As the United States entered World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, all American automobile manufactures converted their facilities from automobiles to war materials. Following the of the war, the car companies geared up to meet consumer demand for new automobiles. At first, the new cars were nearly identical to those produced in 1941. By 1948 new styles were appearing and the American automobile began to enter into a new era. Shown below are some of the 1948 automobiles which are on display in some museums.
Cadillac
The first of the new body styles for General Motors cars were introduced in 1948 on Cadillac and Oldsmobile. The 1948 was the first car to have fins at the back of the rear fenders. The tailfins were inspired by the P-38 Lightning fighter plane.
In 1948, Cadillac produced 52,706 cars and ranked 15th among American carmakers.
Shown above is a 1948 Cadillac Club Coupe on display in the World of Speed in Wilsonville, Oregon.
Chevrolet
In 1948, Chevrolet produced 696,449 cars and ranked 1st among American carmakers.
Shown above is a 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Custom Woody Station Wagon on display at the LeMay Family Collection in Tacoma, Washington. In 1948 only 10,171 of these were produced (less than 1% of the Chevrolet production.)
Chrysler
In 1948, Chrysler produced 130,110 cars and ranked 9th among American carmakers.
Shown above is a 1948 Chrysler Town and Country on display at the LeMay Family Collection in Tacoma, Washington. This car had a new price of $2,998.
Shown above is a 1948 Chrysler New Yorker on display in the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon. The New Yorker was launched as Chrysler’s premium automobile model in 1940 and would remain so until 1996.
DeSoto
In 1948, DeSoto produced 98,890 cars and ranked 12th among American carmakers.
Shown above is a 1948 DeSoto Custom Suburban Sedan on display at the LeMay Family Collection in Tacoma, Washington. This car had a new price of $2,631. The car shown below was used in the Happy Days TV show.
Ford
In 1948, Ford produced 247,722 cars and ranked 3rd among American carmakers.
Shown above is a 1948 Ford Coupe Sedan on display in the Classic Auto Museum—The Flathead V8 Ford Collection in Bigfork, Montana.
Lincoln
In 1948, Lincoln produced 7,769 cars and ranked 19th among American carmakers.
Shown above is a 1948 Lincoln V-12 Convertible on display at the Montana Auto Museum. It sold for $3,142.
MG
Shown above is a 1948 MG TC on display in the LeMay—America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington. The TC was a hastily modified version of the pre-war TB Midget which was introduced in 1945, just a few weeks after the end of the war. More than 1,500 TCs were produced in 1946 and more than a third of them were shipped to America. Americans had discovered the joy of the sports car. TC production ended in 1949 after 10,000 had been built and more than two-thirds were exported.
Oldsmobile
In 1948, Oldsmobile introduced the Futuramic concept which they promoted as “the dramatic design of the future.” This was the last year of their 60 series cars which they designated as “dynamic.” In 1948, Oldsmobile manufactured 172,852 cars and ranked 8th among American carmakers.
Shown above is a 1948 Oldsmobile Model 66, 2-Door Coupe on display in the LeMay—America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington.
Packard
In 1948, Packard produced 92,251 cars and ranked 13th among American carmakers. The Packard 356-cubic-inch straight eight was an exceptionally smooth engine.
Shown above is a 1948 Packard Super Eight Convertible on display at the LeMay Family Collection in Tacoma, Washington. This car had a new price of $2,800 and only 7,763 were produced.
Shown above is a 1948 Packard Clipper Long Wheelbase on display at the LeMay Family Collection in Tacoma, Washington.
Plymouth
In 1948, Plymouth produced 412,540 cars and ranked 2nd among American carmakers. Plymouth advertising in 1948 stressed reliability.
Shown above is a 1948 Plymouth Special Deluxe, 2-Door Coupe on display at the LeMay Family Collection in Tacoma, Washington. During 1948, Plymouth rose to second with regard to U.S. sales.
Tucker
Tucker was probably the most innovative automobile produced in the late 1940s. It combined futuristic styling with both performance and safety innovations. Only 51 Tuckers were produced.
Shown above is a 1948 Tucker 48 on display at the LeMay Family Collection in Tacoma, Washington. This car is number 7 of 51 built. No two are alike. The Tucker featured an advanced design with many safety features. The “cyclops” headlight turns with steering. It has a top speed of 120 mph.