American 1941 Designs: Leaders and Laggards

By around 1940, American car makers had digested post-1929 glass-forming and all-steel car body component stamping technologies to the point where resulting designs generally lacked the awkwardness found so often during the 1930s.   Chrysler Corporation introduced such new designs across its brand range for the 1940 model year.

Model year 1941 saw even more new designs from both major and second-tier manufacturers.  I wrote about the '41 General Motors B-body sedans here, and the redesigned 1941 Nashes here.

Today's post presents examples of redesigned 1941 sedans along with a few 1941 sedans that lagged behind the styling times because those bodies had been in production for a while.

Images below are of cars listed for sale unless otherise noted.  All are of four-door sedans for comparison consistency.

Gallery

1941 Buick Century
The Century used GM's new B-body.

B-body sedans were fastbacks.  As can be seen, the design is well-integrated with little or no awkwardness.

1941 Nash Ambassador
Nash's senior line styling was similar to that of GM's B-bodies, though notch-back bodies were also available.

The Nash fastback roofline seems more graceful than that of the Buick shown above.

1941 Studebaker Commander
Studebaker's lower body is in line with the above designs.  However, the passenger compartment greenhouse carries a late-1930s aspect.

1941 Ford Super DeLuxe Fordor
Here is the redesigned senior Ford for 1940.  Mercurys shared this body, so aren't illustrated here.

The Ford's comparatively short wheelbase dictated its fastback roof curve that's not as attractive as Nash's.

1941 Hudson DeLuxe
Now for the laggards.  Hudsons were redesigned for the 1936 model year, the basic body remaining in production through 1947.  Over time, modifications were made in attempts to keep that body in line with styling fashions.  Therefore, this '41 model looks different from the 1936.  However, traces of the 1936 design can be seen on the doors and windows.

The rear-end design features post-1936 reshaping.  Forward of the cowling is also post-1936.  Despite these efforts, Hudson's were looking somewhat dated in 1941.

1941 Packard 120 - Auctions America photo
The 120's body was new for the 1938 model year, so it retains a 1930s cast.  Packard's traditional tall grille and its details also differ from 1941's horizontal grille orientation fashion.

1941 Packard Clipper
But in the spring of 1941 Packard introduced its new Clipper design, a very handsome one in line with the times, aside perhaps, from the vertical grille.