Lot 194

Hershey 2018

1949 Chevrolet Fleetline DeLuxe Sedan

The Richard L. Burdick Collection

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$19,800 USD | Sold

United States | Hershey, Pennsylvania

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Body No.
4289
Identification No.
GAA404558
  • Offered from the Richard L. Burdick Collection
  • An early post-war fastback design, in unusual four-door form
  • An amazing original, unrestored “survivor,” including paint and interior
  • Only 36,226 believed actual miles
  • Surely one of the finest and most original extant

Chevrolet’s new post-war line of 1949, “The Most Beautiful Buy of All,” included, at its peak, the Fleetline DeLuxe, a continuation of the 1942–1948 Fleetline that included two upmarket body styles, a two-door and four-door sedan, both with a streamlined fastback roofline. Buyers responded to the Fleetline DeLuxe’s gorgeous, flowing styling by buying nearly 312,000 of them. It is amazing, then, that they are so rarely seen today – where did they all go?

The Fleetline DeLuxe four-door sedan offered here is almost certainly one of the best original, unrestored examples in existence. It is still wearing its factory Satin Green finish and striped cloth interior; the paint shows only minor wear and patina, as would be expected when driving about 36,226 believed actual miles, while the interior is remarkable for its age. This extends to the wood-grained dashboard’s finish and the condition of the gauges, which are bright, clear, and beautiful. Options include rear fender skirts, grille guards, dashboard clock, AM radio, heater, and a sun visor; the car is also equipped with turn signals, for more safe modern driving.

For the Chevrolet enthusiast who appreciates clean, well-maintained, and beautifully kept originality, this example of post-war streamlined design would be hard to beat. It would be a surefire head-turner in the Antique Automobile Club of America’s Historic Preservation of Original Features class, be it here at Hershey or elsewhere.