My late Uncle had a 49 Fleetline 2 door, black with a beige interior. Funny story was he didn't like the 216, so he asked me to help him (with some beer) to pull the 216 and front end off so he could change the motor. He built a 383 stroker, used a Mustang II front end, and a 71 Nova rear. When we were removing the torque tube, it broke a bolt, and shot across the garage floor and through a wall into his laundry room. One of the funniest things I ever saw. Like watching a cartoon! I love the look of the 49's and 50's.
Hahaha nice story 216 isn’t a powerful engine splash lubrcated I got to drive one in the truck last year and it was super slow to 235 is a huge improvement
Dad had a '50 Styleline and later inherited my grandfather's '51 Customline. Both black. I recall as a child piling into the '51 after Thanksgiving dinner to "go see the Christmas lights" as back then most communities didn't energize their decorations until Thanksgiving evening; a big deal in the mid '50's
I believe his designs and GM engineering staff were solely Why GM was So successful in the 50-60's... at one time 51% of the U.S. market.. nothing to sneeze at . Look at them now,a mere shadow of what once was the largest corporation in the world. So saddening.
Nice video! My family has a 1950 Chevrolet Deluxe 4-door sedan and my family has kept it since it was new. Unfortunately due to neglect it's now in poor condition and needs a LOT of work, and a lot of of the original green paint is now faded away. I've been waiting for you do to a video on a 1949-52 Chevrolet Deluxe 4-door and I'm so happy to see this! Thank you Jay, and have a nice day! =)
Glad you dig this episode I plan on hitting them all one day I’ll do a 1950 four door sedan, I was going to say “look a four door” , because someone asked if I only do two door cars lol
@@What.its.like. I know that classic car enthusiasts generally prefer 2-doors as they look sportier and less "grocery-getter-looking" than their 4-door counterparts, but I think 4-doors are cool as well. Infact I think it's kind of a shame 4-doors are overlooked by the classic car crowd these days because the extra pair of doors give the car extra practicality and makes it more convenient and enjoyable to use on a regular basis; the rear doors make it easier to put groceries on the backseat and other things. Four doors, more scores!
A friend's dad had a still running 1952 Pontiac Fire Chief parked alongside his garage until about 1970. Wonder whatever happened to it. That's the thing about these kind of middle-road cars... almost all of them ended up in the crusher.
@@What.its.like. My family had a 1950 2 door from 1950 to 1963. It was a great car, and there is a market for something this simple and authentic to return to the car world.
In 1956 when I was 7 years old, my dad was shopping for a family car to replace his old 1941 Ford coupe. I remember a salesman showing up at the house with a green 1952 Chevy like this one. It was love at first sight. With me and the salesman in the back seat, dad driving and mom in front, we all went on a test drive. I was too thrilled to pay much attention to what the grownups were saying but I was sure this was the car we'd buy. It was perfect. After the test drive, dad told the salesman he'd be in touch. The next day I got off the school bus at my cousin's store as usual to wait for the folks to pick me up in our new car. To my horror they drove up in a black 1952 Plymouth coupe which I hated from day one. I asked my dad what was wrong with the Chevy. He said the car was fine but the salesman psssd him off! Some things never change.
I think the door panels and seat cover material on the car you video-photograph are aftermarket modifications. The clear plastic on door panels is keeping the cloth originals from getting dirtier. The seat covers are likely covering wear on the original seat materials.
That makes sense I never saw a plastic wrap on a 49 car 50s cars I’ve seen plastic wrap on seats.. I worked at a car dealership over the Summer it was a classic car dealership there was a 58 Packard with the plastic still on the seats. I got to drive to 58 Packard but it wasn’t it felt like a hollow experience if that makes any sense. There was a lot of fiberglass parts on that car it just didn’t feel like a quality Packard. Not like the 56 executive they are night and day difference
My favorite car. My grandfather had one. Then I had a '50 for 17 years. The grill looks like the car is smiling. I loved the sounds, especially the engine and the brake and clutch as they popped up. I also love the dashboard, the radio, the knobs, and the steering wheel with the horn ring.
My father had a 1950 Chevy Styleline 2dr sedan which was very similar to the '49 model in appearance. (The '50 didn't have the vertical grille bars.) Very nice dependable car that he kept for 10 years until he traded it in on a 1960 Impala 2dr hardtop. Wonderful memories of both cars.
Remember the reason why GM just picked up in 1946 with the 1942 models is those cars were all brand new and they only built them for a few months until car production stopped. GM wasn't going to go out and design a whole new car when what people wanted was new cars.
I well remember Christmas Eve of 1949-I was 9 years old, looking out of my upstairs bedroom window and watched as my dad brought home a dark green 1949 Chevy fast-back 4-door sedan. That car was our first post war automobile-prior to that we had a '37 Chevy 4-door sedan and a '39 Chevy 4-door sedan…later, in 1951, he purchased a nice black Chevy 4-door sedan which he kept until 1953 when he switched to Fords.
I’m curious … did he ever tell you why he switched to Fords? My Dad did the same thing when the powerglide in his ‘57 BelAir failed at 18k miles - that really pissed him off … So he switched to Fords and didn’t buy another automatic until the 70’s! I was generally an Olds/Buick man, and Mom fell in love with one of my Oldsmobiles in the 70’s, and bent Dad’s ear about how the GM cars handled so much better than the “floaty-Fords”. So he bought her a Buick, and they stuck with GM for the rest of their lives - except he still preferred his Ford pickups . I personally preferred the GM trucks, too - and still do.
I was a Ford guy and so I bought my GM truck Chevy truck Chevys are so much better because you can take any engine and any transmission and build it together for you can’t do that it has to be a certain engine goes with a certain transmission otherwise you start getting into adapter plate to get super confusing. Especially in the 50s they had some transmissions that were water cooled and they had other ones that were air cooled and they can’t be interchanged the torque converter is different too
Fine little Chevy that brings back fine memories. These cars were all over the place when I was young. They were good, dependable transportation, and a good value. They were very slow, even when compared to their contemporaries, but that didn’t stop them from rolling out of dealerships is big numbers.
Speed isn’t everything but I’d take the studebaker or Nash over ford and Chevy I heard somebody say the Studebaker can get up to 32 miles to the gallon
Hey Jay, when I was a little boy one of our neighbors had one of these Chevrolets. It was green & had a sun visor over the windshield!!! Thanks for sharing another exciting video!!! 👍👍🙂
Our family 49 Chevy was green also. I think Detroit had lots of green paint left over from WWII since that dark green was on lots of cars made in the late 40s/early 50s, especially on GM cars/pickups.
My mom had a 49 two door Fleetline Deluxe. I distinctly recall those art deco speedometer numbers. It rode very smooth for a low-bucks coupe. That plastic on the inside door panels isn't original, neither is the red plastic upholstery. I recall the seat surfaces being corded cloth.
My first car was a 50 Chevy Fleeetline 2 door deluxe. Swapped out the 216 engine for a 235 truck engine. More get up and go. Also under the front carpet was a large removable panel for access to transmisson and torque tube sleeve and attachment point. It was a great runner, quiet, smooth. On the hand throttle the top was flat 2 quarters and a dime placed on top gave you 55 mph, of course stopping was a whole different deal if you did that -:) Also those are seat covers, aftermarket.
Totally agree I got to drive a truck with the 216 in it I couldn’t believe how slow it was.. I also got to drive a car with a 235 in it and couldn’t believe how much of an improvement that engine is over the 216
Thank you for this post. I would like to see a video of a '52 deluxe 4 door. I grew up with a '52. Ours had auto. We had that car until '65 it was my mom's car.
I would prefer the '49 instrument panel. The stroke is actually 3.75 inches, not 3.8 (which gives 219.4 CID). Chevy also kept iron pistons for its six, even lauding them as superior in ads, saying they gave better sealing. That vintage Chevrolet was noted for being at risk of having its floor panels rust out. They did get past that, but you wanted a Southern car from the earlier years, just in case.
Thank you so much for that information and insight as well as correction, I think the place where I get all the information from like the round up the numbers on specs
I may have mentioned this before ...😂 My family had a 49 Chevy Deluxe from about 1956-1965. I don't recall anything about "styleline" in the name. Thank you Jay man. In 1959, all seven of us drove from San Francisco to Disneyland in LA. I was 4. It was grey, outside and in. The plastic on the door panels and the red set covers were not factory, I'm pretty sure.
I've always liked the '49 thru '54 Chevy's. If I owned that car I would pull that engine and replace it with a later full pressure 235. My 1960 Chevy Apache pickup has the 235 and it runs like a top with good power. It always starts and I can easily cruise down the highway at 55 to 60 mph. It will go faster but I don't abuse it.
I remember when these cars were actually in use. There was no plastic on the door panels, and the upholstery matched the door panel colors. Plastic seat covers and plastic covers were added by an owner much later, probably to protect the originals. My first car was a 53 Chevy, which was the next big refreshing of models, and it was great.
That Chevy style persisted on until the edge of 1953 when the front didn't change much but the rear Ford was pretty much doing the same with its Shoebox style because ittook awhile for post-war materials and labor ete to get cranked up. We had the low end Fleetline, heavily used and rusted out in places thanks to Lake Erie winters. Don't exactly have fond memories of having to watch out for the rusted out floor, but it did get a unique view of the passing road. I'll say one thing, your posts certainly bring back memories!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and memories with us =) I love the fleetline im sorry you had a bad one. Erie winters are bad I delivered a cabinet up to New York one year and had to get a running start to make it up the hill. First attempt didn’t make it. Had to back all the way down the hill and try again second time I got going 70 and that was enough to make it up the hill =)
I'm glad you are making these videos J because on the plastic model cars, a lot of the parts are molded in one color or as chrome pieces. The transparent red on the hood spear is solid chrome in the model. This is the first time I've seen it being transparent red. Same with the 1949 Ford with the transparent "Blade" sticking up...in the AMT model kit, that's all chrome. Somehow I have a feeling that those red seats are not original....like the original would have had brown seats to match the door panels and that those seats would probably be a mohair or cloth. It also looks like the door panels got wet and stained/rotted. Anyway, |i think if I lived back then and had the money for a new car, I would have got the Ford because it looks the most modern of all the makes in that year.
My Dad bought a brand new ‘49 four door deluxe. Married in 1952 it was the wedding car. I came along in 1953. Next new family car was a 1960 Chevrolet station wagon with air conditioning. Next new vehicle was a 1972 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup with power steering and brakes and automatic transmission.
I have been watching your channel for a few months. I love the content and the format of what you present. Even better is that you post a video every day. I always know there will be a new video to watch when I get home from work. It's like the adult version of Mr. Rogers for me. Keep up the good work!
Absolutely love the 49 Styeline, but for my story to learn about this car is a bit strange. As I am a post 70's kid grow up in HK, there is almost no way I will come across a 49 Chevy, but in 1989 a software company launch a PC game called "Street Rod" and that's how I learned about American vehicles and grow to love it. A little background of the game, it is about you, as the player, was a high school kid whom just got your driver's license and in the summer holiday of 1963 instead of working on a summer job. You go and buy a used car, tuned it up and race it on the street. The goal is to beat the "King", whom drove a 63 vette, before the holidays ended. As game start you only have a limited budget that you can only afford a cheaper car, and which one of them is a 49 Styeline 2dr. coupe. Of course the games details are not entirely accurate, after all it was developed in the 80's, but it sure was a lot of fun. BTW the company which own the game's copyright had turn the game into a free ware. Can download it and have some experience on what 1989 racing game be like.
It probably took the Automakers 3 years to design their new models, but with postwar demand high, just about any car sold well then. I like that 70's green coupe behind it. Cadillac or Chevrolet, perhaps?
Looks like a very nice unrestored car they have there. I sure wouldn't kick it out my driveway. Had one as a young man. It was a great car even though it did need a lot of work done to it. It got me where I wanted to go though. Even got into trouble with the deacons of the church I belonged to back then. Seems like they didn't want my beat up old Chevy parked in front of their church. The song you played is Teenager In Love by Dion and the Belmont's.
@@What.its.like. They wanted all their late model stuff parked out front. They said that I could park my car off church property so I told 'em to stuff it.
Wow I just watched a documentary on super churches Joel Osteen very sickening that’s not what the church is supposed to be about. I would’ve questioned him.
While I agree the 49 Chevrolet is a nice car, my nod for 1949 has to go to the Whiz Kids over at Ford. The 49 Ford looks new and *fresh*. The Chevrolet looks pedestrian in comparison, but they were dependable cars for sure. IMO Chevrolet didn't really step out of the box until the 1955 Chevrolet. It had the style, the new OHV V8, and has stood the test of time. It launched a golden age for the new Chevy giving birth to the famous Tri-Fives.
I like the body style of the 48 over the 49 somewhat better. I liked the two tone white top of the 48 which was an enhancement to the beauty of the car. To me the 49 was boring, but still a nice car for the day. A friend of mine in high school had a 48 Chevrolet. I have always wanted the 48 Chevy. My friends car had plenty of power from that small six and was a joy to drive. A great presentation Jay!
@@What.its.like. I really did and always do! I dont know that the draftsmen and car designers at GM were thinking when they came out with the 49. It was like they were thinking in reverse!
The seats have been reupholstered or are wearing covers. Re the plastic on the door trims, there was a time when cars were delivered with plastic covering the seats and trims. Most people removed it to enjoy the plushness.
That car has the recirculating heater. You can see it under the dashboard on the passenger side. That heater switch doesn't look stock; the switch for the recirculating heater was a knob and not a toggle. As far as styling goes, the '49 has it all over the '48, but the '49 Ford has it over the '49 Chevy due to its cleaner lines.
That hood ornament looks after market to me. Did it have lights in it? So many things that we now take for granted were options back in those days. Heaters, outside rear view mirrors and even oil filters were options. My Father bought a 1950 Chevy and it had a Powerglide transmission and was the first car my Mother drove. The years right after WW2 were a time when anything 'new' sold because no new cars were made from 1942 to 1946. Lots of people were driving 10+ year old cars and hoping they would last until they could replace them. These were the last happy times for the independent brands as starting in the early 1950's the big 3 had the ability to produce all the cars people wanted and, especially in the lower priced cars the big 3 started fighting for market share and cutting prices to do it. Ford and Chevy could sell cars for less than Studebaker could make them and in 1953 and 1954 independents were doomed. In 1948 it was still a sellers market for awhile.
The seats were recovered by some small business at some point in time. I'm guessing that the inner door skins were covered in plastic around the same time. The covered stuff hides worn or stained factory installed stuff. The seat and door covers protect the car from rain and from messy children.
Had a 49 Deluxe in HS & completely loved this car. Sweet ride & did ok in the mountains! Brought back tons of memories. Thanx man-Ps. Wanted to build into a sleeper w/350 & auto tranny. ✌🏽
Nice it’s never too late there they’re out there you can even get one built like already done for probably cheaper than you could build it yourself.. check Facebook marketplace
Those Chevrolet were a common sight in Belgium in the 50s. One of my uncles owned one, exactly like this one, but I don't know how he came to it. A couple of years leter, he bought a Ford, I remember it was blue with a white roof.
You mentioned the delay by the major auto makers in releasing new post-war models, basically just refreshing 1942 models; reminds me of an even more extreme example of retaining old designs, the Volkswagen Beetle. Designed to be manufactured by the year 1940, the stampings and dies were stored away during World War 2 while the VW plant was converted to manufacture the German Jeep-like Kublewagon and missile parts. After the war, the bomb-damaged factory had an intact assembly and stamping line in the basement with 3 to 4,000 forced laborers that were homeless as their former countries were now in the communist block or devastated. The British military occupation dealt with this problem by putting the workers back to work by building the Beetle using 6 year old dies and stampings, using leftover metal and parts - providing desperately needed transportation for the war torn region. Since BMW, Opal, and Mercedes had been completely destroyed, Volkswagen rose like a miracle from the evil Nazi ashes. Volkswagen, after this strange beginning, was very conservative, making very slow and incremental changes for many years to the Beetle; but it was successful nonetheless, a tribute to the Porsche design that was drawn up to satisfy a manically evil dictator.
They sold the beetle for 30 years with minimal changes it’s crazy they could do that for that long all of vw line was like that, hell the original 911 was unchanged or very little change in the beginning was an updated version of 956 (which I think 956 are cool, over priced but cool)
I always like these videos dealing with the 1949 cars and how they were redesigned from vehicles dating back to the tail end of the depression. But, judging from what others are saying, these cars were slow! So, I find myself preferring the Ford from that year.
Yes, they were very slow, but still good, dependable transportation for the time. My Dad had a ‘50 Chevy Fleetline with the 216 3-spd. Fine car, which he kept until he bought a new ‘57 Chevy 283 4-bbl. As for the ‘49-‘51 Fords, they were called “shoebox Fords” - and they were about as interesting as a shoebox. As for me, I had a ‘49 Oldsmobile …
@@What.its.like. - That ‘49 Olds would smoke most anything stock on the road in the early 50’s … The Olds and Caddy OHV V8’s opened everybody’s eyes to the advantages of OHV cross-flow heads.
Nice car but it's not highly desirable by collectors because it's the base-model devoid of any options (no body trim, no horn ring, no arm rests, no radio, no clock, etc. Also, at 02:16 when you were comparing the body style with the '48, the car in the lower half of the pic was not a '49 (as you described it). It was a '51 that someone threw a '52 grille on and custom-frenched the headlights to make them looked recessed. Headlights were not recessed in any of these early '50s Chevys. The closest would've been the '54 with a recessed bezel.
Thank you for that correction I thought it looked too new I typed in Google search and 49 Chevy styleline deluxe and that’s what came up thanks for catching that
Styling was also a plus for Chevrolet. It was refined, more integrated. It looks and is more solid, while the '48 was obviously assembled like a puzzle. Nearest competitor, Ford, offered the new bullet form, which many found pleasing, but their six was still an unrenowned flathead and the preferred eight still suffered from overheating. Chrysler was kinda stuck in the 30s and radical designs of the independents were trying a bit too hard for attention. After all the chaos Americans had suffered for two decades, stability was very attractive.
If you just drive in one well preserved specimen you'll understand how far ahead was GM. Solid construction you can feel, simple operation, precise steering and superior ride quality. The weight of these cars force the suspension to comply to road irregularities while the body remains stable. And the torque from that decades-refined ohv six was always impressive. For the price a better car just wasn't available.
@@What.its.like. we have it pretty good these days, in some ways. My little Chevy 110ci i4 makes significantly more power than most sixes into the 80s, on a third of the fuel they used. My Nissan V6 (the whole truck made in Tennessee) doubles the basic V8s of the same era in power on half the fuel. But these newer machines lack the individual charms they offer in their time, and the individual personalities these older vehicles developed. I get the value of a good restomod, but prefer the survivors like this one with the stained original door panels and headliner. It looks ready to go and I would not hesitate to drive it anywhere as is.
I have a 52 Chevy I ton and drove to Cleveland yesterday which is 2 hours away and home absolutely love my truck but will admit have to fix things from time to time but it's 70 years old I was having that conversation with my brother yesterday if you bought something with full pressure oiling system and hydraulic valve lifters it's like a modern car don't have to adjust things on the topic of fuel economy it matters what it is the new wagoners don't get great mileage there are cars from the 50s that got better gas mileage rambler cross country with over drive got 32 hwy ( or claimed to get that ) which is better than my Honda van, which has cylinder deactivation direct injection and computer intervention there is no reason why we can't get better gas mileage. The 52 Chevy has a different drive train 350 v8 4 speed stick 373 rear end I get 20 mpg hwy at 70 miles per hour at 55 it gets close to 28 in a 1 ton truck it's unbelievable
I think all the divisions turned out some beautiful designs for the revamped '49 model year. There were so many beautiful models and this one is no exception! It's evident, from various historical things I've watched and read about that time period, that there was definitely seemed to be a certain exciting vibe of post-war enthusiasm that began and ushered consumers into what looks like a dream world decade of the '50s. The song was really 😎, great one from that era! Was that an excerpt from something or a question LOL 😁
Not only was the styling changed but Oldsmobile and Cadillac also introduced new OHV V8 engines which were more powerful and fuel efficient than the old flathead designs they replaced. Ford and Chrysler were not too far behind in the introduction of new engines and transmissions and other mechanical improvements such as power assisted steering and brakes.
I'm sure you're right but as a child born in the early 50s, I have a hard time seeing these models as exciting. Even the 55 and 56 seemed outdated to me by the time I was much aware of cars, but THOSE were exciting in their time... styling like rocketships to the stars! And a new OHC V8!
We had one of these when I was a kid, the fastback version. It was black of course, inline six with three on the tree and mohair covered seats. It was a good car, my dad kept it until 1956 when he bought a Ford Custom sedan, it was solid white, blue interior with an inline six and three on the tree, smoothest running car he ever owned.
Don't remember the reason, but I remember riding in one of these once Our landlord was giving my mom and I a ride somewhere. This held the title of the oldest car I rode in.. I til my brother got his 1936 5 window coupe. (Actually no interior. Had to sit on the springs)
Great story thank you for sharing that memory my friends grandpa had a 53 packard the springs where worn out so the seats were like bean bag chairs.. lol rode in that car one time
I daily drive 50 chevy deluxe. It does have more modern engine tho a 54 235! Edmonds dualcarb manifold ans split dual ex. Vintage air and the electronics in original radio give moodern bluetooth with original look. It is beautifully done and looks like a new car
@@What.its.like. A group did a parody of that song “Why Must I Be A Teenager In Jail “ I think it’s The Four Preps. They did a medley of parodies in one recording in the early 60s.
Nice review of a rather unremarkable car but remarkable compared to the 1942-48's👏 The original seat upholstery is just covered, Jay, in replicas of the popular dealer installed extras back in the day. ‼Great content as always, buddy. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
I suspect the covers are much more recent. The dingy and even moldy headliner and door lining is what I remember about these cars... they looked about like that by the end of the 50s. Interior materials durability wasn't a big priority, or, at least, they weren't that good at it. You do see much better preservation in some cars, such as Packard.
As weak as that 216 was & as low compression it had, I'm surprised at the MPG rating. I had a 52 Chevy Panel with that motor and I got about 19 MPG following the Grateful Dead one summer (71). Good times!
That is the cheap model. That heater is the non deluxe heater and may have been dealer installed. No radio. Love those old Chevys and have owned a few.
The 49-52 Chevrolets were similar to one and the others. The main difference was in the sheet metal and some refreshing of some parts. I do know the one of the difference between the 49 and later versions was the taillights. The 49 taillights were quite small but the later ones are larger. Especially the 52 taillights.
In 1949, they didn't just "decide to make new cars, go figure". Until 1945, it was wartime, What it's like. Nothing but focus on war production could be entertained. It took four years to start an entirely new car and powertrain after the end of the war and bring it to production, just because that's how long it takes to do that. Even today, that isn't much changed (which is why we don't see much design changes, it takes too long and costs too much). Some of the independents tried to beat the industry to market with new post-war designs that weren't fully engineered, and they paid for it with loss of customer confidence in their brands, as the cars were terrible quality. The Big 3 pushed them all aside by waiting and getting it done right. The 1948 design with it's style and detail is far better in retrospect than the 1949. The 1949 was new and different, but is really now just plainer than the 1948, not better. I mean in comparable appearance .... engineering of powertrains has progressed far more as time moved along, so the 1949's powertrains were better.
I know they made war products for the war we talk about it every other video =) which is why start up companies like kaiser Frazier did well because they where something new studebaker was one of the first established companies to come out with a post war design in 47. Point I was making big three didn’t want to make anything new. The buying public wanted to buy something new and different. It took 4 years for the big three to make a new product just saying
@@What.its.like. your point is incorrect. The Big 3 did in fact want to bring out new product. But they could not start that process until the war resources board released manufacturers from war production. From 1945 to 1949, they were engineering and developing the 1949 cars. If they didn't want to make anything new during that time, there would have been no new car brought out in 1949. They continued to sell the pre-war cars because they had the tools to make those cars without redesigning anything, or retooling anything. You people outside the auto industry do not really understand the lead-time process of bringing new product to market, and think it just takes a matter of a year to start up a new car. The fact is there are multiple years of cars all in different stages of development at any given time. In the post war era, there had been nothing going on in the pipeline. lol Kaiser-Frazer didn't do well, or Studebaker for that matter. Yes, they had a fresh sheet of paper to begin with, but in their execution they left a lot to be desired engineering-wise, and lost out in the market by launching too quickly.
I know it takes time but it’s been done before they bought the mustang to market in less then 1.5 years (or less) other companies that didn’t start up made new post war cars in 1947 studebaker 48 packard, 48 Hudson. The big three chose not to make new models until 49
@@What.its.like. you missed the point; yes the independents did win the battle but they lost the war by rushing; the quick releases were not engineered well and it contributed to their brand's demise within around 10 years of that mistake. Your comment about Mustang must be coming from one of the recent releases that had no powertrain changes and very little other things, just exterior freshenings. I worked at Ford my entire career, you are chatting with someone who was in engineering for 30 years, living first hand the initiation of new programs through release to production. I'm not fabricating comments out of the sky. You trying to tell me how things work is a bit of a comedy. I posted what I did because your initial comments were too shallow, and a bit untrue. No program gets done in 1.5 years unless it's a superficial change. And new programs were not ever delayed by the Big 3 to 1949 because of not wanting to bring out new cars. (If memory serves me correctly, what came out as the '49 Ford was not the original car, the initial Mercury became the Ford and the Mercury started over in engineering, just to help you understand what goes on behind the scenes of new programs) Although it wasn't the case in 1949, nowadays it takes 2 years just to get emissions and CAFE certification from the Federal government, running fleets around the clock and testing cars in labs. But going back to the post-war time, even a simple grille change requires new testing to be sure underhood temperatures and air flow do not create hot spots that could lead to component failures. The new post-war cars were not simple grille changes. The independents took way too many shortcuts, shortcuts that the Big 3 were unwilling to do to be more certain that their product releases were fully developed to their standards at that time. We were not racing to beat the independents to market, for very good reasons. And no, you are totally wrong, and have not learned what I'm trying to educate you about. The Big 3 did NOT CHOOSE to not make new models. There was nothing in the pipeline during the war, so everything restarted from scratch after the war ended. Media types have done a propaganda job on you if you think that the Big 3 withheld product "because of pent-up demand". That line of reasoning was NEVER true. Erase from your thinking all that falsehood.
OK, I had to stop in the middle and comment. The car being offered for sale is NOT a deluxe. No front fender and door mouldings, no deluxe nameplates, no moulding around rear window, no armrests, no deluxe steering wheel with full horn ring, no upper door frame mouldings and no upper windshield moulding. The car does have stainless stone guards and a right sun visor, but these could be optional accessories or aftermarket add ons. The car is actually a Special Styleline Sport Sedan. Also, the photo that you used to compare the front of a 48 to a 49, is actually a 51 with added on 52 grille teeth!
Thank you for those corrections I just went to Google search and typed in 49 Chevy and that’s what came up and I was looking for the same roughly the same angle. I was thinking the same I was like man this is a really basement model deluxe but figured that’s just the way Chevy was back then www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chevrolet/styleline/2515449.html
@@What.its.like. your first thought was correct, that ain't no high falutin de luxe model! Also, no carpet either. That hood ornament is also an option or genuine Chevrolet accessory, made out of that new luxury material, plastic! Yes, a chrome hood ornament was standard equipment, but you had to pay extra to get a plastic one! Aren't you glad that I am very old and a life long car fan? LOL.
I appreciate you and everybody else that corrects in the comment section. =) I want this to be the classic go to channel for anyone that what’s to get into this hobby, and want to know more about cars that are off the beaten path. This channel will give them insight especially with the mpg figures. (Even though they are just baseline numbers at least have a ball park figure) maybe they are looking at a 65 gs but then see the gas mileage isn’t that great so they might look into a riviera with a 401 instead. We need to get younger people in the car hobby
@@What.its.like. not to worry, I am more than happy to correct you every chance I get! Haha. You ARE right, we need to get more young people involved in the old car hobby and away from fast and furious car driving video games.
Those are not the original seat covers. The cloth used on the OEM seats are soft and comfortable. For some reason most every person who brought those new put those awful covers on the seats. The seat covers outlasted the cars and trucks in most cases. My 49 still has them in tact and the originals are under there never to be seen again. 😁 I did peek once the original covers are dirty because the covers let dirt sifts through and liquid. They didn’t protect very well.
Re: Name that tune Title of this song: A Teenager in Love Singer: Dion & The Belmonts I’ll make my comments later because I want to go back and review different portions of the video. Thanks.
This is NOT the deluxe model. The vehicle in this video doesn’t have a radio, no side trim and it has the base model steering wheel making it a 1949 Styleline sedan. I know because I own a 1949 Styleline Deluxe sedan.
Yeah that was a mistake just quick Google search to look for pictures going to do a live chat and bring that up.. thank you so much for the correction =)
Crazy thing is this was the better car and had plastic seats they were slick did you see the camera move I kept that part in to show how slick the seats are. It’s a cool car all things considered
Several criticisms of this particular car: The Sear Covers ARE plastic and they don't seem to be "original", and there IS CLEAR PLASTIC on the Interior Door Panels- In order to cover up the BLACK MOLD... One can see relatively poor BONDO-work in this car's exterior-finish in several places. Nope, I would not buy this particular car...
@@What.its.like. yes and they call the engine a stovebolt six because the valve cover is held on with bolts through the center rather than around the edges.
A Teenager in Love, Dion and the Belmonts
Yeah buddy congratulations you got it and the first one to do so =)
Be sure to tune in tomorrow for 1929 Buick series 55 touring
My late Uncle had a 49 Fleetline 2 door, black with a beige interior. Funny story was he didn't like the 216, so he asked me to help him (with some beer) to pull the 216 and front end off so he could change the motor. He built a 383 stroker, used a Mustang II front end, and a 71 Nova rear. When we were removing the torque tube, it broke a bolt, and shot across the garage floor and through a wall into his laundry room. One of the funniest things I ever saw. Like watching a cartoon! I love the look of the 49's and 50's.
Hahaha nice story 216 isn’t a powerful engine splash lubrcated I got to drive one in the truck last year and it was super slow to 235 is a huge improvement
Dad had a '50 Styleline and later inherited my grandfather's '51 Customline. Both black. I recall as a child piling into the '51 after Thanksgiving dinner to "go see the Christmas lights" as back then most communities didn't energize their decorations until Thanksgiving evening; a big deal in the mid '50's
Great story thank you for sharing that awesome memory =)
So much love lavished on the 55 to 57 Chevy's I have always felt the 49 to 54 models get a little ignored.
I’ve driven both not sure which is better 55-57 are over hyped that’s for sure
2:20 I have _UTMOST_ respect for Harley Earl and his design.
I believe his designs and GM engineering staff were solely Why GM was So successful in the 50-60's... at one time 51% of the U.S. market.. nothing to sneeze at . Look at them now,a mere shadow of what once was the largest corporation in the world. So saddening.
Nice video! My family has a 1950 Chevrolet Deluxe 4-door sedan and my family has kept it since it was new. Unfortunately due to neglect it's now in poor condition and needs a LOT of work, and a lot of of the original green paint is now faded away. I've been waiting for you do to a video on a 1949-52 Chevrolet Deluxe 4-door and I'm so happy to see this! Thank you Jay, and have a nice day! =)
Glad you dig this episode I plan on hitting them all one day I’ll do a 1950 four door sedan, I was going to say “look a four door” , because someone asked if I only do two door cars lol
@@What.its.like. I know that classic car enthusiasts generally prefer 2-doors as they look sportier and less "grocery-getter-looking" than their 4-door counterparts, but I think 4-doors are cool as well. Infact I think it's kind of a shame 4-doors are overlooked by the classic car crowd these days because the extra pair of doors give the car extra practicality and makes it more convenient and enjoyable to use on a regular basis; the rear doors make it easier to put groceries on the backseat and other things. Four doors, more scores!
I love the four door hardtops because can’t tell they are 4 doors from far away those are starting to get higher prices just depends on what it is.
A friend's dad had a still running 1952 Pontiac Fire Chief parked alongside his garage until about 1970. Wonder whatever happened to it. That's the thing about these kind of middle-road cars... almost all of them ended up in the crusher.
@@What.its.like. My family had a 1950 2 door from 1950 to 1963. It was a great car, and there is a market for something this simple and authentic to return to the car world.
In 1956 when I was 7 years old, my dad was shopping for a family car to replace his old 1941 Ford coupe. I remember a salesman showing up at the house with a green 1952 Chevy like this one. It was love at first sight. With me and the salesman in the back seat, dad driving and mom in front, we all went on a test drive. I was too thrilled to pay much attention to what the grownups were saying but I was sure this was the car we'd buy. It was perfect. After the test drive, dad told the salesman he'd be in touch. The next day I got off the school bus at my cousin's store as usual to wait for the folks to pick me up in our new car. To my horror they drove up in a black 1952 Plymouth coupe which I hated from day one. I asked my dad what was wrong with the Chevy. He said the car was fine but the salesman psssd him off! Some things never change.
Great story thank you so much for sharing that with us =)
Yep, good story …
No disrespect, but your dad screwed himself …
I think the door panels and seat cover material on the car you video-photograph are aftermarket modifications. The clear plastic on door panels is keeping the cloth originals from getting dirtier. The seat covers are likely covering wear on the original seat materials.
That makes sense I never saw a plastic wrap on a 49 car 50s cars I’ve seen plastic wrap on seats.. I worked at a car dealership over the Summer it was a classic car dealership there was a 58 Packard with the plastic still on the seats. I got to drive to 58 Packard but it wasn’t it felt like a hollow experience if that makes any sense. There was a lot of fiberglass parts on that car it just didn’t feel like a quality Packard. Not like the 56 executive they are night and day difference
My favorite car. My grandfather had one. Then I had a '50 for 17 years. The grill looks like the car is smiling. I loved the sounds, especially the engine and the brake and clutch as they popped up. I also love the dashboard, the radio, the knobs, and the steering wheel with the horn ring.
Totally agree these cars just have a character and charm that is lacking in the new cars
Both model years look nice, but I would take the 1949 model, too.
My father had a 1950 Chevy Styleline 2dr sedan which was very similar to the '49 model in appearance. (The '50 didn't have the vertical grille bars.) Very nice dependable car that he kept for 10 years until he traded it in on a 1960 Impala 2dr hardtop. Wonderful memories of both cars.
Glad to bring back those memories =)
For roughly 50 bits more, backup lights may have been an option. '49 Chevy looks just fine.
50 bits more I like that =)
Remember the reason why GM just picked up in 1946 with the 1942 models is those cars were all brand new and they only built them for a few months until car production stopped. GM wasn't going to go out and design a whole new car when what people wanted was new cars.
That’s what I read as well and they stretched it to 1949 all the big players did that.. studebaker launched their all new per war design in 1947.
I well remember Christmas Eve of 1949-I was 9 years old, looking out of my upstairs bedroom window and watched as my dad brought home a dark green 1949 Chevy fast-back 4-door sedan. That car was our first post war automobile-prior to that we had a '37 Chevy 4-door sedan and a '39 Chevy 4-door sedan…later, in 1951, he purchased a nice black Chevy 4-door sedan which he kept until 1953 when he switched to Fords.
What did you think of the 49 Chevy any cool stories about that car
I’m curious … did he ever tell you why he switched to Fords?
My Dad did the same thing when the powerglide in his ‘57 BelAir failed at 18k miles - that really pissed him off … So he switched to Fords and didn’t buy another automatic until the 70’s!
I was generally an Olds/Buick man, and Mom fell in love with one of my Oldsmobiles in the 70’s, and bent Dad’s ear about how the GM cars handled so much better than the “floaty-Fords”. So he bought her a Buick, and they stuck with GM for the rest of their lives - except he still preferred his Ford pickups . I personally preferred the GM trucks, too - and still do.
I was a Ford guy and so I bought my GM truck Chevy truck Chevys are so much better because you can take any engine and any transmission and build it together for you can’t do that it has to be a certain engine goes with a certain transmission otherwise you start getting into adapter plate to get super confusing. Especially in the 50s they had some transmissions that were water cooled and they had other ones that were air cooled and they can’t be interchanged the torque converter is different too
That speedo with the stylized zeros is very cool.
Fine little Chevy that brings back fine memories. These cars were all over the place when I was young. They were good, dependable transportation, and a good value.
They were very slow, even when compared to their contemporaries, but that didn’t stop them from rolling out of dealerships is big numbers.
Speed isn’t everything but I’d take the studebaker or Nash over ford and Chevy
I heard somebody say the Studebaker can get up to 32 miles to the gallon
Excelente video, cómo llegamos de ésas bellezas a la basura de hoy.... Saludos desde San Luis Potosí, México
Thank you glad you dig the car and this episode. I know right everything is plastic fantastic now
Hey Jay, when I was a little boy one of our neighbors had one of these Chevrolets. It was green & had a sun visor over the windshield!!! Thanks for sharing another exciting video!!! 👍👍🙂
I love the external sun visors it adds so much to these =)
Our family 49 Chevy was green also. I think Detroit had lots of green paint left over from WWII since that dark green was on lots of cars made in the late 40s/early 50s, especially on GM cars/pickups.
@@Jack_Russell_Brown Yeah, I forgot all the grey in those days.
My mom had a 49 two door Fleetline Deluxe. I distinctly recall those art deco speedometer numbers. It rode very smooth for a low-bucks coupe. That plastic on the inside door panels isn't original, neither is the red plastic upholstery. I recall the seat surfaces being corded cloth.
Thank you so much the seats didn’t seem like the right material
My first car was a 50 Chevy Fleeetline 2 door deluxe. Swapped out the 216 engine for a 235 truck engine. More get up and go. Also under the front carpet was a large removable panel for access to transmisson and torque tube sleeve and attachment point. It was a great runner, quiet, smooth. On the hand throttle the top was flat 2 quarters and a dime placed on top gave you 55 mph, of course stopping was a whole different deal if you did that -:) Also those are seat covers, aftermarket.
Totally agree I got to drive a truck with the 216 in it I couldn’t believe how slow it was.. I also got to drive a car with a 235 in it and couldn’t believe how much of an improvement that engine is over the 216
Thank you for this post. I would like to see a video of a '52 deluxe 4 door. I grew up with a '52. Ours had auto. We had that car until '65 it was my mom's car.
I want to cover every body style from 1935-1964 that’s the plan =) I’ll look for a 52 ive been looking for the fleetline
I would prefer the '49 instrument panel. The stroke is actually 3.75 inches, not 3.8 (which gives 219.4 CID). Chevy also kept iron pistons for its six, even lauding them as superior in ads, saying they gave better sealing. That vintage Chevrolet was noted for being at risk of having its floor panels rust out. They did get past that, but you wanted a Southern car from the earlier years, just in case.
Thank you so much for that information and insight as well as correction, I think the place where I get all the information from like the round up the numbers on specs
I may have mentioned this before ...😂
My family had a 49 Chevy Deluxe from about 1956-1965.
I don't recall anything about "styleline" in the name.
Thank you Jay man.
In 1959, all seven of us drove from San Francisco to Disneyland in LA.
I was 4.
It was grey, outside and in.
The plastic on the door panels and the red set covers were not factory, I'm pretty sure.
Great story thank you so much for sharing that memory =) thank you for the insight as well
I've always liked the '49 thru '54 Chevy's. If I owned that car I would pull that engine and replace it with a later full pressure 235. My 1960 Chevy Apache pickup has the 235 and it runs like a top with good power. It always starts and I can easily cruise down the highway at 55 to 60 mph. It will go faster but I don't abuse it.
That is a really cool year of Apache truck where are you located?
I remember when these cars were actually in use. There was no plastic on the door panels, and the upholstery matched the door panel colors. Plastic seat covers and plastic covers were added by an owner much later, probably to protect the originals. My first car was a 53 Chevy, which was the next big refreshing of models, and it was great.
That Chevy style persisted on until the edge of 1953 when the front didn't change much but the rear Ford was pretty much doing the same with its Shoebox style because ittook awhile for post-war materials and labor ete to get cranked up. We had the low end Fleetline, heavily used and rusted out in places thanks to Lake Erie winters. Don't exactly have fond memories of having to watch out for the rusted out floor, but it did get a unique view of the passing road. I'll say one thing, your posts certainly bring back memories!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and memories with us =) I love the fleetline im sorry you had a bad one. Erie winters are bad I delivered a cabinet up to New York one year and had to get a running start to make it up the hill. First attempt didn’t make it. Had to back all the way down the hill and try again second time I got going 70 and that was enough to make it up the hill =)
I'm glad you are making these videos J because on the plastic model cars, a lot of the parts are molded in one color or as chrome pieces. The transparent red on the hood spear is solid chrome in the model. This is the first time I've seen it being transparent red.
Same with the 1949 Ford with the transparent "Blade" sticking up...in the AMT model kit, that's all chrome.
Somehow I have a feeling that those red seats are not original....like the original would have had brown seats to match the door panels and that those seats would probably be a mohair or cloth. It also looks like the door panels got wet and stained/rotted.
Anyway, |i think if I lived back then and had the money for a new car, I would have got the Ford because it looks the most modern of all the makes in that year.
I’m glad these videos help you with your models =)
My Dad bought a brand new ‘49 four door deluxe. Married in 1952 it was the wedding car. I came along in 1953. Next new family car was a 1960 Chevrolet station wagon with air conditioning. Next new vehicle was a 1972 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup with power steering and brakes and automatic transmission.
Awesome thank you so much for sharing your experience with us
I have been watching your channel for a few months. I love the content and the format of what you present. Even better is that you post a video every day. I always know there will be a new video to watch when I get home from work. It's like the adult version of Mr. Rogers for me. Keep up the good work!
Thank you that’s so awesome =) glad you dig this channel
I try to put content out 5 days a week tomorrow’s episode it’s going to be the last one until Saturday I got a lot going on Friday
Absolutely love the 49 Styeline, but for my story to learn about this car is a bit strange. As I am a post 70's kid grow up in HK, there is almost no way I will come across a 49 Chevy, but in 1989 a software company launch a PC game called "Street Rod" and that's how I learned about American vehicles and grow to love it. A little background of the game, it is about you, as the player, was a high school kid whom just got your driver's license and in the summer holiday of 1963 instead of working on a summer job. You go and buy a used car, tuned it up and race it on the street. The goal is to beat the "King", whom drove a 63 vette, before the holidays ended. As game start you only have a limited budget that you can only afford a cheaper car, and which one of them is a 49 Styeline 2dr. coupe.
Of course the games details are not entirely accurate, after all it was developed in the 80's, but it sure was a lot of fun. BTW the company which own the game's copyright had turn the game into a free ware. Can download it and have some experience on what 1989 racing game be like.
Awesome story thank you so much for sharing that amazing memory with all of us =)
It probably took the Automakers 3 years to design their new models, but with postwar demand high, just about any car sold well then. I like that 70's green coupe behind it. Cadillac or Chevrolet, perhaps?
Looks like a very nice unrestored car they have there. I sure wouldn't kick
it out my driveway. Had one
as a young man. It was a great car even though it did
need a lot of work done to it. It got me where I wanted
to go though. Even got into
trouble with the deacons of
the church I belonged to back then. Seems like they
didn't want my beat up old
Chevy parked in front of
their church. The song you
played is Teenager In Love
by Dion and the Belmont's.
That’s crazy that the church would have issue with your car, that’s crazy to me. Thank you for sharing that story and memory =)
@@What.its.like. They wanted all their late model
stuff parked out front. They
said that I could park my car
off church property so I told
'em to stuff it.
Wow I just watched a documentary on super churches Joel Osteen very sickening that’s not what the church is supposed to be about. I would’ve questioned him.
While I agree the 49 Chevrolet is a nice car, my nod for 1949 has to go to the Whiz Kids over at Ford. The 49 Ford looks new and *fresh*. The Chevrolet looks pedestrian in comparison, but they were dependable cars for sure. IMO Chevrolet didn't really step out of the box until the 1955 Chevrolet. It had the style, the new OHV V8, and has stood the test of time. It launched a golden age for the new Chevy giving birth to the famous Tri-Fives.
Totally agree I’d rather have the studebaker or the Nash personally =)
I like the body style of the 48 over the 49 somewhat better. I liked the two tone white top of the 48 which was an enhancement to the beauty of the car. To me the 49 was boring, but still a nice car for the day. A friend of mine in high school had a 48 Chevrolet. I have always wanted the 48 Chevy. My friends car had plenty of power from that small six and was a joy to drive. A great presentation Jay!
Glad you dig this episode I agree with you the 49 does look a bit plain
@@What.its.like. I really did and always do! I dont know that the draftsmen and car designers at GM were thinking when they came out with the 49. It was like they were thinking in reverse!
48 is my favorite design, you can’t beat those fat fenders, tall roof, and beautiful grill
The seats have been reupholstered or are wearing covers. Re the plastic on the door trims, there was a time when cars were delivered with plastic covering the seats and trims. Most people removed it to enjoy the plushness.
Good to know
That car has the recirculating heater. You can see it under the dashboard on the passenger side. That heater switch doesn't look stock; the switch for the recirculating heater was a knob and not a toggle. As far as styling goes, the '49 has it all over the '48, but the '49 Ford has it over the '49 Chevy due to its cleaner lines.
I’d take the studebaker or the Nash personally =)
@@What.its.like. I do like the Nash.
That hood ornament looks after market to me. Did it have lights in it? So many things that we now take for granted were options back in those days. Heaters, outside rear view mirrors and even oil filters were options. My Father bought a 1950 Chevy and it had a Powerglide transmission and was the first car my Mother drove. The years right after WW2 were a time when anything 'new' sold because no new cars were made from 1942 to 1946. Lots of people were driving 10+ year old cars and hoping they would last until they could replace them. These were the last happy times for the independent brands as starting in the early 1950's the big 3 had the ability to produce all the cars people wanted and, especially in the lower priced cars the big 3 started fighting for market share and cutting prices to do it. Ford and Chevy could sell cars for less than Studebaker could make them and in 1953 and 1954 independents were doomed. In 1948 it was still a sellers market for awhile.
I really like the gauge cluster in that car.
Very easy to read
The seats were recovered by some small business at some point in time.
I'm guessing that the inner door skins were covered in plastic around the same time. The covered stuff hides worn or stained factory installed stuff.
The seat and door covers protect the car from rain and from messy children.
So true =)
Had a 49 Deluxe in HS & completely loved this car. Sweet ride & did ok in the mountains! Brought back tons of memories. Thanx man-Ps. Wanted to build into a sleeper w/350 & auto tranny. ✌🏽
Nice it’s never too late there they’re out there you can even get one built like already done for probably cheaper than you could build it yourself.. check Facebook marketplace
Those Chevrolet were a common sight in Belgium in the 50s. One of my uncles owned one, exactly like this one, but I don't know how he came to it. A couple of years leter, he bought a Ford, I remember it was blue with a white roof.
You mentioned the delay by the major auto makers in releasing new post-war models, basically just refreshing 1942 models; reminds me of an even more extreme example of retaining old designs, the Volkswagen Beetle. Designed to be manufactured by the year 1940, the stampings and dies were stored away during World War 2 while the VW plant was converted to manufacture the German Jeep-like Kublewagon and missile parts. After the war, the bomb-damaged factory had an intact assembly and stamping line in the basement with 3 to 4,000 forced laborers that were homeless as their former countries were now in the communist block or devastated. The British military occupation dealt with this problem by putting the workers back to work by building the Beetle using 6 year old dies and stampings, using leftover metal and parts - providing desperately needed transportation for the war torn region. Since BMW, Opal, and Mercedes had been completely destroyed, Volkswagen rose like a miracle from the evil Nazi ashes. Volkswagen, after this strange beginning, was very conservative, making very slow and incremental changes for many years to the Beetle; but it was successful nonetheless, a tribute to the Porsche design that was drawn up to satisfy a manically evil dictator.
They sold the beetle for 30 years with minimal changes it’s crazy they could do that for that long all of vw line was like that, hell the original 911 was unchanged or very little change in the beginning was an updated version of 956 (which I think 956 are cool, over priced but cool)
Dion & The Belmonts - Teenager In Love
You got someone just beat you to it
each time I ask the stars up above, ''Why must I bee a teenager in love, '' (in love)
Yeah great line and love the melody that goes with it cars and music just go together =)
I always like these videos dealing with the 1949 cars and how they were redesigned from vehicles dating back to the tail end of the depression.
But, judging from what others are saying, these cars were slow! So, I find myself preferring the Ford from that year.
Yes, they were very slow, but still good, dependable transportation for the time. My Dad had a ‘50 Chevy Fleetline with the 216 3-spd. Fine car, which he kept until he bought a new ‘57 Chevy 283 4-bbl.
As for the ‘49-‘51 Fords, they were called “shoebox Fords” - and they were about as interesting as a shoebox.
As for me, I had a ‘49 Oldsmobile …
Slow but faster than a vw anything at that time
@@What.its.like. - That ‘49 Olds would smoke most anything stock on the road in the early 50’s … The Olds and Caddy OHV V8’s opened everybody’s eyes to the advantages of OHV cross-flow heads.
I’ve been looking for a 50 olds I found one.. just waiting to hear back about setting something up
Nice car but it's not highly desirable by collectors because it's the base-model devoid of any options (no body trim, no horn ring, no arm rests, no radio, no clock, etc. Also, at 02:16 when you were comparing the body style with the '48, the car in the lower half of the pic was not a '49 (as you described it). It was a '51 that someone threw a '52 grille on and custom-frenched the headlights to make them looked recessed. Headlights were not recessed in any of these early '50s Chevys. The closest would've been the '54 with a recessed bezel.
Thank you for that correction I thought it looked too new I typed in Google search and 49 Chevy styleline deluxe and that’s what came up thanks for catching that
@@What.its.like. You're welcome.
Styling was also a plus for Chevrolet. It was refined, more integrated. It looks and is more solid, while the '48 was obviously assembled like a puzzle.
Nearest competitor, Ford, offered the new bullet form, which many found pleasing, but their six was still an unrenowned flathead and the preferred eight still suffered from overheating. Chrysler was kinda stuck in the 30s and radical designs of the independents were trying a bit too hard for attention. After all the chaos Americans had suffered for two decades, stability was very attractive.
If you just drive in one well preserved specimen you'll understand how far ahead was GM. Solid construction you can feel, simple operation, precise steering and superior ride quality. The weight of these cars force the suspension to comply to road irregularities while the body remains stable. And the torque from that decades-refined ohv six was always impressive. For the price a better car just wasn't available.
Totally agree =) nothing is built like they built them back then
@@What.its.like. we have it pretty good these days, in some ways. My little Chevy 110ci i4 makes significantly more power than most sixes into the 80s, on a third of the fuel they used. My Nissan V6 (the whole truck made in Tennessee) doubles the basic V8s of the same era in power on half the fuel. But these newer machines lack the individual charms they offer in their time, and the individual personalities these older vehicles developed. I get the value of a good restomod, but prefer the survivors like this one with the stained original door panels and headliner. It looks ready to go and I would not hesitate to drive it anywhere as is.
I have a 52 Chevy I ton and drove to Cleveland yesterday which is 2 hours away and home absolutely love my truck but will admit have to fix things from time to time but it's 70 years old
I was having that conversation with my brother yesterday if you bought something with full pressure oiling system and hydraulic valve lifters it's like a modern car don't have to adjust things on the topic of fuel economy it matters what it is the new wagoners don't get great mileage there are cars from the 50s that got better gas mileage rambler cross country with over drive got 32 hwy ( or claimed to get that ) which is better than my Honda van, which has cylinder deactivation direct injection and computer intervention there is no reason why we can't get better gas mileage.
The 52 Chevy has a different drive train 350 v8 4 speed stick 373 rear end I get 20 mpg hwy at 70 miles per hour at 55 it gets close to 28 in a 1 ton truck it's unbelievable
I think all the divisions turned out some beautiful designs for the revamped '49 model year. There were so many beautiful models and this one is no exception! It's evident, from various historical things I've watched and read about that time period, that there was definitely seemed to be a certain exciting vibe of post-war enthusiasm that began and ushered consumers into what looks like a dream world decade of the '50s. The song was really 😎, great one from that era! Was that an excerpt from something or a question LOL 😁
Not only was the styling changed but Oldsmobile and Cadillac also introduced new OHV V8 engines which were more powerful and fuel efficient than the old flathead designs they replaced. Ford and Chrysler were not too far behind in the introduction of new engines and transmissions and other mechanical improvements such as power assisted steering and brakes.
It was a question lol just a random question
I'm sure you're right but as a child born in the early 50s, I have a hard time seeing these models as exciting. Even the 55 and 56 seemed outdated to me by the time I was much aware of cars, but THOSE were exciting in their time... styling like rocketships to the stars! And a new OHC V8!
@@What.its.like. 😁 I thought so.
Teenager in Love,. Dion and the Belmonts
You got it someone beat you to it awesome you knew this one
We had one of these when I was a kid, the fastback version. It was black of course, inline six with three on the tree and mohair covered seats. It was a good car, my dad kept it until 1956 when he bought a Ford Custom sedan, it was solid white, blue interior with an inline six and three on the tree, smoothest running car he ever owned.
I love the gm fastback thank you so much for sharing that car with us =)
First car I remember my dad driving.
That’s awesome what are your favorite memories of that car
I was pretty small, just remember riding in it.
Don't remember the reason, but I remember riding in one of these once
Our landlord was giving my mom and I a ride somewhere.
This held the title of the oldest car I rode in.. I til my brother got his 1936 5 window coupe.
(Actually no interior. Had to sit on the springs)
Great story thank you for sharing that memory my friends grandpa had a 53 packard the springs where worn out so the seats were like bean bag chairs.. lol rode in that car one time
I daily drive 50 chevy deluxe. It does have more modern engine tho a 54 235! Edmonds dualcarb manifold ans split dual ex. Vintage air and the electronics in original radio give moodern bluetooth with original look. It is beautifully done and looks like a new car
Awesome I’m so happy that you daily drive a 1950 Chevy I drive a 52 Chevy truck. That is my workhorse. Absolutely love it.
Dion and the Belmonts Why Must I Be a Teenager In Love?
=) you got it someone just beat you to it
@@What.its.like. A group did a parody of that song “Why Must I Be A Teenager In Jail “ I think it’s The Four Preps. They did a medley of parodies in one recording in the early 60s.
The hood ornament is similar to the Pontiac of the same period. Except the Pontiac was an Indian chief.
The 49-52 Chevy didn’t have a crank operated vent window. They added that feature for 53.
I vote for the '49 Chevy over the '48. The '48 looks dated and just stodgy. Love the hood ornament on the '49.
Totally agree
Nice review of a rather unremarkable car but remarkable compared to the 1942-48's👏 The original seat upholstery is just covered, Jay, in replicas of the popular dealer installed extras back in the day. ‼Great content as always, buddy. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
All good points but would be a great car to daily or if your just getting into the hobby, we need the younger generations in this hobby
I'm quite sure the clear plastic on the interior of the doors was added to protect the cloth.
I suspect the covers are much more recent. The dingy and even moldy headliner and door lining is what I remember about these cars... they looked about like that by the end of the 50s. Interior materials durability wasn't a big priority, or, at least, they weren't that good at it. You do see much better preservation in some cars, such as Packard.
That hood ornament was optional as was most all trim pieces
Floridah ? Floriduh ? Floride ?... nope , its obviously a Caravelle.😁
Looks like that hood ornament should come wif batteries.
Hahaha I agree
I tried to do Arnold Schwarzenegger impression but can’t get it right when recording it I’m going to keep that for another episode.
As weak as that 216 was & as low compression it had, I'm surprised at the MPG rating. I had a 52 Chevy Panel with that motor and I got about 19 MPG following the Grateful Dead one summer (71). Good times!
Great story 52 panel short wheelbase or long wheelbase the long ones are getting scarce
@@What.its.like. Yep. Long wheelbase. 3 on the tree with a starter pedal by the gas pedal on the floor. Big enough to sleep 4 hippies!
That’s awesome =) those are cool I sort of want one
muito belo, parabéns.
Thanks for the Share.😊
I much prefer the '48 on ALL cars.. the only '49 I like is the Cadillac!
=)
can anyone tell me the differentence is between the 49 and 50 other than the radio.
I found this form
www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/chevy-1949-1950-differences.298834/
That is the cheap model. That heater is the non deluxe heater and may have been dealer installed. No radio. Love those old Chevys and have owned a few.
Thank you I thought it looked plain Jane for what it was I was going off of the listing
Floor- i- duh!
Hahaha
@@What.its.like. or Cana-duh. (Our neighbor to the north. ) !
The grille on the car @2:15 identified as a '49 looks like a "52!
It’s possible that that’s not the right car I Google searched it and that’s what came up I should’ve looked at the grills better
The 49-52 Chevrolets were similar to one and the others. The main difference was in the sheet metal and some refreshing of some parts. I do know the one of the difference between the 49 and later versions was the taillights. The 49 taillights were quite small but the later ones are larger. Especially the 52 taillights.
The plastic hasn't been kind to the door trims.
Can you put a 49 fleetline body on a 49 aero sedan frame?
I don't know, but if the wheelbase is the same, I don't see why not
@ ok thank you I have a customer who wants me to do that swap
I'd make sure the wheelbase is the same I don't know off hand
Great vid beautiful car!!!! 👍👍
Thank you =) channel has come a long way in a short amount of time
@@What.its.like. You are doing a great job with it!!
Thank you it means the world
@@What.its.like. 👍🙂👍
In 1949, they didn't just "decide to make new cars, go figure". Until 1945, it was wartime, What it's like. Nothing but focus on war production could be entertained.
It took four years to start an entirely new car and powertrain after the end of the war and bring it to production, just because that's how long it takes to do that. Even today, that isn't much changed (which is why we don't see much design changes, it takes too long and costs too much). Some of the independents tried to beat the industry to market with new post-war designs that weren't fully engineered, and they paid for it with loss of customer confidence in their brands, as the cars were terrible quality. The Big 3 pushed them all aside by waiting and getting it done right.
The 1948 design with it's style and detail is far better in retrospect than the 1949. The 1949 was new and different, but is really now just plainer than the 1948, not better. I mean in comparable appearance .... engineering of powertrains has progressed far more as time moved along, so the 1949's powertrains were better.
I know they made war products for the war we talk about it every other video =) which is why start up companies like kaiser Frazier did well because they where something new studebaker was one of the first established companies to come out with a post war design in 47. Point I was making big three didn’t want to make anything new. The buying public wanted to buy something new and different.
It took 4 years for the big three to make a new product just saying
@@What.its.like. your point is incorrect.
The Big 3 did in fact want to bring out new product. But they could not start that process until the war resources board released manufacturers from war production. From 1945 to 1949, they were engineering and developing the 1949 cars. If they didn't want to make anything new during that time, there would have been no new car brought out in 1949.
They continued to sell the pre-war cars because they had the tools to make those cars without redesigning anything, or retooling anything.
You people outside the auto industry do not really understand the lead-time process of bringing new product to market, and think it just takes a matter of a year to start up a new car. The fact is there are multiple years of cars all in different stages of development at any given time. In the post war era, there had been nothing going on in the pipeline.
lol Kaiser-Frazer didn't do well, or Studebaker for that matter. Yes, they had a fresh sheet of paper to begin with, but in their execution they left a lot to be desired engineering-wise, and lost out in the market by launching too quickly.
I know it takes time but it’s been done before they bought the mustang to market in less then 1.5 years (or less) other companies that didn’t start up made new post war cars in 1947 studebaker
48 packard, 48 Hudson. The big three chose not to make new models until 49
@@What.its.like. you missed the point; yes the independents did win the battle but they lost the war by rushing; the quick releases were not engineered well and it contributed to their brand's demise within around 10 years of that mistake.
Your comment about Mustang must be coming from one of the recent releases that had no powertrain changes and very little other things, just exterior freshenings.
I worked at Ford my entire career, you are chatting with someone who was in engineering for 30 years, living first hand the initiation of new programs through release to production. I'm not fabricating comments out of the sky. You trying to tell me how things work is a bit of a comedy. I posted what I did because your initial comments were too shallow, and a bit untrue. No program gets done in 1.5 years unless it's a superficial change. And new programs were not ever delayed by the Big 3 to 1949 because of not wanting to bring out new cars. (If memory serves me correctly, what came out as the '49 Ford was not the original car, the initial Mercury became the Ford and the Mercury started over in engineering, just to help you understand what goes on behind the scenes of new programs)
Although it wasn't the case in 1949, nowadays it takes 2 years just to get emissions and CAFE certification from the Federal government, running fleets around the clock and testing cars in labs.
But going back to the post-war time, even a simple grille change requires new testing to be sure underhood temperatures and air flow do not create hot spots that could lead to component failures. The new post-war cars were not simple grille changes. The independents took way too many shortcuts, shortcuts that the Big 3 were unwilling to do to be more certain that their product releases were fully developed to their standards at that time. We were not racing to beat the independents to market, for very good reasons.
And no, you are totally wrong, and have not learned what I'm trying to educate you about. The Big 3 did NOT CHOOSE to not make new models. There was nothing in the pipeline during the war, so everything restarted from scratch after the war ended.
Media types have done a propaganda job on you if you think that the Big 3 withheld product "because of pent-up demand". That line of reasoning was NEVER true. Erase from your thinking all that falsehood.
Nice Car ❤
The rear fenders protruded just like the 48.
Yeah and are bigger
OK, I had to stop in the middle and comment. The car being offered for sale is NOT a deluxe. No front fender and door mouldings, no deluxe nameplates, no moulding around rear window, no armrests, no deluxe steering wheel with full horn ring, no upper door frame mouldings and no upper windshield moulding. The car does have stainless stone guards and a right sun visor, but these could be optional accessories or aftermarket add ons. The car is actually a Special Styleline Sport Sedan. Also, the photo that you used to compare the front of a 48 to a 49, is actually a 51 with added on 52 grille teeth!
Thank you for those corrections I just went to Google search and typed in 49 Chevy and that’s what came up and I was looking for the same roughly the same angle.
I was thinking the same I was like man this is a really basement model deluxe but figured that’s just the way Chevy was back then
www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chevrolet/styleline/2515449.html
@@What.its.like. your first thought was correct, that ain't no high falutin de luxe model! Also, no carpet either. That hood ornament is also an option or genuine Chevrolet accessory, made out of that new luxury material, plastic! Yes, a chrome hood ornament was standard equipment, but you had to pay extra to get a plastic one! Aren't you glad that I am very old and a life long car fan? LOL.
I appreciate you and everybody else that corrects in the comment section. =) I want this to be the classic go to channel for anyone that what’s to get into this hobby, and want to know more about cars that are off the beaten path. This channel will give them insight especially with the mpg figures. (Even though they are just baseline numbers at least have a ball park figure) maybe they are looking at a 65 gs but then see the gas mileage isn’t that great so they might look into a riviera with a 401 instead. We need to get younger people in the car hobby
@@What.its.like. not to worry, I am more than happy to correct you every chance I get! Haha. You ARE right, we need to get more young people involved in the old car hobby and away from fast and furious car driving video games.
Those are not the original seat covers. The cloth used on the OEM seats are soft and comfortable. For some reason most every person who brought those new put those awful covers on the seats. The seat covers outlasted the cars and trucks in most cases. My 49 still has them in tact and the originals are under there never to be seen again. 😁 I did peek once the original covers are dirty because the covers let dirt sifts through and liquid. They didn’t protect very well.
Re: Name that tune
Title of this song: A Teenager in Love
Singer: Dion & The Belmonts
I’ll make my comments later because I want to go back and review different portions of the video.
Thanks.
You got the song and band =)
This is NOT the deluxe model. The vehicle in this video doesn’t have a radio, no side trim and it has the base model steering wheel making it a 1949 Styleline sedan. I know because I own a 1949 Styleline Deluxe sedan.
Thank you for that correction I was going off of what the advertisement said I think it’s been sold
These are real cars. Modern stuff has too much plastic. All metal were the days of old
Totally agree we live in the appliance era now where everything is disposable
@@What.its.like. so true
i ASSUME YOU KNOW THAT IN ONE OF THE SLIDES COMPARING WITH A 48 IS ACTUALLY A 51.
Yeah that was a mistake just quick Google search to look for pictures going to do a live chat and bring that up.. thank you so much for the correction =)
Great lesson in, I guess, mediocrity. Enjoy very much all you do, thank you!…….and not an armrest, even………!
Crazy thing is this was the better car and had plastic seats they were slick did you see the camera move I kept that part in to show how slick the seats are. It’s a cool car all things considered
👍👍👍👍👍
I don't believe those are original seat covers ?
A teenager in Iove-Dion and the Belmonts
A cool song 🎵 😎 while cruising in my Pop's 1941 Cadillac
You got it someone just beat you to it
I agree really cool song
@@What.its.like. Man..thought I had it this time ⏲️ 😁
Great review 👏 👌 👍
RUclips has been glitchy the last few days yesterday it made the video go live around 130 and today wouldn’t let me pin the winner
Why Must I Be a Teenager in Jail? A parody by the 4 Preps. Part of a medley called “More Money For Me and You. “
Several criticisms of this particular car: The Sear Covers ARE plastic and they don't seem to be "original", and there IS CLEAR PLASTIC on the Interior Door Panels- In order to cover up the BLACK MOLD... One can see relatively poor BONDO-work in this car's exterior-finish in several places. Nope, I would not buy this particular car...
The black 49 is not a Deluxe.
Jay, you're showing a '51 or '52, not a '49. Sorry to be such a nitpicker.
It was listed as a 49 just went off of the listing
But later in the video, it shows a '49.
No running boards either
Great thank you for pointing that out =)
@@What.its.like. yes and they call the engine a stovebolt six because the valve cover is held on with bolts through the center rather than around the edges.