Looking back at MotorTrend's first ever Car of the Year.
Choosing an outstanding "car of the year" for certain years past may be difficult, but for 1949 the selection is narrowed down to three most worthy of consideration:has an entirely new chassis and body, plus many mechanical changes, it offers nothing new or outstanding from an engineering viewpoint, since it now falls in line with conventional design practice established before the war.
The old 346-cubic-inch flathead V-8 was heavy, and none too efficient. The new 331-cubic-inch overhead-valver put out 10 more horsepower , was about 200 pounds lighter, revved higher, and got better fuel mileage. It packaged smaller too, which allowed lower hoodlines, and the block was engineered for the displacement increases that were sure to come throughout the 1950s. This revolutionary powerplant represented the introduction of a V-8 engine philosophy still in use at General Motors.
Yorba Linda, California's Tom Musson is just the second owner of this Triumph Blue '49 Series 62 Sedanette. He was restoring another one, but it was a basket case declared not cost effective to finish. The search began for a better starting place. Ed Cholakian, a sales and parts player in the classic Caddy world, referred him to Mary Lou Haygood of Plainview, Texas, who had recently purchased parts for her '49.
Thumb the starter button on Musson's Cad, and the groundbreaking OHV V-8 burbles awake. It idles with the deep, powerful serenity of an expensive motor yacht. The transmission quadrant is off-putting at first: Neutral, Drive, Low, Reverse-there is no Park. The trans upshifts at relatively low rpm, and there is no kickdown unless you drop below about 10 mph. Road testers of the day averaged 0-60 times in the 12-13-second range, depending upon tranny choice, and this feels accurate.
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