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Our second scan from this batch of color slides I found on eBay is of what looks to be a Fire Department car, snapped in 1949. There are many clues in this batch as to the location, but I thought it might be fun to let people guess as the series progresses. 35mm Kodachrome red-border transparency. View full size.
These photos could easily be taken in a small town/village in New England. The houses in this photo are very similar to "mill houses." They were constructed by the Mills to house their workers. The house just about the Studebaker's roof could've been a mill store at one time.
This a a '46 Business Coupe. As Dave mentioned, the business coupes had no back seat, so the filler neck of the tank was positioned as in the photo. This gave these coupes an even larger trunk area, not encumbered by the intrusion of the gas tank neck. They moved the tank neck to the back of the rear fender on the rest of the coupes and four door models. I owned a 42 Business Coupe so I can verify!
These could have been from right here in Minnesota. I agree, it is definitely the Midwest.
I don't know what it is but every Stylemaster through 1948 that I ever saw had the filler cap mounted on top of the right rear fender. No manufacturer would have gas being pumped next to a back-seat passenger.
[There isn't any back seat passenger. The business coupe doesn't have a back seat. - Dave]
I believe the car is a 1947 Chevy Stylemaster.
Horrible placement of the gas fill cap. My location guess is Midwest -- Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio area.
What is that red button on the side behind the front door?
[You turn it when the car runs out of gas. - Dave]
Can't help thinking the red headlight rings and gas cap are nice touches. Did Chevy build a "Fire Chief Special"?
[Appearances to the contrary, body-color trim was the opposite of "custom." - Dave]
I couldn't help but compare the lone red warning lamp to the psychedelic light-show atop today's police and emergency vehicles.
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