Pick of the Day: 1949 DeSoto DeLuxe Station Wagon

The more you learn about different eras of cars, the more your tastes change. I know this from experience. Five years ago, I had no interest in woodies, but working for AutoHunter and then The ClassicCars.com Journal sparked an interest in them. Now I’m daydreaming about cars such as this 1949 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon and this 1947 Chrysler Town and Country Convertible Coupe. Go ahead and add our Pick of the Day to the list. You can find this 1949 DeSoto DeLuxe Station Wagon listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Sonoma, California.

DeSoto’s 1949 model year was split into the “first series” and “second series” of vehicles. According to the National DeSoto Club, “With 1949 being a two-body-style year, the new design was unveiled around the beginning of March. Conforming to K.T. Keller’s opinion of conservative practicality over extravagant design, the new S-13 series was practically all-new with one of the most extensive retooling efforts in DeSoto’s history to that point. Every feature of the car was looked at to maximize practicality. The result was a car that was lower, wider, roomier, and overall more user-friendly.”

Changes included extending the standard chassis by four inches, flipping the parking lights to a vertical orientation, increasing the height of the transmission tunnel, and bumping the 236.6ci inline-six’s output up slightly to 112 horsepower at 3,600 rpm. The 1949 model year also brought a new nine-passenger Station Wagon (but only 850 of them), such as the one you see here.

Who knows how many of those 850 cars are still in roadworthy condition? Fortunately, various people over the last few decades have taken care of this particular longroof. At some point in the 1990s, it was restored. Judging by the dealer’s photos, those updates aged well. The body and trim are straight, and the paint still has plenty of gloss. Perhaps most significant is the well-preserved state of the wood and not-so-wood trim.

Inside, all three rows of brown vinyl seats and the brown carpeting appear to be in great shape. And check out the engine-turned panels on the dash. See the Fluid Drive badge on the right? That means the column-mounted shifter (and the clutch pedal) controls the four-speed semi-automatic Tip-Toe Hydraulic Shift transmission.

Back in 2022, several components were replaced, including the battery, spark plugs and wires, freeze plugs, brake wheel cylinders, and brake hoses. In addition, the fuel system was serviced.

It’s chilly outside right now, so it’s a great time for family/friend trips out for hot beverages and baked goods. This 1949 DeSoto DeLuxe Station Wagon would be perfect for pleasant excursions like those. And once spring rolls around, it’ll be a charming vehicle for picnics and parades. But to take it anywhere, you have to buy it first. The asking price is $45,500.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com