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I have been doing some reading on the GM 1949 lineup of cars. GM spent $150 million to retool all of its bodies for the 1949 lineup.

In 1949 4,832,342 cars were sold in the US. GM sold 2,075,155 in 1949 for a market share of 43 percent.

John F. Shireman

The C body cars were retooled in 1948. Cadillac and the Futuramic Olds 98 got the new body but Buick didn't. The head of Buick elected to stick with the old body one more year because of a dream he had.

See 1948 commercials on Youtube for the dramatic new postwar Futuramic Oldsmobile with GM Hydramatic Drive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2ZorkAD6O4

Rusty: Thanks for pointing out my mistake about not including 1948. I typed it in a hurry and failed to re-read what I typed and missed including 1948.

I think Red Curtis was in charge of Buick at the time.

John F. Shireman

I wouldn't call it a mistake.

I suppose it is because of Cadillac's new for 49 OHV engine and because all the other GM cars got new bodies in 49, and because all the other Oldsmobiles waited till 49, we naturally thing of the 49s as the all new postwar cars.

A lot of people overlook the 48 Cad and Futuramic Oldsmobile 98. They are kind of an anomaly in the rigid GM new model hierarchy.

Quote:

Good thing since that made an extra year of my favorite Buick body style available. They were one of the few cars that looked "new" after the war because they restyled in '42.