
Chrysler 1946

The Simca 8 was a family car built by Simca , available as a saloon, coupé or cabriolet. It was a rebadged Fiat 508C “nuova Balilla” made at Fiat’s Simca plant in Nanterre, France.
This is the original Anglia. Basically the same mechanically as the pre-war 7Y. It had transverse springs both front and rear and mechanical brakes. The Autocar road test of 26 April 1940 had the following to say about the brakes and roadholding: “The Girling brakes give confidence. A rapid emergency pull-up can be made, and for the great majority of driving occasions when a milder braking effect is required, they act admirably, with a light pedal pressure. The transversely arranged half-elliptic springs provide a suspension which takes the worst sting out of a really bad surface such as may sometimes be encountered”. Undoubtedly an example of the famous Britsh understatement!
The model shown here was sold in Holland as the Ford 4 Tudor Sedan and was manufactured at Ford’s Amsterdam works.
Source: Wolseley brochure
“The first glimpse of the Wolseley Four-Fifty gives an impression of a car of unusual grace and style. Designed and built with meticulous care, no detail affecting the comfort and safety of driver and passengers has been overlooked. The 1.5 litre four-cylinder overhead valve engine, with valves operated direct from the camshaft, develops 50 brake horse power. It will cruise happily at 60 m.p.h. and exceed 70 m.p.h. Long torsion bars and telescopic shock absorbers ensure smooth travel, free from roll. Sparkling new colours are founded on a strong “Monoconstruction” body, rust-proofed throughout for long life and lasting beauty. All upholstery is in leather with Dunlopillo foam rubber cushioning. An air circulating and heating unit is standard. Hydraulic brakes are of the latest type Lockheed with two leading shoes at the front; safety glass is fitted to all windows. The Wolseley Four-Fifty is a full five-seater car.”
Specification 1954 Wolseley 4/50 Engine Straight 4, 1476cc Power 50 bhp @ 4800 rpm Transmission 4 speed manual Chassis Unitary construction Suspension Independent front, semi-elliptic rear Brakes Lockheed drum Top speed 120 km/h Acceleration Dimensions
Volvo PV 800 (1938-1958) Taxicab
Note the ‘winglets’ at the ends of the bumpers.
1946 Volvo PV 444
In 1955 the PV 444 received extensive face-lift treatment, the most obvious being the one-piece rear window and enlarged windscreen. The tail lights were moved from the mudguards to the sides of the car.
VW Beetle Split Rear Window (1938-1953)
KdF Wagen – Kraft durch Freude (strength through joy) was the initial name for the car that would become the Volkswagen (People’s Car).
“Wherever real automobile enthusiasts get together, and whenever the conversation turns to progress in automotive design, the name VW is certain to be mentioned.
Such is the reputation of this car that it has become the criterion of “small car” construction among even the most discriminating buyers of automobiles. A reputation like this had to be earned. Even the 1939 VW model incorporated four years of painstaking development and over 1.5 million miles of actual road tests. The war years served as a Final test. In the guise of a military vehicle the VW did yeoman service under all sorts of going. From the torrid heat of the sandy African deserts to the bitter cold of the snow-covered Russian plains it fulfilled the severest de¬≠mands in a manner unequalled in history.
Today the VW is the leader in the international field of small cars; the masterpiece of the most modern European automobile factory, the most popular of all German cars, not only in the homeland but anywhere in the world.
Well over 100,000 VWs have been built and sold since 1945; indeed a proud record and a well deserved success. They wind their way, fleet, nimble and untiring, through the heavy traffic of the largest cities in the world – a pride and joy to the hundreds of thousands that are so well served every day by them – a pride and joy also to the engineers and more than 10,000 workers who build them.”
Excerpt from the 1949 brochure
The transporter, bus or Bulli as it is known in Germany, has gained cult status. The Dutch VW importer, Ben Pon, is said to have made the first sketches for the Transporter. There have been 6 generations up to 2021, known as T1 to T6.
VW Transporter
VW Bulli
More illustrations to follow …