I JUST READ TERRY MCGEAN’S COLUMN, “The Dawn of Modern Motoring” in the June issue of HCC, and with regards to performance, I couldn’t agree more. The 1950s was the decade that gave us the modern passenger car. In my view, the 1949 Ford represents a ground-breaking revolution in automotive styling. The Whiz Kids (as they were called) at Ford ushered in a new era of design by moving the engine forward, thereby evening up the front and rear portions of the car, while also incorporating the fenders into the body. It was the precursor to the modern automobile, and every car since the ’49 Ford is some iteration of this first in class.
I have attached two photos, a 1948 Ford and my own 1949 Ford Custom convertible, to highlight the stark contrast. Ford sold 430,000 automobiles in 1948, and 1,118,000 in 1949, an increase of 160 percent, vaulting the company back into first place among all manufacturers.
Thank you, , for such interesting articles, memorable stories, and gorgeous pictures.
