General Motors offered redesigned A-Body and C-Body cars for the 1940 model year. These sedans featured moderate notchback styling. Then for 1941 their B-Bodies were redesigned and the sedans were all fastbacks.
That model year B-Bodies were used by Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick, though the former two also used A and C bodies, and two Buick lines had C-Bodies. Some B-Body fastbacks are pictured below. Images are of cars listed for sale or are from factory sources.
B-Body four-door sedans were six-window types.
I suppose Pontiac marketers used the term "Sedan Coupe" because back-seat room was fairly constricted in coupe-fashion while there were no other two-door sedan-like bodies offered. Compare the positions of the back seats shown in these photos in relation to the rear wheels. Also note that the two-door car has a sleeker fastback profile.
Oldsmobile B-Bodies were used on the 76 and 78 series cars.
Four-door B-Body fastback quarter view.
Two-door B-Body fastback quarter view.
Buick used B-Bodies for its entry-level Special and performance-based Century lines. Centurys had a longer wheelbase than Specials -- the difference can be seen in the relationship of the forward front door cutline and the rear of the front fender on each car.
The same applies for two-door B-Body Buicks for 1941.
For stuff like this it all gets pretty vague to me after 1970 and will pretty much stay that way with specific exceptions. Somehow going back in time before the era I kind of understand is pretty interesting though for some reason.
ReplyDeleteThere's several people who do YouTube coverage of British cars of the pre- to postwar classic era and somehow it's all fascinating as well. Maybe it's the accent. Maybe it's the Queen. A black hole of social distancing time wasting:
idriveaclassic, HubNut, FuriousDriving (they all know each other).....