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A car that says '1942 model year' Maybe a Blackout?


m-mman

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I love the history of the 1942 model year. I would love to have a car that says '1942 model year' . 

 

Preferably original, the kind of thing that someone would have been rationed to buy in 1943-44.

Maybe a car that was kinda '1942 only' like a Mopar town sedan(?) (conventional opening rear doors) 

 

Are there any original black out cars out there?

 

The restored, shinny, chromed, whitewall 42s just dont seem real (or historical) to me.

Edited by m-mman (see edit history)
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12 hours ago, m-mman said:

I love the history of the 1942 model year. I would love to have a car that says '1942 model year' . 

 

Preferably original, the kind of thing that someone would have been rationed to buy in 1943-44.

Maybe a car that was kinda '1942 only' like a Mopar town sedan(?) (conventional opening rear doors) 

 

Are there any original black out cars out there?

 

The restored, shinny, chromed, whitewall 42s just dont seem real (or historical) to me.

Just to inform....1942 was not the only year for the town sedan with those doors.

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1 hour ago, keiser31 said:

Just to inform....1942 was not the only year for the town sedan with those doors.

 

Yeah, I know 41 had them, and maybe 40?   (would have to check) 

They are scarce, (and nice looking)  and would make a rare car (42) even more rare. 

They didnt carry them over into 46, so that kind of seals them as a 42 also. 

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1942 Studebaker President or Commander with the wider grille, and new dash design that was unique to those two models.

 

Unlike the Champion, the President and Commander were not offered as a 1946 model.  The Commander and Land Cruisers for 1947 were based on the new postwar Raymond Lowey design.  And the President name was not revived until 1955.

 

Craig

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22 hours ago, FLYER15015 said:

Awhile back there was a '42 Buick for sale in original olive drab.

Four door sedan, but I don't know if it was a Roadmaster or not.

 

Windy Hill auto parts had a original 42 Buick Special sedan, factory olive drab blackout. Neat car!  

Mild steel window molding trim (not stainless) pot metal NOT chromed.  

However it was as rough as a cob and sadly not restorable. I took pictures. 

 

NATMUS has a 42 Hudson. Original blackout (very unrestored) with signage highlighting the blackout features.

IIRC it is right hand drive(?) but a top line Commordore 8. . . . ??  Maybe a rural mail delivery car or could have been destined for overseas delivery but not possible because of the war . . . interesting. 

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Mopar had town sedans post war, certainly in the Dodge model line (ref. https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/effortless-cruiser-1948-dodge-d24-town-sedan/).  I know or at least two locally - seem to come up for sale along the west coast.

 

Blackouts models came as chromed parts supplies ran out, before car production ceased all together.  I know of a 1942 Plymouth coupe that was all chrome, except one sun visor bracket.  I gave my teenage son my 1942 Chrysler Windsor sedan project.  For some time there has been a relatively low mileage green 1942 Dodge sedan for sale in Seattle, though I cannot find ad so it may have sold.  You might try some searching, if it is of interest.

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I’ll bet the first thing after the war ended folks with wood bumpers and no spare bought shiny metal bumpers and a spare tire. I have a ‘47 and a ‘48 (different makes) and they are chock full of shiny metal on the front.  ...and lots of “accessories” which is a different, but interesting post war car sales story.

 

Here’s a thread specifically discussing 1942 Dodge with some good pictures and discussion of blackout parts:  

 

 

But I digress...  

 

m-mman is looking for a 1942 blackout auto

Edited by SparkEE
Added link to additional, relevant thread (see edit history)
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Material shortages had some post war cars delivered with wooden bumpers which reportedly were replaced later as supplies became available.

1945 Hudson wood bumpers.jpg

 

The dolled up 46-8 cars were an effort to squeeze extra profit and get around the Office of Price Administration (OPA) controls on the maximum amount that could be charged for a new car.  

 

These were such interesting times and they are not well understood by many collectors. 

Edited by m-mman (see edit history)
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On 1/1/2020 at 9:40 PM, m-mman said:

Are there any original black out cars out there?

 

Yes, I saw an unrestored "blackout" 1942 Chevrolet

in the LeMay Museum in Tacoma, Washington.

It is in excellent condition and is all original.

It's evidently the same example as 8E45E Craig posted above:

 

Lemay Museum (33).JPG

Lemay Museum (32).JPG

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  • 4 weeks later...

Although you don't feel a 1942 model seems correct if it has chrome, about 88% of the 42 Mopar models were produced before the chrome restrictions.  And even the last 42 Plymouth to roll off the line had chrome bumpers.  Trim was blacked out or omitted but bumpers were not required to be.  In some cases the parts were already chrome plates and paint was put over the chrome to make it correct.

 

CCF09072016_00001.jpg

Edited by Ron42Dodge (see edit history)
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As recommended, the 1942 Studebaker President and Commander didn't return in their pre-war form, carry one-year-only styling on a two-year-only body series.  The President Eight is the last straight eight Studebaker.  A 1942 Nash Ambassador Eight is also the last straight eight for the Nash, the body carried over for 1946-'48.  Hudson fielded its last Commodore Series 27 8-passenger sedan on the 128" wheelbase.

 

If a Mopar is your choice. the 1942 DeSoto Town Sedan with either the Fifth Avenue or Sportsman trim options or a seven passenger sedan or limousine would be quite unique.  But the ultimate 1942-only model is the Plymouth P14C Town Sedan style no. 405.  It was the only model year Plymouth offered such a body style, only 5,821 were built.

 

Good luck in your pursuit of a rare 1942 model.

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My first car, in 1960, was a 1942 Chevrolet blackout 4 door sedan.  85,000 miles and it ran very well and was a clean totally original car. Painted bumpers, grill, chrome, stainless, hubcaps, a very green car. I wire brushed the paint off the hubcaps and the skin underneath was brass.  No radio,  Only an 18 year old car at that time.

 

I still have the title to the car, which is titled as a 1948. The California DMV said that was the first year it was ever registered, since it was a military surplus car. 

 

     " Herbie" named after the 85 year old fellow who sold it to me, was where I learned the hard way about replacing non-detergent oil in an old engine that is running fine, with high detergent oil. Herbie went from a car that didn't smoke or use oil, to a total smoke bomb in just a few days. I killed it with kindness, so to speak.  Jim43

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I believe that is a 1941 Packard, isn't it? The 1942 Packards had horizontal grilles on either side of the traditional vertical "Packard"  grille. I also don't think convertibles were available in the 6-cylinder Special series in 1942.

 

Don

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On 3/5/2020 at 1:28 PM, DLynskey said:

I believe that is a 1941 Packard, isn't it? The 1942 Packards had horizontal grilles on either side of the traditional vertical "Packard"  grille. I also don't think convertibles were available in the 6-cylinder Special series in 1942.

 

Don

Hi Don

Correct on the 1942 horizontal side grilles versus the 1941 vertical 'cat-walk' side grille.   While the four door Touring Sedans and two door Club Sedans all sported the new Clipper styling, the prior year body was held over for the convertible coupe for the Six, Eight and Super Eight One-Sixty.  The Super Eight One-Eighty was the Darrin convertible Victoria.  1942 Packard Six convertible coupe photo courtesy the PackardInfo website Photo Archive.

'42 Packard Six conv coupe.jpg

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On 1/2/2020 at 10:53 AM, m-mman said:

 

Yeah, I know 41 had them, and maybe 40?   (would have to check) 

They are scarce, (and nice looking)  and would make a rare car (42) even more rare. 

They didnt carry them over into 46, so that kind of seals them as a 42 also. 

They did make 46 - 48 Dodge Town Sedans.  I knew a guy that had one.  I saw it several times.  The D-24 parts book also lists it just to confirm I'm not crazy.

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Dodge was the only Mopar division to offer the Custom four-window town sedan after the war from 1946 through the early 1949 models.  They built only 27,800 ($1,872) versus 333, 911 six-window sedans ($1,788).  The practical interest over the stylish consideration and price differential limited sales.  The town sedan should have been included in the Chrysler line where upscale buyers were more interested in stylishness and willing to pay the extra for it.

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You mention an interest in the '42 black out models. Here's a link to a C/L ad for a '42 black out model Harley that you may also find of interest. I wonder if the headlight rim has been replaced with a later model:

https://madison.craigslist.org/mcy/d/avoca-for-sale-1942-harley-davidson-wla/7115265367.html

 

1

Edited by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history)
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Displayed at the Harold Warp, Pioneer Village in Minden Nebraska are two 1942 Chevrolets  One an original blackout model. 

 

I have also include an additional 42 Chevrolet for general viewing pleasure. 

1942 cars_0001.jpg

42 Chev compare 2.jpg

42 chev FB.jpg

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This is a 1942 Buick Model 41. Basic Special Sedan. It was sitting at Windy Hill Auto Parts in Minnesota. It is a true "essential metals delete" black out car.

I dont know the production date, but it must have been real close to February 1942.

 

You will note the mild steel (rusted - NOT stainless) trim and the painted unchromed wiper towers. The olive drab makes it look like it might have been a genuine staff car. (unlike the so many recreations) 

This is a car that screams the 1942 model year more than any I have ever seen . Too bad it was so far gone. 

 

There is an "essential metals delete" 1942 Hudson at NATMUS in Auburn. Sadly it is almost as bad condition. It is also Right hand drive. Was it destined for a RHD country when war broke out? or was it optioned as a mail delivery vehicle? (as I remember it was a top line Commodore model) 

 

4 Buick black out.jpg

1942 cars_0005.jpg

1942 cars_0006.jpg

1942 cars_0007.jpg

1942 cars_0008.jpg

1942 cars_0009.jpg

Edited by m-mman (see edit history)
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If you have any hope of being able to buy a stored brand new 1942 car in 1943, 1944 you need to fill this out and present it to your ration board. 

Authorize to purchase car_0001.jpg

Authorize to purchase car_0002.jpg

Authorize to purchase car_0003.jpg

Authorize to purchase car_0004.jpg

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If you need new tires or tubes on any car then you need to fill out THIS form and make a plea to your local ration board. 

Yeah, six pages. . . 

Authorize to purchase Tires_0001.jpg

Authorize to purchase Tires_0002.jpg

Authorize to purchase Tires_0003.jpg

Authorize to purchase Tires_0004.jpg

Authorize to purchase Tires_0005.jpg

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  • 11 months later...
On 2/8/2020 at 12:01 AM, Ron42Dodge said:

Although you don't feel a 1942 model seems correct if it has chrome, about 88% of the 42 Mopar models were produced before the chrome restrictions.  And even the last 42 Plymouth to roll off the line had chrome bumpers.  Trim was blacked out or omitted but bumpers were not required to be.  In some cases the parts were already chrome plates and paint was put over the chrome to make it correct.

 

CCF09072016_00001.jpg

 On the 1942 DeSoto 'Black Out' models chrome bumpers and windshield wiper arms (!) were the only chrome parts allowed. Trim was painted over if was chromed and painted if it came primed. Interior trim that had been chromed was sometimes sometimes painted and sometimes replaced with plastic.

 

LastBOChrysler.jpg

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