The 1949 Ford is one of the landmark cars of the 20th century. It was one of the first great automotive designs of the Post World War II era, and is still one of my favorites.

Life magazine ran a semi-promotional piece called “The New Ford” in their June 14, 1948 issue that showcased the new model. Here are some other images from what I believe to be the initial photo shoot for the piece. They were taken in March 1948 and credited to William J. Sumits. In addition to the obligatory models, there are some really cool shots juxtaposing the ’49 Ford with some vintage Model Ts.

Click on any thumbnail to see the larger picture.