During World War II, automobile manufacturers stopped making cars, turning their factories into generating war materials. Following the war, there was a sellers’ market for new cars. Initially, the first post-war cars closely resembled the pre-war cars, but quickly new styles emerged, setting the stage for the chrome era of the 1950s. Shown below are some of the post-war (1946 to 1950) General Motors Automobiles (Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile, Cadillac) on display at the Montana Auto Museum in Deerlodge, Montana, the LeMay—America’s Car Museum, Tacoma, Washington, and the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon.
Chevrolet:
Shown above is a 1946 Chevrolet Pickup on display at the Montana Auto Museum. It sold for $757.
Cadillac:
Shown above is a 1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible on display in the LeMay Museum.
Oldsmobile:
Shown above is a 1948 Oldsmobile Model 66, 2-Door Coupe on display in the LeMay Museum.
Shown above is a 1950 Oldsmobile Futuramic 88, 4-Door Station Wagon on display in the LeMay Museum.
Tom McCahill, writing in Mechanix Illustrated described the 1950 Olds this way:
“The 1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 is as hot as a hornet’s kiss, especially when equipped with a conventional, three-speed transmission.”
However, the Olds station wagon was a disappointing seller and only 2,650 were built.
Buick:
Shown above is a 1949 Buick Super, 4-Door Station Wagon on display in the LeMay Museum. In 1949, Buick ranked fifth in terms of total production.