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The Forty Niners Chapter Lives!

Started by Jay Friedman, November 07, 2013, 10:49:39 AM

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Jay Friedman

Owners of 1949 Cadillacs (and '48s and '50s too) who are members of the Forty Niners Chapter may recall that the chapter went into a kind of hibernation last December when we published the last hard copy issue of the chapter newsletter, the 49 Times. 

However, the chapter has now been resurrected in a different form.  A chapter member, Dale Less, who is also a computer expert, has compiled all 48 issues of the 49 Times from 2001 to 2012 on a web site, www.1949cadillac.com   The web site will ask for additional articles and tech tips etc. to be contributed by readers, thus resurrecting the chapter. 

Dale Less will be the new chapter President, webmaster and everything else and is looking forward to contributions from readers on running, repairing and restoring 1949 Cadillacs.  Have a look at the web site; I'm sure you'll like it. 

Jay
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

Davidrubin


Richardonly

This is wonderful to hear and it was GREAT to read the oldest letters 1st and continue on as time allows.

I had just joined the 49ers, received 2-3 newsletters, the last of which it stated it was the last.  This was a big disappointment to me, BUT now I have the opportunity to read ALL the old ones, maybe print them out and learn so much in the process.

Thank you Jay for letting us know, and a BIG, BIG thank you to Dale Less for his extensive work in putting all this together!!!!!!!!

Regards, Richard
1948 Cadillac Fleetwood 60S
1995 Lincoln Towncar, Signature Series
1995 Jaguar XJ6
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
1986 Yamaha 700 Maxim X motorcycle

C.R. Patton II



Hello

How unfortunate that the Forty Niner Chapter became dormant.

It's magnificent that Dale has stepped up to lead. He has exhibited the desire and skills to move the group forward. The essential elements are the support of CLC members and administration. I'm sure this chapter will strive in the future!
All good men own a Cadillac but great gentlemen drive a LaSalle. That is the consequence of success.

Paul Phillips

Great News - not only alive but improved with the website!  Many thanks to Dale for this effort.  All of us with 49's will benefit greatly from this.

Paul
Paul Phillips CLC#27214
1941 60 Special (6019S)
1949 60 Special (6069X)
1937 Packard Super 8 Convertible Victoria
1910 Oakland Model 24 Runabout

MB49Caddy

Holy Cow! I am stoked as a new 49 owner...how come no one sent me a PM or called me?!?!?

Awesome news!

MB
"Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right." - Abraham Lincoln

Richardonly

I tried a copy and paste to be able to print an article for future reference, BUT it appears I am not able to do so.

Anyone else try it yet?

Richard
1948 Cadillac Fleetwood 60S
1995 Lincoln Towncar, Signature Series
1995 Jaguar XJ6
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
1986 Yamaha 700 Maxim X motorcycle

Jay Friedman

I still have a limited number of hard copies of back issues of the 49 Times from 2001 to 2012.  $2 each postpaid.  Let me know your needs via a separate email at jaysfriedman@yahoo.com

Jay
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

denniscaddy

I'm very glad to hear this news.  Great job on the new website.

This will be a big help to all 49-ers.

Dennis Akerman
CLC3676
CLC 3676
1941 Fleetwood 60S
2017 CT6

Jay Friedman

I was able to cut and paste an article from one of the post-2008 issues in electronic format.
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

Doc Hubler

Jay and others:

Thanks for posting these.  I talked with Joe Cutler yesterday and he suggested I ask about these newsletters, but I've found them here.  I will also post here  and bring up this interesting situation with my car, which is a 48 Series 62 4dr sedan.  My vehicle apparently has the larger/square type trunk lid that was introduced fairly early in the 1949 models.  Joe has one of the shallow 48 style lids that I want to put on my car (I just think the styling is a little nicer).  When I purchased the car a couple of years ago, from someone who basically knew about this car from when it was new, he said the family told him they special ordered the trunk lid, and that there were 2 types you could get.  I thought that really didn't make sense as I'd only seen the square type lid.  Now I realize that doesn't seem to be the case, and yet my 48 probably wouldn't normally have had the square back type -- those weren't available until the 49 models were out.

So what's your guess?  Did these people likely have the dealer install the square back lid when it became available?  The trunk area has the wheel/tire well so the tire can stand vertical.  It is a mid-production number 48 car, so was that unusual?  A reprint version of the 48 service manual shows the trunk floors have the wheel well stamped out in them.  Does anyone know if the spare tire can fit in that spot vertically with the more shallow trunk lid or not?

Car was originally Lucerne green (well, still is with rust highlights).  Red wheels.  It is a 4862 X car with the hydroelectric windows and front seat.  It has an under seat heater (driver side), vacuum operated antenna, and rear package shelf radio speaker.  It also had factory original seat covers.  I posted a picture of the rear of the car. 
Tim Hubler #28450

1948 Cadillac 4862X 4Dr Sedan

1933 Hudson Standard 8
1940 Plymouth Bus. Coupe
1941 Hudson Pickup, Bus. Coupe, Sedan
1942 DeSoto Club Coupe
1946 Dodge 3W Bus. Coupe
1946 Chevrolet Suburban
1950 Hudson Commodore Coupe / Pacemaker Sedan
1951 Hudson Hornet
1955 Chevrolet 1/2T Pickup
1956 Hudson Super Wasp
1960 Dodge Dart
1967 Oldsmobile Toronado
1968 Mercury Park Lane Brougham

Richardonly

Jay,

I will have to try a copy and paste from 2008 and on.  There still must be a way to get older articles to paper.

Thank you, Richard
1948 Cadillac Fleetwood 60S
1995 Lincoln Towncar, Signature Series
1995 Jaguar XJ6
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
1986 Yamaha 700 Maxim X motorcycle

Jay Friedman

Doc,

It is my understanding and the 48-49 Authenticity Manual says on page 114 that in all 1948 (as well as early and late 1949) 4-door sedans the spare tire stands upright in a wheel well regardless of the type of trunk lid.  The spare lies horizontally only in '48 and early '49 Club Coupes and convertibles. 

I've never heard of the later squarer/rounder type of trunk lid being available as an option in the '48 model year.   However, my never having heard of it doesn't mean it wasn't so, since Cadillac was fairly liberal in fulfilling what was called "special orders" from its well-heeled clientele.  Nonetheless, my guess is that your car's owner put in the special order and had the squarer / rounder trunk lid installed sometime in 1949 or later after it became available, maybe because the car's owner saw it on a "late" '49 car and wanted more trunk space. 

An uncommon feature of your car is its Hydro-Lectric system to power the windows and front seat.  The Hydro-Lectric system was standard equipment on convertibles, Series 60S 4-door sedans and Series 75 limos, but only an option on Series 62 4-door sedans and Club Coupes.  However, few Series 62 sedan and coupe buyers availed themselves of this option so very few cars like yours exist today.  A vacuum antenna was standard equipment if the car had a radio, but the rear speaker was an option.  With a Lucerne Green body, wheels could be either Vincennes Red or Lucerne Green.  Almost all cars had the underseat heater but "rust highlights" only appeared in modern times. 
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

Doc Hubler

Jay,

THanks for responding.  Your explanation was the only one I could arrive at as well. Joe Cutler has sent me a correct 48 shallow decklid which i will install.  And I thought the spare must sit upright, otherwise why would Cadillac build the wheel well feature into the floor pan?  I thought the spare would clear regardless when I looked at the line of the body with the spare in it.

Do you have any estimate of how many of the 62 sedans had the power windows/seat?  I haven't noticed any that have that when these come up for sale on ebay.  BTW, there was a 48 sedanette, red, that came up for sale recently.  I think it was in CA, but it was posted on CL in Boise, ID by a friend.  Looked very straight, but there were no interior pics.
Tim Hubler #28450

1948 Cadillac 4862X 4Dr Sedan

1933 Hudson Standard 8
1940 Plymouth Bus. Coupe
1941 Hudson Pickup, Bus. Coupe, Sedan
1942 DeSoto Club Coupe
1946 Dodge 3W Bus. Coupe
1946 Chevrolet Suburban
1950 Hudson Commodore Coupe / Pacemaker Sedan
1951 Hudson Hornet
1955 Chevrolet 1/2T Pickup
1956 Hudson Super Wasp
1960 Dodge Dart
1967 Oldsmobile Toronado
1968 Mercury Park Lane Brougham

Jay Friedman

I don't know exactly what percentage of 48 or 49 Series 62 sedans had the power windows and seat option, but it must have been very few.   These were the largest selling body styles in both model years and I do have some imprecise data from the Forty Niners Chapter membership rolls.  Of about 50 Series 62 sedans beloning to chapter members, I was aware of only 2 with power windows and a power seat.   That works out to about 4% and I would guess it must be close to the percentage of Series 62 sedans sold new with that option.
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."