construction made by Ionia Manufac-turing. The remainder of the Super and Roadmaster linescontinued for 1946.

The easiest method of identifying a 1946 Buick fromthe front is to look for the small lateral openings at the topof the grille. Exterior trim on the Special continued as in1942 with a set of dual chrome strips along the lower bodyfrom the front wheel opening to the back edge of the rearfender skirts. Front fender lines on the Special also contin-ued the prewar design, stopping about a foot into the frontdoor, then curving downward. Super models gained front

fender lines similar to those of the Roadmaster, whichsloped downward back through the doors to the front of therear fender, creating a flowing line. Supers and Roadmas-ters also wore a similar single piece of stainless trim downthe lower bodyside.

Interiors continued in typical Buick high fashion. TheSpecials were treated to broadcloth upholstery with spark-ling chromium hardware. Super models added Foamtexcushions, finer fabrics, rear seat center armrests and wood-grained trim. The top of the line Roadmasters used a plushgray fabric with darker gray trim giving it a very luxuriouslook and feel.

Under the hood, things continued as generally simi-lar to the 1942 models. The Specials 248 CID 8-cylinderengine was basically unchanged. However, the Super tooka slight downgrade by using the Specials 110 horsepower en-gine, whereas in 1942 it had used a dual-downdraft carbu-retor, which helped create 118 horsepower. The Roadmas-ter took a similar hit in horsepower, having 21 fewer thanin 1942.

BUICKWhen better automobiles are built ... Buick will build them.

Roadmaster 2-Door Convertible Super 4-Door Estate Wagon

Special 2-Door Sedanet Coupe

1946 Buick 18

Model year production: 149,395, up 58.2% from 1942.Domestic market share: 6.76% (5th place).Base price range: $1,522 to $2,594.Buick average base price: $1,975, up 27.49%.Introduction date: SuperOctober 1945; RoadmasterJuly

1946; SpecialNovember 1946.Assembly plants: Flint, MI (1); Southgate, CA (2); Linden,

NJ (3); Fairfax (Kansas City), KS (4).

Serial number identification: Eight digit code read as follow:1st digit indicating assembly plant code from above, fol-lowed by sequential number by plantFlint, 14364445 to14524130; Southgate, 24380001 to 24511494; Linden,34390001 to 34429256; Fairfax, 44415001 to 44419786.Style number can be found on body identification plate.Ionia denotes the builder of wagon bodies for Buick.

PowertrainsCompression

Engine Ratio Gross HP Transmission Special & Super Roadmaster

248 CID, 2-bbl., valve-in-head, 8-cyl. 6.3:1 110 3-speed manual S -

320.2 CID Fireball, 2-bbl., valve-in-head, 8-cyl. 6.6:1 144 3-speed manual - S

Major OptionsSpecial Super Roadmaster

Weather-Warden heater/defroster $ $ $Sonomatic AM radio $ $ $Auxiliary driving lights $ $ $Exterior spotlight $ $ $E-Z-I non-glare rear view mirror $ $ $Outside rear view mirror $ $ $Vanity visor mirror $ $ $White sidewall discs $ $ $

Options common to most models. Items may be standard equipment, op-tional at different pricing, or unavailable on certain models. This chart isonly a guide.

Paint ColorsCode

Black 01Nightshade Blue Metallic 02Canterbury Blue Metallic 03Verde Green 04Sherwood Green Metallic 05Brunswick Green Metallic 06Royal Maroon Metallic 07Dusty Gray 08Rivermist Gray 09Rivermist Gray over Dusty Gray 10Brunswick Green Metallic

over Sherwood Green Metallic 11Lehigh Gray Metallic 13Sequoia Cream 14

SpecialIts a Field-Pacing BeautyThe Buick Special.

Nameplate year of origin: 1935.Current bodystyle lifespan: 1941 through first series 1949.Percentage of divisions sales volume: 2.01%.Primary competition: DeSoto Custom, Hudson Super, Mercury,

Nash Ambassador, and Oldsmobile 76/78 Series.Notable changes: Restyled grille, detail changes.Major standard equipment: Cloth seats, rubber floor mats, ash re-

ceiver, map light, glove compartment light, turn signals, trunklight, automatic choke, twin stainless moldings on front and rearfenders, and 6.50 16, 4-ply BSW tires.

MeasurementsWheelbase 121.0"Length 207.5"Width 77.5"Height 66.7"Legroomfront 42.5"Legroomrear 42.5"Headroomfront 38.0"Headroomrear 35.8"Cargo capacity (cu. ft.) 17.5Fuel capacity (gals.) 19.0

19 1946 Buick1946

Models AvailableChange from Shipping Model Year Change from

Style No. Base FADP LY Wt. (lbs.) Production LY

Special 2-Door Sedanet, 6-p., Model 46S 4407 $1,522 +31.70% 3670 1,350 -88.62%Special 4-Door Sedan, 6-p., Model 41 4409 $1,580 +31.30% 3720 1,649 -90.41%

TOTALS Avg. price $1,551 +29.57% Production 2,999 -90.84%

SuperSuper is the name ... and Superfine the quality.

Nameplate year of origin: 1935.Current bodystyle lifespan: 1941 through 1948.Percentage of divisions sales volume: 76.98%.Primary competition: Chrysler Saratoga, Hudson Commodore,

Packard Clipper Eight, and Oldsmobile 98.Notable changes: Restyled grille, detail changes.Major standard equipment: Cloth seats (cloth and leather trim in

convertible), rubber floor mats, two-toned wood grained instru-ment panel, deluxe steering wheel, clock, turn signals, automaticchoke, lower body full-length stainless trim, rear fender skirts, and6.50 16, 4-ply BSW tires.

MeasurementsWheelbase 124.0"Length 212.4"Width 78.6"Height 64.9"Legroomfront NALegroomrear NAHeadroomfront NAHeadroomrear NACargo capacity (cu. ft.) NAFuel capacity (gals.) 19.0

Models AvailableChange from Shipping Model Year Change from

Style No. Base FADP LY Wt. (lbs.) Production LY

Super 2-Door Sedanet, 6-p., Model 56S 4507 $1,741 +31.00% 3795 34,235 +114.25%Super 2-Door Convertible, 6-p., Model 56C 4567 $2,046 +31.21% 4050 5,931 +141.69%Super 4-Door Sedan, 6-p., Model 51 4569 $1,822 +31.89% 3935 74,045 +362.75%Super 4-Door Estate Wagon, 6-p., Model 59 Ionia $2,594 NEW 4170 786 NEWTOTALS Avg. price $2,051 +44.13% Production 114,997 +248.12%

RoadmasterMaster of the road ... in Performance, Style and Beauty.

Nameplate year of origin: 1936.Current bodystyle lifespan: 1941 through 1948.Percentage of divisions sales volume: 21.02%.Primary competition: Cadillac Series 61, Chrysler New Yorker, and

Packard Clipper Eight.Notable changes: Restyled grille, detail changes.Major standard equipment: Finer grade cloth seats, two-toned

wood grained instrument panel (body color on convertibles), rub-ber textured floor mats, deluxe steering wheel, clock, multiple ashreceivers, turn signals, automatic choke, rear fender skirts, and7.00 15 BSW tires.

MeasurementsWheelbase 129.0"Length 217.2"Width 78.6"Height 65.2"Legroomfront NALegroomrear NAHeadroomfront NAHeadroomrear NACargo capacity (cu. ft.) NAFuel capacity (gals.) 19.0

1946 Cadillac 20

Models AvailableChange from Shipping Model Year Change from

Style No. Base FADP LY Wt. (lbs.) Production LY

Roadmaster 2-Door Sedanet, 6-p., Model 76S 4707 $2,014 +32.82% 4095 8,226 +232.90%Roadmaster 2-Dr. Convertible, 6-p., Model 76C 4767 $2,347 +29.60% 4345 2,576 +406.09%Roadmaster 4-Door Sedan, 6-p., Model 71 4769 $2,110 +32.70% 4165 20,597 +280.16%TOTALS Avg. price $2,157 +31.60% Production 31,399 +273.89%

CADILLACAmericas Finest Motor Car. New in Appearance ... New in Performance.

The 1946 model Cadillacs reflected little change fromtheir prewar 1942 counterparts. New hood ornaments witha V and Cadillac crest replaced the winged Goddess hoodornament of the 1942 models. New emblems could befound on the rear deck also. Rectangular parking lightswere used at the front instead of the earlier round units. An-other distinguishing feature was the Cadillac name in blockletters on the side of the front fenders. The first models builtwhen production resumed were Series 62 4-Door Sedans,with the Series 61 line being the last to return to produc-tion. Not adhering to these changes was the Series 75 Fleet-wood, which did not share its body with any other GMproduct. In general, the Series 75 continued with a prewarlook, still carrying the Turret-Top roof and a grille sim-ilar to the 1942 Cadillac.

Sales came easily during this period, and as with mostmanufacturers, the only things holding Cadillac back fromselling more cars were the continuing material shortagesand union strikes. Even with prices increasing by $500$900 on a model for model basis, demand existed since anew Cadillac had not been available in nearly four years.As for individual series, the Series 62 Deluxe was dropped,but the Convertible model moved to the regular Series 62line. The Series 61, which had been essentially the LaSallesreplacement, continued using General Motors B-bodyshared with the Buick Super, Oldsmobile 70 Series andPontiac Streamliner series. Also continued were the Series62, 60 Special and 75 Fleetwood. The slow-selling Series63 and 67 were no longer in the model lineup.

Cadillac Series 62 4-Door Sedan

Model year production: 27,900, up 68.9% from 1942.Domestic market share: 1.26% (14th place).Base price range: $2,022 to $4,609.Cadillac average base price: $3,269, up 18.98%.Introduction date: Series 62October 1945; Series 61May

1946; Series 60S and 75August 1946.Assembly plants: Detroit, MI (1).

Engine and serial number identification: Seven-digit codefor engine number (used as serial number). For all cars thenumber is stamped on front right cylinder block abovewater pump numbered at right angle to crankshaft. Seriesmotors numbered as follows: 615400001 to 5403001;628400001 to 8418566; 60 Special6400001 to6405700; 7534000001 to 3401927.

21 1946 Cadillac1946

PowertrainsCompression

Engine Ratio Gross HP Transmission All Models

346 CID, 2-bbl., L-head, V8 7.25:1 150 3-speed Synchromesh manual SHydra-Matic Automatic $166

Major Options61 62 60 Special 75 Fleetwood

Heater $ $ $ $Radio and antenna $ $ $ $Fog lights $ $ $ $Exterior spotlight $ $ $ $Full-wheel covers $19 $19 $19 SWhite sidewall discs $ $ $ $

Options common to most models. (S = Standard equipment) Items maybe standard equipment, optional at different pricing, or unavailable oncertain body styles. This chart is only a guide.

Paint ColorsCode

Black 1Antoinette Blue 2Cavern Green 3Gunmetal Gray Metallic 4Ivy Green Metallic 5Sussex Gray Metallic 8Madeira Maroon Metallic 9Honey Beige Metallic 16Belden Blue Metallic 17London Gray 120Seine Blue Metallic 121

Series 61Designed to bring Cadillacs incomparable performance,

comfort and safety to the widest group of owners.

Nameplate year of origin: 1939.Current bodystyle lifespan: 1941 through 1947.Percentage of divisions sales volume: 10.75%.Primary competition: Buick Roadmaster, Chrysler New Yorker and

Packard Clipper.Notable changes: Restyled grille, trim and detail changes.Major standard equipment: Cloth interior trim, full floor covering,

electric clock, black rubber rear fender gravel guards, rear fender skirts,directional signals, dual downdraft carburetor with automatic choke,Super-Safe hydraulic brakes, small hubcaps, and 7.00 15 low pres-sure BSW tires.

MeasurementsWheelbase 126.0"Length 215.0"Width 80.8"Height 60.5"Legroomfront NALegroomrear NAHeadroomfront NAHeadroomrear NACargo capacity (cu. ft.) NAFuel capacity (gals.) 20.0

Models AvailableChange from Shipping Model Year Change from

Model No. Base FADP LY Wt. (lbs.) Production LY

Series 61 2-Door Club Coupe, 6-p. 6107 $2,022 +29.60% 4065 800 -67.61%Series 61 4-Door Sedan, 6-p. 6109 $2,146 +30.30% 4145 2,200 -31.12%TOTALS Avg. Price $2,084 +29.93% Production 3,000 -47.03%

1946 Cadillac 22

Series 62A splendid blend of luxury and practicality.

Nameplate year of origin: 1940.Current bodystyle lifespan: 1941 through 1947.Percentage of divisions sales volume: 66.54%.Primary competition: Lincoln V12, Packard Super Clipper.Notable changes: Restyled grille, trim and detail changes.Major standard equipment: Cloth interior trim, full floor covering,

electric clock, black rubber rear fender gravel guards, rear fender skirts,directional signals, dual downdraft carburetor with automatic choke,Super-Safe hydraulic brakes, small hubcaps, and 7.00 15 low pres-sure BSW tires. Convertible adds: Leather interior trim and Hydra-electric convertible top, front seat and front windows.

MeasurementsWheelbase 129.0"Length 220.0"Width 80.8"Height 66.7"Legroomfront NALegroomrear NAHeadroomfront NAHeadroomrear NACargo capacity (cu. ft.) NAFuel capacity (gals.) 20.0

Models AvailableChange from Shipping Model Year Change from

Model No. Base FADP LY Wt. (lbs.) Production LY

Series 62 2-Door Club Coupe, 6-p. 6207 $2,249 +34.90% 4100 2,323 +351.07%Series 62 2-Door Convertible, 6-p. 6267 $2,521 +24.80% 4462 1,342 +335.71%Series 62 4-Door Sedan, 6-p. 6269 $2,324 +32.50% 4240 14,900 +737.08%TOTALS Avg. Price $2,365 +30.95% Production 18,565 +280.74%

Series 60 SpecialCombining all of Cadillacs traditional luxury and perf