1949 Chrysler Royal Series

1949 was Chrysler's 25th Anniversary and the first year the Chrysler models wore new post-war styling. Two wheelbase sizes were offered on the Royal Series including the 125.5-inch platform that carried Club Coupe, 6-passenger sedan, and 9-passenger bodies. The 125.5-inch wheelbase was four inches longer than the previous years due to moving the rear axle housing farther back. The longer 139.5-inch wheelbase was reserved for the 8-passenger sedan of which 185 examples were built in 1949. The station wagon body style was the first of its type on a Chrysler automobile since 1942.

The 1949 Chrysler Royal Series was powered by an L-head six-cylinder engine with a cast-iron block, four-main bearing engine that delivered 116 horsepower at 3,600 RPM. The engine was backed by a three-speed manual transmission as standard equipment or an option Chrysler's exclusive Fluid Drive semi-automatic unit. The Royal was Chrysler's entry-level model with prices beginning at $2,000 for the Club Coupe, $2,020 for the sedan, and $3,000 for the station wagon. The most popular body style was the sedan which found 13,192 willing buyers.

In the front were an egg-crate grille, shortened overhangs, and taller and boxier bodies. The suspension was comprised of an independent front setup with coil springs, and a live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs. Hydraulic drum brakes at all four corners provided the stopping power. The standard wheelbase cars rode on 7.60x15 tires while the longer models and station wagons rested on 8.20 x 15 tires.

The following year, 1950, would be the final use of the Royal name.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2020