Vehicle Description
There's a book on my bookshelf called "The Art of the Lowrider" and
it highlights the idea that the paint as much as any other part of
a custom car is the purest form of automotive art. This 1949
Chevrolet Styleline sedan is a great example of that art
transforming an ordinary car into something extraordinary.
Believe it or not, the bodywork on this handsome pewter sedan is
completely stock. Not chopped, shaved, smoothed, or frenched, it's
just the way Chevy designers did it back in 1949. Since it was
going to be the canvas for some rather impressive paint work, they
went the extra mile to make sure the sheetmetal was in great shape,
and with a 4-door sedan, there are a lot of individual parts to fit
correctly. The lovely soft metallic paint doesn't jump out at you,
but a few minutes studying this car will have you in awe of the
painter's talent. Check out the roof, which has wonderful geometric
shapes flowing across it, even merging with the accessory visor up
front. On the trunk lid, there's a mural of this car, a neatly done
piece of airbrush work that shows influences from south of the
border, the lowrider's place of origin. There are signs of use on
the car, since it's been driven and shown quite a bit, but if you
like the graphics, you're going to love the way the car presents
itself today.
The interior got a mild makeover, but nothing radical. Cream and
brown vinyl on the seats and door panels works well with the
overall color theme, and soft gold carpets on the floor are neatly
tailored and include a heel pad for the driver. Original gauges are
arranged around the perimeter of the speedometer in a single round
pod ahead of the driver, and there's matching paint work on the top
of the dash to tie in with the roof. Auxiliary dials live under the
center stack, and even the factory radio is still in place, so
there's a lot of originality here. Why reinvent the wheel when it
looks this good? That big, round canister on the side window is
called a "swamp cooler" and uses ice to blow cool air into the car,
a rather effective tool in the pre-A/C days. The back seat is big
enough for real-sized adults and you get a massive trunk that'll
carry all your gear to a show.
Even the powerplant is fairly stock: a 216 cubic inch Chevrolet
inline-6, better known as the "Stovebolt." Rugged and smooth, it
pulls the handsome Styleline around with vigor and feels buttery
smooth while doing it. A chrome valve cover and plated air cleaner
housing add some sparkle to an otherwise mostly stock engine bay.
Upgrades include a 12-volt electrical system with alternator, a
giant aluminum radiator, and an electronic ignition system to light
the fires reliably. It runs superbly and you'll find that the
3-speed manual transmission makes the most of the engine's power
band, feeling energetic yet comfortable at highway speeds. The
undercarriage is largely original, so there's some surface scale
and grease, but thanks to a lifetime someplace warm, it's not
rusty, not even in the spare tire well. A lowered suspension gives
it that traditional look, and there's a new single exhaust that
sounds great blowing through straight pipes. The original wheels,
hubcaps, and trim rings were retained and it even rides on correct
bias-ply wide whites for a period look.
A fun, beautifully finished, and unusual cruiser that will stand
out in a crowd, this Styleline is entry level fun for a fantastic
segment of the hobby. Call today!