[imported_Pete Phillips]

I am preparing the August issue of the Buick Bugle, which will be on the beautiful 1949 Buicks. I have been told there were a LOT of mid-year changes in these cars. I am only aware of three:
1. The early 1949 portholes were for engine compartment ventilation, with little ducts attached (my unrestored '49 wagon has them), later ones did not have the ducts and I have seen some plugged with little black plugs;
2. The sedans had the angle of the trunk lids changed midway through the production run to allow for greater trunk space; and
3. The Roadmaster 2-door models introduced the sweep spear side moulding midway through the production run while the earlier ones had a straight side moulding.

I would like to enlist the aid of the tremendous Buick knowledge on this forum, to come up with the other mid-year 1949 production changes in the '49 Buicks. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338
Bugle Editor
Sherman, Texas

[SBRMD]

1. I believe the 50 and 70 series converts also had a trunk-lid charge mid-run, with the later lids being a little boxier, for more trunk capacity.

2. Pretty sure the Dynaflow dipstick went from access inside the car (pull back the carpet, located on the transmission hump, toward the passenger side of the front floor) early, to access under the hood later on.

3. Some '49 50/70 series cars have a sort-of rubberized "cowl" around the base of the steering column, where it meets the dashboard, while others lack this, instead having an inverted chrome "U" shaped molding around the opening, but no coverage of it. Was told once this represented early vs late, but don't know which is which, and don't know if it's true.

4. On one of the engines, I believe solid lifters were discontinued mid-run, but couldn't say which engine and/or whether it mattered if stick or Dynaflow (assuming a Roadmaster, which had Dynaflow std, could be ordered "Dynaflow-delete).

[SBRMD]

Also, regarding the sweepspear: I believe this was introduced for the Riviera, and that only the Riviera that was in the Waldorf "Motorama" that year (more or less the prototype) wore the straight moldings, while all production Rivs had the sweepspear. Concurrently, the sweepspear was made optional on the Roadmaster Convert. I do not believe one could option the Sedanet this way; I've never seen or heard of one.

[imported_Pete Phillips]

"SBRMD", thanks for the info; very helpful--some there that I was not aware of.
Pete Phillips

[rustyshepherd]

Originally Posted by SBRMD

if stick or Dynaflow (assuming a Roadmaster, which had Dynaflow std, could be ordered "Dynaflow-delete).

A late friend of mine who was a Buick dealer from 1946-1975 ,while discussing Buicks of that era, told me he hated the slippage and sluggish performance of the early Dynaflows, so beginning in '49, he always ordered a Super instead of a Roadmaster for his personal car since the Roadmaster was "Dynaflow-only"after '48. I'm not sure that the Super with the smaller engine was much quicker than the Dynaflow Roadmaster, but the standard transmission would have eliminated the racing, droning engine on acceleration.